Windows XP stalls or slow to start apps

[mcoletta]

I am running a windows XP machine with a AMD 6400 processor with 2G of RAM. My system has been running slow at startup since the rebuild and since I added the HP 2007 Monitor I have monitor shake at startup and then everything just gets real slow or does not start. 45 sec or more to get to network and then everything else slows down or stalls during the application startup procedure. The tray shows a different set of running application each time and almost never the same.

[kunai_master]

first i when its idle how much ram and cpu power does task manager say? secondly have you tryed all the basics? disk defrag, chkdisk, virus scanner and spyware removal?, personally id say its a virus and you just need to clean it befor it gets to far but you didnt say if you had tryed anything yet so ill check in again later

[mcoletta]

I have used Disk Cleanup, defraged 3 times (went from total red to all blue and nicely compressed. I have used regcure, xoftspySE, spybot and I run the Shield Deluxe all cleaned more than once. There about 14 things in the registry they would not clean. I Run WinPatrol and have disabled about half the startup stuff so.........restarted cold and still not much better. into windows is quick but not getting the network or other startup objects to launch properly. I did see that at idle I have 1-8% usage and that there are 7 versions of svchost.exe running in processes some system, some network service some local service. Next................

[kunai_master]

dont worry about the svchost.exe its typical to have multiples of it, and you never said how much ram your using, befor you get into any complex solutions have you run a boot time antivirus check, some viruses start at boot so most antivirals wont get to them and that drastically slows boot, if you havent try avast! its free for home use, also how many items are in your system tray(if they all were to boot properly) an excess of them will alsow be detrimental to boot, along with an excess of desktop icons, and can you also tell me if your usinh ati's hydravision,

[sittas87]

Hi there

There about 14 things in the registry they would not clean.

What do you mean with the above quote.if it is viruses then post the names of them.theres no use continuing troubleshooting with viruses on your system
?

[coolraj003]

May be if you can Hijackthis on your machine and get a log off that, try posting it here where we can see without asking you too many questions.

Raj

[mcoletta]

Thanks for the insight, I will get you the RAM #s this PM, I will try the boot scan as well. I will also attempt to capture the scan results and add them to a post so you all can examine.

Thanks

[jbennet]

Run CCleaner and ATF cleaner.

[mcoletta]

I have run avast, ccleaner, atf cleaner, spybot, and eusing free registery cleaner, the Icons in the activity tyay have returned and I have done everything but reboot. I had additionally found that the items that would not clean were related to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\KasperskyLab\AVP6\profiles\AVService\settings\Excludes\0004\Object\Mask ##### C:\Documents and Settings\Mark C\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\59WQ5G7I\dreamy_setup[1].exe

Or some variation of this. there are about 14 of them

[sittas87]

You can go to the following location and manually delete the file in the following location C:\Documents and Settings\Mark C\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\59WQ5G7I\dreamy_setup[1].exe
what i usually do is delete all temporary files cos some viruses tend to make them selfs @home in the location.
See how it behaves after that
??

[fainsleep]

You can go to the following location and manually delete the file in the following location C:\Documents and Settings\Mark C\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\59WQ5G7I\dreamy_setup[1].exe
what i usually do is delete all temporary files cos some viruses tend to make them selfs @home in the location.
See how it behaves after that
??

A further note, many new malware have polymorphic and persistent attributes, and therefore will either make multiple copies of its self or will recopy itself when deleted. Due to the fact the file is named with a number, make sure you search for other files of the same name, i.e. dreamy_setup[4].exe. Also, if the file will not be deleted with messages such as you do not have sufficient privileges or in use, you may have to boot up in safe mode to delete it. If it is particularly devious and will still recopy itself, I recommend using a boot cd or linux live cd to access the hard drive and removing it from there. In addition, there may be several DLL's appended to it that may also need to be removed. I recommend using Process Explorer to check, outlined in this web page that describes how to remove a particular malware that is injected within explorer.exe, but can be applied generically to any unwanted DLL's within explorer.exe.

[coolraj003]

sometime the files of this sort do not like being deleted and would return with an error that its being used by another programs, if you hit that then just delete them in safe mode which will get rid of these unwanted files.

Raj

[fainsleep]

sometime the files of this sort do not like being deleted and would return with an error that its being used by another programs, if you hit that then just delete them in safe mode which will get rid of these unwanted files.

Raj

Hello coolraj. What you say is true, but if it attaches itself to an essential windows program that will boot with windows in safe mode, it may become necessary to remove the file through another source that does not directly use the operating system in question.

[coolraj003]

Yep agreed fully with you mate, Always better to learn different ways to approach the root of problem. Hope your solution suggestion works and sorts his problem out. DO appreciate your input.

Raj

[mcoletta]

By gosh I think that has got it. I have been able to remove all that was troublesome and everything launches correctly. I found another post on the web that spoke to the system tray not having all of the apps listed and the fix is so easy.

after system startup and before login, just let the harddrive finish its processing about a minute or so, waite for the hard drive to pause and then login. Everything will appear in the system tray as it is supose to.

[kunai_master]

so how long does your boot take now? everything doing a bit better?
i suggest that if you use a router you close all the ports on it excluding 80 and 88 that way you reduce your trojan intake, cuz it seems you had quite an infestation

[mcoletta]

everything is running quick and smoooooth. I have a router and will shut down all bt 80 and 88. thanks again