Laptop running extremly slow even on safe mode

Welcome to Major Geeks!

First let me just say that you problems may not be due to malware. Much of what you are saying sounds more like overheating issues and potentially your laptop may be just too slow a PC with inadequate hardware specs to run Win 7 ( especially since you say the PC is 3 yrs old ). Before I have you spend a lot of time performing malware cleaning steps, let's collect some information from a program named MGtools that will help us learn more about your PC.


Please download MGtools just download and save to your Desktop. Do not run it yet since your need to take other steps first.

• Note: recent bugs in many antivirus programs are detecting this as malware. Disable your AV while you download and run MGtools if you have this problem. Rest assured that it is clean. Your AV is incorrect.
• If you use FireFox and still have it set to defaults, it will not let you choose where to download files to. To change FireFox, run FireFox and Click Tools, Options, and on the Main tab select Always ask me where to save files.

Now since you have Windows 7, you must turn off UAC ( UAC = User Account Control )

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Click User Accounts and Family Safety
3. In the User Accounts and Family Safety window click Change User Account Control Settings
4. Then move the Slider all the way to the bottom to Never Notify
5. Click OK and then Yes to the popup warning that you are turning off UAC
6. If it is already unchecked, then you should also notice a red shield with an X in it located in your system tray. Ignore any mesages about UAC being disabled.
7. Click Restart Now to apply the change right away. (Restart even if you did not make the above change, we need to be sure that a reboot has occurred since the first time that UAC was disabled.)

NOTE: DO NOT CONTINUE UNTIL UAC has been disabled and you have rebooted.



Now follow the directions in the below link for running MGtools It also explains possible reasons for not being able to run MGtools

• Using MGtools

Now you need to attach (See: HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post ) the MGlogs.zip - normally it is C:\MGlogs.zip - only attach this log from MGtools.exe DO NOT attach any logs seen in the MGtools folder.

 

You need to attach the MGlogs.zip file as requested. Do not attach anything else but this exact file name.

 

You do not have Windows 7 installed. You have the below per your logs

You have a dual core process too with enough memory so that you should be able run Vista okay. Your logs showed

Code:

Processor Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2060  @ 1.60GHz, 1600 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s) 
Total Physical Memory 1.99 GB 
Available Physical Memory 1.07 GB 

Based on just this small sample of logs, I would say that your problem is due to violating rule number 1 of our malware forums and that is NEVER install more than one antivirus program.


You have AVG9 and Kaspersky Internet Security installed which you should not have. What I suggest is that you uninstall the below:

• Ask Toolbar
• AVG 9.0

Did you purchase Registry Mechanic or is it a trial. If a trial, uninstall it too.

Also disable Spybot's Teatimer. See this: How to disable Spybot's TeaTimer


Now delete all files and subfolders in the below folders except ones from the current date (Windows will not let you delete the files from the current day).
C:\Windows\Temp
C:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Temp

Now empty your Recycle Bin


Now reboot your PC and tell me how things are running.

 

Well he did not install Win 7 based on your logs. He installed Vista.

It may not be a virus, but let's find out for sure by running thru a full cleaing process.


Please read ALL of this message including the notes before doing anything.

Please follow the instructions in the below link:

READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide


and attach the requested logs when you finish these instructions.

• **** If something does not run, write down the info to explain to us later but keep on going. ****
• Do not assume that because one step does not work that they all will not. MGtools will frequently run even when all other tools will not.

• After completing the READ & RUN ME and attaching your logs, make sure that you tell us what problems still remain ( if any still do )!

Helpful Notes:

1. If you run into problems trying to run the READ & RUN ME or any of the scans in normal boot mode, you can run the steps in safe boot mode but make sure you tell us what you did later when you post logs. See the below if you do not know how to boot in safe mode:
   
   • Starting your computer in Safe mode
2. If you have problems downloading on the problem PC, download the tools and the manual updates for SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes ( links are given in the READ & RUN ME) onto another PC and then burn to a CD. Then copy them to the problem PC. You will have to skip getting updates if (and only if) your internet connection does not work. Yes you could use a flash drive too but flash drives are writeable and infections can spread to them.
3. If you cannot seem to login to an infected user account, try using a different user account (if you have one) in either normal or safe boot mode and running only SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes while logged into this other user account. Then reboot and see if you can log into the problem user account. If you can then run SUPERAntiSpyware, Malwarebytes, ComboFix and MGtools on the infected account as requested in the instructions.
4. To avoid additional delay in getting a response, it is strongly advised that after completing the READ & RUN ME you also read this sticky:
   • Don't Bump! It Only Hurts You!!!

Any additional post is a bump which will add more delay. Once you attach the logs, your thread will be in the work queue and as stated our system works the oldest threads FIRST.
​

 

You did not install and run the first requested scan which was from SUPERAntiSpyware. You should do this. Your logs are not showing any malware problems.

Also run the below.

Download TDSSKiller from Kaspersky to your directly onto your Desktop

• Now double click the TDSSkiller.exe file to run it ( if using Vista or Windows 7 do not double click on it but rather, right click and select Run As Administrartor. )
• Allow the application to run if prompted by Windows or any security programs you have installed
• It will start the scan and run rather quickly and will notify you of whether anything is found or not.
• Follow the instructions to delete/quarantine if asks you what to do when if finds something.
• Whether an infection is found or not, a log file should be created on your C: drive ( or whatever drive you boot from) in the root folder named something like TDSSKiller.2.1.1_27.12.2009_14.17.04_log.txt which is based on the program version # and date and time run. Please attach this log to your next reply. (See: HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post )

Please also download MBRCheck to your desktop

• Double click MBRCheck.exe to run (vista and Win 7 right click and select Run as Administrator)
• It will show a Black screen with some information that will contain either the below line if no problem is found:
  • Done! Press ENTER to exit...
• Or you will see more information like below if a problem is found:
  • Found non-standard or infected MBR.
  • Enter 'Y' and hit ENTER for more options, or 'N' to exit:
• Either way, just choose to exit the program at this point since we want to see only the scan results to begin with.
• MBRCheck will create a log named similar to MBRCheck_07.16.10_00.32.33.txt which is random based on date and time.
• Attach this log to your next message.

 

These logs are all clean like your previous logs. You will have to look elsewhere for why you believe your PC is running slow. Perhaps when it was upgraded to Vista, there were incompatibilties or driver issues (just a guess). I will suggest uninstalling two programs as a test to see if they are behind your problems. Uninstall Kaspersky and Spybot. Then reboot and see how things work. If no change, see the below about working in the Software Forum and also reinstall your Kaspersky protection.


You should continue in the Software Forum and you can reference this thread too. I also suggest that you provide answers to all of the below questions to give better insight into your exact problem.


Please explain what operations are slow! For example answer the below:

• Is boot up slow?
• Is shutdown slow?
• Is browsing/surfing slow?
• Is downloading slow?
• Is running any/every application?
• Is it also slow in safe boot mode?
• Also are any processes showing in Task Manager to be using a lot of CPU time?
• Anything else slow?

 

See the final instructions below which includes info on how to protect yourself from malware.

Yes but you could just try uninstall FireFox, rebooting and deleting the FireFox folders. Then reinstall. You will lose Favorites so make sure you back them up first.



If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:

1. We recommend you keep SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for scanning/removal of malware. Unless you purchase them, they provide no protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.
2. If we had you use ComboFix, uninstall ComboFix (This uninstall will only work as written if you installed ComboFix on your Desktop like we requested.)
   • Click START then RUN and enter the below into the run box and then click OK. Note the quotes are required
   • "%userprofile%\Desktop\combofix" /uninstall
     • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /uninstall, it must be there.
     • This will uninstall ComboFix and also reset hidden files and folders settings back to Windows defaults.
3. Go back to step 6 oof the READ ME and renable your Disk Emulation software with Defogger if you had disabled it.
4. Any other miscellaneous tools we may have had you install or download can be uninstalled and deleted.
5. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
6. If running Vista, it is time to make sure you have reenabled UAC by double clicking on the C:\MGtools\enableUAC.reg file and allowing it to be added to the registry.
7. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
8. Goto the C:\MGtools folder and find the MGclean.bat file. Double click on this file to run this cleanup program that will remove files and folders
   related to MGtools and some other items from our cleaning procedures.
9. If you are running Win 7, Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
   • Refer to the cleaning procedures pointed to by step 7 of the READ ME
     for your Window version and see the instructions to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
   • Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
10. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!

 

Please see ALL of my final instructions!

Every piece of software you run will add load to your processor. All protection software requires a significant amount of system resources to protect you. Sort of a necessary evil. Some however are not as resource hungry as others. Again, see the link I gave you in final instructions.

 

You're welcome. Surf safely!