Super fast to dead slow... help!

Question

My computer ran wonderfully until about 7 weeks ago when my email and internet connections suddenly got really really slow. Sending emails is no problem, but receiving takes very very long, with the connection often cutting out. The internet is slow, with the message "the page can not be displayed - cannot find server" popping up frequently (if I hit refresh I get where I need to, but slowly).

All of my other programs run without difficulty.

I have run my antivirus program, Spybot, and Adaware - no detected problems.

At roughly the same time (7 weeks ago), I downloaded an updated version of Norton antivirus software. I uninstalled it to see if there would be an improvement, and there was, slightly, but not back to previous functioning. So I reinstalled it.

Any help would be very, very, appreciated. Thanks.

Veo · Answer

I forgot to mention that my computer's os is Windows XP home edition.

DirtSurfer · Answer

Have you tried running disk cleanup ? It's under accessories then system tools.

drdoolittle · Answer

Veo, there are other possibilities, but it sounds like the forest floor is cluttered with dead sticks. I'll share some stuff I've done that has helped:

DirtSurfer is right. Start with Disk Cleanup (select everything to delete). Clean all hard drives. This gets rid of most clutter stored on your drives.

You might want to run any cleanup utilities you have (you mentioned Adaware & Spybot).

Now open your internet browser. Click on TOOLS, then INTERNET OPTIONS. One at a time click on DELETE COOKIES, then DELETE FILES, then CLEAR HISTORY (sorry, but you'll lose the record of where you've browsed lately--no big deal!). This gets rid of all (most) of the internet deadwood. Now close your browser.

Open a command-line (DOS) window. (Select "run" from the START menu and type "cmd" -or- click on the COMMAND PROMPT icon under accessories on the START MENU). Either way you get there, type in at the prompt "ipconfig /flushdns." (without the quotes! Notice the space between the two words). Now type EXIT and press ENTER.

Now the forest floor is cleared of deadwood. One last step: sweep! When you can give up your computer for a few hours (probably overnight), defragment your hard drive(s).

On your START Menu, find SYSTEM TOOLS (where you found Disk Cleanup), and select DISK DEFRAGMENTER. Your goal is to defrag all hard drives (if you have more than one!). Set it up to do all drives consecutively if possible on your system. Be patient, it takes time to rearrange all the files on a hard drive. But, when finished your computer will be able to find files much faster.

If you already know all this, forgive me! Don't mean to assume anything--just trying to offer some help...

Veo · Answer

dirtsufer, drdoolittle, thanks so much for your help.  I printed off your directions and did them all.  I would say that there has been a 50% improvement after doing everything you suggested.  i have also had tech support from my internet provider (high speed ADSL) test everything and it all seems ok.  again, thanks for your help and if you can think of anything else that may give me back the other 50%, I would be eternally grateful!  Veo

Veo · Answer

dirtsurfer, drdoolittle, thanks so much for your help.  I printed off your directions and did them all.  I would say that there has been a 50% improvement after doing everything you suggested.  i have also had tech support from my internet provider (high speed ADSL) test everything and it all seems ok.  again, thanks for your help and if you can think of anything else that may give me back the other 50%, I would be eternally grateful!  Veo

owzatagain · Answer

The same thing happened to my wife's computer.  Check the Norton Internet Firewall settings in the Norton Internet Settings

Windows General

Super fast to dead slow... help!

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