computer started acting slugish/slow

I added RAM month or two ago and since then the computer was running great. But last night/today I was on the internet and it "updated" something on the computer.. I am pretty sure it had to do with windows, because when I looked at it it talked about windows xp ..something.. . And I restarted and it was little weird.. Then this morning I wake up and seen my GF tried downloading windows live messenger. I went to add/remove I seen few things I didn't recognize and it said windows ettensials and windows live stuff and photos.. Anyways I am sure I didn't get all the stuff added removed in the add/remove I am sure they don't belong there but there title isn't windows live in it. Anyways I remember seeing back in the day windows living giving problem being removed totally... So I went to MG downloads.. Download the file for removing windows live messenger for xp.. came in a zip folder.. I extracted all ran the remove icon And it took a while to pop up but finally did saying error or something. I said oh well.. I went back to add/remove removed what I could and one of the things I uninstalled it popped up asking to mark what I want to uninstall with it.. I click all the windows live things..toolbar, photo, etc.. I notice it said okay and it removed its folder from c drive So I delete the little folder i downloaded from MG to remove windows live messenger and restarted. I now browsing on youtube and here and poker.. And the firefox is running slow/sluggish.. also IE is slower in which when I open it with firefox open it use to be instant but now it freezes up/lock up and doesn't load I do the ctrl alt delete to get rid of it. Any advice? I dont know if it was the update or the msn live messenger I tried to get rid of in a crappy way.. that caused it? And once again sorry for long head ach of paragraph questions I am well known for.

 

In my add/remove still are these:

Adobe flash player 10 activex
adobe flash player 10 plug in
adobe read 9.3.1
apple application support
apple software update
conexant d850 56k v.9x dfv modem
dell resource CD
high definition audio driver pk KB835221
HP customer participation program 13.0
HP deskject F24400 all in one driver software 13.0 rel.6
HP Image device fuctions 13.0
Hp print projects 1.0
Hp smart web printing 4.5
HP solution Center 13.0
Intel R graphics media accelerator drivers
Intel R Pro Netwoork Connections Drivers
Java 6 update 18
MEM488U
Microsoft .net framework 2.0 service pack 2
Microsoft .net framework 3.0 service Pack 2
Microsoft .net framework 3.5 sp1
microsoft compression client pack 1.0 for windows xp
Microsoft user mode driver framework feature 1.0
microsoft visual C++ 2005 atl update kb973923-x86 8.0.50727.4053
microsoft visual C++ 2008 atl update kb973924-x86 9.0.30729.4148
Microsoft visual C++ 2008 atl redistributable - x86 9.0.30729.17
Firefox 3.6.3
MSXML 4.0 sp2 KB954430
MSXML 4.0 sp2 KB973688
MSXML 6.0 PARSER KB925673
sigma te audio
SoundMAX
Veoh Web Player
Visual C++ 8.0 runtime setup Package
Windows Internet Explorer 8
Windows media format 11 runtime
windows Media player 11
windows xp service pack 3
and also these zoo tycoon, pokerstars, fulltiltpoker.

 

start task manager (CTRL Shift ESC) and see if there are any tasks other than system idle proccess that are taking up the CPU power ?
Maybe a system restore to before crappy live messenger and ALL the crap that comes with it were installed

 

Only applications running is what I am on atm. Fulltiltpoker and Firefox. In the processes everythings around the 3-6k for the items in there cept firefox is 76k poker is 168k task mgf 42k svchost.exe 42k everything else lower in that 6k and under k's. Performace CPU usage 0% pf usage 0 bytes atm. Also doing a restore I ve done those before and it said it worked and I see no difference in the issue that were happening... So thats why I havn't done the system restore yet.

 

I was going to try to do a system restore point by clicking start and then help and support. And in the bottom right clicking undo changes on the computer with system restore. But I go there and theres only 1 restore I see(and thats today). I can't scroll over to other months and check. Any other way of system restoring?

 

hola and good morning.

 

I think that removal tool is for windows messenger, not Live Messenger which is newer and installed manually. along with Live Messenger, you get some optional tools (like the one's you listed)

try using ccleaner to see if anything is listed in its remove programs section related to windows live. you might also want to run the registry cleaner.

another thing is to check what addons you have installed with firefox.

 

I run the CCleaner every 3-4 days for kicks. Another thing is no live messenger was under anything in CCleaner. I was thinking the issue of slowness probably was the windows update it last did. But I can't convert back to a time before the update.. Because all restores are gone. When I checked its maxed out on storage it will old for restore points. SO I did a scan and nothing in there was related to the issue.

 

No I don't know what it"really was" I just looked down while playing a game and seen updated needed. I said okay will it usually needs a restarted so I waited till game over. I then open it and run it.. said windows xp ... (restarted computer). Then played and later that night and the next day it was sluggish and slower. I don't know about the updates a computer gives you if you can tell which was the last one added. That was why I wanted to do system restore 1st but then if nothing try to take back the update it did. But an issue I was worried about taking out the update.. sounds silly to some but I was worried Id mess up the computer by taking last update back. Silly yes but I do something normal and computer doesn't like very nicely.

 

lol Theres a lot of updates that were on that day. Scared to delete :cry Only thing I see is the 14th of this month so they "got to be" the ones that was that day..1 update on 13 security update then 7 updates on the 14th mostly security updates and hotfix update. :-o

Just delete all? Will computer not start once I uninstall the updates?I plan on deleted them and restarting..

 

Ill go and try that in a few minutes got to go out now. Thanks for helping. Also I got 1 last question. The updates"if they are what caused slowness and etc" and will be updated next time the PC updates.. Wont it be slow/slugish when those updates come to add again?

 

K thanks

 

Well I uninstalled the all the updates on that day like I said. And now there all waiting for me in the bottom right to update them back into the computer. The computer seems just as slow/sluggish without the updates if not a very tad more. Its like say I got like 5 or more windows of something open on firefox for the heck of it.. I click over on the left.. do whatever and then if I click on the far right tab it like stalls for 10 seconds or so.

 

Didnt see I got a response. Sorry for missing it. Yes I re uninstalled all updates. Updated 1 at a time seen no difference(still sluggish each time) I uninstalled all updates and reinstalled 1 at a time then eventually just added them all back since no difference in sluggishness. Another thing is I dont know what it could be (computer clean) got that new RAM and the add/remove list doesn't have nothing in it to get rid of. And yes firefox is laggy/sluggish but IE 8 is still pretty quick. I got firefox 3.6.3 and at bottom says Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.2.3) Gecko/20100401 Firefox/3.6.3 ( ) . I was thinking maybe I could try uninstall and re installing IE and Firefox? Also to do so I thought/think that when you uninstall IE it doesnt really uninstall the whole thing it just reverts back from IE 8 to whatever was before 7? I tried to uninstall it before and it just reverted back long time ago.

 

Ill try out safe mode in little bit. Also I am updated with Sun Java version 6 update 20. And the Adobe flash in add/remove says same thing in my add/remove list down below in the post. And I got the security apps uninstalled at this moment cause I was tring anything and everything.

 

Alright I tried it out in Safe Mode With Networking.. had no sound. But it was quicker from what I could see. I opened up 10 tabs of youtube and ran pretty fine with them all playing and searching. And now I loaded back up into normal mode. And it started slow and sluggish/delay when typing and opening firefox.

 

Disabled all start ups and restarted into normal mode. From what I see I dont see to much difference. Also when I started computer box came up(uploaded image below). And then I clicked okay and it popped up the msconfig and I just closed out of that as well.

 

Alright the computer is still slow. Its still cleaned. I got rid of stuff to try to test and see if it would make it faster, but didn't. I have no idea where to go from here and see what to do and (maybe test something) or try something I got pictures of proccesses and I got a start up txt list from CCleaner of my start ups.

First picture is Proccesses of nothing open
Second is firefox open with 3 tabs open
Third is proccesses with 6 tabs open
Forth is IE with 6 tabs open

 

This is the start up list from CCleaner what is in the start up thing.

 

Silas,

Maybe you listed this and I didn't see it, but how much RAM do you have?

It runs better in safe mode? That may point to a driver issue, corrupt or conflict.

Any yellow flags or "!" in the device manager?

And cCleaner shouldn't be used for managing the startups. Startup CPL is my choice for XP systems;
http://majorgeeks.com/Startup_CPL_d619.html

First, re-enable everything you have done under cCleaner, then use this to manage.

As safe mode is essentially the same as normal, sans drivers and some services, I would look there.

Regarding services, look at and compare your system to www.blackviper.com, this is an excellent tutorial and advice site for services.

I also see you have Apple devices installed, I have seen those give some serious performance issues, especially on XP systems. You could try disabling all related devices/services and see what that does.

 

I added RAM last year 4 G into my Windows XP Dell Dimension 4700. SP3 pack.

I didnt see to much difference. Sometimes it dont want to law/slow when you want it.

Not to smart with what the computer does/alerts are post/logged to and what for. So This alert checking I messed around and found it and I didnt see no ! or yellow things. Only thing yellow in anything was yellow ?Symbol on my device for my IPOD thing. But thats not in the location you asked.

I re enabled all start ups with CCleaner. I download CPL and left "as is" when downloaded.

Viper thing Ill check in out in little bit, got to make some coffee and smoke a cig. Another thing is I once posted a list of a program called "everest" I believe told info on my system of what was in it and installed and was using.

Maybe theres program/sites I can go to check on things like this"viper" I have no idea about. But I read few post in software to know its a site to check for things on your computer. :confused And thats about it.

 

I lied it was 3 G my bad

 

Another thing to maybe ask is what are some programs/things I should install/have to have a good running computer? I am not smart with this stuff like I said I got .net framework.

 

The fewer the better. But what are you running for anti-virus? I don't see it in your process manager.

Can you post a picture now from your startup CPL? There are differemt tabs, I believe the relevant one is the HKLM, or which ever is most populated. Don't have it in frot of me right now.

Size and % use of HD? (That may be in an earlier post, I'll look later).

 

Hi Silas, I think Secunia would be very good for you, as it scans all apps on your computer, and will alert you to when something needs updating. It will hep you to keep your PC secure . I have it, and I do use it. It has been very helpful for me, to keep everything updated. Also, VERY easy to use

Download it here: http://majorgeeks.com/Secunia_Personal_Software_Inspector_PSI_d6030.html

 

Out of curiosity what version of firefox are ye using?

 

Since Silas isn't on, I'll be glad to tell you, he is using the latest version. I asked the same question. He also got his .Net updates yesterday too. This one is a weird one to solve. He even deleted FF and then reinstalled it. Only now, it is even slower. rolleyes

 

Well, FF has the OOP built into it, and from a bit-o-research it seems to cause slowness on some computers. So, latest official release, latest nightly, or hourly?

If FF is uninstalled, does it help the computer?

 

No, it doesn't.

Hi! He has the lasted FF version, 3.6, and from what he says, even with out it, it is slow. He should be back soon, I figured by now, but he may still be at the viper site yet. Keep an eye out for him, he should be posting back after leaving there.

 

I disabled and uninstalled what Ive been running but Avast and Search and Destroy when I do scan. Also

There is a HKLM and HKCU. In the HKLM its going to be small in picture since I can blow it up. So Ill type it as well.

Adobe ARM C;Program Files/common files/Adobe/ARM/1.0/Adobe etc..
Adobe Reader Speed Laucher C Drive Program Files/Adobe Reader 9.0/Reader 9.0/Reader/Reader_/etc
Avast5 Crogra~1/ALWILS~/Avast5/AvastUI.exe.nogetc
DiviXUpdate C: Program Files/Divx/Divx Update/DivXUpdate.exe
igfxhkcmd C:WINDOWS/SYSTEM32/hkcmd.exe
igfxpers C:WINDOWS/SYSTEM32/igfxpers.exe
igfxtray C:WINDOWS/SYSTEM32/igfxtray.exe
SoundMAXPNP Crogram Files/Analog Devices/ Core smax4pnp.exe
SunJavaUpdate Crogram Files/Common Files/Java/JavaUpdateetc

 

I added 3 G so about 2.99 of RAM to my Windows XP sp3. It was once nice to use the computer/fast and etc then it got slow and I ended up getting someone with a disc to come reformate. But now its being annoying again, and was hoping to maybe find something wrong inside, change some things. Also I got 16.1 GB Free Spade and 37.2 GB Total. I also use FF 3.6.4 all updated. No skins/no addons.

 

Hi Silas, there is an update to FF out now. It is 3.6.4. Might want to update that, ( I know see that you already did) and dl Secunia, and see how things look then. The secunia will keep everything, INCLUDING FF up to date, by letting you know when there is an update, and it checks everything, including JAVA. Mine just popped up with an update for FF. So, I would suggest installing Secunia. See how that goes.

 

Hi Silas, I left the link to Secunia in Post #33 , but I will post it again here for ya, so you won't have to scroll down to find it:

http://majorgeeks.com/Secunia_Personal_Software_Inspector_PSI_d6030.html

This is a very good tool to keep around. And use it... Mine scans weekly, and no, it isn't an antivirus:

 

TeeCee The only insecure things on the computer on that program it listed are

Adobe Flash Player 10.x I tried checking for updates off the site but says failed to finish

Adobe Reader 8.x Also said failed to finish after I got the failed thingy. Maybe site mess up atm.

Microsoft office Excell 2007 - I never seen this program/used it. It doesn't show up in the add/remove

Microsoft PowePoint 2007 - I never seen this program/used it. It doesn't show in the add/remove.

Microsoft Word 2007 - I never seen this program/used it. It doesn't show in the add/remove.

VLC Media player 0.x - Thought this was gone not in add/remove

 

OK, now we know we have some issues with unknown programs. Cool. Did you have it in Advanced Mode, and when you do, you click the "Fix it/Download Solution" button for that program.
View attachment 139819


It should download the fix for you for all of them. I will add some screenys for you. The Secunia will pick up the update for you. You may not realize it, but you do use Word, and excell, and even power point.

Once you are done with all the fixes/downloads, you will click overview in teh top left tab. You will see what your score is. You WANT a 100% score, which means your 'puter is 100% secure. I think we found it!
View attachment 139818
Be sure to click the ADVANCED Tab in the upper right corner. Do not use the simple interface.

OK, those are crappy screenys, I'll see if I can insert some better ones. BRB.

 

I always forget about Secunia. Thanks TeeCee!

 

I got a question. Why would I want to do the fix/install for these? I never use them or see them on the computer. Adding them will just bring and use up space no.

Microsoft office Excell 2007
Microsoft PowePoint 2007
Microsoft Word 2007

 

Hi Silas, you use the spell checker on your computer. That is tied into office. If you delete office, you will lose spell checker. I guess, if you want to dl the google toolbar, but it is up to you. Also, if you ever used Microsoft word, to write a letter, you might want to keep those programs. Everything is tied into each other. BUT, if you already deleted these programs, then just open the file, and delete the leftovers...

Now, I'll try another screeny:
Use the "Fix it" button

Click the "Technical Details" for the details of the program you are wondering about, and it will show the VERSION you currently have.

Click add & Remove programs, to remove it. You can also click "Open Folder" to find it. So much simpler than hunting for it.


Another pic of the Secunia:


You WANT to strive for a 100% score. That is best.

@ theefool: I always forget about Secunia. No problem, it is my favorite tool! !

 

Technically, you are only going to "Fix" them, or add an update. If, however, you already deleted them, then just open the folder, and delete the leftovers that didn't get deleted in the first place.

 

Odd, so you are saying that office 2007 is not installed on your computer? What about the office 2007 compatibility pack?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...70-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

 

Oops, sp2 of the above: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...2F-1F7D-49A3-9123-7CA3E703B916&displaylang=en

 

None of those names are in my computer add/remove. I only touched then PC 2.5 years ago. It was her dads and he got a different computer. I do not know if he uninstalled or whatever. But theres nothing in add/remove no icons anywhere of these programs.

Also that program I was using to "check for updates" is being dumb and I restart the computer each time. I installed and uninstalled numerous times with adobe and adobe reader and that VLC or whatever that app is. And they are installed/updated at this time and that program still showing they are not.