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Computer runs slow, cannot access task manager


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#16
Chucklebun

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The computer is an HP Pavilion, purchased in 2008. I'm at the office and unable to verify the specific model number, so I'll have to do that when I get home.

 

I did not have a chance to run avast last night - the system became completely unresponsive during the install, I wasn't even able to open the start menu. I gave it up as a bad job when there was a brief power outage and went to bed. Better to be fresh to avoid frustration anyway.

 

Several questions:

 

Java wanted to update last night. Should I run the update? I cancelled it because I wanted to get through the tests etc. first.

 

It looks like the graphics driver is out of date as I received a notification in the nvidia experience app. Should I update?

 

Related: The graphics card is a fairly high powered graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 Ti) that required an upgraded power supply. It really is no longer needed or used in that computer as I am not using it for anything graphics intensive. I was thinking of returning the computer to it's original confuguration based on your comments regarding heat etc.


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#17
RKinner

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It is unlikely that you need Java.  

 

Clear the Java Cache by following the instructions on
 
You do not have the latest Java.
First go into Control Panel, Add/Remove Software (XP) or Programs and Features (Vista/Win 7) and remove any old versions (which may call themselves: Java Runtime, Runtime Environment, Runtime, JRE, Java Virtual Machine, Virtual Machine, Java VM, JVM, VM, J2RE, J2SE)
I see:
Java 7 Update 71
 
Java has been very vulnerable to infection so unless you absolutely need it you should not reinstall it.
 
If you feel you must have Java:
Get the latest Java at:
 
Save it to your PC then close all browsers and install it.  Do not let it install the yahoo toolbar or other foistware.
Once installed, go into Control Panel, Java, Security and set the slider to the Highest then OK.
 
(If you also want the 64 bit version then use the 64 bit version of IE to get it.)
 
 
 
Uninstalling the graphics card might be a good thing tho Speccy claims it is not overheating.  I'd wait for a while.  I wonder if the RAM is causing problems?  
 
 
Also is it slow in Safe Mode?
 
(Reboot and when you see the maker's logo, hear a beep or it talks about F8, start tapping the F8 key slowly.  Keep tapping until the Safe Mode Menu appears and choose Safe Mode with Networking.  Login with your usual login.)
 
 
 

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#18
Chucklebun

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OK, Thanks again.

 

First to answer your questions:

 

The computer is an HP Pavilion model # m9520f (~6 years old as noted previously).

I believe I need Java as Minecraft is Java-based. I will see if there is a windows executable server, though because java has indeed gotten me before.

The computer ran generally MUCH better in safe mode until we did the fixes, though I had a couple issues it may have been my impatience.

 

The problem I was having at first was very slow response time to opening windows, right-click context menus taking a long time to appear etc. That escalated the arrow+"busy" circle cursor and then into the big circle "busy" cursor - which is when I ran the first OTL logs. After I got back I forgot about it for a day or so until I turned the computer on and over the next day or so it got much worse - which reminded me to start a post. Eventually, it was a crapshoot as to whether the computer would lock up If I tried to do anything or open anything and even when a program was running often I'd see the big circle busy cursor and I couldn't click anything and/or the the window would go unresponsive, if I moved it, it would leave blank images of itself behind on the desktop (I call that the hall of mirrors of death) and since ctrl-alt-delete didn't work the only way to shut down was to kill the power.

 

That's why I thought "virus/malware." Now it looks like maybe just "sick windows" as things are definitely seeming better now.

 

I will be running the boot-time virus scan overnight.

 

Ok, on to the fix results so far...Ran the disk check, it took ~3 hours. I was afk having cooking & eating dinner and watching a movie and when I came back it took maybe another 10-15 mins.

 

Next on the list was clearing the logs and running VEW. Here are the VEW logs.

 

Vino's Event Viewer v01c run on Windows Vista in English
Report run at 29/01/2015 10:52:01 PM

Note: All dates below are in the format dd/mm/yyyy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'System' Log - Error Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'System' Log - Warning Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vino's Event Viewer v01c run on Windows Vista in English
Report run at 29/01/2015 10:52:42 PM

Note: All dates below are in the format dd/mm/yyyy

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Application' Log - Error Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Log: 'Application' Date/Time: 30/01/2015 3:20:05 AM
Type: Error Category: 0
Event: 3011 Source: Microsoft-Windows-LoadPerf
Unloading the performance counter strings for service WmiApRpl (WmiApRpl) failed. The first DWORD in the Data section contains the error code.

Log: 'Application' Date/Time: 30/01/2015 3:20:05 AM
Type: Error Category: 0
Event: 3012 Source: Microsoft-Windows-LoadPerf
The performance strings in the Performance registry value is corrupted when process Performance extension counter provider. The BaseIndex value from the Performance registry is the first DWORD in the Data section, LastCounter value is the second DWORD in the Data section, and LastHelp value is the third DWORD in the Data section.

Log: 'Application' Date/Time: 30/01/2015 3:14:50 AM
Type: Error Category: 0
Event: 10 Source: Microsoft-Windows-WMI
Event filter with query "SELECT * FROM __InstanceModificationEvent WITHIN 60 WHERE TargetInstance ISA "Win32_Processor" AND TargetInstance.LoadPercentage > 99" could not be reactivated in namespace "//./root/CIMV2" because of error 0x80041003. Events cannot be delivered through this filter until the problem is corrected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Application' Log - Warning Type
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 


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#19
RKinner

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We are getting fewer errors which is a good thing.  The first two we might be able to fix with:

 

Rebuild the list of available counters

Membership in the local Administrators group is required to complete this procedure.

To rebuild the list of counters in the registry:

  1. Click Start, expand All Programs, and expand Accessories.
  2. Right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
  3. At the command prompt, type lodctr /r, and then press ENTER.

The last one is just a nuisance and can be ignored.

 

 

For slow right click performance try:

 

ShellExView.
 
 
Use this download:
 
Once you get it installed, run it and look in the third or fourth column from the RIGHT. It should say MICROSOFT. Click once or twice on MICROSOFT so that items with NO are at the top.
Select all of the NO items and then click on the red led looking icon in the upper left. This should disable all of the non-microsoft additions to Explorer. Reboot and see if you still get the slowness.

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#20
Chucklebun

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Virus Scan Results. Going to have to do the rest when I get home from work. Thanks again.

 

01/29/2015 23:20
Scan of C:

Scan of *STARTUP

File C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\SetupCache\v4.5.50938\1031\eula.rtf Error 0xC000009C {STATUS_DEVICE_DATA_ERROR}
Number of searched folders: 33766
Number of tested files: 772837
Number of infected files: 0
 


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#21
RKinner

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No hurry.  I don't keep track.  Looks like Avast agrees it is not a virus.


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#22
Chucklebun

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I didn't do the shellxview because everything is working well now.

 

Well virus or not, I'd say we fixed the problem. Everything seems to be running smoothly. No more lockups or odd behavior.


Edited by Chucklebun, 30 January 2015 - 08:58 PM.

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#23
RKinner

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Are you now able to get to task manager?


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#24
Chucklebun

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Yep everything is working well now. No more infinite busy cursor when I attempt to ctrl-alt-delete.

 

I think maybe the broken MS virus thing was the problem, tying up everything.


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#25
RKinner

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I think we are done and can clean up
 
Copy the following:
 
 
:Commands
[CLEARALLRESTOREPOINTS]
[Reboot]
 
Right click on OTL and Run As Administrator.   In the Custom Scans/Fixes box at the bottom, paste in the copied text (Ctrl + v) and then hit Run Fix.
 
That will get the last of the malware off the system.
 
 
 
You can uninstall or delete any tools we had you download and their logs. 
 
If we ran Combofix:To uninstall combofix, copy the next line:
 
"%userprofile%\Desktop\combofix.exe" /Uninstall
 
Start, All Programs, Accessories then right click on Command Prompt and Run As Administrator.
then right click, Paste, then hit Enter.
 
 
 
OTL has a cleanup tab but DO NOT USE IT!.  There are reports that it leaves the PC unbootable.  Instead just delete  OTL.exe and the folder c:\_OTL.
 
To hide hidden files again:
 
Vista or Win7
 
# Open the Control Panel menu and click Folder Options.
# After the new window appears select the View tab.
# Remove the check in the  checkbox labeled Display the contents of system folders.
# Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Do not Show hidden files and folders.
# Check the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
# Press the Apply button and then the OK button and exit My Computer. 
 
Also make sure you have the latest versions of any adobe.com products you use like Shockwave, Flash or Acrobat.  
 
Whether you use adobe reader, acrobat or fox-it to read pdf files you need to disable Javascript in the program.  There is an exploit out there now that can use it to get on your PC.  For Adobe Reader:  Start, All Programs, Adobe Reader, Edit, Preferences, Click on Javascript in the left column and uncheck Enable Acrobat Javascript.  OK Close program.  It's the same for Foxit reader except you uncheck Enable Javascript Actions. 
 
Unless you have the latest version of Avast which has its own update checker:  To help keep your programs up-to-date you should download and run the UpdateChecker: 
(You don't need to download Betas and if there is a program you don't use you can just uninstall it rather than update it.  Exception is MSN messenger which appears to be part of Windows.)
If you get a blocked program notice after installing updatechecker then change it to not run at start then manually run it once a week.
 Seems to work best if Firefox is the default browser.  Windows always hides its icon so you need to unhide it.  Click on the up arrow to the left of the clock.  Then click on Customize.  Maximize the window so you can see all of the options.  Scroll Down and find the File Hippo UpdateChecker and change its Behaviors to Show Icon and Notifications.  OK.  When you reboot you should see the icon.  It will take it a minute to finish checking then it will put up a bubble if you need to update something. Click on the bubble and it should open in your browser.  (Seems to work best if it uses Firefox.  If you do not use Firefox as your default browser then right click on the icon and click on Settings. Then on Results.  Change the Open Results in Default Browser to Custom Browser and then select the line that has Firefox.exe in it.  While there, also check Hide Beta Versions.  OK. )  You will see a list of programs that have updates with green down arrows next to them.  You do not need to download any Beta Versions.  There is an option Settings to Hide Beta Versions.  I do not advise updating Windows Messenger unless you really use it so I right click on the Icon and Customize Results then find Microsoft Messenger and change Show All Releases to Hide All Releases.  OK. 
 
 
 
If Chrome/Firefox is slow loading make sure it only has the current Java add-on.  Then download and run Speedy Fox.
http://www.crystalidea.com/speedyfox .  Close Chrome/Firefox. Hit Optimize.   You can run it any time that Chrome/Firefox seems slow.
 
Be warned:  If you use Limewire, utorrent or any of the other P2P programs you will almost certain be coming back to the Malware Removal forum.  If you must use P2P then submit any files you get to http://virustotal.com before you open them.

Due to a recent rise in the number of Crytolocker infections I am now recommending you install:
 
CryptoPrevent
 
 
The free version does not update on its own so you should check for updated versions once in a while.

 

 

 
 
 
If you have a router, log on to it today and change the default password!  If using a Wireless router you really should be using encryption on the link.  Use the strongest (newest) encryption method that your router and PC wireless adapter support especially if you own a business.  See http://www.king5.com...-120637284.html and http://www.seattlepi...ted-1344185.php for why encryption is important.  If you don't know how, visit the router maker's website.  They all have detailed step by step instructions or a wizard you can download.
 
Special note on Java.  Old Java versions should be removed after first clearing the Java Cache by following the instructions in:
Then remove the old versions by going to Control Panel, Programs and Features and Uninstall all Java programs which are not Java Version 7 update 25 or better.  These may call themselves: Java Runtime, Runtime Environment, Runtime, JRE, Java Virtual Machine, Virtual Machine, Java VM, JVM, VM, J2RE, J2SE.  Get the latest version from Java.com.  They will usually attempt to foist some garbage like the Ask toolbar, Yahoo toolbar or McAfee Security Scan on you as part of the download.  Just uncheck the garbage before the download (or install) starts.  If you use a 64-bit browser and want the 64-bit version of Java you need to use it to visit java.com.
Due to multiple security problems with Java we are now recommending that it not be installed unless you absolutely know you need it.  IF that is the case then go to Control Panel, Java, Security and slide it up to the highest level.  OK.
 
Make sure Windows Updates is turned and that it works.  Go to Control panel, Windows Updates and see if it works.  
 
 
My help is free but if you wish to show your appreciation, please donate to Kwiaht instead of me. It's a local environmental organization that I volunteer with: http://www.kwiaht.org/donate.htm
(The name means something like "clean place" in one of the local native-American dialects)
 
Ron

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#26
Chucklebun

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Thanks again for the help, it's much appreciated!


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#27
Chucklebun

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And I made a 10.00 usd donation on behalf of Rkinner to KWIAHT via paypal to show my appreciation. Thanks again, again!


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#28
RKinner

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I thank you and Kwiaht thanks you!


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