First of all, if you had Norton antivirus on the mc did you use the norton remove tool? If not download it from norton and run it to remove all the crud left behind.
Short answer? Yes. Longer answer: Norton's removal tool was used, as was the comprehensive step-by-step registry-removal steps, since the tools doesn't get EVERYthing.
Thanks though.
It would be useful to know what's slowing it down.
Press Ctrl-Alt-Del (once), and select Processes. Then click on the "CPU" column so that the heaviest user is at the top, and note what's running and how much processor it's using.
Mine, when I do that, has "System Idle Process" (ie nothing happening) at 91 to 99%, Taskmgr.exe (the bit displaying processes) at 1%, and a few other processes flicking in and out at the odd percent or two.
There are 48 processes in total. The machine's speed is fine.
How does yours compare?
I've checked the Processes many times, and it shows "System Idle Process" (right now) 64-78%. Taskmgr 2%. 63 processes running in total. CPU use 31% (as of right now...).
Incidentally, I run a P2P program (for swapping legit files
) that uses about 19% of the CPU and 127 k of memory. When I am NOT running that, the same issues occur.
I would say you're overdoing it on the protection front. Are you expecting a knock at the door?
Anyway, the above is all vailid, but if you want a good look, download process explorer ( google for procexp.exe) and run it - it is a comprehensive tool for seeing what's cooking on the sustem.
I disagree with overdoing it, and it's not just my humble opinion. I read about using all of these programs together in PC World or PC Magazine or PC Extreme or something along those lines. The article was something like "How best to clean your computer of crud". I had an increase protection but no change in performance. These issues were what prompted me to seek out protection thinking some virus was bogging this system to its knees. I HAVE reduced a number of the programs, and run them only periodically. AVG and COMODO BOClean are the only "live" 24/7 programs. I only run the other programs manually.
Process Explorer (and Google) (and WAY too much time!) was used to sift through each and every "process" and also each and every "Services" under "Computer Management" was checked, and those not required, I changed the Start-Up Type to either Manual, Automatic or Disabled, depending what the service was. I also methodically went through the MS Config Start-Up and Services there to ensure what wasn't needed was disabled.
As for the idea of increasing RAM on the machine, I tried that (borrowed the same RAM of a tech-friend. Nominal difference and not worth paying for new RAM for this old machine.
It'll work properly again, and I'll be damnned if I am stumped to the point of reformatting this!!
Once again, I will re-iterate that the Internet access I see (with the little icon in the taskbar flashing away) happens REGARDLESS of what program I use. I could be starting NERO to burn something on a CD, or opening the basic Paint program, or simply opening Windows Explorer. Frustrating?? YES Arrrrrrg!!!
All and every idea welcomed, please.
