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Author Topic: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs  (Read 3978 times)

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jfoulk2

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Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« on: December 07, 2007, 01:40:37 AM »
I posted my concerns in the Windows section of this forum and I was advised to go through the recommended scanning procedures. Here is my original message:
Hi! I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 with Windows Vista Home Premium with AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-60 2.00 GHz 1918 MB RAM 32-bit OS.
My problem is that after about a half hour or so of use, my laptop slows down tremendously, using up about 95% of my RAM. McAfee & Windows Defender do not find any spyware or viruses. I clean & defragment my disk religiously (almost every day) & still I see no improvement. I have turned off unnecessary startup programs.
I am at a loss of words because I have no idea what the problem could be. If my computer or even a program is not in use for a few minutes, it takes a few minutes to respond. It is very frustrating & time-consuming when I have to wait for things to respond. I've read that 2 GB of RAM is fine for Vista, so why is it consuming it all & slowing down? I run usually only one program (Firefox) at a time, but once in a while I will need to run two or more.
So any suggestions or comments? Help is very, very appreciated. Thank you for your time in helping me figure this out.
I have done all the required scans & here are the logs:

[saving space - attachment deleted by admin]

evilfantasy

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2007, 12:00:57 PM »
The logs do not show any malware.

We can fix a few empty entries with HijackThis.

Open HijackThis and select Do a system scan only and place a check mark next to:

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =


Close all windows except for HijackThis and click Fix checked



Your Java is out of date leaving your system vulnerable.
Older versions have vulnerabilities that malware can use to infect your system.

Updating Java:
* Go to Start > Control Panel double-click on Add/Remove programs and remove all older versions of Java.
* Check for any item with Java Runtime Environment (JRE or J2SE) in the name.
** The latest version is Java 6 Update 3. Remove all other entries.
* Click the Remove or Change/Remove button.
* Repeat as many times as necessary to remove each of the Java versions.
* Reboot your computer once all Java components are removed.

* Download the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6[/color]
* Click the Free Java Download button.
* Click the Download Now button.
* When the Software Installation dialog box opens. Click on the Install Now button.
* Follow the prompts to complete installation.



There are 13 in instances of McAfee running in the services. this could be part of the problem. Is McAfee a paid version? There are free lightweight alternatives which provide equal or sometimes better protection to paid versions.

Also running are unnecessarily are:
InstallShield Update Service
InstallShield Update Service Scheduler
Adobe Reader Speed Launcher]
QuickTime Task
iTunesHelper
Cacheman


Let us know if we can help out with anything.


jfoulk2

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2007, 12:52:58 PM »
Thank you very much! I have followed all of your instructions.

Concerning McAfee, I've known that it uses a lot of memory, but I am hesitant to uninstall it. It came installed on my computer. Should I uninstall it & use another program?

Thanks again for the BIG help!

evilfantasy

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2007, 12:56:02 PM »
That is up to you, but I would.

The popular choice here is AVG Antivirus and Comodo Firewall. Both free.

jfoulk2

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2007, 12:59:07 PM »
Thank you very much!

One side note, is it ok for me to uninstall the programs used to create the logs like HijackThis or should I keep them?

evilfantasy

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2007, 01:07:44 PM »
Yes you can delete any logs and uninstall HijackThis if you wish. HijackThis can cause damage if used improperly. SUPERAntiSpyware is free and good to use now and then to make sure nothing has crept in.

To learn more about how to protect yourself while on the internet read this article by Tony Klien: So how did I get infected in the first place?

jfoulk2

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2007, 02:28:38 PM »
Thank you very much!
I found an installation disc for McAfee that came with my computer so I have uninstalled it & installed the programs that you have recommended. & something shocked me when I uninstalled McAfee: it cleared 50 GB from my hard drive!  :o No wonder I was having problems!
But thank you so much! It's nice to find REAL solutions, not excuses like "it must be a virus so restore your computer to factory settings." So thank you so much! This is a lifesaver! If I have any other concerns, I will definitely come here. Thank you for your time & dedication!

evilfantasy

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2007, 04:08:39 PM »
Your welcome, I'm glad it worked!

patio

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2007, 06:11:28 PM »
Nicely Done evilfantasy and thanx for posting back with the results jfoulk2...
We love success stories here !
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CBMatt

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Re: Windows Vista SLOW HELP: Scan Logs
« Reply #9 on: December 12, 2007, 08:13:07 PM »
Nicely Done evilfantasy and thanx for posting back with the results jfoulk2...
We love success stories here !

We really should have our own reality series.
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