Hello Mister2
What a time I have had. Last Monday/Tuesday, my dear computer would not boot up at all. I had no option but to take it in for repair. You was right, it was the motherboard. I eventually got the computer back today. What a frustrating long week it has been lol. I have only just been able to read your message.

I did try and get on here via a friends computer a couple of times in the evening but it just would not work, it was so slow.
I couldn't even log myself out. Is that because we are 5 hrs ahead so this is the USA's busy time ?

How things stand now is the computer now boots up (jumping for joy) but it is still so slow. Doing anything like opening and closing a folder and surfin the net is slow also.

Would you still be able to help me with this please. If yes, can we carry on here or would I need to post on another forum ?

I already have 2 drives so I shall do as you say and back up my important stuff.

ROFL, no unfortunately I do not have a messenger parrot.

Look forward to hearing from you as to what you need me to do next lol.
Best Wishes
Lorraine

Mister2 wrote:

Well, it sounds like the spring clean did some good, but I'm not sure I like the sound of those capacitors - any chance of posting a photo here? Have you had your computer for some time? I ask because if the capacitors are going then it means a new motherboard. Replacing this is tricky, though by no means impossible, and would probably be best done in a repair shop. My advice would be to backup any important data as soon as you can - if you do need to take it in, remember others are not as careful with your data as you are. That's not a criticism of repair shops as it is often quicker (and therefore cheaper) to fix a problem by reinstalling Windows. That would wipe your data from the disk. You have 3 options to keep your data safe: 1. Burn to CD. This is good if there is not too much data - a CD holds 650MB, so lots of data = lots of CDs 2. Fit a second hard drive to your system (easy to do) and copy your data across to that. There is an updated version of your existing drive here for about £25. 3. Back up your data to a USB flash drive . That one is a top quality make (I bought one myself last month) and is £10.46 Unless you have vast quantities of data or store things in unusual places on your disk, simply copying your 'My Documents' folder to the other device should suffice. Once you have your data backed up then anything that happens in the future will be an annoyance rather than a disaster. And no - I have no affiliation with ebuyer apart from the fact that they give outstanding service and their prices are low. Fear not, we won't leave the parrots in the lurch! If your system refuses to boot, use a computer at work, a friend's computer, one at the library, even get a friend to post as a guest (so long as they let us know what's happening) in this thread - the address is Code: http://www.castlecops.com/postlite215186-.html I'm afraid the forum is so slow tonight I'll have to back off here and try again tomorrow. A final thought - do you have a messenger parrot? Could be handy!

Hi Lorraine ,

Well, that's progress - whatever we did would have been futile with a faulty motherboard. We can now look at performance issues.

Download Silent Runners . To do this, right click on the link in the first line and choose “Save Target As…” (if you're using Internet Explorer) or “Save Link As…” (if you're using Firefox). (This is an unusual type of link in that left clicking will open the program script in Notepad, which we don't really want to do).

Navigate to where you saved the file - it is named Silent Runners.vbs - and double click it. Click Yes to skip the supplementary search and let it run (it may take a few minutes until the box pops up telling you it has finished).

You will find a file named Startup Programs {some other text}.txt in the same location where you downloaded the original program. Attach this file to a post here and we can see what is slowing your system down. (To attach a file, type your reply and hit the Preview button. Click the Browse button in the 'Add an Attachment' section below the box where you just typed your reply, find the file on your system and then click the 'Add Attachment' button. Then click Submit as normal).

By the way - the site has been having some speed problems lately. These are currently being addressed. It seems quicker in the morning in the UK, so that may be the easiest time to post.

Hiya Mister2
Have downloaded and run Silentrunners. Please find attached results. I noticed MS Works is meantioned in this which I removed from my computer a long time ago ? Thought I had better tell you lol.
Thanks
Lorraine

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Startup Programs (THEOWNER) 2008-02-19 13.58.05.txt
Description:		Download
Filename:	Startup Programs (THEOWNER) 2008-02-19 13.58.05.txt
Filesize:	15.92 KB
Downloaded:	42 Time(s)

---

Hi,

I will download the attachment in the morning when the site is quicker. (I am unable to access the file at the moment).

If you uninstalled Works using Add/Remove programs then it sounds like an entry was left in the registry. Probably harmless but we can remove it later.

I'll post back when I have read the Startup log.

Hiya,
That's fine, thanks a lot.

Yes I did remove Works via Add/Remove.

Night night

OK, there doesn't seem to be much wrong in there but we can sort a few things out.

1 - Open My Computer, left click once on the C: drive icon and look in the 'Details' panel on the left. What are the values for Free Space and Total Size?

2 - Close My Computer. Go to Start, Run, type taskmgr and click OK. In Task Manager click the Processes tab, then click on the word 'CPU' at the top of the CPU column. Then click it again. This sorts the processes into order, with those using most processing power at the top. Post the names of the top 3 processes in this column, along with the figure in the CPU column and the (e.g. crss.exe, 1%). Look for the System Idle Process (if it's not in the top 3) and let me know the figure in the CPU column for this one, too.

3. Now go to Start, Run, type msconfig and click OK. Click the Startup tab. If you find any reference to the following then click the square to the left of the entry to uncheck it:

Adobe or Acrobat
ctfmon
Works or Works Update
msmsgs
Realsched

Click OK, then click Restart. When your system boots up you may receive a message about the System Configuration utility having been used. Check the box to 'Don't show this message ...' and then click OK.

Let me know if your system is any faster.

Please note that some of the things I have mentioned will need sorting out properly - this is just to pinpoint where the problem lies.

Hiya Mister2,

1. Free Space 46.9 GB & Total Size 76.3 GB

2. This was hard. I went offline, only had the Taskmgr running but the figs etc kept changing so quickly, it was hard to see but these are 3 different results:

System Idle Process 99
GSTray 00
alg.exe 00

System Idle Process 98
System 02
GSTray 00

System Idle Process 95
KService.exe 03
Too quick to catch this line 02

At one point the first line went down to 54/52.

3. Unchecked: Adobe Update Manager, ctfmon and WKDetect (Works). Items that are now checked are: ccApp, SiSUSBrg, sistray, keyhook and Norton Go Back

From when I click on the Log into Windows it takes 4 mins to load Windows completely, this is taking into account my NIS and Go Back.

Just a thought, as I couldn't do the ISO Recorder, Memtest86 and Sea Tools before, would you like me to do them now.

Am I brave or what

Lorraine

Great work!
Task Manager can be difficult to read. If you go to View, Update Speed you can set it to 'Slow' to give you more time to read, but your results are fine and show nothing out of the ordinary. Is your system running any better at the moment?

Yes - running memtest and Seatools will not do any harm and we ought to check everything out while we're about it. If you have any problems with these then post back.

Then we can look at sorting out the things we disabled - you will need different program to replace Adobe Acrobat and a couple of other things need permanently removing.

Brave? Definitely, and a lot more knowledgeable now!

Aww, now I know how to slow it down in future. Thought I had to learn speed reading ha ha.

No, system still seems to be slow.

I take everything back ........... I don't feel brave now at all. I have downloaded Memtest and Seatools, so far so good. I extracted the Memtest to desktop, right clicked memtest.iso but I do not have the choice of "Copy Image to CD". Should I have downloaded and extracted ISO Recorder somewhere first ?

Sorry.
Lorraine

Mister2 wrote:

Great work! Task Manager can be difficult to read. If you go to View, Update Speed you can set it to 'Slow' to give you more time to read, but your results are fine and show nothing out of the ordinary. Is your system running any better at the moment? Yes - running memtest and Seatools will not do any harm and we ought to check everything out while we're about it. If you have any problems with these then post back. Then we can look at sorting out the things we disabled - you will need different program to replace Adobe Acrobat and a couple of other things need permanently removing. Brave? Definitely, and a lot more knowledgeable now!

A coward would not have tried.

My apologies. Yes, you need to get ISORecorder installed first. Just double click the downloaded file - ISORecorderV2RC1.msi - and follow the instructions, a point I forgot to mention in my previous post on the subject.

Then right click on the extracted memtest file to burn the ISO to CD.

I'm a little puzzled by the slowness. When you have a moment(!) download Process Explorer , unzip it and run it. Go to File, Save As and save it somewhere you can find it again (the file will be named 'Procexp.txt'). Attach it to a future post.

Please don't think you have to apologise, it's me being thick. Thanks for the extra info on ISO.

I have just downloaded Process Explorer and I will run it tomorrow and post the results for you.

Could the slowness be due to the amount of stuff I have saved on my computer. I am one of the trustee's of http://www.nlpr.org.uk (It's all on parrots so thought I would put the link so you can have a look if you like but don't let your cats see it ha ha ha). I have loads of docs and pics just through this.

Also, I was wondering, you know the trash bin, oops I mean recycle bin which I do empty regularly lol. Maybe I am cracking up but once upon a time if I double clicked on the icon it would take me to the bit where everything I had emptied was still available ............ not explaining myself very well here !! Anyway, I don't have that now, instead when I double click on the bin it takes me to where I empty it ???

In between doing what you tell me, I am frantically getting stuff together to put onto disc. No, they are not all in my docs like they should be. There's no hope for me is there.

Sleep well and thanks again,
Lorraine

PS. Now don't laugh but I can find anything you have told me to download as I have a folder on my desktop called Mister2 ...... fame at last HA HA HA.

Mister2 wrote:

A coward would not have tried. My apologies. Yes, you need to get ISORecorder installed first. Just double click the downloaded file - ISORecorderV2RC1.msi - and follow the instructions, a point I forgot to mention in my previous post on the subject. Then right click on the extracted memtest file to burn the ISO to CD. I'm a little puzzled by the slowness. When you have a moment(!) download Process Explorer , unzip it and run it. Go to File, Save As and save it somewhere you can find it again (the file will be named 'Procexp.txt'). Attach it to a future post.

Nice site, but certainly one to view away from the cat!

You have a lot of free space left on your hard drive but it would be worth defragging it (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter). This will sort out all the files on the drive and move bits around to make your system more efficient. It will probably take a few hours so be prepared to put your feet up!

I think we can fix the trash can (these Americanizations get everywhere). Does right click, Open do the trick?

As for a folder named Mister2, well, that's certainly a first!
At least you have all the tools in one place should you ever need them again (though I hope not). I have stuff all over the place, usually saved carefully in folders that have meaningful names at the time but which are totally incomprehensible 3 weeks later. That's more a statement about my brain than my system.

I'll check the Process Explorer file when you post it.

Glad you liked the little darlings.

I did check about defragging a few days ago and it told me it didn't need it ? I will check it again once I have finished getting off all my Paint Shop Pro stuff. Hope that is alright with you.

With regard to the trash can, to open now I can either double click it or right click and open, where as before if I double clicked it took me straight to the bit where it is protecting what I have emptied out of the trash can. I didn't know if Norton was doing the protecting. Am I making sense here lol.

I know exactly what you mean about having bits all over the place and what name meant something to you at one time no longer does I use to be the same I learnt the hard way. Now I can't go wrong, by putting everything to do with Castlecops in my Mister2 folder I don't lose anything. Mind you this does not apply to everything else

I have run and attached the results to Process Explorer.
Byeeee
Lorraine

Mister2 wrote:

Nice site, but certainly one to view away from the cat! You have a lot of free space left on your hard drive but it would be worth defragging it (Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter). This will sort out all the files on the drive and move bits around to make your system more efficient. It will probably take a few hours so be prepared to put your feet up! I think we can fix the trash can (these Americanizations get everywhere). Does right click, Open do the trick? As for a folder named Mister2, well, that's certainly a first! At least you have all the tools in one place should you ever need them again (though I hope not). I have stuff all over the place, usually saved carefully in folders that have meaningful names at the time but which are totally incomprehensible 3 weeks later. That's more a statement about my brain than my system. I'll check the Process Explorer file when you post it.

---

Procexp.txt
Description:	Ooops, nearly forgot to attach it.	Download
Filename:	Procexp.txt
Filesize:	2.64 KB
Downloaded:	37 Time(s)

---

If Windows reports the drive doesn't need defragging then don't bother with that - you can get a performance boost if the disk is badly defragmented but otherwise it's probably not worth the time and trouble.

Regarding the trash can, it may be Norton that is causing this 'feature'. Norton uses a Protected Recycle Bin - it takes over running the Recycle Bin and provides features that are neither better or worse, just a little different. If you really don't like the behaviour you should be able to right click the Recycle Bin and choose the regular behaviour (or choose not to use the Protected Bin). It's a matter of personal preference.

Two things strike me from the Procexp file. The first is the process WLLoginProxy.exe is running. This is related to the automatic login for Windows Live services - Live Messenger and suchlike. If you don't use this type of service (if you don't know what it is then you probably don't use it) then it can be disabled - it is only using up resources sitting there.

Right click My Computer and select Manage. Click the '+' sign by 'Services and Applications' in the left pane, then click 'Services'. The right pane will show all the services available (you will need to maximise the window to se it properly). If you can find WLLoginProxy then right click on it, choose Properties and on the General tab set the Startup Type to Manual. Click OK and close the window.

If it is not in that list then go to Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Click on WLLoginProxy and remove it.

Reboot and run Process Explorer to make sure that process doesn't automatically start.

The second thing I noticed is the number of Norton processes running. There's nothing wrong there, just that Norton is notorious for hogging memory and processor power. Go to Start, Run and type taskmgr and click OK (or press Ctrl + Alt + Del all together - it does the same thing) and click the Performance tab. In the 'Physical memory (K)' section, let me know the values for Total and Available. It may be that you are running out of memory, though I wouldn't expect this considering the processes you have running.

Happily it seems there is nothing wrong with your memory and I have now found my true station in life - I'm a fully qualified filing cabinet!

Okay, I will not bother defrag for now.

I thought Norton use to protect it. I will have a look in their manual to see. Personally, I liked it when it was.

You are right I have not got a clue to WLLoginProxy.exe service. You won't believe it but I can't find this prog in either the Services list or Add/Remove Progs. I have checked line by line but none of them have WLLoginProxy in it. Could it be called something else by any chance ?

Here's one I can answer for you:
Performance
Physical Memory
Total: 458168
Available: 130052 (another one that changes constantly)

Knowing my memory is alright is great news.

Ha ha ha, a fully qualified filing cabinet hey, that can't be bad.

Will have a go at doing the ISO etc tom. Hope that is okay with you.

Byeeeeeee
Lorraine

Mister2 wrote:

If Windows reports the drive doesn't need defragging then don't bother with that - you can get a performance boost if the disk is badly defragmented but otherwise it's probably not worth the time and trouble. Regarding the trash can, it may be Norton that is causing this 'feature'. Norton uses a Protected Recycle Bin - it takes over running the Recycle Bin and provides features that are neither better or worse, just a little different. If you really don't like the behaviour you should be able to right click the Recycle Bin and choose the regular behaviour (or choose not to use the Protected Bin). It's a matter of personal preference. Two things strike me from the Procexp file. The first is the process WLLoginProxy.exe is running. This is related to the automatic login for Windows Live services - Live Messenger and suchlike. If you don't use this type of service (if you don't know what it is then you probably don't use it) then it can be disabled - it is only using up resources sitting there. Right click My Computer and select Manage. Click the '+' sign by 'Services and Applications' in the left pane, then click 'Services'. The right pane will show all the services available (you will need to maximise the window to se it properly). If you can find WLLoginProxy then right click on it, choose Properties and on the General tab set the Startup Type to Manual. Click OK and close the window. If it is not in that list then go to Start, Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs. Click on WLLoginProxy and remove it. Reboot and run Process Explorer to make sure that process doesn't automatically start. The second thing I noticed is the number of Norton processes running. There's nothing wrong there, just that Norton is notorious for hogging memory and processor power. Go to Start, Run and type taskmgr and click OK (or press Ctrl + Alt + Del all together - it does the same thing) and click the Performance tab. In the 'Physical memory (K)' section, let me know the values for Total and Available. It may be that you are running out of memory, though I wouldn't expect this considering the processes you have running. Happily it seems there is nothing wrong with your memory and I have now found my true station in life - I'm a fully qualified filing cabinet!