Please Help--Snail Speed and Freezing up.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

My computer just started running slow and freezing up yesterday morning. I've read and heard that I can go back to a restore point before this and take care of the problem. My Mcafee detects no problems at all and I just installed Adblockplus. Everything I've done has been to no avail.

MY BIGGEST CONCERN. Since the problem, I installed the Mcafee security package. I sure don't want to erase it since it drove me to HELL for six hours installation time. I found the installation so complicated and frustrating that I nearly gave up and demanded my money back.

QUESTION: How do I restore without taking Mcafee out of the computer? How do I keep those program files and where the heck are they? I'm running Firefox and MSN.

I would appreciate any suggestions or help from anybody about this problem. It's got be scared and disheartened.

Humbly and stupidly yours,

tri

alleycat · Mar 20, 2015

Have you checked Task Manager to see what processes are running? Do you know what typical processes run on your computer?

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

alleycat said:
Have you checked Task Manager to see what processes are running? Do you know what typical processes run on your computer?

No I haven't checked Task Manager. I assume that is in my program box? I can try that.

Someone recommended the free download of Registry Easy, which is supposed to hose any and all quirks and bandits in the computer.

What's strange is, is that I'm slow in my non-Internet document files. It just seems a bit slower than normal. What does this portend? Could these be a hard drive problem?

tri

I have no idea what typical processes run on my computer. I wouldn't know how to find them. Heh, I warn you, I am so phucking stupid about computer tech that I don't even know the terminology used. That's how bad off I am and how afraid I am when things like this happen.

I use firefox and have windows seven. My computer is a standup Acer with a split hard drive.

alleycat · Mar 20, 2015

Press Ctrl Alt Delete at the same time. It will bring up Task Manager. Click the Processes tab. See if something is using a lot of memory.

If you don't know what a process is, you can easily look it up.

Just to be clear, your computer started running slow before you installed McAfee?

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

alleycat said:
Press Ctrl Alt Delete at the same time. It will bring up Task Manager. Click the Processes tab. See if something is using a lot of memory.

If you don't know what a process is, you can easily look it up.

Just to be clear, your computer started running slow before you installed McAfee?

Okay, Processes show 57
CPU usage is jumping all over the place; 1% to 32% to 7% and etc, etc.
Physical memory is 54%

Mcafee came after the problem--i bought it, thinking it would help. It's done nothing and shows no threats at all. It's paid package--not one of those trial freebies.

As far as processes listings:

Firefox is using 309,372k

Mcshield is using 58,000

Skype is using 153,284k

SVhost = 40,000

Those are the big ones. I hate Skype BTW and would love to know how to get rid of it forever. A girl who wanted to date me talked me into using the damn thing.

tri

alleycat · Mar 20, 2015

Kill Skype and see what happens. Just select it and then End Process.

Don't mess with svhost.

Do you have a lot of free space on your hard drive? Or not.

Osulagh · Mar 20, 2015

If McAfee is the problem, just remove it.

It sounds like you've got too many background programs running, like McAfee and Skype are.

To remove them as much as possible, get Revo Uninstaller (free version), install and run it. Double click the application you want to remove (or any you don't use--might as well) make sure the "Advance" box is checked in the pop up, click Next, it'll remove things and/or bring up the program's uninstaller (go through that as you would), then click next and it'll find files and folders left behind--make sure you click "select all" and hit "delete" to remove them all before hitting next.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

alleycat said:
Kill Skype and see what happens. Just select it and then End Process.

Don't mess with svhost.

Do you have a lot of free space on your hard drive? Or not.

Where's end process on skype?

Hard drive = 120 mb free on 148 capcity.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

Osulagh said:
If McAfee is the problem, just remove it.

It sounds like you've got too many background programs running, like McAfee and Skype are.

To remove them as much as possible, get Revo Uninstaller (free version), install and run it. Double click the application you want to remove (or any you don't use--might as well) make sure the "Advance" box is checked in the pop up, click Next, it'll remove things and/or bring up the program's uninstaller (go through that as you would), then click next and it'll find files and folders left behind--make sure you click "select all" and hit "delete" to remove them all before hitting next.

No, Mcafee is not the problem--it came after the problem and actually helped a tiny bit--not enough to set the computer straight and bring it up to normal speed. Also, I paid for Mcafee--I don't want to delete it. I absolutely need some type of virus protection program. My computer has red-flagged this issue for the past year. I finally broke down and paid for Mcafee.

Now the problem with removing certain files and programs--I have no idea which programs run others or are crucial to the computers performance and operation. Skype is easy to identify.

I try and erase skype right now. I hate it and don't like using it.

humbly,

chris

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

I found no way to erase skype. You'll have to pinpoint the kill button/process exactly for me.

Thanks,

Chris

alleycat · Mar 20, 2015

For right now why don't you just kill Skype in Task Manager.

Some program come with an uninstall (you can look in the Start > Programs > specific program to see if Skype does). Or you can uninstall a program using Control Panel, although there can still be parts of a program left.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

Okay, I think I found out how. I type in Skype in the program box at the start button. Two Skype programs came up--one was for the calling feature and the other one was the main program over 43,000kb.

When I double click on either of these, I get an "uninstall" option. So, that has to be it. I'm going to do it now.

chris

ETA: thanks alleycat--we posted at the same time.

asroc · Mar 20, 2015

McAfee doesn't really have the greatest track record. You might try to doublecheck your computer with another antivirus software. There are several free possibilities that are pretty good, like Avast, AVG and Malwarebytes, which doesn't really look for viruses but for other crap you might have picked up somewhere.

Which version of Windows are you running and how much RAM does your computer have?

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

Skype is dead and gone.

Now, has anybody used Registry Easy? It's supposed to pinpoint all problems and fix them immediately.

BTW, I also loaded AdBlock in my computer, and it seems to have stopped pop-up crap, banners and other such advertizing in a few places. But I won't know that until I go on Youtube to try it out there and see what happens.

In the meantime, she's still deadbeat slow.

I'll try a restart to help clear things.

chris

alleycat · Mar 20, 2015

Be careful with registry cleaners. Be sure they allow you to backup your current registry.

You might want to try CCleaner.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

asroc said:
McAfee doesn't really have the greatest track record. You might try to doublecheck your computer with another antivirus software. There are several free possibilities that are pretty good, like Avast, AVG and Malwarebytes, which doesn't really look for viruses but for other crap you might have picked up somewhere.

Which version of Windows are you running and how much RAM does your computer have?

Mcafee isn't the culprit. This came out of nowhere before that installation. I didn't cause it by loading anything either.

Oh, yeah. I've had Norton before and it was a monster at keeping things clean--but it costs twice as much. I've used Avast and AVG. Problem was, for me anyhow, freebies are trial runs and they suck you into buying their package after you've had it for awhile. That has happened to me.

I have Windows 7 Premium and I think (got to go check) I have 2.00 gigs of ram. It's 32 bit.

Okay, my Youtube is still freezing. And I do keep all other programs off when I'm on a site that really sucks the juice.

What about a restore point? That will wipe my new Macafee off, correct? But then I have two more copies left that I can use to reinstall.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

alleycat said:
Be careful with registry cleaners. Be sure they allow you to backup your current registry.

You might want to try CCleaner.

I have CCleaner installed and I've used it once. It did a great job of washing things up but it erased 38 of my passwords to all my sites. That put me in a tailspin. If I could find out how to use CCleaner and retain all of my passwords and signatures, I'd try again.

Something tells/haunts me, that this is fatal. Nothing is working here.

chris--at rope's end.

asroc · Mar 20, 2015

triceretops said:
Mcafee isn't the culprit.

No, but there's a chance it missed the culprit.

triceretops said:
What about a restore point? That will wipe my new Macafee off, correct? But then I have two more copies left that I can use to reinstall.

Yeah, if you want to restore to before the slowdown McAfee won't make it. They give you only three installs? Scummy.

triceretops · Mar 20, 2015

asroc said:
No, but there's a chance it missed the culprit.

It's true it could have missed where Norton, let's say, might have snagged it right away.

Yeah, if you want to restore to before the slowdown McAfee won't make it. They give you only three installs? Scummy.

I'll just have to boot Mcafee out, I guess. Then go through the ridiculous ritual of installing it again. But wiping it means, probably losing it altogether, other than going to the original site and then asking tech about getting my second copy installed. I have no idea how that would work, and I'll bet you they don't cover that issue in their tech help section.

The question is: how do you wipe Mcafee and pick up one of your other copies to re-install?

My next option should be the registry cleaner--the one that's got all the glowing reports and professes to be the safest out there. Huh, yeah, but they all say that.

Wow, I'm in a pickle.

tri

ETA: I have a nagging feeling that CCleaner won't be able to solve this, and then wipe all my passwords for nothing.

triceretops · Mar 21, 2015

Is there any danger in restoring one day before this problem? It was about four days ago. Since then I don't recall any updates, but I did install a Mcafee security program, which I think I'll lose unless I can tag it in the restore program that makes it exempt from being erased.

By danger, I mean trouble with windows or my Firefox browser.

Thanks for your help,

Chris

alleycat · Mar 21, 2015

If you do decide to use CCleaner, click the application tab and be sure you un-select Firefox Form Information and Saved Passwords (you want those to be grayed out). Un-select the last four items in the list.

triceretops · Mar 21, 2015

Thank you for that. I'm very leery if CCleaner has the chops to fix this problem. I guess I could try it, according to you directions. Let me see if I can alter applications as you suggest.

Humble thanks,

Chris

Who still thinks a restore will do it and be done with it. Hah!

ETA: I don't have an external hard drive or DVDs to backup the files I want. So I have to be careful and figure out if there's a way to save items in the restore program. Can't backup to my internal split hard drive--it's not allowed.

alleycat · Mar 21, 2015

I don't know that it does either, but you probably have quite a few registry errors.

You can see how many and then decide how to proceed. You can choose to leave them for now.

VeryBigBeard · Mar 21, 2015

triceretops said:
Okay, Processes show 57
CPU usage is jumping all over the place; 1% to 32% to 7% and etc, etc.
Physical memory is 54%

This may be your problem. 54% is getting up there. If that's just with background programs you are going to spike when running anything active.

triceretops said:
As far as processes listings:

Firefox is using 309,372k

Mcshield is using 58,000

Skype is using 153,284k

SVhost = 40,000

Those are the big ones. I hate Skype BTW and would love to know how to get rid of it forever. A girl who wanted to date me talked me into using the damn thing.

tri

Don't touch SVhost. It runs your operating system's basic functions. If it's getting abnormally large (and that's like 400K, not 40K), try restarting the computer or doing a full virus scan/cleaning. Sometimes Windows accumulates garbage you can't see.

After you restart, open your system tray in the bottom right and see if there are a bunch of programs running like Google Drive, Google Chrome sign-ins, anything by Adobe, Steam, etc. Close what you don't need. They have an annoying tendency to start automatically when you log on. Try to only have the ones you need running. It'll ease memory usage until you can get some more. (These are the same things running in your Processes list, just without the essential services of your operating system, which makes closing them easier.)

I don't know that a system restore is likely to help much. This just looks like a build-up of maintenance needs finally having an effect. I have something similar happening right now, using about 45-55% of RAM even for routine stuff. Cleaning helped. More RAM will help for running the bigger programs.

This happens to older machines as software gets updated to assume more powerful computers with more RAM. Sometimes you just have to upgrade. Most motherboards have extra slots and 4GB is pretty cheap these days. Make sure you only get RAM that fits your motherboard. If you are unsure, take the machine to someone who knows.

---

On the subject of cleaners, I've been using iObit because it's freemium and really nice at monitoring everything. Anyone have any reviews of it? I've liked it so far. It isn't perfect--no malware software is--but combined with Spybot, Malwarebytes, and McAfee it's been pretty effective.

Maryn · Mar 21, 2015

Tri, before you do much else, I hope you'll take the time to back up what's on your computer. (I will save the standard-issue scolding for why aren't you backing up for another less-stressful time.) If you can afford them, a few large-capacity flash drives or an external hard drive will be easiest. If not, get yourself a free DropBox account and back up those files which you consider important, whether they're word processing or pictures or music, whatever. Be aware that text takes very little space, so that should probably go first, then you can see how much room remains in the DropBox account.

You can always email yourself large documents like WIPs if DropBox can't hold everything. For music, don't back up anything for which you own the CD; the album itself is sufficient backup.

Maryn, big believer in backing up before there's trouble

Please Help--Snail Speed and Freezing up.

triceretops

alleycat

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alleycat

Still around

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Osulagh

Independent fluffy puppy.

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asroc

Alex

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alleycat

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Preparing for winter

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Baaa!