[jss10]

Hi. This is a problem I've been having for a while, but it seems to be getting worse. Basically, at some point around the same time each day (but not the same exact time, somewhat interestingly), my computer seems to run some kind of process and slows down almost to the point of being useless. This can last anywhere from 10 minutes to a full hour, and is always in the evening -- maybe any time from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Obviously, I've looked at Task Manager while this is happening and sort by Mem Usage, but I don't see any unusual activity, so it must be pretty well hidden.

 

Not to be too dramatic, but this is actually affecting my quality of life, including how much sleep I get! That is, it disables me being from able to work on tasks I need to complete, which then forces me to work later than I want. So, if there is any way to figure out what this process is and somehow disable it, that would obviously be great. Any ideas? Thanks!

Edited by jss10, 09 September 2014 - 08:22 PM.

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Hello jss10

You are assuming your system is slowing down because
of some "hidden process". Yet there seems to be no evidence
of this. Actually, there seems to be evidence to the contrary.

It's possible it could be some hidden process and if that
was the case you would want to post this topic in this section:
http://www.geekstogo...alware-removal/

But there are many other things it could be.

I would start by posting a new topic in the Malware section
with the link I just gave you. You will have more staff members
viewing your topic, and should get better results.

Thank you and have a great day.


SGC

[SupeR GeekiN CognitO]

Hello jss10

You are assuming your system is slowing down because
of some "hidden process". Yet there seems to be no evidence
of this. Actually, there seems to be evidence to the contrary.

It's possible it could be some hidden process and if that
was the case you would want to post this topic in this section:
http://www.geekstogo...alware-removal/

But there are many other things it could be.

I would start by posting a new topic in the Malware section
with the link I just gave you. You will have more staff members
viewing your topic, and should get better results.

Thank you and have a great day.


SGC

[jss10]

Hmm, what makes you say that? Again, it is NOT as if it is constantly slow -- it only happens for a certain amount of time each day, and roughly around the same time (sometime in the evening). Isn't that more indicative of a process rather than general malware, etc.? That is, does malware really "time" itself like that?

 

It just really does seem like something is using up a large portion of my memory. And that's the only "symptom" -- no redirection or anything like that, which is what I usually experience with malware.

[Ztruker]

Memory utilization is not always the cause of slow downs. Did you look at CPU Utilization as well?
What did the Performance tab look like?

[SupeR GeekiN CognitO]

Hello jss10

 

Hmm, what makes you say that?

 

The reason I said you might want to post

in the malware section was based on your

assumption that a "hidden process" was

slowing down your system.

 

If there was a process able to hide itself

from the task manager, then it would likely

be of malicious intent.

 

In order to cloak itself it would have to run

in lower level memory. Like kernel memory

for example. Like a Rootkit.

Isn't that more indicative of a process rather than general malware, etc.?

I would say almost all "general malware" has

to execute in order to run, which would create

a process. It could also inject itself into a system

process in the form of a .dll.

That is, does malware really "time" itself like that?

Yes it absolutely can be coded to execute at

certain times of the day.

 

Memory utilization is not always the cause of slow downs. Did you look at CPU Utilization as well?
What did the Performance tab look like?

Yes, exactly. You might wanna try sorting your

task manager by CPU rather than memory.

See if your CPU is spiked at 100%.

 

Okay well, keep an eye on it and post back to let us

know if how it's running, and if you need further assistance.

 

Thank you and have a great day.

 

 

SGC

[jss10]

Ha! No, admittedly, I never even thought to sort by CPU instead of Mem Usage (also admittedly, I'm not much of a techie). The next time this happens, I'll definitely do so and report back. As I write this now, for whatever it's worth, the ONLY entity showing a CPU usage of more than 00 is "System Idle Process," whatever that is (with a reading of about 99). So such malware would have a harder time hiding from the CPU usage column?

Edited by jss10, 11 September 2014 - 11:35 AM.

[Ztruker]

Any program requires memory and CPU to run. How much of each depends on what it's trying to do.

 

As SGC suggested, the best way to find out if you have a malware problem is to post in our malware removal forum at the link given. If oyu still have the problem after that come back here and we can continue to work on it.