Sluggish Processor

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike

I am running Windows XP Pro and when using Office 2003's
Word, for for that matter any other program, e.g., MS
Explorer, I have noticed in recent days that my computer
takes an inordinate amount of time to process things. For
instance, in typing a Word document when I page down it
is as if my page just hangs for about ten seconds then
moves. This has only started to happen within the last
week and I cannot understand why.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. BTW, I have
a Pentium IV processor 1.X gigahertz clock speed and 1
gig of RAM.
Thanks,
Mike
 
I am running Windows XP Pro and when using Office 2003's
Word, for for that matter any other program, e.g., MS
Explorer, I have noticed in recent days that my computer
takes an inordinate amount of time to process things. For
instance, in typing a Word document when I page down it
is as if my page just hangs for about ten seconds then
moves. This has only started to happen within the last
week and I cannot understand why.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. BTW, I have
a Pentium IV processor 1.X gigahertz clock speed and 1
gig of RAM.
Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...

Mike,

Hardware problems, such as the other poster hinted, may cause this.

You also might want to look for malware. Adware and spyware is a very popular
industry, and many variants of that crap is out there, so you'll need to use
quite a few tools. Fortunately, everything listed is free, so you have nothing
to lose but time.

How current is your virus protection? Try one or more of these free online
virus scans, which should complement your current protection:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, additional problems.

Start by downloading each of the following free tools:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearch (v1/v2) MiniRemoval
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4113.html>
HijackThis <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155>
LSP-Fix and WinsockLSPFix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Install and run Stinger.
<http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. Spybot S&D has an install routine - run it. The other
downloaded programs can be copied into, and run from, any convenient folder.

Start by closing all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, and running
CoolWebSearchSmartKillerMiniRemoval, then CWShredder. Have the latter fix all.

Next, run AdAware. First update it ("Check for updates now"), configure for
full scan (<http://www.lavahelp.com/howto/fullscan/>), then scan ("Start" - "Use
custom scanning options" - "Next"). When scanning finishes, select everything,
and hit Next again.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a scan
("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and delete everything ("Fix Problems")
that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and post it, or a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
Wilders Security<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
 
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