Music slows down my computer and almost makes it freeze.

[garygilmore]

I have a toshiba satellite purchased roughly a year ago (more info available upon request.) Basically its still a competent computer that should have  a lot of problems with speed. The problem is that when I play music, or video it slows down my computer and nearly freezes it. This happens instantly upon playing, the music also heavily skips. It doesn't matter where the music is playing from, whether it is myspace, vlc, itunes, etc etc. Same result. Ive also experienced general slow down in computer performance. Ive ran virus scan, spyware scan, defrag, registry clean. You name it. If any addition info is required please ask. Thank you!

[Aegis]

How much Random Access Memory (RAM) does your computer have?

How many icons reside in the system tray?  (The area on the right side of the taskbar, next to the clock?

By asking these questions, I am trying to ascertain / figure out how much RAM you're using of what's available.

There are also other ways to get this information.

Thanks!

[garygilmore]

I have 1gb of ram

and these programs are in my system tray:
Wordweb (dictionary)
zone alarm
soulseek
avg
rainlender (calender)
cd/dvd acoustic silencer
volume

thanks again.

[Aegis]

Okay -- a gig of RAM -- good on you!

With the stuff in your system tray, that doesn't scream of RAM overload to me...

(I have friends who run a boatload of stuff in their system trays, and then wonder why the computer slows down.)

[Broni]

Download HijackThis:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hijackthis.html
and post its log.
I'd like to see what's running there.

[Aegis]

Broni is right -- we need to see what processes are running, as well as applications.

[garygilmore]

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 4:19:12 PM, on 3/8/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

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\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\EvtEng.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\S24EvMon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\ConfigFree\CFSvcs.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\DVDRAMSV.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehRecvr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehSched.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Update\1.0.103.3\GoogleUpdate.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\RegSrvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Smith Micro\StuffIt11\ArcNameService.exe
c:\TOSHIBA\IVP\swupdate\swupdtmr.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSHIBA Applet\TAPPSRV.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllhost.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSHIBA Controls\TFncKy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\TDispVol.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehtray.exe
C:\Program Files\Toshiba\Toshiba Applet\thotkey.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSHIBA Zooming Utility\SmoothView.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\DLACTRLW.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\Toshiba.exe
C:\toshiba\ivp\ism\pinger.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\bin\ZCfgSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\ifrmewrk.exe
C:\WINDOWS\eHome\ehmsas.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\Zune\ZuneLauncher.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Intel\Wireless\Bin\Dot1XCfg.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSCDSPD\toscdspd.exe
C:\Program Files\Rainlendar2\Rainlendar2.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
C:\Program Files\WordWeb\wweb32.exe
C:\Program Files\RocketDock\RocketDock.exe
c:\WINDOWS\system32\ZuneBusEnum.exe
C:\Program Files\Soulseek\slsk.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.toshibadirect.com/dpdstart
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.toshibadirect.com/dpdstart
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: flashget urlcatch - {2F364306-AA45-47B5-9F9D-39A8B94E7EF7} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\jccatch.dll
O2 - BHO: DriveLetterAccess - {5CA3D70E-1895-11CF-8E15-001234567890} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\DLA\DLASHX_W.DLL
O2 - BHO: Google Gears Helper - {E0FEFE40-FBF9-42AE-BA58-794CA7E3FB53} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Gears\Internet Explorer\0.2.14.0\gears.dll
O2 - BHO: FlashGet GetFlash Class - {F156768E-81EF-470C-9057-481BA8380DBA} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\getflash.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TFncKy] TFncKy.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [tdispVol] TDispVol.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxtray] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxhkcmd] C:\WINDOWS\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [igfxpers] C:\WINDOWS\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ehTray] C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [THotkey] C:\Program Files\Toshiba\Toshiba Applet\thotkey.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPLpr] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPLpr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SmoothView] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSHIBA Zooming Utility\SmoothView.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [dla] C:\WINDOWS\system32\dla\DLACTRLW.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Pinger] c:\toshiba\ivp\ism\pinger.exe /run
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelZeroConfig] "C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\bin\ZCfgSvc.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelWireless] "C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\ifrmewrk.exe" /tf Intel PROSet/Wireless
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSKDetectorExe] C:\Program Files\McAfee\SpamKiller\MSKDetct.exe /uninstall
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ZoneAlarm Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zune Launcher] "c:\Program Files\Zune\ZuneLauncher.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [TOSCDSPD] C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSCDSPD\toscdspd.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Rainlendar2] C:\Program Files\Rainlendar2\Rainlendar2.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [updateMgr] C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\AdobeUpdateManager.exe AcRdB7_0_0
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'Default user')
O4 - Startup: Adobe Gamma.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Startup: Last.fm Helper.lnk = C:\Program Files\Last.fm\LastFMHelper.exe
O4 - Startup: WordWeb.lnk = C:\Program Files\WordWeb\wweb32.exe
O4 - Global Startup: RAMASST.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\system32\RAMASST.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download All with FlashGet - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\jc_all.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Download with FlashGet - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\jc_link.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: &WordWeb... - res://C:\WINDOWS\wweb32.dll/lookup.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_04\bin\npjpi150_04.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_04\bin\npjpi150_04.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {09C04DA7-5B76-4EBC-BBEE-B25EAC5965F5} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Gears\Internet Explorer\0.2.14.0\gears.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Google Gears Settings - {09C04DA7-5B76-4EBC-BBEE-B25EAC5965F5} - C:\Program Files\Google\Google Gears\Internet Explorer\0.2.14.0\gears.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)
O9 - Extra button: FlashGet - {D6E814A0-E0C5-11d4-8D29-0050BA6940E3} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\FlashGet.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: FlashGet - {D6E814A0-E0C5-11d4-8D29-0050BA6940E3} - C:\Program Files\FlashGet\FlashGet.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
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.toshibadirect.com/dpdstart
O16 - DPF: {0E8D0700-75DF-11D3-8B4A-0008C7450C4A} (DjVuCtl Class) - http://www.lizardtech.com/download/files/win/djvuplugin/en_US/DjVuControl_en_US.cab
O23 - Service: Adobe LM Service - Adobe Systems - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe Systems Shared\Service\Adobelmsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: ConfigFree Service (CFSvcs) - TOSHIBA CORPORATION - C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\ConfigFree\CFSvcs.exe
O23 - Service: DVD-RAM_Service - Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\DVDRAMSV.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Event Log (EvtEng) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\EvtEng.exe
O23 - Service: Google Update Service (gupdate1c8614fdde71ee2) (gupdate1c8614fdde71ee2) - Google Inc. - C:\Program Files\Google\Update\1.0.103.3\GoogleUpdate.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPodService - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Registry Service (RegSrvc) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\RegSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) PROSet/Wireless Service (S24EventMonitor) - Intel Corporation  - C:\Program Files\Intel\Wireless\Bin\S24EvMon.exe
O23 - Service: Stuffit Archive Name Service - Smith Micro Software, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Smith Micro\StuffIt11\ArcNameService.exe
O23 - Service: Swupdtmr - Unknown owner - c:\TOSHIBA\IVP\swupdate\swupdtmr.exe
O23 - Service: TOSHIBA Application Service (TAPPSRV) - TOSHIBA Corp. - C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TOSHIBA Applet\TAPPSRV.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe

--
End of file - 9425 bytes

[Broni]

I can't see anything special...

Download, and install CCleaner: http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds. Get "Slim" version.
Read CCleaner instruction here: http://www.jahewi.nl/ccleaner/ccleaner.html, and run CCleaner