Slow start up

[anis]

I have used the search facilty and am sorry to bring this up again but I cannot find an answer.

My pc is taking ages to start up. The problem was getting slowly worse a while ago and I posted on here, took advice, moved all the photos and music files to D drive. It was a little better after that for a while.I have 25% space on C drive.

I have system restored, defragged, run anti malwarebytes ( no virus ), run ccleaner piriform etc.,
Once I can get on to the internet - it seems to run Ok again after about half an hour. I use spyware and avast. I have a large electric fan blowing on pc solely to keep heat down and turn the pc off when not needed.

Any further suggestions please before I go down the route of taking windows off and reinstalling and I don't know how to do that anyway, but I can't think of anything else to try.

[Beachcomber]

Have you checked for high CPU usage when it is running slowly?

[Enrique]

Hi anis,
As you wrote the OP, just search for Author.....anis..........

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=24335&p=221001#p221001

Throws that up quickly....moving on.....

"I use spyware".............what is that program.

With computer up and running bring up "Task Manager" ( right click in Task bar) and have a look in the various sections.

In the "Processes" tab click on CPU and scroll to bottom of window, is there any one process using cpu cycles.
With this still open start up your application and see what starts to use the cpu.

Under the Performance tab...look at Physical Memory...Total, Available...........if there is insufficient memory the system will use the pagefile and be slower.

What is the spec of the PC...........OS (Operating system),CPU speed , Physical memory..etc
An easy way is to use Speccy.............

http://www.piriform.com/speccy

or Start -> Run-> dxdiag

Screen shots would be good, otherwise just type the above info and post

Thanks.

[anis]

Thankyou so much both - I will try all that now and post back

[anis]

I use Spyware terminator for daily checks

I downloaded Speccy and found out that the OS is ms windows XP pro 32 bit
I have all the other bits about cpu and will post them rather than bore anyone on here - I had to copy them long hand because I couldn't work out how to do a screen shot.

When using the task manager 2% CPU / pf usage 436 mb and under the cpu scroll down - largest went to system idle 97
and the biggest K thingy in the next column was explorer exec28K and Avast 24 K

Under task bar physical memory I found tot 514864 / available 173544 / system cache 188

[pmb]

Have you tried something like soluto (free) ? It tells you how long each prog takes at start up and what can be removed to speed it up. Don't know if speccy also does this.

[Beachcomber]

I have Spyware Terminator on my computer but I have to say that I have disabled all of the 'shields' because I found that it slowed down my computer to a crawl. I just use it for the occasional scan when I want to double check a Malwarebytes scan result.

Try disabling these and see if the situation improves.

[Enrique]

Hi anis,
The reviews on Spyware terminator seem ok.......except one reported that the realtime protection feature was using loads of resources on compter startup /boot.
You will need to check when the schedule scan time is, and also if it wants to scan on startup/bootup.

With you running Avast AV (me too) I wouldn't run any additional "spyware" software as a normal process, I run Malwarebytes once a week manually, unless I hit a dodgy "Techy" site

You have a "low" memory system, would be interesting to see the "Commit Change (k) numbers (from Task Manager) after you have been running for sometime, i.e. at the end of the day.
Only really need to switch off the computer if it gets hot , keep switch off will kill some of the system caches and you have to build them up again when you startup .
Speccy will give you an indication of disk temperatures , most operator 0c - 50c , now its cooler mine are at 35c

pmb:: Speccy just tells you in depth what your hardware is.

[patchdog]

Leave it on 24..7...........I do.

[Beachcomber]

Yes, exactly. Spyware Terminator has eight real-time protection shields and they are all enable by default when you install or upgrade the program. Disable real-time protection by clicking on 'Change Settings' and unticking 'Enable Real Time Protection'.

[frank]

[quote="pmb"]Have you tried something like soluto (free) ? It tells you how long each prog takes at start up and what can be removed to speed it up. Don't know if speccy also does this.[/quote]
I use Soluto, and would recommend it, however last time I looked at their webpage, they'd been overwhelmed and you cannot download it. You can register, but have to wait for the next version to come out.

[gerryh]

You can register, but have to wait for the next version to come out.

Just downloaded the latest version from http://www.snapfiles.com/downloads/soluto/dlsoluto.html
Cheers
Gerry

[anis]

It is interesting that both Enrique and Beachcomber picked up on spyware terminator - I have disabled the shields now and it started a little quicker. Many thanks.
I have a feeling perhaps W . Messenger on the start up is slowing things down. Some months ago I suspected it to be the culprit and I tried to stop the TODAY thing coming up after it. It doesn't like you to start emails until Today comes on screen - maybe I messed something up because it still appears despite my telling it not to start up. If I try to open my email without waiting for TODAY, everything freezes up and I get the message, Messenger programme not responding, send to windows report.
When I did an in depth scan two days ago, something came up about it and I thought I had repaired it then. It was the only fault that appeared.
Enrique, I have written down the commt change numbers now and will leave pc on and check again at end of day.
Thanks Frank and Gerry, I will register with them.

[Beachcomber]

Make sure that Spyware Terminator's 'General' interface shows:

Real-Time Protection: Disabled
Shields: 0 out of 8 Enabled
Hips: Inactive
Web Security Guard: Not installed.

[pigs-might-fly]

Do you have any anti-virus program running in addition to your, now disabled real, time Spyware Terminator?
I see that program incorporates an anti-virus element and the old advice about not running two AV or two Firewall programs is very sound.
I would completely un-install Spyware Terminator, using Revo uninstaller and the clean your registry with Ccleaner.
Re-boot and see if that speeds up things.
You obviously need a firewall and an anti-virus program as an absolute minimum and current advice is to run an HIPS program as well.
Many good AV programs incorporate the HIPS (Google to find out what the HIPS protection does, if you don't already know).
I am currently using COMODO internet security, which has a firewall, an anti-virus,a HIPS element (DPlus), a sandbox, a buffer overflow protector etc. It's FREE!
With our W7 74 bit laptop start-up is very quick, with our old laptop running XP Home it's .pretty good, too.
I refuse to let MSN Messenger start with the computers, as do I with many other things such as Skype, HP updater, Google updater etc. etc. I have also disabled several unnecessary Windows start-up services.
See here for advice on THAT:- http://www.blackviper.com/

[Enrique]

Hi,
WOW!! P-M-F ........ 74 bit W7
Some good points in your post .........
Things like Skype , Windows Live Messenger are best not started at startup.
You can always fire them off when needed.

Having noted your liking to "reinstall" windows periodically I had a "rebuild" the other day, it took all day to do, and having compared it with my original system,( I have a triple boot system) , I can pop back to the original and find the "reinstalled" system not noticeably faster than the original 4 year build.
One advantage though ,it got rid of OH's junk

[pigs-might-fly]

WOW!! P-M-F ........ 74 bit W7

[anis]

You have all been most kind, thanks.
I have taken off spyware completely and loaded soluto - what a great programme ! Using the no brainer, I have cut the start up time by 1.04 mins ( got rid of the hated messenger too ) and am now going to take Skype off the start up because that takes a lot of time loading.
I nearly panicked because the thing wouldn't reboot.

[gerryh]

Thanks Frank and Gerry, I will register with them.

No need to register. It can be downloaded from http://www.snapfiles.com/downloads/soluto/dlsoluto.html as I said in my message.
Just downloaded and installed it.
Boot time reduced from 4:00 mins to 2:16 mins
Cheers
Gerry

[murbisa]

Just put soluto on mine out of interest. Boot time on both machines was 1.51 so I think I will leave well alone.