HELLUP! Slow computer!

[hillybilly]

Could any of you computer experts out there please help?!

My laptop is running soooooooo slowly that it's driving me mad. It seems to have to "think" about everything! From simply "recognising" a link to opening up a new window, to opening Word docs, to opening emails, replying to them, switching between windows...

It's slow to boot up and seems "glitchy" when simply trying to scroll down a web page and when typing in a text box...even writing this is "glitchy"! Pages take ages to open fully...

I have defragged, moved photos to the D drive, taken all but shortcuts off the desktop, turned off or removed as many superfluous programs etc as I have been able to identify and dare remove, deleted old files...

I need to be able to work quickly on the damn thing and this problem is sooooo frustrating!

Please, any suggestions as to why this is happening and, more importantly, how I can improve things! Words of one syllable or less, please! Ask me anything you need to know to be able to help but I may not have a clue what you're talking about ;o)

Thanks!

[Enrique]

Hi Hillybilly,
What version of Windows are you running

Has this slowness just come on.........after an update/install

Some quick things to look at....................

Right click on the bottom blue bar and bring up Start Task Manager...................

look in the processes tab..................click Show processes for all users

System Idle Process should be the top user when nothing going on.......post your top users...


Have a look in the Performance Tab.............is your system seeing all of its memory

[satandpcguy]

Low phsical memory or low virtual memory (space allocated on the hard drive for "tempoary menory)perhaps?

Have you run Malwareybtes anti-malware and your antivirus systems to "clean" the PC and make sure there is nothing alien slowing it down?

Hows about trying to uninstall any programmes you no longer use?

Look at all the icons that are loading up besides the clock. All of these will be loading programs up in start up. Do you really need them all loading up all the time if you only use them once a blue moon? Usually you can righ cloick on them, go to the options and uncheck "load on windoze start up" - Skype I know takes a fair time to load up)

Have you installed AVG2011? This is known to slow machine down. Try Avast instead.

If you use internet banking, in particular the RBS group, then uninstall the "rapport" service they recommened. It really slows the PCs down.

Also, PCs collect a huge amunt of junk sometimes, more than is really needed. Sometiems a "system clean" is required. There are a few free tools that do this (CCleaner, "Advanced System Care" there is a free version, and the pro version is about 15euros - has a "one click" clean up option.)

[hillybilly]

Windows Vista, already using Avast. Don't think I have AVG installed...

Ok, when you say "nothing going on" do you mean close down all browsers etc?
Without having done that as yet (am in the middle of summat!) I'm getting the Proceso Inactivo thing at the top just sometimes.
The rest read: AppSvc32.exe 1.685KB, AvastSvc.exe 3.704KB, smss.exe 96KB, csrss.exe 1.036KB...

In Rendimiento, the Uso de CPU percentage fluctuates constantly...
Other info it gives is Memoria 680MB
Memoria fisica 765MB
En cache 169, disponible 12

It says there are 88 processes - is that a lot?!

I have uninstalled all that I dare, am not sure what I need to keep as the minimums tho!
I have skype but only fire it up when I need it.

[quebin]

I used Avast and it slowed my Windows 7 pro laptop to nearly a halt!It conflicted with a driver.It took a friend 2 days of looking through everything before he found the problem.Uninstalled Avast and installed AVG,all is fine now.

[El Cid]

You could try a System Restore to the point before you had the problem.

Sid

[Beachcomber]

I use AVG 2011 on both Windows 7 and XP with no problem whatsoever.

The ultimate option to solve this problem is a clean install of the OS once you have saved all of your documents of course.

[satandpcguy]

I notice all of my machines runs very slowly with AVG2011 - thats a Xp, vista, and w7.
Avast seems to run nicely on them, with very little memory hogginglike AVG does, which like to run a number of processes in the background all the time


Not that it helkps in this case, but it is rumoured that Win8 allows you to reset windoze to factory settings and keep all user data.
About time!

[Devils Advocate]

Out of interest Beachy, why are you still running AVG on Win7? I know you, the same as me rate AVG and used it on all the the other OS's but I thought the concensus was Win7's own security is more than adequate...at least that's what I gleaned on here when I set my new system up a few months back...........and I went with it, no probs so far.

[frank]

[quote="hillybilly"]
It says there are 88 processes - is that a lot?!
[/quote]
Just looked at mine, it says 45, so you have double what I have running!
Have a look in "Add or remove programs", "date last used", anything that hasn't been used for 12 months can probably safely be dumped. Just looked, I have some from more than 3 years ago!

[knowal]

I'm running MS Security Essentials on all my machines now. It does not slow anything down at all.
You can even set the CPU usage to limit it, if necessary, the 50% default works for me.

[Beachcomber]

DA, I try not to rely on Windows for anything more than I have to. AVG does the job for me swiftly and effectively so I have stayed with it as I have with Acronis True Image which, theoretically, is not required on Windows 7.

[Mowser]

MS Security Essentials on all my machines now. Never a hitch.

[El Cid]

MSSE for me too. Does the job and never slows the PC down.

AVG is fine but the scans are so slow. Best not to bother with regular scans - it will clobber the nasties on the way in so there is little point in doing a scan unless you think you have a problem.

Even then, if it didn't recognise the problem when it got in, it won't find it if you do a scan.

Sid

[Devils Advocate]

That's the one MSSE

[Enrique]

Hi hillybilly,
From info .............AppSvc32.exe is a Norton AV process ....have you Norton on your system.

88 processes is a lot as you don't appear to have much real memory.

click Start and type in msconfig when it pops up check out the Startup tab and Google any programs that you're not sure if you need.

[frank]

[quote="Enrique"]Hi hillybilly,
From info .............AppSvc32.exe is a Norton AV process ....have you Norton on your system.
88 processes is a lot as you don't appear to have much real memory.
click Start and type in msconfig when it pops up check out the Startup tab and Google any programs that you're not sure if you need.[/quote]

She could try Glary Utilities, nice little programme if you are not sure. Go into start up menu there, and as you click on each entry, it'll tell you what is is, and how it rates it. You have the choice of deleting, or disabling, if not sure. It's a general all round Swiss Army knife of programmes, and it's free.

[Enrique]

Hi,
Frank could at least give the Girl the link.....................

http://download.cnet.com/Glary-Utilitie ... 08531.html

I've not used it, reviews sound ok............

[hillybilly]

"click Start and type in msconfig when it pops up check out the Startup tab and Google any programs that you're not sure if you need." Typed in msconfig where??? What is "it" that pops up? I tried this in the search box and there was no "startup tab" thingy...sorry but you need to be more specific with me lol.

Also where is the add or remove programs option referred to above?! Where do I find the dates last used?

There is so much conflicting info! Avast vs AVG etc...I don't want to download anything more as I seem to be clogged up enough with possible superfluous stuff! Yes I think I have Norton...do I have too many anti virus things? I don't know what they all do!
edit: Norton seems not to be running (?) due to licence or subscription having expired(?). Can't find it to delete it tho!

[Enrique]

Hi hillybilly,
You should only be running one Anti virus, Avast is good , I've moved all the systems I support over to it in the past year.
Don't really want you to download any more programs, need to get to the cause of your slow running.
Click on the Start there is a "Search programs and files" box type add remove, and add remove programs will pop up in a box above.
Have a look in this list and see if Norton/Symantec is there if it is use the Removal instructions .......

http://us.norton.com/support/kb/web_vie ... N&ln=en_US

Need to find out what Norton you have and use appropriate tool to remove.

One step at a time, I've all evening .............