[nariman]

Hi friends.
I am a new comer.
I wonder whether someone can help me out of my present predicament. Under no circumstances do I want to format and install XP again.
My problem in short
Startup takes up a pretty long time. It takes approx 4 minutes for all the icons to appear on the taskbar.
When I click on start for the first time the menu opens BUT when I click on MY Computer it takes more then 10 to 20 seconds to open.
Similarly when I click on Firefox it takes more than 20 to 30 seconds.
Similar with other items.
However several usages the time is shortened. Maybe it picks up from the cache.
After the application opens everything is smooth.
Three of us are using the computer. Am using XP Pro SP2 with 512 mb Ram (Earlier had 1 GB ram but the problem was the same.) and 320 gb Western Digital HDD.
Checks for virus, spyware, hijack are all negative. CHKDSK/f reports all clear.
Drives are NOT fragmented.
Have run CCleaner too.
Read somewhere on your site about Prefetch folder. Have checked the Prefetch folder and find all the files are of current date.
I wonder whether this is a software or hardwr problem.
Need your help and suggestions to resolve this problem.
Regards
Nariman

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This could be due to a number of things.

1st thing is disable fast user switching.
So that one user has to log off for another user to log on.

2nd run these programs if you haven't already.

http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/TFC.exe

http://www.malwareby.../mbam-setup.exe

http://www.filehippo...perantispyware/

Also dlete all prefetch files if these programs didn't do it,this one will.

http://www.geekstogo...h...nload&id=21

3rd and last for now, see how many process' are running after you are booted up fully.
Right click the task bar and select 'task manager'. Click 'cpu' twice at the top columns. This will show the big usage process'.
The Taskbar is the bar at the bottom of your screen where no icons are (for this purpose anyway).

You can click 'print screen', while task manager is open, after that, open Wordpad, right click inside the blank page and click paste. Save it as a file and upload it. For privacy concerns, if you want to, you can just list the process' that you are unsure of, and why they are there.

[cmpm]

This could be due to a number of things.

1st thing is disable fast user switching.
So that one user has to log off for another user to log on.

2nd run these programs if you haven't already.

http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/TFC.exe

http://www.malwareby.../mbam-setup.exe

http://www.filehippo...perantispyware/

Also dlete all prefetch files if these programs didn't do it,this one will.

http://www.geekstogo...h...nload&id=21

3rd and last for now, see how many process' are running after you are booted up fully.
Right click the task bar and select 'task manager'. Click 'cpu' twice at the top columns. This will show the big usage process'.
The Taskbar is the bar at the bottom of your screen where no icons are (for this purpose anyway).

You can click 'print screen', while task manager is open, after that, open Wordpad, right click inside the blank page and click paste. Save it as a file and upload it. For privacy concerns, if you want to, you can just list the process' that you are unsure of, and why they are there.

[rshaffer61]

Hello nariman.... Welcome to GeeksToGo,

I'm sorry to hear about your issue. We will try to help you resolve this as soon as possible.
Please understand we are all volunteers and we are not here all the time. Sometimes it may be a extended amount of time to get back to you. If it has been more then 3 days please shoot me a PM and I will try to get back to you quickly then.

Issue one is memory. 512 is barely enough to run XP correctly.
Second issue is the to find out what is Auto running

Please do the following and post the requested log.

Download Autoruns from the link in my signature below:
1: Extract the Autoruns Zip file contents to a folder.
2: Double-click the "Autoruns.exe".
3: Click on the "Everything" tab
4: Remove any entries that mention "File Not Found" by right-clicking the entry and select Delete.
5: Go to File then to Export As.
6: Save AutoRuns.txt file to know location.
7: Attach to your next reply.

[cmpm]

yeah, that's the fast way for a tech like rshaffer61
i get lost some times on autoruns

good and better advice from rshaffer61
and a faster preliminary diagnosis

[Bri K]

Another thing you can try quick is to configure which programs will run at startup. Go to Start->Run then type MSCONFIG & hit enter. When a box pops up, go to the Startup Tab. This will tell you all the programs which auto-start. If there's some that look strange or ones that you don't really need, uncheck the box next to the Startup Item. Make sure you look at the location of the item as some are unrecognizable but may be necessary to load. The sheer # of programs loading at startup time could also slow it down as well, especially if you're loading programs that you don't necessarily need right away.

Edited by Bri K, 25 August 2009 - 08:56 AM.

[cmpm]

Although it's good to look at msconfig, the best way to disable a startup program is through the program itself.

autoruns is the start of this diagnosis.

msconfig is for more major problems if they come up.
It's best, imo, to always have msconfig on normal startup.
On a machine that is working properly that is,
to which I'm sure Bri K may agree.

[rshaffer61]

I've been running my MSCONFIG on Selective Startup for over 5 years with no problem.
Autoruns will get us started and then we can move on to the Msconfig Startup
The other suggestions with TFC and Defrag will come later also.

[cmpm]

Honestly, rshaffer61, I think we agree on disabling startup items that can't be done through a program.
While you use msconfig, I use a startup manager.
Or you may use both, I don't know, some things won't show up in a startup manager that will in msconfig, depends on the startup manager. And then some things don't show with either.
I won't name the manager because of other functions in the program.
Not that they are bad but not recommended for the novice.

Anyway I can uncheck or delete the startup program and it's gone from msconfig. Being careful not to delete what I may want back.

I'm not sure which is more efficient. Like, will windows search and confirm an unchecked startup? I don't know.

But all that is off topic I guess....in a way,
till what's going on is found for the original post.

Peace.

[cmpm]

nariman,

Disabling fast user switching can be done in the control panel (use classic view) under user accounts.

This way we are clear on what is running that can be disabled or removed

Cause other programs can be running under another user and cause misleading information
You can always re start fast user switching in the control panel

the rest of the programs i listed should be run in full scan mode-eliminating to a great degree any hidden problems that could be causing trouble

deleting all prefetch is necessary, including recent prefetch items

prefetch will rebuild itself over time-not long
no need to delete saved passwords or personal info as ATF can do

Then run autoruns as suggested and post the log so the tech can see what's going on.

I would stay away from msconfig on your own, unless you have to use it to fix a problem, with the advice of rshaffer61. There is so much in there, it can be misleading, and the wrong move will make helping you take longer.

Quite a few programs will automatically set themselves to autostart that are not necessary. An annoying habit of some softwares. Finding these programs and disabling unwanted autostarts will help, if there is any.

SuperAntiSpyware is very thorough with few if any false positives. It will not interfere with any antivirus you have installed. Sometimes we surf and hit on pages that drop junk in the computer, without our consent, that is not good.

[nariman]

Have done as suggested.
Have Run TFC & ATF Cleaner
Have Run MBAM & SuperAntiSpyware and deleted a few Adware etc.
Do I send you the Log files of both theabove ?
There has been no change.t is still very slow..
There are in all 44 Processes running.
http://i386.photobuc...st/Picture1.jpg
This the best I could do.
Nariman

[rshaffer61]

How about the autoruns log I requested in my post #3 ?

[nariman]

Hi rshaffer61
One thing at a time. Today I ran autoruns as suggested by you.
The Log file is attached herewith.
I hope I have done correctly.
Regards
Nariman

Attached Files

•  AutoRuns.txt   108.81KB   111 downloads

[rshaffer61]

Open Autoruns, click on "Logon" tab, and UN-check:

+ AVG8_TRAY (I suggest uninstalling and get one of the free ones like Avast or Avira. AVG is a resource hog and will slow your system down.)
+ googletalk
+ Messenger (Yahoo!)
+ SpybotSD TeaTimer(Suggest uninstall for same reason above. Try SuperAntSpyware}



The next file needs to be manually disabled and is only needed if you use multi language on your keyboard. If you do then skip the step.


To turn off just ctfmon.exe go to:


Control Panel then to Regional and Language Options

Click on the Languages Tab then click the Details button

Click on the Advanced tab

Check the box that says Turn off advanced text services option

Click A and then OK


When done restart computer and then:


Download Temp File Cleaner (TFC)
Double click on TFC.exe to run the program.
Click on Start button to begin cleaning process.
TFC will close all running programs, and it may ask you to restart computer.



Download Auslogics Defrag from the link in my signature below. Auslogics Defrag in my opinion is better because:

It does a more comprehensive job at Defragging
It will actually show you what it is doing
At the end of working it will show you how much speed you picked up
You can view a online log of the files that Auslogics defragged

How is system running now?

[nariman]

Hello rshaffer61.
Have followed your instructions except for Google Talk and Messenger (Yahoo) as these two programs are used by my teenaged grandchildren and they would kill me if something goes wrong with them. I am not sure what effect unchecking these two from aAutoruns->Logon will have.
Have uninstalled AVG and installed Avast.
Have uninstalled Diskeeper and installed Auslogic
Have uninstalled SpybotSD.
Have turned off ctfmon.exe
The system has improved considerably. Complete bootup takes now about 75 secs against more than a few minutes earlier. However clicking on My Computer still takes a few seconds to open.
Anyway thanks for your help. Some imrovement is better then nothng..
Regards
Nariman

[rshaffer61]

OK now let's move on to another direction of attack.

Lets see what you have in your startup

Please click on
Start and then to Run
Type in msconfig and press Enter
Now click on Startups
Then uncheck everything and restart.
If system boots correctly and is running smoothly and faster then we have a startup problem
Try going back into msconfig and check one item and reboot
Keep doing that till you have found the problem or all are finally checked.
Post back with the results