Dell Inspiron E1505 running slowly

My Dell Inspiron E1505 has been running incredibly slow for the past few weeks. It seems to have been slowly deteriorating for several months now, but in recent weeks has gotten worse and worse. I've followed all of the instructions in the "READ & RUN ME FIRST" thread, but no malware was found (other than a few tracking cookies which have been deleted). A friend had recently installed Norton for me, which I uninstalled after hearing bad things about it - it seemed to coincide with the timing of when the laptop started getting worse. I recently got the "blue screen of death" also.

Right now I have AVG8 installed, but I've been told that it's resource hungry. I really haven't a clue exactly what is making the machine run so slowly. Since i work from home, it's really important that I have my laptop working well. Please, please, please help!

 

I do try to keep up with the procedures listed in the Basic Comp Maintenance on a fairly regular basis. As for Norton, I did use the official uninstall tool, but I've only used it once. I'll run it again after I post this.

When I tried to uninstall AVG8, I got this error message:

Uninstall failed!
1 error occurred. Click Details to show more information.

If the problems continue please contact the technical support support@avg.com



When I pressed the "Details" button, it showed this message:

Local machine: installation failed
Installation:
Error: Action failed for registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: creating registry key....
Error 0x80070005

I'm about to run the Norton official uninstall again and then reboot.

 

I've run the Norton removal as well as CCleaner and rebooted, but I am still getting the same error message when I try to uninstall AVG8.

 

Use the AVG remover

http://www.avg.com/download-tools

 

I think your approach here is pretty good , Mark.

I too have recently had clients with both Norton (360 v XP) and AVG (8 v Vista), both paid for versions, causing mayhem and angst.

 

Okay, I've used the AVG uninstaller, and it seems to be gone. So now I should re-download it and follow your instructions re: the custom install, correct?

The AVG uninstaller left a log on my desktop; do you need that, or shall I delete it?

 

Yes, D'load & install AVG - EXACTLY as Mark advised. As for the log you don't need it..
Cheers..

 

Now *UNCHECK* 'Link Scanner', 'Safe Search' and 'AVG Toolbar' options.

In the "Custom Install," I can only uncheck LinkScanner (with AVG Search-Shield), E-mail Scanner, and Plugin for Microsoft Office 2000/XP/2003/2007. I don't see any options for unchecking "Safe Search" or "AVG Toolbar."

 

Okay... I don't use Outlook or any other external e-mail program (just Yahoo and Gmail), so I unchecked all of those options. But I got the same error message for the installation as I got with the uninstall:

Local machine: installation failed
Installation:
Error: Action failed for registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: creating registry key....
Error 0x80070005

By the way... I use XP. I apologize, I should have responded with that info before.

 

I agree! LOL

Just to double check, since there are several links on the AVG uninstall page... I should be using the top link, AVG Remover(32bit), correct?

 

What do the dots represent?

Please post the full key

 

That is the exact message I got; I scrolled to make sure I wasn't missing anything, and then copied and pasted it here exactly as it was shown.

At the moment I only have SuperAntiSpyware. I also have Ad-Aware, Spybot, Spyware Bloster and CCleaner but I only run those when I need them.

 

I just got the exact same error message again with the AVG8 installation.

 

Please look in the registry at these two keys and post the results.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Ole

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa

 

How do I open the registry?

 

Okay. I'm not sure if I did this correctly... I exported the info as .txt files.

 

I'm sorry, perhaps one of the malware fighters can be persuaded to look at these keys.,
I'm going to be otherwise busy tonight.

The reason I asked is that some programs (Norton) and some malware change certain keys to 'increase security ' and prevent antivirus from loading. This leads to the error you have quoted.

Your OLE key has dCOM enabled = yes, which is correct

Your LSA key has restrictanonymous =0, which is correct
but also has a second

restrictanonymousam = 1

Which I don't recognise and haven't the time to check tonight.

As I say perhaps someone else can do it otherwise I'll look tomorrow.

Signining off for now.

a

 

I've been dealing with these laptop issues for what seems like forever; I can wait another night! LOL Thanks for all your help, and I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow.

 

Well done your text files were fine.

I have trawled through both. There is nothing untoward in either key. All the values are as they should be.

So the next thing is to check the permissions settings.

Go to the registry again and check the following keys read the same.

HKLM\software\microsoft\windowsnt\windows

and

HKLM\software\microsoft\windowsnt\currentversion\windows

In each case right click on the windows folder in the left hand pane and choose permissions.

Select administrators

make sure that administrators have full control and click on the advanced button to make sure that the ability to create a registry key is checked.

I have posted a screenshot to help.

 

I'll Try again later with the shot, can't upload at the moment.

 

upload at last

 

The first key that you're telling me to look for doesn't seem to exist; only the second one. Also, I don't see the same screen that you're showing me a screenshot for. There seems to be a checkmark next to "Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects." That isn't checked on your picture; is that wrong? I've attached screenshots as well:

 

No it's not wrong.

If you double click on the group (you have Everyone group selected in reg2) you will see my third dialog box with the list.

However with the inherited box checked, (as yours is which is normal in XPhome) the list of check boxes will be shaded.

Your screenshot is showing the correct settings, whcih is that administrators and the system have 'full control' which means all the shaded boxes are counted as ticked.

We will have to look elsewhere for a solution, but need to tread carefully in the registry.
Don't untick the inheritance box or you will get doubled up entries.

 

Okay. Am I supposed to wait from a response from you, or do I need to re-post elsewhere?

Sorry I took so long in replying; I've been traveling. Thanks for your patience.

 

hi i thinkk you can download windows care v3 from www.majorgeeks.com it a powerful utility

 

I wouldn't recommend another cleaner, Sophia has already suffered from one I think.

Yes the screenshot I posted was from WindowsXPpro. I have since checked XPhome and you will not have the first key.

From what I can see on your screenshots there is no permissions reason for the install failing.

I suggest you get hold of a copy of an earlier version of AVG 8 and try to install theat, then update it if successful.

Also create a system restore point then open the registry editor,

Make sure that the tree is fully collapsed and the beginning (my computer) is selected.

Then do as search for AVG. Edit > find > typein avg

Use F3 to step through the registry.

There should be nothing relating to AVG there so you can safely delete it. Just make sure it is AVG, not something else with the letters 'avg' in it.


This action may reveal something missed. Post here if you come across anything you are not sure of.

 

Where can I find an earlier copy of the AVG8 install? Also, should I do the registry editing before I try the install, or after?

 

You can do the registry editing either before, after or both.

Just remember the system restore point first. This back up the registry, before you start.

Incindentally look again at my screenshot and compare with your first shot. I have covered some private information with the dialog boxes. you might think about this in any future shots.

 

I am going through the registry and deleting all the AVG8 related stuff. I just got an error message that says "Cannot delete LEGACY_AVG8WD: Error while deleting key." There are other "LEGACY" folders that include the letters AVG but I'm unsure if those need deleting, as well.

I got the same error message again when I tried to install the earlier version. I chose the one at the top of the list: avg_free_stf_en_8_175a1382.exe

 

Oops! Okay... I jut tried the one right under that, "avg_free_stf_en_8_173a1373.exe" and got the same error again when I tried to install it.

 

I really meant try quite an early version 8, doesn't matter which one as the update will soon bring it back up.

As regards registry entries you can't delete we enter the tricky world of ownership. Again I am posting a screen shot to help, this time form XPhome.


Go to the key in question and right click as before, choosing permissions.

Choose advanced on the first dialog box and the ownertab on the second.

I have chosen a windows update folder because the 'owner' is a higher authority than even the system, as my shot shows.
However it also shows the administrator or user that is logged in can take ownership. (musgrove in this case)
Once you have done that deletion should not be a problem. You have to grant yourself full permissions after you have taken ownership.


You can't do this for a key you haven't yet created and solve your original problem that way, although if you know the parent folder where it is going to be you can take ownership of that.

 

Hrm. I don't understand what I have that is different. Here's my screenshot:

 

How do I change that? This is my computer; I'm the only person that uses it. When I boot up, there is no option for "Administrator" like I've seen on other computers - only one profile with my name on it.

 

On the first dialog box that comes up when you right click and choose permissions

There is a button marked ADD. I can see it in your screenshot.

Click on it and click advanced on the box which comes up

First clcik on onject types and make sure that all three object types are checked.
These are
Built in Security Principals
Groups
Users
Click OK........the box closes
Click Find Now on the previous box
A whole slew of possible owners will appear in the bottom list
Select the lot click Ok and try again with the ownership tab.

This Microsoft link may help a bit

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310426

 

Okie doke... I was able to delete that value. There's only one left that's giving me issues - when I right-click on it, there's no option for "permissions."

 

Can you modify or rename it?

Can you go back up the tree aand delete the 0000 or the AVG legacy folder?

 

No, I can't rename the key OR delete the folder.

 

Create a folder in your c:\programfiles folder called Psexec

Download Psexec from Microsoft

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb897553.aspx

into this folder.

Copy the attached txt file to a convenient place in your desktop and rename it Pregedit.bat

Double click on it and it shouold open the registry editor so that you can delete these keys.

 

Take heart, we are nearly there.

Legacy entries in the registry do prevent all sorts of programs reinstalling.

Using Psexec does indeed delete these entries reliably.

You've done well to get this far.

:major:major

 

Bingo! That worked. You're awesome.

What about the other Legacy folders; do those need to be deleted? I was afraid to delete anything unless I was positive it was marked AVG8 so that I don't cause more problems for myself in the long run.

 

No leave them until you need to; you are fully qualified to deal with them now.

Have you gone for the big one (AVG reinstall) yet?

 

Grrrr. I just tried it now, using "avg_free_stf_en_8_100a1295.exe" and got the exact same error message again.

FYI I don't have a firewall up at the moment. I'd downloaded Online Armour, but then I uninstalled it for some reasons... I don't remember why. Anyway, I just read that it is resource hungry as well... do you have any suggestions for which firewall program to use?

 

It's just possible that if you were to create a new administrator account and install from that it would work.

Are you sure you zapped all the AVG folders?

fraid it's bedtime here now, good luck.

 

Two things.

First check you have ownership and permissions of the AVG install file.

Second try the Psexec trick again.

Create c:\avg folder
put your avg install executable in there
copy my txt file to your desktop
open it with notepad and check the name of the avg executable
rename it loadavg.bat
doubleclick on it.

 

@studiot: Grrrr. No dice... same error again.
@MarkTrent: Downloaded and installed; thank you!

 

I presume this log is long gone.

Please run the uninstaller again and post the log.

 

Here it is.