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Anormal slowing of laptop while on the internet


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#1
Reikho

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Hello,
I didn't know where to post this, so feel free to move it if it isn't in the right section.

I have a problem with my computer which has become slow, and only while on the internet. I noticed that it has slowed down too while turning it on: more time than usual to load the "enter password" screen and more time than usual to load the desktop after entering the password.

I own a laptop, Acer Aspire 5742G with 640Gb HDD showing 358Gb free out of 583 and 4Gb DDR3 memory. It is a year and three months old, and is regularly cleaned of junk files & registry errors, defragged, and checked for malwares/viruses with avast! free.

I use Mozilla Firefox, and encounters several problems of slow response from the laptop. When I scroll down (using either the pad, the arrow keys or the sliding sidebar), the page will regularly freeze then scroll down on itself as much as I scrolled while it was frozen. While typing, the screen will freeze, then all the letters typed when it was frozen will appear at once. While clicking on a field in order to write in it, it will take time to show the small intermittent bar "|" that says I can write in the field. While passing the arrow of the mouse on a link, it will take several seconds to become hand-shaped instead. While loading pages, sometimes the loading circle on Firefox will freeze, as well as the rest of the screen, then resume loading.

Please note that during these "freezes", the mouse cans still be moved, that slow response to typing will not happen on Word or in My Files/Start search, and that clicking response is fine in Start menu or on desktop files. I always use the laptop upon a hard surface to avoid overheating, and never put it on the bed, for instance. Videos never slow, once they are loaded, they play just fine.

Tried up to now to solve the problem:
-CCleaner used to clean junk files, fix registry errors and disable useless programs that started at the same time as Windows in order to make the starting faster
-updated Firefox to latest 13.0.1 version, which seemed to solve the problem for a moment before it was there again. Actually, restarting Firefox makes the problem go away, for the first few minutes. It starts then getting slower and slower.
-defragged HD with Smart Defrag
-scanned for viruses/malwares

I haven't yet tried restoring the laptop to a previous version, neither did I try formatting the HDD. This is my last option if nothing else helps. I really am at a loss about what might be wrong. Thank you for the time my problem will be given, whatever happens.

Edited by Reikho, 24 June 2012 - 07:16 PM.

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#2
Ztruker

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Does this also happen if you use Internet Explorer?

What Add-ons are you using with Firefox? Have you tried running it with Add-ons disabled? To do this click on the Firefox button at top left, then Help then Restart with Add-ons disabled. If that helps then use Add-ons manager to disable them one or two at a time until you find the one causing the problem.
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#3
Reikho

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I have Adblock add-on, a french dictionary checker while typing, avast! safe web search and Divx Web player. Nothing I added recently anyway, that could coincide with the problem beginning to happen. I just restarted Firefox after disabling all add-ons so right now I don't have any problem of slow typing, but I don't know if it'll last.

I have a load of plugins though, more than half of which I don't know what they do...

After a bit of browsing on IE, I didn't notice any freezing like on FF. And after browsing around on FF with the add-ons disabled, it seems like it's okay. I don't have that much add-ons installed, I will try them one by one to see which is making everything go slow.
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#4
Ztruker

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My guess would be: a french dictionary checker while typing
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#5
Reikho

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Not that one. I am French, it's the default spelling checker. Well, I disabled the add-ons that are never used, as well as some plugins I never use either. It's still a bit slow sometimes, but slightly better. Restarting Firefox fixes everything before it starts getting slow again, but not as much as before.

Doesn't fix the problem of slow loading while starting the computer though.

Thank you for your assistance anyway
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#6
Ztruker

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You can try getting a Startup, Shutdown, Sleep, Hibernate, or Reboot Trace. The author of the tutorial is cluberti. Once you have the trace you could try PMing him and see if he will take a look at it for you or you can try going through it and see if you spot anything.

I've never done this so won't be any help reading it.
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#7
Macboatmaster

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If you do not mind me coming in, one of the problems may well be CCleaner, excellent as it is, it requires careful use.

Especially the registry cleaning aspect, but even the general file clean

For instance it deletes on the normal clean the log files and complete history of Avast. It does this by default, unless set up NOT to.

Avast then thinks it is doing the first ever scan and as with many AV`s the first scan always takes longer..

Additionally, I suspect, the restarting of Firefox is a red herring and the real problem lies not with Firefox, but with other software on the computer.

In fact returning to Avast, it has been reported that the scan time is considerably increased after the use of CCleaner.


Additonally if it is Windows 7, then IMHO the use of any cleaner - be it CCleaner or other, is unnecessary and in fact may well produce adverse results.

Windows7 is very good at managing its systems and the normal housekeeping of diskcleanup, disk defrag, deleting browsing history, updating Java and Flash, two of the well known security weaknesses when out of date, and of course the usual precautions when downloading of ensuring you are not adding toolbars etc, frequently offered and requring opt out rather than opt in are far more preferable than the regular use of CCleaner.
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