computer slow, systems utilities all 'not responding'

Question

My Dimension 8400 XP which has 145GB free on the C drive suddenly slowed last week.  I have run antispyware and eliminated files, I have run antivirus and eliminated those.  I also ran a restore to 3 weeks ago.  Nothing helped.  I tried to defrag, I can't - it doesn't respond.  I can't diskscan. I also went to open the My Computer, C drive to open the file to try to run a hard drive diagnostic.  I can't open that file.  I can get into Outlook, and lite programs, but not any sizable ones.    In fact, its almost like a virus or something has been written to block all my accesses to find it.  Anyone ever seen something like this???

volcano11 · Answer

When you ran the antivirus scan, did it find any viruses?  If so, which ones? Steve

Balasree · Answer

Hi Dravot,

Here is one solution you can try for. Click on START, then click on RUN, type "MSCONFIG" on the address bar and then click "OK". You will see system configuration utility. Click on the "STARTUP" tab on the top (next to services), you will find an option which says "DISABLE ALL", click on it and then click apply and click on close. Then restart your computer. You will find a difference.

Balaji.

volcano11 · Answer

Dravot,

I strongly recommend against blindly following Balaji's advice. This will disable all programs that normally run from startup, including essential things like your antivirus software. It should be done only as a troubleshooting step and not as a cure to your problems.

Steve

dravot · Answer

The viruses deleted were all adware, I had recently downloaded Kazaa, and I had deleted all the spyware, etc.  It may have been from that.   I did the msconfig startup disconnect.  It didn't help, then I restored the startup profile.  Anybody have any other ideas??  I can open e-mail quickly, photo programs, etc., but if I go to the Start box, or any systems type functions, it takes forever to open, or never.

volcano11 · Answer

Kazaa is like poison. It is very difficult to get rid of all the garbage it puts on your computer. Download, install, update, and run the free versions of Ad-Aware and Spybot and let these programs remove all of the garbage that they find.

If these programs don't solve the problem, go Here and follow the directions to download and run the analysis tool called HijackThis. Generate a log file, then open it and copy and paste the text of the log file in a message in the HijackThis forum where a HijackThis expert can offer advice on how to fix the problem.

Steve

VCraig · Answer

You can also try a manual removal of Kazaa per this Smart Computing mag procedure (scan down the page):

http://www.smartcomputing.com/editorial/article.asp?article=articles/2005/w1602/43w03.asp&ArticleID=25537&guid=

dravot · Answer

Hi all,   I finally got the defrag to work, it helped but not by much.  I then noticed that my E:drive DVD light was on, and never went off.  It took me about 15 minutes for the eject function to work.  Right after I did that, everything cleared up.  I had a blank DVD in there, I don't know why a blank DVD would hang up my entire system as 'not responding', but it did.   I want to really thank all of you for your help.  Although the problem was a stupid oversite on my part, your help in everyhting else has my PC working REALLY fast now!!   Thank you all!!   Dravot.

Windows General

computer slow, systems utilities all "not responding"

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