Slow Computer? Check here first; it may not be malware
Computer and browser slowness are not always malware related. Poor performance can be the result of disk fragmentation, disk errors, corrupt system files, too many startup programs, unnecessary services running, not enough RAM, etc. As your system gets older it becomes filled with more files/programs and has a natural tendency to slow down so regular maintenance is essential. Here are a few things you can do to improve speed and system performance:
For browser problems, see "Its not always malware: How to fix the top 10 Internet Explorer issues" and "How and Why to Clear Your Cache". If your having connectivity issues or errors such as Page cannot be displayed see "Repair/Reset Winsock settings" and "Troubleshooting Internet Connection Problems".
Clean up your hard drive by removing unused programs and transferring old data, pictures, music files to a CD or an external hard drive. When you have moved/saved the files you want to keep, run Disk Cleanup and let it scan your system for files to remove. "Dont clean out the Prefetch folder" - This is a common myth that will not improve performance.
As an alternative to Disk Cleanup you can download and scan CCleaner.
(Starting with v1.27.260, the standard build installs the Yahoo Toolbar as an option which is checkmarked by default during the installation. IF you do NOT want it, remove the checkmark when provided with the option OR download the toolbarfree Basic version instead.) - After installation, see the Using and Understanding CCleaner Tutorial.
- Make sure you go to Options > Advanced and UNcheck the box to "Only delete files in Windows Temp folders older than 48 hours" before running a scan.
- An added benefit of using CCleaner is the "Issues" scan which allows you to clean the registry.
- Always back up your registry before making any changes.
- When done using CCleaner's Issues scan, I highly recommend following the steps in PCBruiser/Registry Maintenance.
Check for any unnecessary running services. If you have a typical installation, many services are configured as "automatic"; that is, they start automatically when the system starts or when the service is called for the first time. Use "Black Viper's Services Configuration hosted by MajorGeeks" to help fine tune this area.
Check for disk errors by running CHKDSK in "SAFE MODE" or from the Recovery Console. In the Check Disk dialog box, select the "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, click "Start" and have it repair anything it finds. As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors which slow down hard disk performance and make data writing difficult. Check Disk scans the hard drive and verifies the logical integrity of a file system by checking for system errors, lost clusters, lost chains, and bad sectors. When encountering logical inconsistencies in file system data, it will perform the necessary actions to repair the file system data.
Check for damaged, altered or missing critical system files by running the System File Checker. If SFC discovers that a protected file has been damaged, altered or missing, it restores the correct version of the file from the cache folder. You must be logged on as an administrator or as a member of the Administrators group to run sfc and it may ask you to insert your XP Installation CD so have it available.
Defrag your system. Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your system. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when a file is opened. Disk Defragmenter consolidates fragmented files and folders on the hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. This speeds up reading and writing to the disk. Read "The Importance of Disk Defragmentation" for instructions.
Check for any unnecessary applications loading at startup when Windows boots with MSConfig. Some startup programs are necessary so be careful what you disable. If you are unsure what any of the startup entries are or if they are safe to disable, then search one of the following Startup Databases:
StartupList Index
Startup Programs Database
Note: MSConfig.exe is a troubleshooting utility used to diagnose system configuration issues. Although it works as a basic startup manager which allows you to enable/disable auto-start programs, msconfig should not be used routinely to disable startup programs.
A better alternative is to use a startup manager. If you have have Spybot S&D 1.4 installed, launch it, go to Mode and select Advanced. Then go to Tools, select System Startups. You will be provided with a list of programs that load when Windows starts. If you untick an entry it will no longer run at startup. This will allow you to experiment and see how your system performs with any of them disabled. Other startup managers you can download and use for free are Startup Control Panel, Autoruns and Starter by CodeStuff.
Remove any third party "Memory Manager" or "Optimizer". Windows XP memory management was designed to make the best use of Ram and these memory management utilities defeat that purpose. They push applications out of RAM into the pagefile, creating holes in the RAM and by doing so, slow down your computer.
Disable some visual effects. While visual embellishments that may be attractive, they dont do anything else for you. Disabling some of them frees up system resources and makes the operating system perform better. Right click My Computer, choose > Properties > Advanced, click on "Settings" under performance...UNcheck all the visual effects, except for the last three. Click "Apply", then "OK", then "OK" again. Then right click your desktop and choose > Properties > Appearance > "Effects...Uncheck the first two boxes and hit "OK".
Add more RAM. This is a quick solution that can have a dramatic affect on your system's speed and responsiveness. You can check how much RAM you have by going to Start > Program Files > Accessories > System Tools > System Information and look at your System Summary. For more info see "Understanding, Identifying and Upgrading the RAM in your PC".
For more suggestions and performance tips read:
"Restore Your Computer's Performance with Windows XP"
"XP Performance Tweaks"
"Performance Boost for XP"
When you are all done be sure to Create a new Restore Point to enable your computer to "roll-back" to a clean working state keeping all the changes you just made.
If you are still having problems after performing the above steps then you may be dealing with malware. In that case please follow the instructions in Malware Removal and Prevention: Overview.
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"THE BAD GUYS DON'T NEED A SEARCH WARRANT. ARE YOU PROTECTED?"
Microsoft MVP - Windows Security 2007-2008 
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