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NKR
21-02-2010, 08:37 AM
Hi guys

Need some help from someone with good computer knowledge.

My laptop is having some issues.

It fires up okay and runs fine for a short while, however after ten to fifteen minutes of use it slows to a snails pace to the extent jthat just highlighting the shutdown icon can take a good few minutes.

The HD light is constantly churning away so I assume something is busy doing something which eventually uses all the system resource and slows the machine to a stop.

I have run Norton 360's full scan and the machine is clean as far as I can see.

How do I ask the laptop what it is doing and stop whatever bonkers program is using all the resource from doing so. It could well be a redundant application looking for updates, but I have no idea how to find out.

Any ideas? The usual suspects, plenty of hd space left (nearly 50gig). It only has half a gig of RAM, but never been an issue for the thre years I have had it.

Thanks in advance

Edit - by the way it has the god awful Vista as its operating system.

discomobiledj
21-02-2010, 08:48 AM
Norton is NOT your friend!

It uses up so many resources on your system, and what with Vista running as well it no wonder your laptop is slow!

Get rid of Norton, I use Avast on my system which has been fantastic. It's not resource heavy so will not slow you down.

I would actually stick some more memory in it, Vista recommends at least a gig, or update to Windows 7.

NKR
21-02-2010, 08:53 AM
Though so.

I still have nearly three quarters of a year left of my Norton subscription so don't want to dump it.

I will get our IT monkey at work to upgrade the RAM. I would have thought someone selling a machine with Vista would have stuck a gig in it, but that is just me.

It is actually behaving at the moment, so maybe it was Norton messing about.

discomobiledj
21-02-2010, 08:59 AM
You'll be amazed how much quicker it is without Norton and with tge extra memory.

Daryll
21-02-2010, 09:02 AM
Norton is NOT your friend!

It uses up so many resources on your system, and what with Vista running as well it no wonder your laptop is slow!

Get rid of Norton, I use Avast on my system which has been fantastic. It's not resource heavy so will not slow you down.

I would actually stick some more memory in it, Vista recommends at least a gig, or update to Windows 7.


+1 Norton hogs system resources even more than windoze:D
Avast is awesome , I have Been using it for years with no problems.
There is a tool for removing norton .

http://service1.symantec.com/Support/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

This is the Only safe way , as Norton has files all over your HD.

Daryll

NKR
21-02-2010, 09:29 AM
Thanks chaps. I will look at switching to Avast once my Norton subscription runs out.

In the mean time some extra RAM required.

It is actually behaving very well now. I have switched Nortons auto backup off, which it appears to have turned on itself and that has really helped.

I need a new machine in the coming months anyway. This one will be stripped of everything and used for lighting control at some point in the future.

CRAZY K
21-02-2010, 10:25 AM
Thanks chaps. I will look at switching to Avast once my Norton subscription runs out.

In the mean time some extra RAM required.

It is actually behaving very well now. I have switched Nortons auto backup off, which it appears to have turned on itself and that has really helped.

I need a new machine in the coming months anyway. This one will be stripped of everything and used for lighting control at some point in the future.

Its surprising how anti virus can affect performance---SOMETIMES.

My old PC was great running with free anti virus AVG until I upgraded it and it basically :Censored: the PC.

This must have been a fluke as many people on here say its fine.

I then removed AVG and everything went back to normal:confused:

My Computer man then put Norton on and it was fine.:)

More recently I got my Computer man to put a replacement Norton Anti-V on the PC and deja vu--:eek: PC :Censored: again :bang:

No problems prior to the Anti-V being installed:confused:

In the end I was so unhappy he swapped my old PC for another one with Norton on it and its just about ok --considering its an old machine.

I have Vista on my new laptop ( Toshiba) and it takes a large amount of HD space.:(

However generally it all works fine with Norton Anti-V although I find Vista is too much of an interfering Nanny for me.:bang:

How about a wipe clean and start again, that may solve the problem.

I had this with a Laptop that would not play Cds or DVDs without jumping--had it wiped clean and it was fine after that--I never could work that one out--maybe what you have--some conflicting program somewhere that will take for ever to find ???

HTH

CRAZY K

DeckstarDeluxe
21-02-2010, 10:38 AM
cntrl + alt+del then I think you click on task manager which gives you a list of all the programs running and how much memory they are using.

deltic
21-02-2010, 10:43 AM
buy a mac !!!

Corabar Steve
21-02-2010, 10:47 AM
That was nice & helpful :sarc:

NKR
21-02-2010, 10:56 AM
cntrl + alt+del then I think you click on task manager which gives you a list of all the programs running and how much memory they are using.

Thanks Neil will try that.

I have been running Norton for three years and it has been okay, so although it is resource heavy it has never just killed it before.

It had been great this morning then went upstairs and came back down and it was buggered again. Had to just turn it off.

Will see if I can find the culprit.

Cheers

NKR
21-02-2010, 01:32 PM
Problem Identified.

Does anyone know what a Windows Host Prog is - I have one called Run DLL32.exe that is using the whole machines resource. It starts small then just keeps eating whatever free resource comes available.

Any ideas.

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 01:44 PM
Problem Identified.

Does anyone know what a Windows Host Prog is - I have one called Run DLL32.exe that is using the whole machines resource. It starts small then just keeps eating whatever free resource comes available.

Any ideas.

A quick Google search brings up results such as:

http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/rundll32.exe.html

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/rundll32.htm

NKR
21-02-2010, 02:05 PM
So much for Norton then - It hasn't found it.

I need to clean this thing up anyway there are 65 processes going on using 82% of the memory. Surely I don't need all these.

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 02:09 PM
So much for Norton then - It hasn't found it.

I need to clean this thing up anyway there are 65 processes going on using 82% of the memory. Surely I don't need all these.

Be really careful what you delete. I found a process I was unsure about, and googled it, of which some sites said it could be a virus. Before I deleted it I rang a mates Dad who's an IT technician who said it's not actually a virus, but viruses often 'link' to it, so if I had deleted it - I probably would have killed my computer! :eek:

NKR
21-02-2010, 02:18 PM
Be really careful what you delete. I found a process I was unsure about, and googled it, of which some sites said it could be a virus. Before I deleted it I rang a mates Dad who's an IT technician who said it's not actually a virus, but viruses often 'link' to it, so if I had deleted it - I probably would have killed my computer! :eek:

I don't intend doing random deletions, but I need to sort out what is causing the issue. I had another process kick in and start eating memory. I stopped it in task manager, but it wasn't the same as before. I am still going strong on internet for now, but something is in their and the problem is my virus software can't see it, so what now?

sleah
21-02-2010, 02:31 PM
I will get our IT monkey at work to upgrade the RAM.

Being an IT technician by trade, it's nice to know how people regard us. So :Censored: off no advice from me :p:D

I've never really heard anything good about Norton 360. I use Norton Internet Security 2009 and it seems to have very little impact:)
I rekon that 360 is propably rather invasive, I remember some older Norton software that had little meters, dials and icons all over the shop that used more resources than they were supposed to help free up:confused:


buy a mac !!!
Typical Mac Fanboi reply :rofl:

A badly configured, over loaded, under resourced Mac is just as big a pile of kak as the equivalent PC! So there:p:p:p

NKR
21-02-2010, 03:36 PM
Being an IT technician by trade, it's nice to know how people regard us. So :Censored: off no advice from me :p:D


My IT man at work knows I have a lot of respect for him, its just an affectionate name.

I appear to have a runDLL32.exe virus and no idea how to shift it. Norton just offered to do it for £115.

Has anyone ever had one of these?

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 03:46 PM
My IT man at work knows I have a lot of respect for him, its just an affectionate name.

I appear to have a runDLL32.exe virus and no idea how to shift it. Norton just offered to do it for £115.

Has anyone ever had one of these?

Norton just offered to do it for £115? - Are you being sarcastic or serious?

If the later, I'd of thought it's the virus creating fake notices, I had a 'blue screen of death' virus thing that was creating fake pop-ups telling me to install winxp virus 2009, which was obviously :BS:.

NKR
21-02-2010, 03:51 PM
No serious called the support help line and they want £115 to look at sorting it out.

I asked what I paid my Norton annual charge for if stuff got in. They said it wasn't 100% and I would need to pay for removal of viruses. Told them I would call them back, which I won't.

discomobiledj
21-02-2010, 04:00 PM
Reinstall the operating system. You'll be able to clear all the nasty little bugs on your pc then.

NKR
21-02-2010, 04:03 PM
Would love to but it all came preinstalled with no discs. Thanks PC world.

Shaun
21-02-2010, 04:36 PM
Hi guys

Need some help from someone with good computer knowledge.

My laptop is having some issues.




Please post new threads in the most relevent forum section.


[thread moved]

discomobiledj
21-02-2010, 04:43 PM
Is your hard drive split into two? If you didn't get any discs then it should be.

Solitaire Events Ltd
21-02-2010, 04:48 PM
This might help. http://www.speedupmypc.info/

NKR
21-02-2010, 05:44 PM
Hi chaps

Just spoken to my works IT man (on a Sunday having texted him first to check it was okay) and its going to be sat on his desk being de-malwared tomorrow and then getting some new RAM which he has lying around.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I have had a lesson thought. Norton is pants and stops nothing getting in and when it does they want to charge you twice the cost of their virus protection to remove it. Well they can stick Norton right up their Symantics.

sleah
21-02-2010, 08:16 PM
Hi chaps

Just spoken to my works IT man (on a Sunday having texted him first to check it was okay) and its going to be sat on his desk being de-malwared tomorrow and then getting some new RAM which he has lying around.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I have had a lesson thought. Norton is pants and stops nothing getting in and when it does they want to charge you twice the cost of their virus protection to remove it. Well they can stick Norton right up their Symantics.

It doesn't matter how careful you are, short of never connecting to the net or using anykind of external storage, then there is a chance *something* will get in.
Vista is a prime example of over security. You get so used to constantly clicking 'Allow' every bloomin time you do something, it's just a matter of time before something sneaks through or you just give up and disable the constant nagging for the sake of a quiet life:(

Glad you're getting sorted by your tame 'Monkey';) :richie::Laugh:

NKR
21-02-2010, 08:31 PM
It doesn't matter how careful you are, short of never connecting to the net or using anykind of external storage, then there is a chance *something* will get in.
Vista is a prime example of over security. You get so used to constantly clicking 'Allow' every bloomin time you do something, it's just a matter of time before something sneaks through or you just give up and disable the constant nagging for the sake of a quiet life:(

Glad you're getting sorted by your tame 'Monkey';) :richie::Laugh:

He's a great lad Pete our IT man and I will furnish him with cases (more than one) of beer for his endeavours unlike many people who just think he is an in house service for home PC rectification with no reward.

What annoyed me was Norton's attitude. It didn't get past our system you let it in now cross our palms with twice as much silver and we will find it for you. Okay so I let it in, but your stupid system can't find it, can it!!!

P.S. Its been fine for a good few hours now. I think it knows I rang Pete and is looking for a hiding place. We are coming for you Trojan Worm Pig Dog. I know you can hear me, or at least see my keystrokes.

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 08:34 PM
I've always had bad experiences with Norton letting viruses is/not finding them. McAfee has been fantastic - only one incident where my computer got 'mauled' by a virus, but that's slightly more forgivable.

Solitaire Events Ltd
21-02-2010, 08:37 PM
I've always had bad experiences with Norton letting viruses is/not finding them. McAfee has been fantastic - only one incident where my computer got 'mauled' by a virus, but that's slightly more forgivable.

I wouldn't use either. System hogs, both of them.

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 08:57 PM
I wouldn't use either. System hogs, both of them.

What do you use? Because if it doesn't take as much power and does as good as job as McAfee, or better - I'd consider changing.

NKR
21-02-2010, 08:59 PM
What do you use? Because if it doesn't take as much power and does as good as job as McAfee, or better - I'd consider changing.

I'm just glad Norton don't make contraceptives.

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 09:01 PM
I'm just glad Norton don't make contraceptives.

:lol:

Vectis
21-02-2010, 09:05 PM
What do you use?

A combination of

a) a Mac

and

b) good husbandry

:beer1:

Solitaire Events Ltd
21-02-2010, 09:06 PM
What do you use? Because if it doesn't take as much power and does as good as job as McAfee, or better - I'd consider changing.

AVG. I haven't had any problems for years.

When I had problems, I used Norton and McAfee. ;)

OllieJames
21-02-2010, 09:07 PM
AVG. I haven't had any problems for years.

When I had problems, I used Norton and McAfee. ;)

Cheers Daz, will look in to it!

Excalibur
21-02-2010, 09:20 PM
Happy AVG user here also. The free version is more than adequate, but for profligate types, there is a deluxe paid for version.

Dynamic Entertainment
22-02-2010, 12:16 AM
AVG free for me too.

Marc J
22-02-2010, 08:50 AM
ESET NOD32 AntiVirus (around £30 per year), Spybot S&D, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, SpywareBlaster, Windows Updates.

Never had a problem. AVG let a few through last year, then an update slowed my machine to a crawl and I had to remove it anyway. So far ESET has been great.

DazzyD
22-02-2010, 01:55 PM
AVG for me also!

NKR
22-02-2010, 04:06 PM
My IT man has just told me to use AVG plus some other spyware filters he has just kindly added.

Machine has been scanned to within an inch of its life. Some steward of bars had infiltrated my internet explorer.

Anyway it is feeling much better now and is having some extra RAM bobbed in for good measure.

Thanks for all your help.

Norton to be dumped on expiry of my current license and AVG added.

Excalibur
22-02-2010, 04:12 PM
My IT man has just told me to use AVG plus some other spyware filters he has just kindly added.

Machine has been scanned to within an inch of its life. Some steward of bars had infiltrated my internet explorer.

Anyway it is feeling much better now and is having some extra RAM bobbed in for good measure.

Thanks for all your help.

Norton to be dumped on expiry of my current license and AVG added.

That's what I've done with all my last machines. Since I tend to acquire them from a well known supplier, they come with Norton installed on a trial. When it runs out, I install AVG. Must try that Norton removal tool suggested previously.