Computer slowing down after 2 months.....

[dapperdanman]

Hi,

 

I'm posting this because i need some serious help. My mothers pc is basically slowing down, it has difficulties opening more than one folder at a time, and the internet basically takes a long time to load any page. Now from all this, I think it's the RAM that's the problem, but i don't know if there is anything to do to speed up the RAM, clear it, reboot it, anything! I'm also not a PC wizzard, so any help would be greatly received, (if you think it's something else). Also, i've rebooted the machine twice, and after each one, the machine has run fine, but it's after a few months it slows down again.

 

Thanks for listening!

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Hello DapperDan

 

Welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help

 

Can you give us information with regard to how much memory you have and what anti virus you are running plus how many programs you have running on startup.

To find what's running in startup go to Start/ Run and type msconfig

Go to the startup tab and see what's running.

[RandyL]

Hi Dan;

Check out Pacs-Portal web site on start-up items. They have a fairly good data base that you can look up the msconfig start-up items to see what they are. http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php

Scroll down to Programs. I usually use the Start_ups.exe file myself.

 

Trojans, viruses and spyware can also cause slowdowns. Depending on what you have depends on what to do.

 

Post back please;

RandyL

[hardware_dave]

Try -

 

SUPERANTISPYWARE

 

SPYBOTSD

 

ADAWARE

 

Just try the free versions off the internet.

 

Dave

[dapperdanman]

Hi

 

Thanks for all you responses, regarding Wolfeymole Moderator questions

448 MB of RAM

143 GB Hard Drive (84.9 GB Free)

24 "Programs" running on startup

 

thanks for your help

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Ok Dan it looks like you have 512mb of ram with your graphics card sucking 64mb from it.

The hard drive appears to be a 150gb so that's ok

 

Download, update and run these programs that Dave suggested.

 

Super Anti Spyware

 

Spybot Search and Destroy

 

Adaware

[Seth]

24 programs in startup?

 

If you're referring to the list in msconfig (ones that have a checkmark on them), then that is well beyond excessive.

[dapperdanman]

i just want to say, thanks to all who posted, i've downloaded all of Dave's and Wolfmole Moderator's, and ran them accordingly, and it seems to have improved the computers performance.

 

Regarding my 24 programs in startup, can i dis able the ones that aren't neccesary, such as iTunes "Help", etc?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

That should be ok to disable but it would be better if you could provide a full list of what is running Dan.

Then we could offer advice as to what to disable.

[dapperdanman]

okay, i'll type out all the programs running at startup,

thanks for your help btw, i know it's sort of a back and forth conversation, also, some "programs" running are BLANK, with just an empty space where the names should be and where they're running from, (probably should remove them, but thought i shouldn't risk it!) so if you see a blank line below, that's one of them.

 

File Name FIle Classification

rundll32 Microsoft Software

RTHDCPL Microsoft Software

RECGUARD Microsoft Software

 

HPBootOp Microsoft Software

Remind_XP Microsoft Software

HPwuSchd2 Microsoft Software

realsched Microsoft Software

ccApp Microsoft Software

osCheck Microsoft Software

qttask Microsoft Software

SDTravApp Microsoft Software

Reader_sl Microsoft Software

PCMService Microsoft Software

iTunesHelper Microsoft Software

ctfmon Microsoft Software

 

btdna Microsoft Software

SuperAntiSpyware Microsoft Software

TeaTimer Microsoft Software

GoogleToolbar Notifier Microsoft Software

Adobe Gamma Loader "Common Startup"

BT Broadband Help "Common Startup"

 

that's all of them, if you need anymore info let me know

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Thanks for the list Dan we will get back to you on this.

[Santa]

Hi Dan,

Here are my recommendations for your startup list:

 

Necessary

rundll32

RTHDCPL

RECGUARD

HPBootOp

HPwuSchd2

ccApp

osCheck

PCMService

SDTrayApp

TeaTimer

Adobe Gamma Loader

ctfmon

SuperAntiSpyware

BT Broadband Help

 

Unnecessary - enable by preference

realsched

qttask

reader_sl

iTunesHelper

GoogleToolbarNotifier

remind_xp

 

Before you go disabling the processes I have deemed unnecessary, however, you may want to wait for a second opinion from WolfeyMole, just in case :).

As for btdna, I was unable to find any information on this at all. Is it perhaps a typo?

Liam.

[Seth]

The blank entries are malware or remnants thereof. They should be unchecked.

 

Unnecessary:

 

btdna

realsched

qttask

reader_sl

iTunesHelper

GoogleToolbarNotifier

rundll32

RTHDCPL

HPBootOp

HPwuSchd2 (HP auto updater. I don't recommend updating HP's software unless you have a specific need to do so)

 

ccApp and osCheck (Remnants from the removal of Norton). If you removed Norton, then you should run this program which completely removes it: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Uninstallers/Norton-Removal-Tool.shtml

 

PCMService

Adobe Gamma Loader

ctfmon (Part of Office. Will return if unchecked, but causes no resourse loss)

BT Broadband Help

 

 

Necessary:

 

remind_xp (Reminder to create your recovery cd's/dvd's) Very important!

 

RECGUARD (Protects HP's recovery partition) Also very important.

 

SDTrayApp (From Spyware Doctor) If you don't use SD, it should be removed from add/remove programs.

 

 

SuperAntiSpyware (The free version doesn't need to run at startup. It can be disabled through SAS's Preferences). IMO, SAS is the single best antimalware application and well worth the $40.00 US for a lifetime subscription key.

[RandyL]

Hi Dan and Santa;

I would take Adobe Gamma Loader and HPwuSchd2 out of Santa's list of needed startup programs. Otherwise it looks good to me.

 

Adobe Gama Loader is part of PhotoShop wich I have. I personally could never tell the difference in color correction with it disabled.

 

HPwuSchd2 checks for software and driver updates for HP computers which I also have. A manual check for updates on their site is easy enough if you are experiencing any issues;

 

RandyL

[Guest Wolfeymole]

All good replies and here is an extensive listing of what should and should not be in your Start Up section Dan from those nice people at Sysinfo

[dapperdanman]

thanks alot for all your posts! i'll combine them all and disable the "outcasts"

 

i'll let you all know of the out come!

 

wish me luck and merry christmas!