svchost.exe

ok...
first of all hi and thanks in advance for any help

Before i start i just want to say that i have read through the many many threads on this subject and there doesnt seem to be an answer to my problem.

My computer is running extremely slow. About 2 weeks ago i downloaded my windows updates and since then my computer has been running really slow. Before i came to Major Geeks i tried to fix this myself, ran what scans i could, but i did do a system restore, but it didnt seem to fix the problem. I have tried to do the scans you ask us to do in the read me first section but every time i try to do these scans my computer freezes...i spent the whole day yesterday trying to do the Super Anti Spyware scan but because my CPU is running @ 100% constantly my computer cant run the test. Although when i came to check the computer it did have a few trojans but i cant get rid of them because my computer is running so slow and cant finish the scan. I did manage to do a virus scan tho it took nearly 9 hours but when i turned the modem off it went alot quicker, only took 4 hours to scan the same amount of files and came up empty, and i did manage to do a CClean and got rid of whatever garbage there was there ( not alot, i do this often)
NOW...
I did a little bit of investigating myself, in my task manager i have multiple svchost.exe files running...i know i have read that these files are spose to be running, i get that, BUT, they are not spose to run at 100% all the time. I have 7 of these running, 2 are LOCAL SERVICE, 3 are SYSTEM and 2 are NETWORK SERVICE. 1 of the NETWORK SERVICE ones i running between 80-100% constantly, even when i am not doing anything. This cant be right, and i have read in may replies that this is normal.
So i dug a little bit more and came to the Microsoft site that said that this is a problem with the Windows Updates. Before i went to bed i decided to turn the modem off and see if this make a difference and it did. I was thinking that it might be online related because when i use my PC normally like just for Office or Paint or PSP it works fine, just when i try to do things online it messes up and as soon as i turned my modem back on my CPU shot straight back to 100%. Now Microsoft do offer a fix but i'm not sure about using the fix as it says its wise to wait until the newer patch for it comes out, but i cant have my CPU running at 100% all the time.
I am running XP Pro with SP2 and it is all up to date.
Please help me

 

Hi ozziewoman

I know you don't want to hear this but you need to go back and try to complete each step in the Read & Run me First section. If You can't complete a step then note the info about why the step can't be completed and continue on to the next step until you have gone through all of them. Then post the logs you have in a new thread in the http://forums.majorgeeks.com/forumdisplay.php?f=35 along with the notes for the steps that you could not complete.

Since trojans have been found, they need to be dealt with first as they can and most probably will interfere with updates and every thing else.

 

K, i'll give it another shot

 

If you want to search deeper into your svchost processes, try svchost viewer:
http://majorgeeks.com/svchost_viewer_d6040.html

 

ok, i have decided that i will try and figure this for myself..oh and btw the link didn't work for me, i don't know if it because my computer is so slow or not but, well, the page just never opened
thats the whole problem, i just cant get anything to run, its that slow.
anyway if i cant figure it out i will just format it
no dramas
sorry to have wasted anyone's time

thanks for the help anyway

 

thanks, i will do that

 

That is an admirable attitude, but not always the wisest decision, and seldom the easiest or quickest means to the end ... but it is of course, up to you. We are all here to learn from one another: You must participate to reap the benefit. I am monitoring your thread and will offer what assistance I can if you wish to bring us up-to-date with your situation. I have looked through your first post and have made some comment below:
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My computer is running extremely slow.
Ok, I understand this is your basic symptom and makes everything else difficult.
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when i turned the modem off it went alot quicker
Ok, so, you should only have the modem connected when necessary to download programs and updates: At all other times, disconnect the modem. That will help to get the necessary work done.
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.... in my task manager i have multiple svchost.exe files running ... at 100% all the time ... running between 80-100% constantly
Ok, it would seem from what you say that the "slowness" of your computer is caused by the excessive CPU usage ... so that is a very good place to start work. The first thing to do in that case would be to minimise the impact of this until you can get the computer functioning correctly. I would suggest that you routinely boot into Safe Mode and use that for your off-line tasks, if possible. Where internet access is crucial, boot into Safe Mode with networking. See if that helps to make the computer more user friendly/usable.
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Microsoft do offer a fix but i'm not sure about using the fix as it says its wise to wait until the newer patch for it comes out
Please explain and give details of where I may find this information for myself.
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the computer did have a few trojans but i cant get rid of them because my computer is running so slow and cant finish the scan.
You have (or had?) malware, so this is of course an important consideration, and may or may not be responsible for the computer being "slow". This issue must be addressed as soon as is practically possible.
==================
It is really difficult to offer some useful advice for you on such a "general" problem as "slowness". In your case, however, I think the problem is somewhat more that just "general slowness": There is something more serious than that causing your problem.

Perhaps you have some more info for us to work with by now. The more detailed and accurate information you can supply, the better the advice you are likely to receive. Using Task Manager to monitor your processes is a very good start. I would like to know what you see there.
---------------------------------
I would like to see lists ...
Startup list
Running processes list
Add-Remove Programs (installed programs) list

If you need help with getting those lists conveniently, let me know.
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I would like to know details of any and all security-related software you have installed and/or running. This includes such things as firewall, antivirus, anti-malware such as Spybot, AdAware etc., parental control programs ...

I would like to know details of any and all malware detections (as much info as you can muster), and what action has been taken, as well as any and all error messages that are presented to you, including general Windows error messages.

There are a number of websites where you can find advice on how to overcome general "slowness" problems: I can point you toward them later, if you wish.

I will do my best.

 

well after trying to do the scans with the modem off and in Safe Mode it turns out my motherboard crapped itself, not sure how or why, but now i have a clean hdd( formatted)
I did try to do the things you suggested AustrAlien but it just wouldnt turn on 2 days after starting to do what you said to try.
All good tho, maybe the motherboard was on it way out any way which wasnt helping matters i spose
Thankyou so much for your help..i really appreciate it

 

Pleased to see you back with us, and that things have eventually worked themselves out for you... albeit most inconveniently. Sometimes these things happen. Hopefully you have ended up with a good "new" working system now.

Thank you for posting.

Best wishes and good luck.