Windows 7 - Computer running slowly but not using cpu

Asked By brendan

16-Nov-09 04:39 AM

My computer has statrted running very slowly, but looking at the processes
running in Task Manager, only the System Idle Process seems to be using more
than 2 -3 % of the CPU. For example, using Outlook, it takes me about 10
minutes to export data to a PST file, but during this process, when I look at
Task Manager, OUTLOOK.EXE is only using 2% of the CPU. I have defragmented my
harddrive and there is about 16GB free space. I have used AVGfree to check there
are no viruses. Can anyone give me advice?

16-Nov-09 12:15 PM

So you have made sure you have free space (16GB of how much on C?) and
defragmented (using the built-in defragmentation tool, I assume) and checked
for viruses using AVG (which version?  You said AVGFree - but what is the
precise version number and how often do you update?)

First - let us get some information on your system...

Operating System name, edition, service pack level and version...

Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"?  Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
winver
--> Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version" will
give you the rest of the story.  Post _both_ in response to this message
verbatim.  ;-)

Then, for yourself but with some sharing here... Download and install
Belarc Advisor (Free) and run it.  I would suggest printing the results to
store with your installation media and important computer-related
paperwork external of the machine.  From that - please provide the
following information:

. Processor (at least the first line under that section...)
. Display
. Memory Modules
. Local Drive Volumes

Once you provide the requested information, you should start a general
cleanup of the system - to ensure this cannot be fixed in that manner.
(Do these things *even if* you know/think you have done them before...)

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Reboot.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?familyid=5A58B56F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive.  After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions here:

18-Nov-09 05:11 AM

Many thanks Shenan!  Only only had a couple of hours to work on this last
night so this is where I am:

C: drive is 37GB, of which 16GB free.
AVGFree version is 9.0.707. I update on an ad-hoc basis, but have done so
quite recently.
System is XP Pro:
Version 5.1, Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234:Service Pack 3

Belarc Adviser results:
Processor: 3.00 GHz Intel Pentium 4
16 kb primary memory cache
1024 kb secondary memory cache
Hyper-threaded (2 total)

Display:
Intel(r) 82865G Graphics Controller (Display Adaptor)
LogMeIn Mirror Driver (Display Adaptor)
BUH LCD17TV004 [Monitor] (16.9" vis, s/n B0004082564, April 2004)

Memory Modules:
624MB Usable Installed Memory
Slot 'A0' has 128MB
Slot 'A1' has 256MB
Slot 'A2' has 256MB
Slot 'A3' is empty

Local Drive Volumes:
c: (NTFS on drive 0): 40.02 GB, 17.63 GB free
e: (NTFS on drive1): 41.10 GB, 16.91 GB free

Note this e: drive is an old hard drive from a previous computer, which a
friend installed for me when the motherboard on the old computer burned up.

Belarc also gave a list of about 15 "Missing Microsoft Security Hotfixes",
most of which were "critical" and the rest were "important".

I then ran msizap.exe (whatever it did was too fast to see in the command
window) and rebooted.

I ran superantispyware, which took about 2 hours and found some 500

I will run the malware and the rest tonight, and let you know how it goes.

thanks again!
Brendan

22-Nov-09 03:32 AM

A less-frequent but possible cause of a computer being very slow is that the
disk interface has reverted to PIO mode, and is not using DMA.

Check under Device Manager for the transfer-mode properties of the primary
channel of the IDE controller.  If it says 'DMA if available' it is OK.

If it will not let you set DMA mode then this is because errors were detected
in disk transfers, in this case check the event log.

22-Nov-09 11:25 AM

Brendan

Is your system error free?

Have a look in the System and Application logs in Event Viewer for
Errors and Warnings and post copies here. Don't post any more than 48
hours ago.

You can access Event Viewer by selecting Start, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning
of the error, information regarding Event ID, Source and Description
are important.

A tip for posting copies of Error Reports! Run Event Viewer and double
click on the error you want to copy. In the window, which appears is a
button resembling two pages. Click the button and close Event
Viewer.Now start your message (email) and do a paste into the body of
the message. Make sure this is the first paste after exiting from
Event Viewer.

Try Ctrl+Alt+Delete to select Task Manager and click the Performance
Tab. Under Commit Charge what is the Total, the Limit and the Peak?


--


Hope  this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~