Computer advice please

[Shadowfax]

This should be one for the PC technical guys amongst the forum members.
I have been experiencing a problem with Windows (!!). I am using XP Pro. What happens is that Windows is fine until one day it starts to open programs very slowly and then stops opening them at all.
If I do a system restore it generally gets things going again.
However, twice now I have had to restore the entire C drive from an external drive. That was the only way to get back to normal.
I have run all sorts of antispyware software. I have defragged the drive and I have run checkdisk.
NoAdware.net support have been assisting me by email but, frankly, they have been pretty useless up to now.
Does this sound like Windows getting shaky? In which case, as I have the recovery disk as well as a full XP Pro install disk can I just get back to a clean Windows install and then use the backup drive to reinstall everything but the Wndows folder? Or is that too simplistic?
I would rather not do this at all if it is possible.
Also, as the full XP disk is one supplied by a computer shop PC "mechanic" without a product key, can I use the key that belongs with the restore disk supplied by the machines' makers?
If not all I have available is the restore disk.
Does any of this ramble make sense?
Cheers,

Pete

 

[RogerS]

Hi Pete

Not a PC expert anymore but from past experience a few things come to mind. How much spare space have you got on your C drive? How much RAM? If the answer is not much then that might be your problem. Also doesn't windows task manager (IIRC) tell you what process is using all your cpu clock cycles? maybe a line of attack for you to try? re licence key ..I doubt it will work as I think they maybe tied together (CD and licence key but not sure).

pm sent

Roger

 

[Shadowfax]

Hi Roger,
The drive is about two thirds empty and there is 4 Gig of RAM.
When it is running right, like now, it goes very sweetly but after a week or so it starts to slow down and if I recover it before it stops altogether then all is well again.
It's a bit strange, actually.
I will have another look at Task Manager when the thing is slowing down and see if there is an obvious culprit.
Cheers

SF

 

[RogerS]

One other idea. When I was 'into' PCs I used to subscribe to expertsexchange. Cost about £6 a month IIRC and full of pretty smart guys.

No....not expert sex change ..before you all pile in

 

[CHJ]

Try running CCleaner at regular intervals, see if it gives you a clue as to what is clogging the system up.

re keys. You do not say what make/model machine you have.

Dependant on make (Dell for instance) the Key on the case is not the key the system is installed with or used by the recovery disc. that is hard coded into the installation files. (it's more a proof of purchase for the support phone call)

Yes VALID and LEGAL KEYS can be used with generic operating system discs as long as you know how to set the Volume Ident information to the correct status in the appropriate files on the installation CD. But the files that need resetting vary dependant on the version, home/pro/media centre/OEM etc.

If you have to pay someone to sort that out it is probably cheaper to buy a new OP disc. if your current backup discs don't work.

 

[Derek Willis.]

Shadowfax,
Log onto www.computeractive.co.uk Forums, type in your problem and there you will get the answer.
Although I subscribe, you can get all you want without.
Derek.

 

[Shadowfax]

Thank you all for the replies.
CC Cleaner has shown up nothing and neither has Tune Up Utilities.
I have done as Derek suggested and asked on the Computeractive forum.
If anyone else has an idea I would be dead chuffed to hear it.
Once things are up and running all is well. It's just sometimes a mission when I go to boot up the next time!
Many thanks so far, guys.

SF

 

[Derek Willis.]

Shadowfax,
Go back on there again and just put in your problem, you should get a number of replies to correct your trouble from people who have experienced this before.
Derek.

 

[Shadowfax]

No replies yet, Derek.
Perhaps I have created a new fault!
Interesting but Oh, so irritating and time-consuming!
At least if it's made of wood I can cope. This is all a pain to me.
Thanks again. I will keep you posted.

SF

 

[RobertMP]

I've always found XP has a working life of around 2 years after which a backup, format and fresh install would restore lost performance. Bit of a pain to do but worth the effort.

As to the CD key If you have a genuine windows COA sticker on the PC case then the serial number will work fine with burned disc with the right version of windows on it (home or pro) so you don't need to use the restore disc.

Given the low price of hard drives I'd buy a new hard drive and do the fresh install on that. Any problems and you can always plug the old one back in and be back where you started. A new drive will be faster too.

 

[Shadowfax]

Thanks for that,
I do have a COA sticker but I thought the number referred to an OEM product only which lives and dies with this machine.
I shall give a new drive some thought too.
Cheers,

SF

 

[BrianD]

Download from jkdefrag http://www.kessels.nl/JkDefrag/index.html.

It will improve your disk performance, the standard Win defrag is rubbish.

 

[RogerS]

I hope you get sorted, SF.

It's when I come across threads like this (and it seems to happen more and more often) that I don't regret switching to using Macs. This isn't an attempt at a Macs are better than PCs argument....everyone has their own set of criteria. Some have programs that will only run on a PC. Many simply love tinkering with their PCs. That's OK - your choice.

But, just as a thought, I would offer the following observation......

"Macs are more expensive than PCs"

True - if you compare a low-end PC against a standard Mac which usually has higher performing hardware.

Not true - if you factor in the value of all the free, fully integrated, seamless software that you get with the Mac.

Not true - if you actually do a TCO (total cost of ownership) analysis which most private individuals ignore when looking at price comparisons. Even if you are retired, your time does have a value. If you factor in the time spent faffing around with PCs during their lifetime then the TCO is horrendous, I would argue. If you're self-employed then surely it's a no-brainer? Would you (a) rather be generating money or (b) faffing around with your PC?

Lastly there is the not-insignificant emotional cost. Have I got a virus/nasty bit of software or haven't I? My PC's behaving strangely.....maybe I've got a virus...perhaps I'd better check it out........Not to say that in time us Mac users might get hit but for now there is minimal emotional cost and nor do we sandbag the performance of our computers with unnecessary (for us) anti-spyware, extra firewalls, anti-virus software, anti-trojan/keylogger/younameit software.

 

[TonyW]

Have you tried SuperAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes? In my experience both these programs remove spyware and malware more effectively than other applications.
http://www.superantispyware.com/
http://www.malwarebytes.org/

I suggest downloading both and running from Safe Mode - allow each to remove any rubbish it finds

If you get no improvement download and run Hijack this. Use scan and save log and copy and paste the results here - we can have a look at what is running
http://www.download.com/Trend-Micro-Hij ... 27353.html

One final point are you running just one Firewall and one anti virus and one anti spyware concurrently? What are they?
Cheers
Tony

 

[Shadowfax]

Thank you all for your replies.
Tony, I am using Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2007 with the latest updates.
I only realised yesterday that Windows Firewall was also switched on - it isn't now but I have just had to do a system restore to get things running properly again anyway.
I run NoAdware regularly and they have supposedly been assisting me to remove what NoAdware reports as malware which is in the HKey Users S-1-5--21-1181288622-Reg Key under Windows Zone Map, Domains and is just a website listed there with hundreds of others by Spywareblaster as sites to be ignored or avoided (restricted).
NoAdware support got me to delete the key for the site, defaultbar.com, and on reboot Spywareblaster puts it back! PC-cillin also detects the same thing but does not rate it as severe spyware.
I also have Adaware on the machine but I never normally use it.

I am inclined to think that this is not actually spyware at all and it is NoAdware that is rating it incorrectly.
No other spyware software has rated it either. In fact I did run Adaware just to see what happened and ...zilch. I also tried out the two you suggest with the same result.
A system restore seems to put the PC right but after a while it just opens the desktop and takes an age to open anything else.
I am suspecting Windows right now is the shakey part of the system.
Any ideas?

Many thanks,

SF

 

[gidon]

SF
Try running Process Explorer:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysi ... 96653.aspx
You can run it "Live" without installing it if you like.
It's a very sophisticated Task Manager. It will show you in detail what is using your CPU cycles when it appears bogged down. Then come back and tell us what it is. Or search for the exact process that's using the CPU.
But if you can't sort the problem using this then I'd go with the above advice and reinstall Windows. Do a ghost backup to an external drive or another partition (using something like Acronis True Image) and then format the Windows partition and reinstall. It's not as big a deal as you'd think and your machine will run like a dream. Make sure you install at least XP Service Pack 2 as soon as you boot into Windows. This will most likely find drivers for all you devices. Then you can mount the True Image backup as a seperate drive to retrieve any files you're after.
Hope you get it sorted.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Shadowfax]

Hi Gidon,
Sounds like a good plan. I already have a full backup of the entire drive on a separate external drive.
In fact, I have restored the whole thing from it twice so I know how easy that can be. I did wonder If I was just importing a problem back into the PC though.
I will give your bit of software a try and see what is hogging the CPU next time it happens.
Cheers,

SF

 

[gidon]

Ok SF - let us know how you get on.
By the way when I said reinstall - I meant a fresh install from the original Windows DVD - that way you won't import the problem back in.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Shadowfax]

Gidon, I think I might have cracked it.
With the help of Process Explorer I noticed that my Anti Virus software was working a lot. I couldn't see what it was doing at startup because Process Explorer could not be opened, just like any other application.
So I experimented by removing the Anti Virus software (PC-cillin ......2007) and replaced it with Avast!
So far all seems to be well.
The PC has started a few times now with no problems so, hopefully, I can lay the blame at Trend Micros' door!
I will post with a better report later on. Fingers crossed, but I still intend to install another hard drive and I will probably do a clean install of XP onto that.
Thanks to all for your assistance. I'm learning loads here!
Cheers,

SF

 

[gidon]

Good news SF - hope it stays that way!
Cheers
Gidon