Windows XP Home Edition - Running really slow! 3 logs provided

[cj85]

I did the following steps you had given me. But computer seems still slow. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, or if it's just plain old and slow. Then again it's a decent computer, it's not "that" old and use to run real smooth. But now it's lags and when you boot it up it is slow, and takes about 5 minutes for the desktop to completely load.

Thanks for your help, but if you have any other suggestions. That would be highly appreciated!

The only thing I can think of is maybe my boyfriends family has way too much stuff on this computer? How can you tell if it's being crowded and not enough space?

[evilfantasy]

The only thing I can think of is maybe my boyfriends family has way too much stuff on this computer?

Thats very possible.

A few things to do.

Download and install CleanUp!.exe

Open Cleanup! by double-clicking the icon on your desktop (or from the Start > All Programs menu).
Set the program up as follows:

• Click Options...
  
• Move the arrow to Standard CleanUp!
  
• Uncheck the following: (if checked)
  • Delete Newsgroup cache
    
  • Delete Newsgroup Subscriptions
  .
  
• Click OK

Click the CleanUp! button to start the program. Reboot/logoff when prompted.

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Look into a good startup manager. this one will tell you which programs are not needed to be running at startup.

Malwarebytes StartUpLite - http://www.malwarebytes.org/startuplite.php

Just install it to the Desktop and run the exe.

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Defragment your hard drive

You may want to install a good third party defragment program. They work much faster then the Windows built in defragger.

http://filehippo.com/download_defraggler/

Boot into Safe Mode by restarting your computer - keep tapping F8 until the menu appears.
Use your up and down arrow keys to select Safe Mode
Then click Start > Run > type dfrg.msc
In the top of the window click on the C: drive
Click the Defragment button
This can take some time so please be patient.
Close Disk Defragmenter when finished
Restart into Normal Mode.

A tutorial for disc defragmentation is available at BleepingComputer.com

[cj85]

Click the CleanUp! button to start the program.

When I ran this program, and it was done running a box popped up and said:

If you would have run CleanUp! this time for real - i.e. not in demo mode - it would have deleted 2924 files and freed 311.8MB of disk space. take a few minutes to review the output log and make sure that you are happy with the files selected for deletion. Then try running CleanUp! for real.

Should I post the log?

[evilfantasy]

No please don't!

Just run the actual cleaner and not the Demo mode.

[cj85]

Okay, I did that. Now I talked to my boyfriend about actually going through the computer and cleaning it up a bit. I had told him that it would probably help if I were to actually remove some games that are never played.

My question is, would that actually free up some space and actually make computer run smoothly? Also what are some steps of how to make sure a game contents or whatever program being removed from the computer is completely gone? Like all traces of it.

I ran the defrag, but it had said that it wasn't needed and so I ran it anyways. It freed up no spaces since it had originally said it wasn't needed. Not sure if it was supposed to do that, but I don't know.

Any suggestions on how to successfully remove junk, as far as making sure all traces of games and so forth are removed?

[evilfantasy]

Use Revo to remove all (or almost all) traces of software.

Download Revo Uninstaller

• Go in to Revo, right click what you want to uninstall and choose Uninstall.
• Next choose Advanced Mode
  
• This will launch the programs built in uninstaller and go through the normal uninstall process.
• Once complete: In Revo Uninstaller click Next and Revo will scan the registry for leftovers.
  • This scan can take several seconds.
• Once the results are shown look at each one to ensure they are all related to the program that was uninstalled.
• Choose Select All then click Delete
  
• Click Next and Revo will scan for any files or folders that were not removed.
  
• If any files/folders are found choose Select all > Delete

[cj85]

Okay, I removed my first program with Revo Uninstaller, but when it was going for registers and what not. I'm not even sure if I should remove it or not? I don't understand any of it. lol

Here, I have added a print screen of what I see.

Also the program is called ZoneAlarm

[recovering disk space -- attachment deleted by admin]

[evilfantasy]

Click the little + signs to drop them down and see more information. I have used Revo for about a year and it has never removed anything it shouldn't have.

Be sure to choose Select All then click Delete and then click Next to scan for any folders/files left over.

[cj85]

Okay, I've been removing games and programs that are not in use at all. Actually, still working on removing some. But I'm just curious if I should run a program once I'm done removing games/programs from the computer?

Also, is there any other suggestions other than removing programs/games from the computer to try and get it running a bit smoother?

[evilfantasy]

Run CleanUp! again now that you are done with that.

Look here for more suggestions. Slow Computer? It May Not Be Malware.

[cj85]

Okay, will do. If I have any questions, I hope you don't mind but I'll post here.

Thanks again, until that next question... lol

[evilfantasy]

No problem. I'll be around for a bit longer.

If not then I will see the questions tomorrow. Everything is pretty well explained though.

[cj85]

Now I hope I don't sound like a pain in the *censored*, but I do have a question.

I was wondering, what programs should I have running that are supposed to be like ad-aware and what not. I mean my boyfriends bother has several on the computer, and I'm not sure if they're really needed as far as if one does what the other does and what not. I guess I'm just curious, because if one does what the other does there isn't any need for both, right?

The programs that are on the computer are:

ZoneAlarm - Which I removed today...
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition - Always had it
CCleaner - Downloaded today
HiJack This - Downloaded today
Malwarebytes Anti-Maleware - Downloaded today
SuperAnti Spyware Free Edition - Downloaded today
Ad-Watch - Always had it
CleanUp! - Downloaded today
Defraggler - Downloaded today
BigFix - Always had it
History Kill - Always had it
Spybot S&D - Always had it
Power Toys For Windows XP - Not sure what this is? lol
CompuApps SwissKnife V3 - Always had it
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal - Always had it

This kid has a lot on here, and I'm just curious if I need all of these or which ones I should get rid of or if this is what is causing such a slow down on the computer?

Now I think I read on your blog that AVG is no longer giving updates? Is this what is causing AVG to say it needs updates almost every day? I could be mistaken though.

[evilfantasy]

Personally I would uninstall these.

Ad-Watch < Malwarebytes Anti-Maleware and SuperAnti Spyware Free Edition and Spybot S&D are all you need.
BigFix < I would uninstall this and ocasionally run the Secunia Software Inspector instead.
History Kill < CCleaner is better and safer.
CompuApps SwissKnife V3 < Not sure what this is http://www.compuapps.com/download/Swissknife/swissknife.htm
Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal < Malwarebytes Anti-Maleware and SuperAnti Spyware Free Edition are all you need.
Spybot S&D < Keep this and be sure to open it and check for updates and then also click on Immunize to update and protect your Hosts file. Do this every other week or so.

Now I think I read on your blog that AVG is no longer giving updates? Is this what is causing AVG to say it needs updates almost every day? I could be mistaken though.

AVG 7.5 is no longer supported but the new AVG 8.0 is. Good antivirus will update every day, every other day at the very least. You have AVG 8.0 now. Honestly by uninstalling that and using either Avira or Avast instead you may notice a difference. AVG can use a lot of resources.
Avast! Home Free Edition
Avira AntiVir Personal

[cj85]

Okay, I did all that. Kept the ones you told me to keep, and got rid of the ones that weren't needed.

Also, when I was finally done removing programs and what not. I ran CleanUp! and I got an error:

Error Deleting File or Folder
    Cannot delete Dc101: Access is denied.
    Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.


Not sure what it means?