Unusually Slow Performance Mystery??

Picnic-HangingRock

Hi,

I'm hoping that some kind and knowledgeable soul can help me with a problem I'm currently having with slower than usual performance?

I should say that I've recently added some security programs to my system after finding I had viruses and ad/spyware on my PC.

chiawaikian helped me in the trojan forum and recommended this forum as he was stumped.

I have Webroot Spy Sweeper, SpyWare Blaster, SpywareGuard, Ad-Aware SE Personal, AVG free, SpyBot, Ewido, Hijack This, Windows Defender and Zone Alarm.

Now for my problem:

When I log on it takes anywhere from 1min to 1.5mins for the System Tray programs to load and if I then double-click on the My Computer icon the hourglass appears for 3secs then goes and nothing happens for about a minute then the window finally opens.

Once I have an open window it takes a second for enclosed folders to open, it's just that the desktop doesn't want to respond.

Anything in the Start menu also takes a min to open, but iTunes and Opera, which are on the quick launch section of the task bar only take 15 secs to open.

If I have the Task Mgrfully maximised and I want to switch to say, iTunes and My Computer and I click on the task bar tab nothing happens. I continue to see the Task Mgr. I have to minimise the Task Mgr before I can switch between open apps.

I'm also seeing a lot of white in windows before the contents appear, and if I minimise open windows sometimes their image is frozen on the desktop when they are minimised.

The CPU usage goes up and down like the proverbial and on inspection of the process tab it is only WRSSSDK.exe and System Idle Process which are active, with WRSSSDK.exe (part of webroot spysweeper) maxing out at about 65 and Sys Idle Process maxing out at 99 cpu.

I've had my system analysed at PCPitStop and the results are here for viewing:

[URL="TechExpress link for your current results: http://www.pcpitstop.com/techexpress.asp?id=BWZEPWZRCCJSWEWQ"]TechExpress link for your current results: http://www.pcpitstop.com/techexpress.asp?id=BWZEPWZRCCJSWEWQ[/URL]

Thankyou.

RWB

Well the results from PC Pitstop look fine, but I would hardly say it's something to go by generally.

You have ALOT of security programs, and I consider my setup overkill unless you just like opening every email and attachment you get, going to any website even if it seems fishy. Most people would say they don't, even if they do.

If I were in your position, I'd reinstall windows. Backup all your important goodies first of course.

Though I noticed you have only 512MB of ram, in your task manager what is the PF Usage at? BTW the system idle process should usualy be at 99%, though generally background programs will make it vary from time to time.

edcentric

Some of your security has to be manually run (AdA and SpyBot) but many of htese runn all of the time. They must all be loaded and run every time you restart.
You need to consider backing off some.
I run AVG and sweep with AdA and S-B every couple of days.

You need to figure out which programs are running and then cut back to one active security program.

lemonlime

I'd agree with edcentric, it seems like you have a few too many security apps running in the background.

Btw, how full is your hard drive? Have you done a 'defrag' lately?

Thrax

Download and run Drive Fitness Test (DFT) and memtest.

If your DFT run comes out with a 0x70 or 0x72 error, your hard drive needs to be replaced. If your memtest run has even one error, your memory needs to be replaced. As noted above, reduce the amount of applications you have on load.

Picnic-HangingRock

Thanks heaps for all your posts.

I disabled most of the spyware/virus programs and things settled down.