My machine: P-IV 2 GHz, 512 megs Ram, Win XP SP2 (I have yet to decide if SP3 is worth upgrading to...). The system runs with minimal open programs, and I have set MSConfig to "Selective Startup" with the very minimal start-up programs allowed to...ermm.. start, at start-up.
The swapfile (pagefile) space is about 1 GB, and the memory checks have shown the RAM is fine.
I run virus scans regularly, and results show it is a clean machine (virus-wise). I decided to run an on-line check at pandasecurityDOTcom, and was shocked to find it said I DO have viruses! (Kaspersky On-Line Anti-Virus never showed any.)
Programs that are supposed to help prevent some of these issues that I'm running are:
1) AVG (up to date, scans set to "deep" (slow).
2) COMODO DOClean.
3) CCleaner ("Crap" Cleaner) (Run weekly)
4) MS Pop-up stopper (set to stop ALL pop-ups)
5) Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
6) Spybot Search and Destroy
7) A-Squared
8) NetLimiter Pro
9) SUPERAnti-Spyware
10) Spyware Blaster
11) Norton Systemworks Systems Utilities - Disc Doctor and Windows Doctor run regularly. (Note I do not use Norton Anti-Virus as it is resource-heavy).
I have NO "add-ons" running on my fully up-to-date I.E. web browser (no tool bars, etc), and all "service packs" with the OS, up to but NOT including SP3, are all up to date.
Yet the machine takes FOREVER to run, and especially start applications, change from one window to another, etc. Sometimes, the CPU seems to run close to 100%, yet I am not running anything spectacular (no movie-rendering, editing, CADCAM, etc...).
And ONE THING THAT CONFUSES ME, is the Internet activity icon shows activity each and every time I run ANYthing. It's like something "needs" to check on-line whenever ANYthing runs! Yet AVG, and previously NOD32 and Norton Anti-Virus, never show any viruses.
I am at a loss why this machine is sooooo slow, and now why these "latent" "Low Level Danger" viruses: Bck/
VB.XB,
JS/Kak.Worm, plus a number of "Tracking Application", "Dialer", "Joke", and "Adware" all showed up when I ran an on-line virus-scan at Panda Security.
Two issues: 1) Why is this machine so bl**dy SLOW, and 2) What's the deal with these "viruses"?
HELP!! (and thanks in advance!)
~R.D.