[jones082]

Sometimes after Windows updates, my computer freaks.
Somewhere around the last batch of updates, it began running slow, then freezing or shutting down. After three to four restarts, it seems to stabilize. It's worse when coming out of hibernate. But I can get it started, and it also starts in safe mode.
It now literally takes four minutes to boot up.

I cleaned out the case. I ran chkdsk several times, ran Super Antispyware, Malwarebytes, Spybot, Avast AntiVirus, CCleaner--everything seems fine. I also defragmented.

I'd appreciate any help.

MEDIONPC
MS-6747
Microsoft® Windows XP Professional Manufacturer
512MB


Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 5.1.2600 (WinXP Retail)

Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 3
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)

Motherboard:
CPU Type Intel Pentium 4, 3000 MHz (15 x 200)
Motherboard Name MSI MS-6747 (Medion OEM)
Motherboard Chipset Intel Springdale i865PE
System Memory 512 MB (PC2700 DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award (11/25/03)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Monitor Medion 17 inch TC/TF [17" LCD] (ACF403002147)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Intel 82801EB ICH5 - AC'97 Audio Controller [A-2/A-3]

Storage:
IDE Controller Intel® 82801EB Ultra ATA Storage Controllers
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive Medion Flash XL CF USB Device
Disk Drive Medion Flash XL MS USB Device
Disk Drive Medion Flash XL MMC/SD USB Device
Disk Drive Medion Flash XL SM USB Device
Disk Drive ST3160021A (160 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/100)
Optical Drive PIONEER DVD RW DVR-107D (DVD+RW:8x/4x, DVD-RW:8x/4x, DVD-ROM:12x, CD:24x/24x/40x DVD+RW/DVD-RW)
Optical Drive SONY DVD-ROM DDU1612 (16x/40x DVD-ROM)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 147824 MB (94613 MB free)
D: (FAT32) 4791 MB (1169 MB free)
Total Size 149.0 GB (93.5 GB free)

Input:
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse PS/2 Compatible Mouse

Network:
Network Adapter VIA Rhine III Fast Ethernet Adapter (72.208.36.20)
Modem Creatix V.9X DSP Data Fax Modem #2

Peripherals:
Printer Canon iP1700
Printer Fax
Printer Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
Printer Microsoft XPS Document Writer
Printer PDFConverter
Printer V3 CallCenter Printer
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB1 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - USB Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB2 Controller Intel 82801EB ICH5 - Enhanced USB2 Controller [A-2/A-3]
USB Device American Power Conversion USB UPS
USB Device USB Mass Storage Device
USB Device Winbond USB Smart Card Controller
Battery APC Battery BackUP

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Firstly CCleaner is a great little program/
However do not use the registry cleaner aspect that is not good.
CCleaner is no longer recommended here. If you are going to use it, avoid the Registry cleaner section.

For cleaning out temporary files, a better alternative is ATF Cleaner - simple "no frills" program.
http://www.geekstogo...21-atf-cleaner/

Registry cleaners, and all similar boosters etc have no place on your computer.

How many startup items do you have pls.
msconfig
startup tab

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 04:53 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Firstly CCleaner is a great little program/
However do not use the registry cleaner aspect that is not good.
CCleaner is no longer recommended here. If you are going to use it, avoid the Registry cleaner section.

For cleaning out temporary files, a better alternative is ATF Cleaner - simple "no frills" program.
http://www.geekstogo...21-atf-cleaner/

Registry cleaners, and all similar boosters etc have no place on your computer.

How many startup items do you have pls.
msconfig
startup tab

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 04:53 PM.

[jones082]

Not many, seven:

NvMcTray
Reader_sl
avastUI
NvCpl
GoogleUpdate
ctfmon
NETGEAR.WG111v

[Macboatmaster]

Download TFC by OldTimer to your desktop

• Please double-click TFC.exe to run it. (Note: If you are running on Vista, right-click on the file and choose Run As Administrator).
• It will close all programs when run, so make sure you have saved all your work before you begin.
• Click the Start button to begin the process. Depending on how often you clean temp files, execution time should be anywhere from a few seconds to a minute or two. Let it run uninterrupted to completion.
• Once it's finished it should reboot your machine. If it does not, please manually reboot the machine yourself to ensure a complete clean

This is a far more effective clean than other similar programs

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 05:00 PM.

[jones082]

Okay, that's done.
No change in performance at this point.

[Macboatmaster]

When you have run TFC
Please do the following

1. Go Device Manager, on the view tab click to show hidden devices
Are there any warnings please.

2. Go Control Panel Administrative tools, event viewer and clicking application and then system in left pane does the main window on each, contain any errors.
If there are only one ot two, double click the entry and see what they are if there are any number post back and I will send you a program to view them, rather then labouriously lokking at each.

3. Activate Task Manager pls Ctrl Alt Del. Click the processes. tab, click the sub tab MEM. that will place mem usuage on a rising scale. Check pls and tell me how much is being used by your anti-virus.
AND what is it pls. Avast I presume. Pls assure me you ONLY have one running and do you have any other security actually running in real time.

Still in Task Manager click the performance tab. What is the physical mem available pls. it will change but not that much.

Re TFC - if it diid not reboot to complete clean pls ensure you DID

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 05:28 PM.

[jones082]

In device manager there is a yellow ! next to Winbond Generic USB controller.
I have a faint memory of this causing problems in the past.

Under applications, one repetitive error:
"Failed auto update retrieval of third party root list sequence number from www. Download.windowsupdate.com…operation returned because the timeout period expired."

Under system there are a lot of errors, but it seems it is all a repeat of the same error:
"The Winbond Generic USB Controller service faile to start due to the following error:
The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it."

I only have one virus program, Avast.
AvastSvc.exe shows 00 CPU and 1072k mem usage
AvastUI.exe shows 00 and 5092k

Available memory is around 143000.

TFC ran quickly and rebooted. Took about 3-4 minutes to boot.

[Macboatmaster]

Could you go to Windows update please.
On Update history in left pane can you check pls that the failed update you mention is shown there and make a note of any others please.
The see what is offered on critcal updates.

WHILST IN Windows update and of course ONLY whilst in there, please disable AVAST and if you are NOT using the windows firewall, which is configured by default to allow updates pls diable that as well

Then download and install. the cricticals.

I see you had that winbond error some time ago on a previous thread so I think we can discount that as important for the time being.

However I think you would be well advised to check for any updated usb root hub drivers after the updates.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 05:56 PM.

[jones082]

I had disabled automatic updates for one day because I kept getting the same three updates over and over, even though they were showing up in my program files with all the other updates.
I turned update on again, went to Windows Update and there is no history.
The three repetitive updates are all Security Updates for Windows XP.
They are:
KB2393802
KB975560
KB977914
I disabled Avast, and downloaded the three updates once again. It now shows as ‘succeeded’ in the history.
I re enabled Avast.

I still have the alert over and over again that the same three updates need to be installed.

I am not sure how to check for any updated usb root hub drivers after the updates.

[Macboatmaster]

Root Update Package (intended for Windows XP only)
For users running Windows XP, the root update package will update the list of root certificates on your computer to the list that is accepted by Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Root Certificate Program. The file is updated periodically to add or remove root certificates or CAs from distribution by the Program.

The file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:
http://www.download....en/rootsupd.exe (http://www.download....en/rootsupd.exe)

[Macboatmaster]

Left hand pane - as on my screenshot.

Review your update history

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 06:25 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Those three updates were security updates, were as you will know., two in March and one in late February.

I still have the alert over and over again that the same three updates need to be installed.
I suspect the reason for that may indeed be the Avast. I am not being critical of Avast, but I have seen many instances of it not dealing well with some windows updates.
If it was me I would select Notify, rather than automatic.
I would then when ON THE UPDATE site, disable avast.
Of course the inherent risk is forgetting to renable it before browsing.


Please would you go back to System Properties
Click the advanced tab and then click the settings button, click advanced tab again. Please ensure memory usage is set for programs and NOT sysytem cache.
On virtual mem, pls click the change tab and ensure it is set system managed size. If it is NOT please so set.
Exit of course by clicking apply and OK as required.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 06:41 PM.

[jones082]

I downloaded Root Update Package, double clicked on it, clicked 'Run.' I didn't see evidence of anything happening, so I waited awhile and rebooted.

The yellow update "!" is gone. Finally!

Under "Review Your Update History" there are 12 updates, all successful. No failures.

Computer still boots ridiculously slow, but I haven't crashed during this whole exchange.
I'm going to try 'hibernate' to see if I am stable.

[Macboatmaster]

Our posts overlapped would you pls do 12.


I

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 06:55 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Double post in error pls see 16.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 07 March 2011 - 06:58 PM.