msap7222
asked on
Slow performance in Windows XP related to CPU usage?
Hi
I have a 6 month old DELL X300 Notebook with 512MB Ram and Pentium M processor. I had Kazaa on for a short while and now the machine runs sooooo slowww even though I have uninstalled it.
I have run Spyware remover and use up-to-date CA e-trust antivirus.
The CPU usage on Task Manager shows 100% CPU usage ALL THE TIME, and the Processes tab shows 50 open processes ranging from 20MB thru to 16KB memory usage(most are 1.5MB or above). This is just after login with only IE open!
Is there a way to remove any rogue memory resident software/spys, etc by looking at a standard XP processes list (i.e. ONLY the open processes relating to XP after a clean install) and then isolating the alien processes that way?
I would prefer NOT to have to completely wipe the HD and reinstall XP.
Thanks in advance ...
Mark
I have a 6 month old DELL X300 Notebook with 512MB Ram and Pentium M processor. I had Kazaa on for a short while and now the machine runs sooooo slowww even though I have uninstalled it.
I have run Spyware remover and use up-to-date CA e-trust antivirus.
The CPU usage on Task Manager shows 100% CPU usage ALL THE TIME, and the Processes tab shows 50 open processes ranging from 20MB thru to 16KB memory usage(most are 1.5MB or above). This is just after login with only IE open!
Is there a way to remove any rogue memory resident software/spys, etc by looking at a standard XP processes list (i.e. ONLY the open processes relating to XP after a clean install) and then isolating the alien processes that way?
I would prefer NOT to have to completely wipe the HD and reinstall XP.
Thanks in advance ...
Mark
Hi msap7222,
Find out what Hogging Your PC
Taskmanager is all well and good (start > Run > Taskmgr.exe) but to see what programs have what processes open use....
Process Explorer
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml
PeteL
Find out what Hogging Your PC
Taskmanager is all well and good (start > Run > Taskmgr.exe) but to see what programs have what processes open use....
Process Explorer
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml
PeteL
msap7222,
Windows XP running slowly?
The following is a list of tweaks and tips for speeding up Windows XP.
--------------------------
Make Sure You're virus Free
Go To http://security.symantec.com/ssc/vc_about.asp?ax=0&langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=LUDKIHKERRDTIPOKYJL
For a Free online check
--------------------------
Make sure you don't have any Spyware or Adware running on you're PC
Visit http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
--------------------------
Turn off automatic updates!
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System >Automatic Updates tab > Tick "Turn off Automatic Updating"
Or if you're on Windows Classic view
Right Click My Computer and select Properties > Automatic Updates tab > Tick "Turn off Automatic Updating"
You will now need to stop the service
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrator Tools > Services >Locate the "Automatic Update" service > Right click it and select Properties > Change the Startup Type to "Disabled".
**Warning its now up to you to keep up to date with any hot fixes or service packs.
--------------------------
Disable "System Restore" service and "Indexing" service
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System >System Restore Tab > Tick "Turn off System Restore"
Or if you're on Windows Classic view
Right Click My Computer and select Properties > System Restore Tab > Tick "Turn off System Restore"
You will now need to stop the service
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrator Tools > Services >Locate the "System Restore" service > Right click it and select Properties > Change the Startup Type to "Disabled". Then Locate the Indexing Service and disable that also.
--------------------------
Tweak the Page File settings.
See http://www.geocities.com/ziyadhosein/wxptwks.htm
--------------------------
Defrag the Hard Drive!
Even if XP tells you it doesn't need doing!
--------------------------
Find out what’s running in the background!
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete
Then click the processes Tab (Lot of stuff there eh!) Find out what all that means here
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
If there's anything that shouldn’t be running, uninstall it! Or find out where it was launched from, either the startup folder, or from the registry, look at this registry key
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Wi
--------------------------
Find out what services (You don’t need) are running in the background
Look here http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm
--------------------------
Ensure You’ve got all the latest Service Packs and Hot fixes From Microsoft
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
Ensure You have all the latest Drivers for Your Hardware (And Windows XP supports it!)
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx
--------------------------
If you don’t see any improvement after that lot GO AND BUY SOME RAM!!!
Pete
Windows XP running slowly?
The following is a list of tweaks and tips for speeding up Windows XP.
--------------------------
Make Sure You're virus Free
Go To http://security.symantec.com/ssc/vc_about.asp?ax=0&langid=ie&venid=sym&plfid=23&pkj=LUDKIHKERRDTIPOKYJL
For a Free online check
--------------------------
Make sure you don't have any Spyware or Adware running on you're PC
Visit http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
--------------------------
Turn off automatic updates!
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System >Automatic Updates tab > Tick "Turn off Automatic Updating"
Or if you're on Windows Classic view
Right Click My Computer and select Properties > Automatic Updates tab > Tick "Turn off Automatic Updating"
You will now need to stop the service
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrator Tools > Services >Locate the "Automatic Update" service > Right click it and select Properties > Change the Startup Type to "Disabled".
**Warning its now up to you to keep up to date with any hot fixes or service packs.
--------------------------
Disable "System Restore" service and "Indexing" service
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System >System Restore Tab > Tick "Turn off System Restore"
Or if you're on Windows Classic view
Right Click My Computer and select Properties > System Restore Tab > Tick "Turn off System Restore"
You will now need to stop the service
Start >Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > Administrator Tools > Services >Locate the "System Restore" service > Right click it and select Properties > Change the Startup Type to "Disabled". Then Locate the Indexing Service and disable that also.
--------------------------
Tweak the Page File settings.
See http://www.geocities.com/ziyadhosein/wxptwks.htm
--------------------------
Defrag the Hard Drive!
Even if XP tells you it doesn't need doing!
--------------------------
Find out what’s running in the background!
Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete
Then click the processes Tab (Lot of stuff there eh!) Find out what all that means here
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
If there's anything that shouldn’t be running, uninstall it! Or find out where it was launched from, either the startup folder, or from the registry, look at this registry key
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Wi
--------------------------
Find out what services (You don’t need) are running in the background
Look here http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm
--------------------------
Ensure You’ve got all the latest Service Packs and Hot fixes From Microsoft
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
Ensure You have all the latest Drivers for Your Hardware (And Windows XP supports it!)
http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx
--------------------------
If you don’t see any improvement after that lot GO AND BUY SOME RAM!!!
Pete
Install sp2 along with the lastest updates.. Run a virus scan e.g. http://housecall.trendmicro.com & a spyware scan e.g. security.kolla.de
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
please try hijack this...
I have faced the same problem in the past ...after uninstalling kazaa also i was getting poor performance and it was due to the numerous applications that it had installed.
hijack this will tell you exactly what to do...
I have faced the same problem in the past ...after uninstalling kazaa also i was getting poor performance and it was due to the numerous applications that it had installed.
hijack this will tell you exactly what to do...
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Accepting the above answer, I have now a CPU usage graph that seems to be healthier - it fluctuates between 1% and 80% and spends most time at low % when PC is idle.
To get her I typed MSCONFIG in START>RUN and chose ** Diagnostic Startup ** - only thing is ... I don't know how my 'real life' use of XP will change - everything seems to be working fine, will I have to re-enable the "full" or Normal startup option in MSCONFIG? If I do, then I'll be right back where I started!
Any advice appreciated.
Mark
To get her I typed MSCONFIG in START>RUN and chose ** Diagnostic Startup ** - only thing is ... I don't know how my 'real life' use of XP will change - everything seems to be working fine, will I have to re-enable the "full" or Normal startup option in MSCONFIG? If I do, then I'll be right back where I started!
Any advice appreciated.
Mark
You should run a known good adaware program: http://www.safer-networking.org or http://www.lavasoft.de
Both are free and recommended.