Slow computer

[halsgator]

My computer is slower than ever. What I have done:
Purchased Bit.defender anti virus and malware package. Found a few suspicious files.
Defraged
Ran CCleaner
Installed no script ap
Contacted my cable company to no avail.

Nothing seems to help. I noticed my CPU was at 100 % signing on as well as when I go to a new website. I googled the problem and a few suggested I update all my drivers. I did not know the computer hand more than one driver. That shows my IQ with computers.

In researching updating drivers, I discovered it takes more moxie than I have. Researching all the hardware sources and working with them seemed out for me. One site offered to update all my drivers for about $30. Not knowing this will help led me to ask some of you whiz kids. I downloaded the site and ran their scan resulting in 4 drivers that were outdated. Strange the drivers were dated back in 2010 and earlier. That seemed odd since my problem started about 3 months ago.

Any suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[helix139]

First, what are your hardware specs? What version of Windows are you running? What process is running your CPU to 100%? It's normal to be 100% at boot and momentarily when opening a program, but if you're at 100% at idle, then you have a problem.

Second, get rid of all that junk you put on your PC. Download RKill, Malwarebytes, and Microsoft Security Essentials. Boot into safe mode, run RKill, then scan with malwarebytes and MSSE.

[panamacitygator]

I had a "home-built" computer that I built back in 2004. It ran along well until early this year, it started doing the same things you are describing. What was wrong?

1. Hard drive was nearly full and deeply fragmented.
2. Dust and heat are not a computers friend. My cooling fan and power supply fans were coated with dust.
3. Over time my processor was basically cooked.

So I bought a new HP with quadcore A6-3600 processor, 8 GB ram, 1 TB hard drive and all the bells and whistles...HDMI, camera cards, gigabit and the works for $400.00

I take the side of the case off monthly and use the canned air to remove the dust from all crevices and vacuum up the dust.

Hope yours isn't this bad, but if it is , you"ll enjoy the new 'puter.

[michaelc]

Originally Posted by panamacitygator

I had a "home-built" computer that I built back in 2004. It ran along well until early this year, it started doing the same things you are describing. What was wrong?

1. Hard drive was nearly full and deeply fragmented.
2. Dust and heat are not a computers friend. My cooling fan and power supply fans were coated with dust.
3. Over time my processor was basically cooked.

running multiple antivirus software programs will eat your cpu

running software that has software conflicts would eat clock cycles,

good/perfect antivirus software runs on a high/er priority interruption sytem and puts the whole rest of the computer operating system behind it.. (maybe disable os system process competing for the interruption priority.. don't disable your computer or its time to break out the "windows repair disk" and run a f8/restore to an earlier state..)

you can install microsoft security essentials/defender (free antivirus/microsoft writting all software vulnerabilities), or do what I do for my clients... block all protocols except tcp/ip (this means unless you just download a virus, you would be extremely hard pressed to get a virus in the first place...

i don't run anything... windows firewall appears to be working fine for that

[halsgator]

Helix
Dell, XP, home, 2002 version, s/p 3. Pentium, 4cpu, 2.53 GHz, 1.00 GB Ram

I deleted Malwarebytes and Essentials last week when I bought Bit.defender. I had to delete Essentials when I installed Bit.

The only cpu running in idle is System showing 90. It normally maxes out changing web sites and other actions.

Hope this helps.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

It's unlikely that a fragmented hard drive will do anything to CPU.

I've never seen System running anything, honestly. Are you sure it isn't System Idle Processes?

Under Task Manager, click on Resource Monitor and select System and make sure it's really the one eating up that CPU.

[helix139]

Originally Posted by orangeblueorangeblue

It's unlikely that a fragmented hard drive will do anything to CPU.

I've never seen System running anything, honestly. Are you sure it isn't System Idle Processes?

Under Task Manager, click on Resource Monitor and select System and make sure it's really the one eating up that CPU.

It could be system if you're having hardware and/or driver problems. Does system still run 90% in safe mode? Have you cleaned out your PC case?

If the problem does not exist in safe mode, open task manager and watch the system process. Unplug USB devices one by one and see if that solves the problem. If not, go into device manager and start disabling non-critical devices and see if you can isolate the problem that way.

[Juggernautz]

Thanks for the advice all as my Gateway is getting slow.

[helix139]

Originally Posted by michaelc

running multiple antivirus software programs will eat your cpu

running software that has software conflicts would eat clock cycles,

good/perfect antivirus software runs on a high/er priority interruption sytem and puts the whole rest of the computer operating system behind it.. (maybe disable os system process competing for the interruption priority.. don't disable your computer or its time to break out the "windows repair disk" and run a f8/restore to an earlier state..)

you can install microsoft security essentials/defender (free antivirus/microsoft writting all software vulnerabilities), or do what I do for my clients... block all protocols except tcp/ip (this means unless you just download a virus, you would be extremely hard pressed to get a virus in the first place...

i don't run anything... windows firewall appears to be working fine for that

Problem with that is, then you can't do anything else but tcp/ip, and it's still very easy to download malware unintentionally using tcp/ip for many who are less computer literate thanks to a lot of the browser exploits.

And FWIW, MSSE is ridiculously unintrusive and effective, and malwarebytes doesn't run until you run it.

[gtwood]

How old is your hard drive? Download a SMART report program (most are free) and see if the HD is throwing errors. If the drive is more then 4 years old, it's probably failing. I've seen them get very slow but not fail.

I would say add more memory but i'm assuming the motherboard is so old that it's probably cheaper to buy a new low end system.

If this is from 2002, I'd probably not add anything to the box and just get a new one. Any of the lowend ones should run circles around a 2002 system.

[michaelc]

anything but tcp/ip

you put a keyboard on the otherside of the communication line, bandwidth improves

[halsgator]

Thanks for your input. I plan to try some of your suggestions. It is not so bad as I need to replace at this time.

[HALLGATOR]

Does it get any faster if you turn it off and turn it back on again? In other words does it start off slow once you get the operating system loaded and your browser going or does it work fairly good and start slowing down the longer you use it?

[michaelc]

holding f12, f9, f8 during boot to find preboot menues for safe mode (add/remove programs, restore points)

hold (jiggle) space bar, same for the ctrl key while booting for safe mode, (older os's)

restore points (newer os's)

(restore/repair CDs/f8(most)) to locate a restore point or get into safe mode for add remove programs
with the f9 key pressed during boot.

dell and other often have refresh os/system file on factory cds

**safe mode restore points on newer os's work better, right click "my computer" ... "properties" ... "system protection"

[corpgator]

If your computer is from 2002, it's probably time to do a fresh install of xp. You would also probably see a great improvement by throwing in another gig of ram.

[THEBIGFISH]

Ive got an old dell from 2008 runs Vista with 1 gb...added 2 Gigs for 20 bucks runs like a scalded dog now...