PC Running Slow!

[McDaddy17]

Hi there

Over the past couple of days my pc boots up much slower than it used to and I'm not sure why?

I haven't added any new programs and I have 167GB free space on my hard drive.

Also, my computer reacts slowly when I click to open programs and just generally moving the mouse pointer around the screen.

I ran "Registry Mechanic" to fix any errors and I also scanned for viruses using Norton.

So basically, does it seem like my computer is infected? Or has it just generally slowed down??

I would appreciate your help.

Thank you :)

[DMR]

There could be any of a number of things going on, but if you'd like to post a HijackThis log for us to review, you can do that:

Download the free HijackThis utility. Once downloaded, follow these instructions to install and run the program:

Create a folder for HJT outside of any Temp/Temporary folders and move the HijackThis.exe file to that folder now. A folder such such as C:\HijackThis or C:\Spyware Tools\HijackThis will do.

Run HijackThis, but do not have HJT fix anything yet; only have it scan your system! Once the scan is complete, the "Scan" button will turn into an option to "Save log...".
Save the log in the folder you created for HijackThis; the saved file will be named "hijackthis.log". Open the log file with Windows Notepad, and cut-n-paste the entire contents of the Notepad file here.

The log contents will tell us a lot about what (if any) "nasties" have crept into your system, and once we analyse the log we can tell you what to do from there.

[McDaddy17]

Thanks for getting back to me.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 13:17:20, on 01/07/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Object Desktop\WindowBlinds\wbload.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\IWP\NPFMntor.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\slserv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_03\bin\jusched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\Thomson\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/iesearch/default.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.wanadoo.co.uk
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by Wanadoo
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Wanadoo - {8B68564D-53FD-4293-B80C-993A9F3988EE} - C:\PROGRA~1\Wanadoo\WSBar\WSBar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_03\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [REGSHAVE] C:\Program Files\REGSHAVE\REGSHAVE.EXE /AUTORUN
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe /Consumer
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] "C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe" -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpeedTouch USB Diagnostics] "C:\Program Files\Thomson\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe" /icon
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Search with Wanadoo - res://C:\PROGRA~1\Wanadoo\WSBar\WSBar.dll/VSearch.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_03\bin\npjpi142_03.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_03\bin\npjpi142_03.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.wanadoo.co.uk
O16 - DPF: {406B5949-7190-4245-91A9-30A17DE16AD0} (Snapfish Activia) - http://www.truprint.co.uk/TruprintActivia.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1132355683765
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/muweb_site.cab?1132355673890
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/MsnMessengerSetupDownloader.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{9EECB7D6-8CFB-4E91-B20F-98DC0E488D9B}: NameServer = 195.92.195.94 195.92.195.95
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - "C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\msgrapp.dll" (file missing)
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WB - C:\PROGRA~1\Stardock\OBJECT~1\WINDOW~1\fastload.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\WgaLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPodService - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto-Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Firewall Monitor Service (NPFMntor) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\IWP\NPFMntor.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: SmartLinkService (SLService) - - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\slserv.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec SPBBCSvc (SPBBCSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe

Thats everything from the logfile. Is there any causes in there?

Thanks.

[DMR]

McDaddy17,

Please don't bump your threads with "reminder" posts. It's pretty rare for us to forget a thread, but with a few hundred problems per day to deal with, it can take some time for us to posts follow-ups to all of the active issues on which we are working. Also keep in mind that it's a major holiday weekend in the US, meaning than many of us have other things to do with our "free" time today.

That said:

* Your log is definitely free of any signs of infections, and it also indicates that you a running a relatively "lean" system in terms of startup processes and the like.
However, the following startup items are not critical to their programs' operations; to conserve CPU and memeory resources, you can safely disable them if you wish:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_03\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpeedTouch USB Diagnostics] "C:\Program Files\Thomson\SpeedTouch USB\Dragdiag.exe" /icon
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Reader Speed Launch.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\reader_sl.exe

To disable the above items with HijackThis, run another HijackThis scan, put a check in the box to the left of the following entry, and then click the "Fix checked" button.

* Have you made any adds/upgrades/etc to software or hardware which coincided with the point at which you started to notice the slowdown?

[McDaddy17]

I apologise for the bump of the thread and I appreciate you helping me solve my problem.

By using hijack this and checking the box next to the items you mentioned and clicking fix, will this delete the items? Or just stop them from starting when the computer boots up?

And if I did this, will they permanently stop from starting when the computer boots up? Or will it just be a one off effect?

As for any upgrades to software or hardware, then no, I haven't made any such upgrades.

[DMR]

Checking/"fixing" the items with HijackThis will only remove their autostart entries, not the programs themselves. You can also disable/enable the autostarting of most of those programs through an option in the programs' preferences settings.

[McDaddy17]

Thanks, I've done that.

One other thing, can you think of why my pc is a bit slow responding? For example, moving the mouse pointer around the screen, opening folders/files etc.

I understand that by checking the items then that would speed up the time it takes for the computer to boot up, but would it also speed up the computer generally??

[DMR]

One other thing, can you think of why my pc is a bit slow responding? For example, moving the mouse pointer around the screen, opening folders/files etc.

That can definitely be one of the noticeable effects of a background process which is taking CPU and/or memory resources away from your applications and user-initiated events such moving the mouse, opening folders, etc. More specifically, a symptom like that usually manifests itself in "spurts". That is, your mouse may periodically lag for a moment, but then return to its normal behaviour; if the lag is constant, that may be indicative of some other issue.

I understand that by checking the items then that would speed up the time it takes for the computer to boot up, but would it also speed up the computer generally??

Technically yes- because most of the startup items remain active in the background (hidden) while Windows is running. Whether or not the actual performance increase gained by disabling startup items is actually noticeable to the user is another story.

[McDaddy17]

That can definitely be one of the noticeable effects of a background process which is taking CPU and/or memory resources away from your applications and user-initiated events such moving the mouse, opening folders, etc. More specifically, a symptom like that usually manifests itself in "spurts". That is, your mouse may periodically lag for a moment, but then return to its normal behaviour; if the lag is constant, that may be indicative of some other issue.

Any idea what that issue could be?

Also, I've started my computer since I used hijack this to check those items and my computer still takes the same amount of time to boot up. Any ideas please?

[DMR]

Any idea what that issue could be?

Well- is the lag constant, or does it come and go?
Either way, do you experience the lag even when Windows is booted in Safe Mode (you get to the safe mode boot option by hitting the F8 key as your computer is starting up).

Also, I've started my computer since I used hijack this to check those items and my computer still takes the same amount of time to boot up. Any ideas please?

Unfortunately, as I said earilier:

Whether or not the actual performance increase gained by disabling startup items is actually noticeable to the user is another story.