Slow Connection to anything on the Internet

[StuartS]

Hi All,

 

First post and hopefully in the right place, if not apologies.

 

Anyway my issue is that my laptop is running very slow and sometimes timing out when trying to open a web page, this has just started happening in the last few days.

 

I am running Windows 7 Home Premium with an i5 processor, 4 GB RAM and a 64 bit operating system.

 

The last couple of days I have seen a popup in the bottom right corner stating my PC usage was high but did not follow it up, currently CPU usage is only 4% and physical memory 2GB - I have no idea if this is good or bad.

 

In the Windows Task Manager Processes tab I also have 87 processes running - about 10 are Chrome, the rest are random like Adobe, BTTray, Excel, Skype and many others I do not recognise eg Toaster.exe, SynTPHelper.exe etc

 

I also have a lot of programs on my computer and am using 373GB of 451GB on my hard disk and have a lot of short cuts to these programs and other items on my desktop, the stats show the size as 481 bytes and 4.00KB size on disk.

 

The main issue I am having is accessing a web page where my cursor will go round and round (and round) and either finally open the page or show a blank white screen. Until now web page access has been very quick and I am only 2 miles from the exchange with fast internet access and good upload and download speeds (normally).

 

If you have any recommendations and insight into why my laptop has suddenly started going slow I would appreciate your feedback

 

Thanks in advance

Edited April 19, 2012 by StuartS

[Plastic Nev]

Hi and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

Another of our members has questioned similar slowness in the south east, however this may not be related.

 

Let's first look at the odd entries you find running in task manager, they may or may not be malware of some sort.

Please download Malwarebytes. (the free version) from here=

 

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

 

Click on the white download now button, this takes you to a mirror or hosting site, this is normal for the free version.

 

Once downloaded and installed, find and use the update function first, then run a quick scan.

The scan will open a notepad log of what it has found if anything.

Please copy and paste that log here in your next reply.

 

Nev.

[StuartS]

Hi Nev, thanks for your response.

 

I'm on the mirror / hosting site but there is no download of this software.

 

There is a free scan, before you download, scan now button etc

 

Sorry can you clarify what I need to download from where.

 

Thanks

 

Edit: looks like it's going to a paid version, could be wrong but downloaded a trial version from cnet, will post the results as soon as it's finished

 

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (Trial) 1.61.0.1400

http://www.malwarebytes.org

 

 

Database version: v2012.04.19.04

 

 

Windows 7 x64 NTFS

Internet Explorer 9.0.8112.16421

Stuart :: STUART-PC [administrator]

 

 

Protection: Enabled

 

 

19/04/2012 23:07:13

mbam-log-2012-04-19 (23-07-13).txt

 

 

Scan type: Quick scan

Scan options enabled: Memory | Startup | Registry | File System | Heuristics/Extra | Heuristics/Shuriken | PUP | PUM

Scan options disabled: P2P

Objects scanned: 201971

Time elapsed: 5 minute(s), 13 second(s)

 

 

Memory Processes Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

Memory Modules Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

Registry Keys Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

Registry Values Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

Registry Data Items Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

Folders Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

Files Detected: 0

(No malicious items detected)

 

 

(end)

Edited April 19, 2012 by StuartS

[KenB]

If you want the free version use Nev's link and click on Products.

 

The free version is there.

 

You may need to uninstall the version that you have downloaded.

 

The log looks clear .

 

=================

 

Try deleting temp internet files

Start > Control Panel

Click Classic View > Internet Options > Delete

select Temp Files

 

If this doesn't help delete cookies ( same process )

If you do this then saved passwords and auto login to sites like this will need to be done manually for the first login after deleting cookies.

[StuartS]

Thanks for your response

 

Deleted temporary internet files and cookies, there is no difference though unfortunately

 

Any more recommendations?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi Stuart, is this slowness only while trying to access websites? or are you seeing a general slowness in things other than internet use? Opening music files, or pictures and video etc or other stuff actually on your computer.

 

If only internet use=

 

 

The last couple of days I have seen a popup in the bottom right corner stating my PC usage was high but did not follow it up,

 

This message, as in the quote above, was there any indication this message was from your ISP?

If so you may just have exceeded your quota if your contract with them has a cap on monthly usage, so they may have capped your speeds. Some ISP's do this, others charge for extra bandwidth used, depends on who you are with.

 

Nev.

[KenB]

Start > type in .......msconfig ..............ENTER

Click on Startup

 

Uncheck everything that is not either your AntiVirus or Firewall.

(you can enable them again later if necessary)

 

You will probably be prompted to restart.

 

Try the connection again.

[StuartS]

Hey guys,

 

 

Hi Stuart, is this slowness only while trying to access websites? or are you seeing a general slowness in things other than internet use? Opening music files, or pictures and video etc or other stuff actually on your computer.

If only internet use= This message, as in the quote above, was there any indication this message was from your ISP? If so you may just have exceeded your quota if your contract with them has a cap on monthly usage, so they may have capped your speeds. Some ISP's do this, others charge for extra bandwidth used, depends on who you are with. Nev.

 

 

Nev, the message was high CPU usage so I don't think it was in relation to my ISP.

The slowness is related to the everything however when I initially discovered the issue it was evident on the internet. Starting up and closing down used to take about 30 seconds now it's more like 1min 30 - 2mins on startup and 30secs - 1 min to close down.

 

 

Click on Startup

Uncheck everything that is not either your AntiVirus or Firewall.

(you can enable them again later if necessary)

You will probably be prompted to restart.

Try the connection again.

 

 

Ken, there is a long list and although I've stopped a couple of things from starting up I'm hesitant about the rest as I have no clue what they are and don't want to be in a worse position. The biggest one I stopped was Roxio Burn which I think is something to do with playing/burning CD's and hopefully it will start up if I need it.

 

 

I don't know how to copy the list of programs in the start up but here is a selection of them:

- Intel® common user interface

- Intel® ProSet...

- IDT PC Audio

- Synaptics Pointing...

- Quickset

- stage_primary

- Microsoft Intellipoint

- Google update

- IAStorIcon

- PowerReg

- CommonSDK

- Adobe reader and acrobat manager

- Java platform

 

 

The ones I have stopped:

- Adobe acrobat

- Apple push

- Dell webcam central

- Roxio burn

- iTunes

- Malwarebytes

- TkBellExe

- Bluetooth

- Dropbox

- Open Office

 

 

Also in Task Manager processes I have 78 processes running, many of them are exe files.<br><br>Lastly I have read, elsewhere, a lot of recommendations for CCleaner - would you recommend I use this?

 

 

Thanks, I really appreciate your help.

[KenB]

don't want to be in a worse position.

I wouldn't have advised you to uncheck them if this was going to be the case.

 

Most of what is in msconfig > startup is not needed to run automatically.

 

It is always possible to go back and check them again - they don't vanish.

 

I suggest that you make a note of the ones that are checked - then uncheck them .............except for AV and firewall entries.

[StuartS]

I wouldn't have advised you to uncheck them if this was going to be the case.

 

Most of what is in msconfig > startup is not needed to run automatically.

 

It is always possible to go back and check them again - they don't vanish.

 

I suggest that you make a note of the ones that are checked - then uncheck them .............except for AV and firewall entries.

 

Interesting I tried to post the following message and Chrome went to a blank screen and the tab said something like 'could not find...'

 

Anyway made the recommendations you suggested and went surfing, the machine seems to be a little better but still seeing the circle go round and round (Chrome)

 

Any more recommendations?

CCleaner?

 

Thanks.

[KenB]

You could give CCleaner a try - do not use the Registry option ............leave it on the default settings.