Slow Computer

GMeagle86

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Joined
6 Jan 2004
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144
I recently installed Windows SP2. It works great except for one thing....Certain times, my computer becomes very slow....It doesn't happen all the time, and when it does happen the programs I currently have open work just fine, but when I go to try and open any new programs, it will take upwards of 10 minutes to open...that is including the Task Manager.

I haven't found the culprit yet, but most of the time while this is happening, my computer's "System's Idle Processes" uses 16 K of memory, and uses around 55-90% of my CPU power...


Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
Your System Idle Process is supposed to be high when nothing else is going on... so that is normal. As for your slowdown problem, it could be a number of things. You need to do the usual stuff if you haven't already, including: virus scanning, running Ad-Aware and Spybot, etc.

Another suggestion is to leave your task manager open, so that next time you're experiencing a slowdown you can switch over and see what is eating up your CPU or RAM. I'd keep the processes sorted by CPU usage. Let us know what happens. :)
 
I have a problem sometimes that my cpu will go to 100% and its usally just a program i have open and all i do is close it and then re open it and i am fine. It doesnt happen much tho i think lately its been MSN Messenger.
 
Ok, I ran Spybot, and other programs, but the slowdown is continuing. I ran the task manager during one of the slow downs, when I was trying to open microsoft excel. My CPU usage stayed at 5% and it took 10 or so minutes to open. It didn't even show any signes of it trying to open the program, then all of a sudden all of the programs I tried to open the last 10 minutes will all open all at once. Strange, but very irrititating. Normally a restart fixes it for around 10-20 mintues, then it goes back to being slow. Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
crap...i had this prob a few years ago on my old computer. I wish i knew what i did...knowin me i prob just refortmed but of course thats not the best way to do things unless u have too. have u tried system restore or scan disk or anything?
 
Are the applications that have trouble loading the same ones every time, or random?
 
I know how those problems are--not knowing how you fixed them... I have tried system restore, and it doesn't seem to do any good. I will try to run scan disk.

Formating my system isn't going to be a good idea for me right now.

I think it is random, but it could be with Microsoft Office 2003 products. Because it tends to casue the slow-up most when I am using them.
 
I was wondering about Office programs specifically. You might try a repair, or a complete reinstallation of Office. It might be a long shot, but is probably worth a try.
 
ok, here is a quick update. I think I found what is causing the problem....now I just need to know how to fix it...

Whenever my programs won't load (I will attempt to open several windows) I then go to my Task Manager (which I opened previously) I saw I have 7 svchost.exe processes open. If I end the one that takes up around 19,000K of memory, all of my programs will open all at once. and I temporally solve my computer problems.

Now...Can someone help me fix this? Thanks!
 
OK, do this. In your Task Manager, go to View --> Select Columns and tick PID (Process Identifier). That will add a new column to your Processes with a PID number for each process. When that particular svchost.exe acts up again, note the PID number and post it... then we'll go from there. :)
 
I've been seeing this brought up at numerous forums. Did you clean and defrag after installing SP2. It helps significantly with speed.
 
Anybody seeing a correlation between speeds with people who downloaded SP2 through automatic updates and people who slipstreamed SP2. It seems to me there are more issues surfacing from people who downloaded via windows updates. I slipstreamed and IE is faster then my Opera 5.4 or my Firefox 0.9.3 But the only time I use IE is to test links, compatability with software, programs. ?
 
What defrag program would you recommend? Also....I was a beta tester for Win XP SP-2 and Didn't have any of the slow downs with the beta versions, I can't remember when my problems exactally started, but I think it was some time after I installed the Final Release (not via Windows Update)

Edit: I will note the PID number next time it acts up
 
GMeagle86 said:
What defrag program would you recommend? Also....I was a beta tester for Win XP SP-2 and Didn't have any of the slow downs with the beta versions, I can't remember when my problems exactally started, but I think it was some time after I installed the Final Release (not via Windows Update)

Edit: I will note the PID number next time it acts up

There are a couple defrag programs that work really well. You'll get allot of various replies on that one. I use Diskeeper 8
Diskeeper 8
Perfect Disk 6
O & O
If you don't have any of the above just use your systems defrag program.
Start>JProrams>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Cleanup/Disk Defragmentation Do both. You should also run a cleaner before defragging such as window washer or cyberscrub. Just to get all the useless junk out of the way before restacking the drive. It should help. Are you using any other firewalls such as ZA or Sygate. If you are turn off your SP2 firewall and use Sygate, etc, and see if you notice any difference.
 
What SP2 may have done as it was in my case, was change your memory settings from "Memory usage", "Programs" to "System cache".

Goto the properties of "My Computer", "Advanced" tab, "Settings" button, "advanced" tab, and make sure "Programs" is set for "Adjust for best performance of:"

And also if you have a secondary drive regardless of speed, defrag that drive and change your swapfile to that drive, it will make a big difference"

PEACE!

P.S. PerfectDisk 6.0 has a very small footprint and has the fastest completion time. Plus many other benefits.
 
o0RaidR0o, My settings were already as you listed. I ran Disk Cleanup (and removed over 8GB of junk files!!!) I also rand a defragmenter. My computer seemed to be running better, but I still get that slow down that occures. svchost.exe is still the culprit.

Any more suggestions?

Thanks!
 
GMeagle86 said:
o0RaidR0o, My settings were already as you listed. I ran Disk Cleanup (and removed over 8GB of junk files!!!) I also rand a defragmenter. My computer seemed to be running better, but I still get that slow down that occures. svchost.exe is still the culprit.

Any more suggestions?

Thanks![/QUOTE

ctrl-alt-delete task manager>processes what are your readings for CPU?
Aslo your svchost.exe is your Local and Network Service.
 
It seems that you definitely have a memory leak, but svchost.exe is a process that normally runs multiple instances under different PIDs. If your computer just sits there, with no apps running and minimal system tray programs running, does the memory leak still occur?
 
This might be a silly question, but how do I determine when a memory leak occurs?
 

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