EXTREMELY slow response times when opening/closing apps and programs

seany811

New Member
Hello,

I need some assistance. I have a Dell Inspiron Laptop that runs Vista Home Edition. Whenver I boot up and try to open a program or application, it takes a really REALLY long time for it to open. For example, whenever I try to open Firefox or Internet Explorer or even my control panel, the window will open and will be blank. Then it will start to load but either take an enormous amount of time or, after I've become tired of waiting, I'll try to exit and it will say (Not Responding). Now eventually this goes away and the window does close, but like I said, it takes a ton of time trying to open and close these things up. If I do wait it out and I do get into my Internet Explorer or Mozilla, any links that I click or addresses that I type, it again, takes forever.

I've run a deep system scan with my Anti-Virus software and came up with nothing. I did a system restore to a point where the problem was not happening and, again, nothing.

Any suggestions?!
 

My Computer

Hello,

I need some assistance. I have a Dell Inspiron Laptop that runs Vista Home Edition. Whenver I boot up and try to open a program or application, it takes a really REALLY long time for it to open. For example, whenever I try to open Firefox or Internet Explorer or even my control panel, the window will open and will be blank. Then it will start to load but either take an enormous amount of time or, after I've become tired of waiting, I'll try to exit and it will say (Not Responding). Now eventually this goes away and the window does close, but like I said, it takes a ton of time trying to open and close these things up. If I do wait it out and I do get into my Internet Explorer or Mozilla, any links that I click or addresses that I type, it again, takes forever.

I've run a deep system scan with my Anti-Virus software and came up with nothing. I did a system restore to a point where the problem was not happening and, again, nothing.

Any suggestions?!

Frag/file errors/disk errors
or insufficient Installed Memory
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/165576-how-make-vista-more-responsive-faster.html?filter
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
will this work if i do it in safe mode as it will take an enormous amount of time if i try to do it when i boot up normally?

defrag, can be done while using the system normally-but do not click the x and close the cmd prompt or it will abort.

the diskcheck is done outside of a Windows, and must be restarted to commence.

Follow tutorial instructions
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
What antivirus are you running by the way?
http://www.vistax64.com/system-security/162362-antivirus-scanners-internet-security-tools.html

Here is a current breakdown of the Lab tested Programs. If you are not using at least a 2 star certified product, you may want to consider download a free one (Avast!/Avira-see link above for downloads)
note- some of the "offbrand" AV's are junk or malware.

11680d1239305029-vista-sp1-antivirus-performance-capture7.gif
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
I'm running Vipre from Sunbelt Software
Chances are good you have malware.

Vipre. Wow. Thats not a very good program. It has also never been lab tested or certified. I hear that it offers subpar protection.
http://www.drsafemode.com/2008/04/16/sunbelt-vipre-anti-virus-review/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DmxWy9PbPw

"We were testing an up-to-date Vipre with a clean system scanning an infected drive. It did not detect or block the W32.Downadup!autorun or the Downadup/Conficker worm. No detection and no results on a scan. It let the virus migrate to a flash drive as well.

We had to use Avira to clean it up. In the case of the autorun, we fixed manually"
http://www.av-comparatives.org/forum/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=841

I suggest either run Avira/Avast! and doublecheck to see if it is missing things.
I also suggest running malwarebytes (for detection of polymorphic malware)
click linked downloads I posted in previous post # 6
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
Ok. So can I start up in Safe Mode and make all these changes? Like, can I download and install this new anti virus and can I run the disk defrag and other scans? If I were to try and do this by starting up normally, it would take an eternity just to start the process. Everything works fine when I'm in Safe Mode.
 

My Computer

Ok. So can I start up in Safe Mode and make all these changes? Like, can I download and install this new anti virus and can I run the disk defrag and other scans? If I were to try and do this by starting up normally, it would take an eternity just to start the process. Everything works fine when I'm in Safe Mode.

Many installation packages use the Microsoft installer Package and will require the service which will only run in Normal Mode.

I would wait on the defrag/disk check. chances are good the issue here is a trojan/virus/malware, etc. your system may be thoughly infected, and may require a re-install if there is severe Windows corruption.

barring that, I would then run the performance tools
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
ps- post #8 (page 1) has been edited. Look at it again for further info on Vipre
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
That sounds good. But you'll need to give me instructions on how to install/run. Also, just to verify, when you say "clear the malware from outside Windows," what does that mean?
 

My Computer

That sounds good. But you'll need to give me instructions on how to install/run. Also, just to verify, when you say "clear the malware from outside Windows," what does that mean?
Since you can boot, It may help with other booting issues (i.e., malware startup apps)
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
Ok. You say it's on a disc right? How do I get that disk?
You burn it to a disk. Do you have a cd/dvd burner?
The problem here is you cant run any programs, so even if I got the iso to you, you cant download BURNCDCC, and burn it.
Do you have access to another pc?
 

My Computer

System One

  • CPU
    T7600G Core2Duo 2.66 Ghz
    Motherboard
    Intel 945PM + ICH7 Chipset
    Memory
    4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 667MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobility Radeon x1900 256MB
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD
    Monitor(s) Displays
    WUXGA 17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920X1200
    Hard Drives
    640GB 7200RPM SATA/RAID 0 (2x320GB)
    and 320GB 7200RPM External
    Mouse
    Wireless Microsoft 3000
    Internet Speed
    10 mbps/2 mbps
    Other Info
    Optical Drive:
    Panasonic UJ-220 DL BD-RE (Blu-Ray)
In addition to the good avice that rive0108 has given you...

Reading between the lines, you don't have this "slow app startup" problem in safe mode, right? That means something loading in normal mode but not safe mode is the cause, and it might actually be your anti-virus that's responsible.

I'd suggest first confirming whether there's a "slow app" problem in safe mode, and if not using MSCONFIG to try a diagnostic startup, and then a selective one. I'd even be temped to completely uninstall the AV as a test. Deactivating it is meaningless - complete uninstall is the only valid test.
 

My Computer

In addition to the good avice that rive0108 has given you...

Reading between the lines, you don't have this "slow app startup" problem in safe mode, right? That means something loading in normal mode but not safe mode is the cause, and it might actually be your anti-virus that's responsible.

I'd suggest first confirming whether there's a "slow app" problem in safe mode, and if not using MSCONFIG to try a diagnostic startup, and then a selective one. I'd even be temped to completely uninstall the AV as a test. Deactivating it is meaningless - complete uninstall is the only valid test.

My safe mode runs fine. No problems at all. I will uninstall my AV but how do I run the MSCONFIG?
 

My Computer

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