[brillman]

I just bought a brand new Dell Inspiron 630M laptop with Win XP Home Ed SP2 installed. Since I got it, I have installed numerous software (like IM apps, Flash 8, Google desktop, Textpad, etc and most recently a Logitech wincam software/drivers).

The performance of Win XP has slowed down. IE has slowed down - where it opens pretty quickly but when I type in an URL it takes a long time (1+ minute) to get to the site. On the other hand opening IE from MSN Messenger (to check Hotmail) or Google desktop (for a search term) is pretty fast like it used to be. Maybe I am imagining this but seems like Outlook is slow too. Interestingly, when I begin to type a URL in the IE address bar it used to give me a list of URLs matching the pattern as I type - doesnt happen any more.

When I boot up Win XP - I get this - DEP closed the Windows Generic Host process etc - pop up error like 10 times. Each time it sends a report to Microsoft.

Here are the remedial actions I tried - with no effect:
1. I have Microsoft anti-spyware installed. Runs a scan every day - no spyware found.
2. Have Computer Associates EZ Anti Virus installed - no viruses found. Idid install it AFTER I saw all these issues started - but scan has shown no viruses on the machine.
3. Downloaded Ewido and ran scan - found and cleaned some spyware - now the PC is clean
4. Ran Microsoft Malware scan - nothing found
5. Used Windows Update - made sure the OS and Office were up to date. Cleaned up temp files, cookies etc thro IE.
6. Based on article on Msft support - downloaded and ran Win XP hotfix for the generic host process error - no change
7. Checked startup menu - got rid of anything I thought shouldnt start up
8. Downloaded and ran Prcview to check what starts up from registry or is running - didnt find anything suspicious - except for something called Digital Line Connect - not sure what it is so left it running.
9. Regularly check RAM and CPU performance - dont see anything suspicious.
10. Based on a post I saw here - reinstalled IE from CD and rebooted - no difference
11. I also run Zone Alarm firewall - sets my machine in stealth mode supposedly

I am at a loss on what to do. This laptop used to be blazing fast on everything .......... please help

Edited by brillman, 15 January 2006 - 09:31 AM.

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Start with this then post back if you still have the issues

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and get an onscreen blue progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot.

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, click more options then clean up restore points, click confirm, click OK. Then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete, then reboot

When it gets to the desktop, the system files and the hard drive will be as they should and you can check for any improvement

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

[Retired Tech]

Start with this then post back if you still have the issues

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and get an onscreen blue progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot.

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, click more options then clean up restore points, click confirm, click OK. Then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete, then reboot

When it gets to the desktop, the system files and the hard drive will be as they should and you can check for any improvement

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

[brillman]

Keith thanks very much .............

I did everything you suggested except for the chkdsk (I was quite convinced I didnt need it). Performance is almost back to what it was before (notes below). Tune up utilities is just AMAZING - effective, easy to use and fast. Overall doing all this - I learnt a lot more.

What problems remain:
1. Windows explorer still seems slow opening "My Computer" for example (almost like there is some disk bottleneck). Comparitively my dell dimension 5150 (P4, 3 GHZ, HT) bought at the same time blazes.
2. In IE - when I start typing letters of a URL (like cn for cnn.com) - I still dont get the drop down list of URLs starting with those letters like I used to - just a luxury I suppose, but I dont add too many URLs to my favorites (pain to manage), just type the first few letters, select and go
3. The DEP closed Generic host process for Win 32 error still pops up. Each time I close it and sends an error report back to Bill. Sometimes I get one error, sometimes up to like 7 - doesnt seem to cause any instability but is just so annoying.

Overall, system is working a lot lot better - thanks very much Keith.

[Retired Tech]

On a web page, click tools, internet options, content, auto complete to check web addresses is ticked, click apply if you have to add the tick

Perhaps the per programme part of this will help

http://support.micro...kb/875352/en-us

[mooc]

Hi Brillman, i noticed that you installed logitech wincam.

have you tried disabling your Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) service ?

let me know if this fixes your problem

cheers
Marco

[brillman]

No I did not disable WIA, but here is the strangest thing:

On the generic host process for win32 error:
I tried the fix with the Advanced DEP option and using the per to block DEP for this process. Guess what it still used to pop the error and ask if I wanted to change the settings. It was persistent like Terminator2. Then all of a sudden the errors have stopped popping up. Performance seems fine now.

Browser performance and URL address drop down:
All of a sudden my browser started working fine and started showing address choices as I started typing in the address area. Worked fine for a couple of days and then the darned thing now stopped working as of this morning. Almost like something is blocking it. Not only type ahead but if I type "www.cnn.com" it would take forever instead of pre-pending a http:// and going to the site right away. It used to do that.

Windows is totally screwed up ............. frustrated.