Slow computers... Windows problem?

[Ecniv]

Hi,

I have seen on my wifes computer a slow start up. As in it gets to the desktop but appears to run something which stops the computer reacting to clicks (almost hanging explorer). This lasts for around 30 secs. I wasn't too bothered (not my computer lol) but now mine is doing the same.

We did a virus scan the first time it happened, but it didn't detect anything. There does appear to be a lot of services running.

Tonight I am going to test using msconfig to turn off all the options and work backwards until it either stops/starts, to see if there is anything there.

I did a search online, and it seems I'm not alone, but there wasn't a fix. If anyone knows about this, or has other suggestions please post them.

I uninstalled Norton and the firewall on my machine, but the problem still persisted. (Put the firewall back on - still have to put norton on)

Windows XP Pro
SP1

[The_Duck]

I would recommend removing XP Themes etc. This can be easily achieved via the following

Right Click My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Performance Group Box > Settings > Radio Button Adjust For Best Performance > Apply!

There are a few utilities that you might be able to try. You should be able to use them on a trial basis, such as System Mechanic or TuneMeUp(I think there is 1 called this!)

Another thing you can do is clear your internet cache. For this goto

Internet Explorer > Tools > Internet Options
and then Delete your tempoary internet files.

Good Luck, Hope this helps !

[The_Duck]

SP1 !!

Unless you have some requirement such as software that won't run on SP2 I would strongly recommend you upgrade !!

[Ecniv]

I'm comfortable in sp1 ...
and if I put on sp2 and it screws up I lose too many game and other settings...

I was just wondering whether it was an MS thing to slow sp1 down and force people to up to sp2 as I didn't have it for a coupkle of months and now it is slow.

Will try to do the tests I posted above and post up the results tomorrow.

[Ideas Man]

Contrary to some beliefs that some 'fanatic' groups have (you know who you are) Microsoft doesn't sabotage your OS, or gather your data or anything like that to slow it down. Having Norton/Symantec anti-virus doesn't do your computer ANY good from a speed perspective form the start.

Please, there's no real chance of you loosing your data by upgrading to XPSP2. Most of the 'problems' are people who have modded their OS some way or tweaked it someway they shouldn'tve or used crappy drivers or something along those lines. I've installed it on 200+ computers, all w/o any failures.

Try and retrace what you did that caused this all to happen because it usually occurs when you install something or change something to your computer.

Above all, it's a rather vague cry for help IMO (sorry if this sounds harsh), but one of the better things to do is upgrade to XPSP2 because in some cases, it actually speeds up your computer (did for me).

[Dave Sell]

SP2 actually breaks DCOM. Any application using DCOM will stop working. Some games fail to work because of the Windows Firewall. His trepidations are not without merit.

MS cannot slow your computer down for not using SP2. I have heard MS stopped giving out any incremental patches unless you do upgrade to SP2.

There is something known as "OS rot", in which a system's performance will degrade over time, but that is due to installing/uninstalling programs for a year or more.
I re-install a clean copy of my OS on every computer I own every year because of this.

Also check for spyware, this is a notorious culprit of system slow-downs.

And, do get SP2. It won't bite you.

[StrangerInBeijing]

Cannot install SP2 on my XP...guess you know why

[RobDog888]

See, try to save a few $$$ and its going to hinder your developing time and you cant take adavantage of SP2's features.
Not to mention if something bad happens to your system.

Seems like now-a-days its just not worth taking any risks at all.

[StrangerInBeijing]

Really funny situation. I work at M$, but can get no software for home, and got a friend in UK, halfway around the globe mail me software at this time....

[RobDog888]

I would be careful what you post as M$ has people that scan the Forums from time to time looking for things like this.

Since you work at M$ cant you get a discount or qualify for one of their programs?


@Vince, you should also run the M$ Anti-Spyware beta 1 as it picks up things better then allot of anti-spyware combined. Its free too.

[StrangerInBeijing]

All software needed is on the network (Dude, you must see it), but for obvious reasons one will not touch that for your own use.

Actually, the machine at home got legal software on it, as it was my own machine at my previous company, but the company bougth me the software . But the software lied around, and got "borrowed" by I don't know who and lost. Lucky I copied the i386 to my machine, so use that for re-installing, but seems things went wrong, as I can get no windows-updates. Someone told me, XP does that with an illegal version. So, dunno.

Wonder what Longhorn (hell, what for a name is that) will cost?

[Ideas Man]

Longhorn is just a codename and I'd say will cost the same as any other version of Windows at intial release, if not a bit cheaper, and will come down over time.

[StrangerInBeijing]

still expensive for a normal guy on the streeet to have the latest software legal.

Most systems comes out with xp home pre-installed, which is fine for normal users, not for *us*