Rather odd CPU grinding speed / Logon performance

Hello all,

First of all, thanks a lot for taking the time to read this. I've been fidgeting around for days trying to fix these problems though nothing has seemed to work. I'm now getting rather frantic about the situation as I've two coursework deadlines for friday!

I've sectioned up what's been done, what's been debugged, what the symtpoms are, and so on below.



PC Spec
Windows XP 32-bit SP2
Intel DualCore E4400 2.0ghz
Abit Fatal1ty FP-IN9
4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 RAM
Nvidia 8600GT 512mb
Dual monitor setup.
450W Win Power - Power Supply
5 Case Fans (Though now all disconnected to rule out power supply)



The symptoms and when it occured.
The problem first arose at random just under a week ago. I turned off my computer, went to bed and then next morning came to booting it up again. The OS loaded up fine, though after starting iTunes and Grand Theft Auto the computer began to lag badly, causing the audio and monitor refresh rate to stutter.

I then rebooted thinking it was a RAM problem of some sort, though this is when the real problems started. The windows boot screen (the logo with the scrolling blue bar thingy) seemed to go on for ages. It lasted for around 30 seconds, and often froze. Eventually it got passed this, though it then proceeded to get stuck and wait for ages on the welcome screen too. Again, it eventually got there and booted into Windows/Desktop, though the audio is laggy and stutters. The logon chime thingy stutters and spits the audio like an old vinyl player.

I fiddled around, checked a few things, altered MSCONFIG and messed around with services and startup items. Though all this was to no avail. After trying to install Warcraft III, I got a BSoD. MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION, which if i'm correct is an error caused by the processor querying hardware, and then getting a fatal, and unrecoverable response.

Thus, I decided to format. Everything went on the HDD and a fresh installation of Windows XP was stuck on. After a couple of hours it all happened again.

I read up on google, searched for hours upon hours trying to find tell tale signs of what it could be. Everything pointed at the RAM. So, I ventured into town and bought two new sticks of RAM. Fitted them, and nothing. The problem still continued. I then removed all PCI cards and peripherals other than the barebones of a working system. This also had no affect.

I then got my old HDD. Installed windows, and placed it in as a single drive. I disconnected the previous one, and began using it. This seemed to fix the problems. So I cast it off as a faulty/corrupt HDD.

And then this morning came around. I booted up and it got stuck on the Windows boot screen and then the Welcome screen. I'm at the end of my knowledge on it.

I've done other things which I'll explain below.



Hard Disk Drive(s)
It can't be. I highly doubt both HDD's, while seperately connected have contracted the same errors or faults as one another to cause the problem. In terms of malware of a virus, here's a Hijackthis log of what's crackin off now. However, surely everything was wiped and deleted when I formatted (deeply) the drives?

Code:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 13:51:03, on 02/11/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16735)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXPService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\ASUS\WLAN Card Utilities\Center.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXP.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ASWLSVC.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\Service\AdskScSrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2009\mentalray\satellite\raysat_3dsMax2009_32server.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\ASUS\WLAN Card Utilities\Wireless.exe
C:\Program Files\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
O2 - BHO: flashget urlcatch - {2F364306-AA45-47B5-9F9D-39A8B94E7EF7} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\jccatch.dll
O2 - BHO: Click-to-Call BHO - {5C255C8A-E604-49b4-9D64-90988571CECB} - C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\wlchtc.dll
O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\GRA8E1~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: FlashGet GetFlash Class - {F156768E-81EF-470C-9057-481BA8380DBA} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\getflash.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SkyTel] SkyTel.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Control Center] C:\Program Files\ASUS\WLAN Card Utilities\Center.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [STYLEXP] C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXP.exe -Hide
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\Windows Live\Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download All with FlashGet - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\jc_all.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download with FlashGet - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\jc_link.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: FlashGet - {D6E814A0-E0C5-11d4-8D29-0050BA6940E3} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\FlashGet.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: FlashGet - {D6E814A0-E0C5-11d4-8D29-0050BA6940E3} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\FlashGet.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\bonjour\mdnsnsp.dll
O11 - Options group: [INTERNATIONAL] International*
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1225391153646
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\GR99D3~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: livecall - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~1\WINDOW~4\MESSEN~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: ms-help - {314111C7-A502-11D2-BBCA-00C04F8EC294} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Help\hxds.dll
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~1\WINDOW~4\MESSEN~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O18 - Filter hijack: text/xml - {807563E5-5146-11D5-A672-00B0D022E945} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\MICROS~1\OFFICE12\MSOXMLMF.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: ASWLSVC - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ASWLSVC.exe
O23 - Service: Autodesk Licensing Service - Autodesk - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\Service\AdskScSrv.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: mental ray 3.6 Satellite for Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 32-bit 32-bit (mi-raysat_3dsMax2009_32) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Autodesk\3ds Max 2009\mentalray\satellite\raysat_3dsMax2009_32server.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: StyleXPService - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\TGTSoft\StyleXP\StyleXPService.exe

RAM
After swapping and changing and debugging and switiching and swapping and testing and debugging every bloody combination of four sticks, I'm pretty sure this isn't the problem.



Power/Temperatures/Overheating
AbiteQ (abit's status monitoring program) shows no signs of overheating or volt shortage. Everything is at it's optimum and the temperature was around 18ºC with the fans. Without them at the moment it is running at 29ºC. Which is still very low for Intel.



CPU
In my opinion, this is the most likely hardware to be causing the problem. The boot sequence shows that it is possibly churning up as soon as it has to process anything of any size. The system boots into safe mode fine. Though whenever it attempts a normal boot, regardless of the services/programs being booted upon startup, it freezes and goes into the carryon.

The task manager is showing 99 percent CPU usage on System Idle Process. Though on the performance tab, it takes around 50% usage to even load, and play a song on iTunes.



UPDATE
I've read a Microsoft article about dual core not being fully supported (unless patched). Perhaps this is the case, I'm installing it now. I'll keep you updated as to whether it does anything or not.

Yep, as I thought. No change.

 

Have you got any hardware USB connections, like an external HD connected as I have had and still have issues with my Abit Fat1lty mobo Ive got round it by reducing the USB voltage.