Internet running SLOW!!! - Help please!

lazymoezy

I got Windows XP and have got a decent computer which runs excellent but from last week its all gone slow, some of my programmes take time to open up and the internet goes really slow!!

I got:

Firefox
Ad-Aware
Avast
AVG

Use all of the above but still unsure what the problem is.

PS: Im getting more pop-ups now, maybe because my McAfee subscription has run out . Any pop-up blockers reccomended? I did have IE Blocker or something named like that but uninstalled it months ago.

My PF Usage goes all the way upto 400 at times!!! Mostly 300....it runs smooth only when its around 250mb. Programmes such as Firefox take up the CPU usage at times, I dont know why? I dont even browse many websites at times.

Please help, any tips or advice is appreciated,

-MoE-

wakandem

For a start only have one antvirus on the system. Completely get rid of mcafee in add/rem progs. Do a scan with avg. check out the isp. they have problems too. Noise on the line? Also try opera browser - opera.com

Tallymanjohn

Yes, get rid of McAfee & also Avast - AVG is good enough to be going on with. Next get CCleaner from http://www.ccleaner.com/ - install & run the 'cleaner' section of that (untick the option to install Yahoo toolbar during setup) - remove everything it finds. Now do a full scan with AVG (running CCleaner beforehand will mean you aren't pointlessly scanning a load of temporary files). Update Windows completely - if you use the latest version of IE (v. 7) it has a built-in pop-up blocker, as does Firefox (& probably Opera?). Update & run Adaware (you need to run it rather than just have it installed). Also, download & install Microsoft's 'Windows Defender' from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyId=435BFCE7-DA2B-4A6A-AFA4-F7F14E605A0D - you need to validate your copy of Windows before it will download/install, but that's fairly painless. Next, download & install Spybot from http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html - make sure you go through both the immunize & scan processes.
Finally, do a full defragmentation of your hard drive.

Browntoa

agree with the remove Mcafee and also AVG or AVAST,leave just the one running, that on it's own will slow things down

you may need to remove mcafee from safe mode (it shows you how to do that in the thread I'm posting below)

also follow these steps in posts 1 to 4 of this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=133269

which should deal with the infection that is causing pop-ups, if not then at the end of post 4 it tells you how to do a hijackthis log for me, just post that and I ill give you further advice if you still get pop-ups

lazymoezy

Brilliant!!

Thanks for your help, following the processes as I write this!

Thanks again and will keep you updated on how my PC is running :beer: ,

-MoE-

lazymoezy

I have done all of the above and have scanned my computer, sometimes twice in a row (No use I know but I just do it sometimes!).

The pop-ups are still there! I use firefox, let me just see if theres an update on Firefox actually. Not sure why the pop-ups all of a sudden as I had this version of Firefox for many months!

Btw I already had Windows Defender, just forgot it was there, Oops!

roswell

If you have service pack 2 on your machine go to

start>> run
type in "CMD" with out the ""
In the black dos window type

netsh winsock reset

you might have to answer yes to this and then restart the computer.

Another idea If your on a cable modem (NTL or telewest or other cable providers) unplug the modem, turn off the computer, pluy in the moden and let the lights settle down then start up pc again.

Browntoa

I suggest you post the hijackthis log here for me, I should be able to see whats going on/wrong

lazymoezy

What is the hijack this log? Im not very techie so apologies for the daftness!!!

espresso

lazymoezy wrote:

What is the hijack this log? Im not very techie so apologies for the daftness!!!

Read post #4.

Chippy_Minton

lazymoezy wrote:

The pop-ups are still there! I use firefox, let me just see if theres an update on Firefox actually. Not sure why the pop-ups all of a sudden as I had this version of Firefox for many months!

To get rid of the pop-ups create a new Firefox profile and import settings (bookmarks etc.) from the old profile. See http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager