Slooooow PC

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 2 Jul 2012 11:31 am

My normally pretty fast computer, win7, about a year old suddenly slowed waaaay down last week,,,tried all the usual, disc clean up, defrag, malware bytes, unplugged from modem for a few minutes,,,,still slow. Takes a long time to access web sites,,or even topics on forum,,,,Any suggestions????

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 2 Jul 2012 3:40 pm

Out of curiosity, what browser are you using? The reason I ask is, this has just started to happen to me over the last few days. But, it only happens with Google Chrome. I am using Firefox now with no problems, other than I really don't like Firefox. Don't know if this is similar to what is happening with you.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 2 Jul 2012 4:11 pm

I'm using firefox,,,,I have anther computer at my steel,,,seems to be working ok,,,just use it for BIAB etc,,,

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 2 Jul 2012 4:24 pm

Thanks. I was just wondering. I have no idea why it is happening to me in Chrome but not Firefox. Good luck. I know how frustrating this can be. I was ready to take a hammer to my PC the last few days.

Chris Dorch · Post by **Chris Dorch** » 2 Jul 2012 5:22 pm

Is it only slow when accessing websites or is it otherwise slow as well?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 2 Jul 2012 8:25 pm

Mine is slow when on the internet and only using Chrome. Non internet computer programs work fine. About the same time, I was getting an error message From McAfee on every page I viewed saying hey blocked potentially dangerous content, and it would take about 5 seconds to change the cursor from the pointer to the finger when hovering over a link. Same with entering info into a text box, like user names etc. Took about 5 seconds to appear in the box. Everything else in the browser also slowed down

I went on a McAfee forum and it was mentioned to delete your cookies. That stopped the error, but the slowdown was still there. Firefox doesn't have either problem.

I also defragged my hard drives last night. Computer as a whole runs better, but the Chrome slowness issue remains.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 2 Jul 2012 10:11 pm

Try reducing the setting for heuristics and web content to medium.

My Trend Micro Internet Security uses definitions on remote servers, called the Cloud. I don't notice much if any slowdowns, aside from the World Wide Wait! Servers are almost always overloaded these days. The bandwidth pipes are hardening with age. Too many users, everywhere and too little bandwidth to go around, 24/7. Then, toss in the fact that many legitimate websites are under constant DDoS attacks, or backhoes cutting T1 and optical lines, fires and power outages affecting datacenters and it is lucky if you can render a web page at all.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Jul 2012 7:04 am

Wow Wiz. That paints a pretty scary picture.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 3 Jul 2012 10:24 am

Richard Sinkler wrote:Wow Wiz. That paints a pretty scary picture. :alien:

Now you understand how things really are out here. The WWW is no longer the friendly place to exchange knowledge and better the human race that it once was. It has been overrun by cyber-criminals, 419 scammers, drug, dating and replica watch spammers, hackers, Hacktivists, Country-States cyber-attacking other Country-States with reactor and centrifuge crippling malware, DDoS attacks or service blockades against major social networks like Twitter to silence protesters and keep details about totalitarian Government abuses from getting out, fake/rogue security programs, rootkits, bootkits, spoofed safety certificates, bank account stealing Trojans, privacy out the door social networks, password crackers, dictionary and rainbow password cracking attacks, keyloggers that steal FTP credentials, insecure software allowed to run without automatic updates, pirated software and operating systems that will not receive updates...

All these things are now the facts of life on the Interwebs. There are still places where experts gather to exchange knowledge for the good. But, there are also forums where criminals gather to exchange knowledge for the bad.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Jul 2012 11:01 am

Damn Wiz... I'm going back to bed and pull the covers over my head.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 3 Jul 2012 12:29 pm

Richard Sinkler wrote:Damn Wiz... I'm going back to bed and pull the covers over my head. :cry:

I left a few important things out. These should help you sleep better:

Tracking cookies, tied to targeted ads based on your browsing habits; Government owned software that monitors IMs, social networks, free email services and certain forums for particular keywords and phrases (e.g. Raptor), then investigating these "persons of interest" further; People who "borrow" Internet access from their neighbors' unsecured wireless routers and use those unmonitored connections to commit online crimes, Man-In-The-Middle attacks, or violate copyrights (all pointing to the innocent customer to whom that IP address is assigned); Spyware that gets surreptitiously installed onto hotel and motel computers to steal credit and debit card details from unsuspecting customers; DNS changing malware that is installed on routers using default passwords, redirecting web page requests to websites controlled by cyber-criminals (e.g. DNSChanger); malware that is installed onto thumbdrives at the factory, or by paid middlemen, that infects the computers of people buying them or receiving them out as gifts (e.g. Conficker, Duku, Flame); spyware that is able to turn on any connected microphone or Bluetooth devices in the vicinity of the computer and eavesdrop on conversations; spyware that can activate wireless cameras to see if anybody is home, prior to a home invasion.....

Have a nice day Richard!

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 3 Jul 2012 12:39 pm

Did I mention that it is malware and spyware, like those I described in my last two replies, that can be a major cause of PC slooooooowdowns?

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Jul 2012 1:09 pm

I ran Malwarebytes, along with doing a de-frag, just normal maintenance type stuff. My issue is only when using Chrome.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 3 Jul 2012 1:18 pm

Richard Sinkler wrote:I ran Malwarebytes, along with doing a de-frag, just normal maintenance type stuff. My issue is only when using Chrome.

Check closely to see if any of your Chrome is flaking off!

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 3 Jul 2012 6:22 pm

Pete Nicholls · Post by **Pete Nicholls** » 4 Jul 2012 2:17 am

Try browsing with no extensions (see 1st link). If normal browsing speed returns, one of your extensions may be the culprit (see 2nd link)

https://support.google.com/chrome/bin/a ... _incognito

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/an ... wer=187443

Otherwise, one of these options will usually correct your problem

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/an ... swer=95582

http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/an ... wer=142059

Cheers,

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 4 Jul 2012 6:25 am

Thanks Pete. I went and disabled the 4 extensions I have and the problem is gone. So, I added them back in, one by one, and the problem never re-appeared. Don't know what actually happened, but it seems to be OK. I did remove one extension that I never use, but that was after I tested it for the slowdown problem.

What about Sonny's problem? Are you still having it? I didn't mean to steer this my way, I thought we may have had similar issues. I apologize for that.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 4 Jul 2012 8:04 am

Sonny Jenkins wrote:My normally pretty fast computer, win7, about a year old suddenly slowed waaaay down last week,,,tried all the usual, disc clean up, defrag, malware bytes, unplugged from modem for a few minutes,,,,still slow. Takes a long time to access web sites,,or even topics on forum,,,,Any suggestions????

Sonny;
Has the slow down subsided? If not, try using a different web browser, like Google Chrome. Don't add any extensions right away. They add useful functions, but can be a drain depending on how they operate.

What security programs do you have installed on that PC? Have scans revealed malware? Have you tried running System Restore to a date before this happened?

I find that it takes longer to open Firefox loaded with add-ons than the browser sans add-ons (Firefox "safe-mode"). Firefox checks for updates when you open the browser. So, the more add-ons you have installed (in your logged in user account), the longer it takes to check them all for updates.

I find the usefulness of my add-ons justifies the delays. Others may not.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 4 Jul 2012 5:07 pm

Sadly I need to tell you guys that our friend Google is quite probably actually the culprit. The last update of Chrome will very subtly install the Google desktop (as well) - it probably has other ways of getting on to your 'puters too (eg if you use Firefox). It doesn't show as Malware 'cos it's Google.
The resultant "desktop" doesn't seem to be visible at all ?? why is it a desktop ?? On some sites it slows them to unusable - here in OZ the Government sites suffer terribly.
But wait - there's an added bonus. Make sure you take a vallium before you look at your actual data usage now! up to a gig a day of who knows what. I am sentenced to a satellite connection with very limited data and it's slow browsing )due to latency) even on the best days.
It took quite some searching to find the culprit too but a firwall log will show it.
DELETE Google desktop and sadly probably get rid of Chrome too - I used to love it - now I hate it.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 4 Jul 2012 7:06 pm

Thanks for finding this out Jim.

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 4 Jul 2012 7:41 pm

Chrome is running fine for me now. But, I will look into that desktop thing. When it runs good, Chrome is so much better than Firefox, Safari and Opera. I won't even discuss Internet Exploder.

Jim Priebe · Post by **Jim Priebe** » 4 Jul 2012 10:12 pm

Wiz - no problems for that.

Richard - I Agree, Chrome is great as it runs Most Flash and java code etc. within it's self without having to send it to the OS and back. The Chrome operating system is now almost released - another OS ??? better be more productive than Android (the gadget runner).
BUT while it is doing this what else is it capable of. In OZ our major telco (Telstra) has been caught out bleeding client info off to 'whoever they can best sell it to' under the excuse of "research". Now they have had to stop this practice.
Things like Google desktop (you will find it (hopefully not) in the programs list in the Control Panel on PC's) are obviously capable of operating incognito doing whatever they want and getting away with it under the guise of being legitimate so AV's and anti-Malware doesn't look at them.
If your Chrome is still running fine that could also be because your Internet connection has abundant speed to cope, but as I said previously "I used to love it ------" - was that a stones song?
I cannot comment or help on the Apple iOS's as I don't work in that field.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 5 Jul 2012 9:06 am

Hey Wiz,,,yes it seems to be running a bit faster now,,,maybe just a problem with server (Time-Warner),,,I use Firefox browser,,,don't use google , except for gmail. All I use is Malware bytes,,,try to update it and scan every three or four days. At the risk of showing how stupid I am,,,what are the "extensions" ya'll are referring to?,,,and all the other demonic sounding programs you mentioned,,,have NO IDEA what you are talking about,,,,LOL. With all those programs out there,,,it amazes me how people could allow themselves to do online banking, credit card info online etc,,,,,I'm reluctant to even put my name online

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 5 Jul 2012 9:50 am

No Google Desktop listed in the Add/Remove Programs area of Control panel. Only Google Chrome, Google Earth, and Google plug in for Internet Explorer (I think that's what it said). Any other place to check?

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 5 Jul 2012 10:49 am

Sonny Jenkins wrote:Hey Wiz,,,yes it seems to be running a bit faster now,,,maybe just a problem with server (Time-Warner),,,I use Firefox browser,,,don't use google , except for gmail. All I use is Malware bytes,,,try to update it and scan every three or four days. At the risk of showing how stupid I am,,,what are the "extensions" ya'll are referring to?,,,

Extensions are mini=apps that can be added onto some browsers, to extend their functions. For instance, I have an extension installed that shows me the current temperature, plus the forecast for x number of days. It is called ForecastFox. Other extensions show me Google PageRank of a website, create TinyUrls of any page, perform a "Whois" ownership look-up of a website I am on, find downloadable files, block scripts from running until I allow them to run (on previously untested websites), share pages to my Twitter or Facebook accounts, bookmark all open tabs, load previously opened tabs progressively, or only when I click on them. validate HTML, inspect elements of code, measure pixels, identify color codes, etc, etc.

I'm happy to hear that you are back to normal speed. It might have been a cut cable underground, or overloaded distribution box that was causing your slowdowns opening websites.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Slooooow PC

Slooooow PC

Re: Slooooow PC

Sloooow downs