Super Slow

[nigelp]

My Windows Vista is super slow. I don't use it that often but when I do it causes me great stress.
I know there are other posts similar, but just wanted quick easy way to improve.

For example, trying to log off now and been 20 mins - and I don't think it will actually log off.

Happy to do a fresh install as clean ups again don't run.
Although will try - chkdsk and scannow as getting to command prompt should be OK after forced restart.

Windows Vista Home Premium - 32 bit. Hard drive not full.
CD/DVD drive is not working - not entirely sure why.

Thanks for any help.

 

[wither 3]

Hi nigelp- How much RAM do you have and are you running Aero?
Go to Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools and select Disc Cleanup. Let it run. When it tells you how much space it can save, make sure that Temporary Files and Recycle Bin are selected. Let it run and then reboot. Does that help?

 

[nigelp]

Super thankful for this.
Pc is much faster and more stable.
I am also deleting redundant pc clean up and virus programs - which I think I was just collecting.

The only things that still would be great to get to work again:
1 - the dvd drive stopped working around 5 years ago. Not sure why? Assume drivers but any help please?
2 - with using older windows etc, it struggles to update malware protection out of date. Struggling to update avg. all say out of date, then update failed.

3- tried chkdsk and scan now in cmd and says no privileges or admin.

Think that is it for the time being and thank you for your help!

 

[nigelp]

Got admin on cmd. Will let you know if any issues

 

[wither 3]

What happens when you try to use your player? Does the light for it come on when you place a disc in it?
I pay for Malwarebytes 3.5.1 and it constantly says it's out of date but checking for updates does nothing. I haven't gone to Malwarebytes about it. Norton 360 works fine.

 

[Vistaar]

2 - with using older windows etc, it struggles to update malware protection out of date. Struggling to update avg. all say out of date, then update failed.

The last version of AVG antivirus to support Vista was 18.8, which is more than 5 years old now. (Malwarebytes 3.5.1 is even older, approaching 6 years.) You should both still receive definition updates automatically AFAIK, assuming AVG is version 18.8 and not older; but product version updates are not possible on Vista.

 

[nigelp]

Thanks for you replies.

Th RAM is only 2gb but is much faster since changes made to PC.

The DVD player - yes it does seem to want to work
In device manager it explains that it is working. When I put disc in it then displays 100% content
?? - Although in the DVD properties it does show 2 devices.
My DVD - Matshita and another device Fujitsu - mhy2200BH (which think is a hard drive?) - this this a bit odd?
Fujitsu is at the top. Not really sure what this refers to.
When loading it makes the noise of trying to read the disk but then it doesn't do anything

All the windows and virus updates don't seem to work. It just stops. Seems to be a connection issue.
Cannot reach the server - but I'm connectd the net
Not major - but if I have Malware (& stopping the dvd player) - I need this removed
Windows Defender - cannot check for updates

Scannow found corrupt files and repaired them.

 

[lmacri]

... All the windows and virus updates don't seem to work. It just stops. Seems to be a connection issue.
Cannot reach the server - but I'm connectd the net...

Hi nigelp:

Microsoft deactivated the Windows Update servers for computers with unsupported Windows operating systems like Win XP and Vista that do not support SHA-2 code signing on August 3, 2020. See the Microsoft support article Windows Update SHA-1 Based Endpoints Discontinued for Older Windows Devices for examples of error messages you will see if you try to Windows Update on a Vista machine after that date. If you disable automatic Windows Updates [Windows Update | Change settings | Important updates | Never check for updates (not recommended)] and re-boot to terminate any Windows Update sessions currently running in the background on your system you might find that this significantly improves your system performance.

My Vista SP2 OS was patched to end of extended support (11-Apr-2017) but I believe that my system stopped receiving virus definitions for Windows Defender some time around July 2019 when Microsoft began signing their virus definition sets with SHA-2 digital certificates. Please see my 22-Jul-2019 post in bzbox's Windows Defender Update for further details.

Also note that the limited antispyware version of Windows Defender for Vista SP2 / Win 7 SP1 was not a full antivirus like the Windows Defender for Win 8.x / Win 10. If you plan to use your Vista machine on a regular basis you should install a third party antivirus that is still compatible with Vista - see my 27-Jan-2024 post in AwmostDone's Virus on non-updated Windows Vista PC that eats files off USBs?! in the MS Answers Vista board (where I post as user Great White North) for a few suggestions.

Do you use your Vista machine on a regular basis, or do you just boot it up occasionally to run some old Vista-compatible software (e.g., old computer games)? It might be helpful if you published a Speccy snapshot of your system as instructed below so we can see a summary of your hardware components and installed software.

1. Download the portable version of Piriform's free Speccy v1.32 utility (spsetup132.zip) from <here>, save the file to any location, and unzip.**
2. Double-click the appropriate .exe file to launch the program (Speccy.exe for your 32-bit OS; Speccy64.exe for a 64-bit OS) and allow it to populate the interface with information about your system software and hardware.
3. Go to File | Publish Snapshot and copy and paste the URL this generates (e.g., http: // speccy.piriform.com/results/xxx... as shown in the image below) in your next reply.

** You can run Speccy Portable from any location, including a removable USB stick. If you can't download and unzip the spsetup132.zip file on your problem Vista SP2 computer then plug a USB stick into another working computer, save and unzip the spsetup132.zip file on that USB stick, and then plug that USB stick into your problem Vista SP2 machine.



If you haven't used Speccy before, I published a snapshot of my (now retired) 32-bit Vista SP2 machine at http://speccy.piriform.com/results/z2qoNAESuxQeYKCK2QGx3or. This 12-Jul-2019 snapshot is the last snapshot I published for my Vista SP2 laptop before I uninstalled my Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22 antivirus.

 

[nigelp]

Thanks will check it out.
I did manage to run avg antivirus and it did find a couple of bad exe and one called dmwv exe with root kit in the name found. Sure this is bad so removed. Running further checks now.

 

[wither 3]

If you only have 2 GB, you shouldn't run Aero. That will only slow operations down.

The Fujitsu is a hard drive. Please be more specific about where it's being displayed along with the DVD drive. A screen shot would be helpful.

Is "100% Content" the actual words displayed. You might want to get a DVD/CD cleaner disc. They're only a few bucks.

What is the actual version of Vista you're using, ie., Basic, Pro, etc.?

 

[Vistaar]

What is the actual version of Vista you're using, ie., Basic, Pro, etc.?

That information is in the first post:

Windows Vista Home Premium - 32 bit.

Imacri and I both used that exact version for many years. We both had the luxury of 3 GB RAM, but 2 GB was considered adequate for Vista x86 (whereas 1 GB was only suitable for Windows XP). Obviously your preferred Vista x64 had greater RAM utilization.

 

[Vistaar]

Windows Defender - cannot check for updates

Installing AVG should have disabled the old Windows Defender antispyware, but you may have turned Defender back on. My suggestion is to turn off Defender and rely on your AVG 18.8. It has been many years since I manually disabled Defender in Vista, but I seem to recall that the Defender UI included some Administrator Options, one of which was simply “Use Windows Defender.” While logged in as Administrator, deselect that option, be sure to click OK or Apply if applicable, then restart the system.

 

[Vistaar]

The DVD player - yes it does seem to want to work. In device manager it explains that it is working. When I put disc in it then displays 100% content....When loading it makes the noise of trying to read the disk but then it doesn't do anything.

The CD/DVD drive was perhaps 12 years old when it stopped working 5 years ago, but the problem might be with the specific software that was selected to AutoPlay various types of discs by default. Maybe try this: Load an Audio CD that is known to be in good condition. If no window opens asking what software you want to use (i.e. a default has been set for Audio CDs), open Windows Media Player, which was definitely able to Play, Rip and even Burn an Audio CD. Let us know if you can play a CD in the drive from the WMP interface (or any other CD-capable software that might be installed). I believe WMP 11 was also able to play video DVDs, although I don’t recall ever using WMP for DVD playback. It certainly could not burn a video DVD, but Vista Home Premium had Windows DVD Maker for that (also present in Vista Ultimate but lacking in all other versions of Vista). I also believe that Windows Media Center (WMC) was able to play a standard DVD, but I would try that last of all.

 

[wither 3]

If you would like a x86 version with all updates, you can download it here-

2.76 GB file on MEGA

mega.nz

 

[nigelp]

If you only have 2 GB, you shouldn't run Aero. That will only slow operations down.

The Fujitsu is a hard drive. Please be more specific about where it's being displayed along with the DVD drive. A screen shot would be helpful.

Is "100% Content" the actual words displayed. You might want to get a DVD/CD cleaner disc. They're only a few bucks.

What is the actual version of Vista you're using, ie., Basic, Pro, etc.?

Thanks for the reply.
Windows vista home edition
I’ve read about uninstalling and reinstalling drivers on restart, but not sure and probably last resort? Will the drivers still be available?
In device manager - no error codes

 

[nigelp]

Thanks for the reply.
Windows vista home edition
I’ve read about uninstalling and reinstalling drivers on restart, but not sure and probably last resort? Will the drivers still be available?
In device manager - no error codes

Some dvd images is attached.
When searching online for driver software - it tries but after 3 hours or more still searching. Not sure drives still available.

 

[wither 3]

I don't see any attached files.

 

[nigelp]

Attached files.

 

[Vistaar]

I would not be in any rush to uninstall the driver! What type of disc are you loading, and what software has been selected to AutoPlay that type of disc?

With Control Panel in Classic view, there should be an icon called AutoPlay near the beginning of the list. (I can’t recall how to find that in Home view and have no Vista installation now.) A screenshot of those settings might be helpful, and wither 3 could post a screenshot of his.

 

[wither 3]

In Home View, one would select Hardware and Sound. The AutoPlay option is there. On the other hand, the AutoPlay option is shown in the Control Panel Classic View.

What bothers me is that the location of the player is shown as "0" in his screen shot. The driver can be obtained here- MATSHITA DVD-RAM UJ870QJ ATA Device Drivers Download for Free | Driver Talent

I still don't know why his Fujitsu is shown there.