Suddenly sluggish

[sskagent]

This morning I woke up and my computer was acting very sluggish. Things like, scrolling down in certain websites(but not all) and clicking the start menu. I don't need to defrag, I checked for spyware and nothing. I've updated my video card drivers and nothing still. Several restarts have done nothing.

Here are my specs

P4 3.0

Intel Motherboard

512 MB of RAM

120 GB hard drive

40 GB hard drive

CD-RW

DVD-+RW

I didn't do anything different last night, besides the fact I set a DVD to burning with a program I had never used before, DVDFab Express, and left it to that. Then this morning its all slowish. Could that program be whats slowing it down? I've checked the CPU usage by CTRL+ALT+DEL and its always at 0-2% and it still acts slow.

Any help is appriciated.

[-pops-]

What anti-virus/antispyware/anti-trojan programs do you have installed?

[homecomputeraid]

Definitely check for viruses first, then spyware. There are a lot of places to find tools for that on this site. :)

Sincerely,

[sskagent]

I have ad-Aware for checking sypware, and McAfee for virus scanning. I uninstalled that dvd program and restarted to no avail

[-pops-]

I have ad-Aware for checking sypware, and McAfee for virus scanning. I uninstalled that dvd program and restarted to no avail

What is your operating system? If Windows XP or ME, you could try a System Restore to a time before this effect showed itself.

Did and Ad-Aware scan show up anything nasty? You may want to install and run spybot S&D and a² trojan scanner. Look on the Security section on the forum for details of these.

Is your virus scanner up to date? Does a scan show up anything?

I suggest you run an on-line virus check such as Housecall http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Let us know the results of these and someone can advise on the next stage.

[sskagent]

I'm running a virus scan as we speak...er as I type. Its almost done and it hasn't found anything. The ad-aware found one thing and deleted it but nothing. And yes both are updated. After this virus scan I will look into some more spyware detection utilities. And system restore is off.

[-pops-]

I am a great advocate of making your system as "bomb proof" as possible and I think that System Restore was one of the better developments in the recent incarnations of Windows. However, if you have it turned off there is nothing that can be done there. Would you mind telling us the reason you have SR turned off?

Another part of the bomb proofing is to have a backup - at the very least a backup of all your files and settings but preferably one of the full system. If you don't have a backup, I would very strongly recommend that, when this problem is sorted out, you make provision for preparing one.

As an outline of what I do when making alterations to my computers such as installing programs, firstly I clear out junk and make a full system backup. I also set a restore point. That way, if the worst happens (it can and it does) I can easily revert to my restore point or, if that doesn't correct it, slightly less (but not much) easily re-install from my backup. I appreciate this is no help to you now but, it could be in the future. I also make backups on a regular basis just in case I wake up one day and find my machine has failed without any apparent reason.

If nothing is found during these scans you are doing, the next stage is to run a HiJack This scan. Full details are given in the Security section of the Forum. Post the results of the scan here and one of our experts will analyse it for you. Be careful NOT to delete anything yourself via the scan results.

[sskagent]

Ok I ran hijack this and here is the log

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.0

Scan saved at 1:56:54 PM, on 12/22/2004

Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)

MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.EXE

c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7DEBUG\MDM.EXE

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe

c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe

C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE

C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe

C:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe

C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe

C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe

C:\Program Files\Creative\ShareDLL\CtNotify.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\InetCntrl\InetCntrl.exe

c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTHELPER.EXE

C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe

C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe

C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

C:\Program Files\Creative\ShareDLL\MediaDet.Exe

C:\QUICKENW\QWDLLS.EXE

c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsftsn.exe

C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

C:\Program Files\Winamp\winamp.exe

C:\Documents and Settings\SSKAgent\My Documents\download\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe

O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll

O2 - BHO: Bsecure Popup Blocker - {E0019445-4C1F-414D-A70E-AD80F231C584} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\InetCntrl\PopupKil\BsafeBHO.dll

O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [updReg] C:\WINDOWS\Updreg.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ViewMgr] C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] C:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\McUpdate.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Disc Detector] C:\Program Files\Creative\ShareDLL\CtNotify.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTStartup] C:\Program Files\Creative\Splash Screen\CTEaxSpl.EXE /run

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [inetCntrl] C:\WINDOWS\system32\InetCntrl\InetCntrl.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTHelper] CTHELPER.EXE

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_06\bin\jusched.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [synchronization Manager] %SystemRoot%\system32\mobsync.exe /logon

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Jet Detection] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy\PROGRAM\ADGJDet.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ATI DeviceDetect] C:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\main\ATIDtct.EXE

O4 - Startup: PowerReg Scheduler V3.exe

O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe

O4 - Global Startup: Billminder.lnk = C:\QUICKENW\BILLMIND.EXE

O4 - Global Startup: Quicken Startup.lnk = C:\QUICKENW\QWDLLS.EXE

O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to AD Black List - C:\Program Files\Avant Browser\AddToADBlackList.htm

O8 - Extra context menu item: Block All Images from the Same Server - C:\Program Files\Avant Browser\AddAllToADBlackList.htm

O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000

O8 - Extra context menu item: Highlight - C:\Program Files\Avant Browser\Highlight.htm

O8 - Extra context menu item: Open All Links in This Page... - C:\Program Files\Avant Browser\OpenAllLinks.htm

O8 - Extra context menu item: Search - C:\Program Files\Avant Browser\Search.htm

O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll

O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL

O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe

O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

O10 - Broken Internet access because of LSP provider 'inetcntrl.dll' missing

O16 - DPF: {4C39376E-FA9D-4349-BACC-D305C1750EF3} (EPUImageControl Class) - http://tools.ebayimg.com/eps/wl/activex/EP...l_v1-0-3-17.cab

O16 - DPF: {4E71E6DD-FB37-4641-A96E-4456399A6DB0} - http://jade.bioware.com/codebaby/codebaby.cab

O16 - DPF: {4ED9DDF0-7479-4BBE-9335-5A1EDB1D8A21} (McAfee.com Operating System Class) - http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/shared/m...83/mcinsctl.cab

O16 - DPF: {556DDE35-E955-11D0-A707-000000521957} - http://www.xblock.com/download/xclean_micro.exe

O16 - DPF: {88D969C0-F192-11D4-A65F-0040963251E5} (XML DOM Document 4.0) - file://C:\Documents and Settings\SSKAgent\Local Settings\Temp\EI40_\msxml4.cab

O16 - DPF: {917623D1-D8E5-11D2-BE8B-00104B06BDE3} (CamImage Class) - http://207.192.215.42/activex/AxisCamControl.cab

O16 - DPF: {A93D84FD-641F-43AE-B963-E6FA84BE7FE7} (LinkSys Content Update) - http://www.linksysfix.com/check/netset/install/gtdownls.cab

O16 - DPF: {DBA230D1-8467-4e69-987E-5FAE815A3B45} -

O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe

O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe

O23 - Service: Creative Service for CDROM Access - Creative Technology Ltd - C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.EXE

O23 - Service: McAfee.com McShield - Unknown - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee SecurityCenter Update Manager - McAfee, Inc - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\mcupdmgr.exe

O23 - Service: McAfee.com VirusScan Online Realtime Engine - Networks Associates Technology, Inc - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe

I can't help but wonder if its not something about my graphics card. I wonder this because the only slow down is in the animated things(scrolling, start menu, etc) and everything else runs fine. I have a Radeon 9800 pro 128 MB with fully updated drivers.

Thanks again

PS. I turned off System Restore because I never really thought I would need it, and in the past system restore never helped. And I do back my files up.

[nellie2]

I can't see anything in your log.

You may be right about your graphix card. Have you tried uninstalling it and then re-installing it. The drivers may have become corrupted.

[sskagent]

Well i uninstalled and reinstalled my card and now its all working fine thanks for ya'lls help

[nellie2]

:thumbup: Don't you just love computers! :D :D

[-pops-]

Keep on with the backups :)