will my installation survive
Published on October 27, 2006 By werewolf In Personal Computing
Hi all,

My computer has been freezing lately, probably some connection on the motherboard. I think I fixed that part of it, but...

During one session, it froze a number of times very quickly. During reboots, during ad-aware and virus checking sessions, etc.

It seems that now anything in the explorer *process* is verrrrrryyyyyy slow. Sys tray refreshes are slow, taskbar refreshes are slow, opening the start panel, opening windows explorer.exe (it loads quickly, but navigation is painful).

All ad-aware, spy-bot, virus scans are negative and I've used CCleaner.

Applications seem to be running well, but if I use an open/save dialog box and try navigating somewhere, it slows down. Very slow. Go make a sandwich and a cup of coffee slow.

I tried to set a restore point to a date prior to this all happening, but it didn't help. Same problems.

I REALLY don't want to have to re-install the OS, but what other options are there? Is there a way to "re-tune" the explorer process?

Is there anything I can check in the registry, are there any proggies which can do this? Does the system recovery option in the disk handle this?

**update** I just updated FastOne viewer and winamp and the installations were flawless. However, when winamp fired up, I can't do anything with it. Clicking the playlist button did nothing, media library same thing. Can't even move it around the desk top. Have no idea if this has anything to do with my problem or if winamps messed up.

Hope this isn't too much information I dl'd something using Firefox and when it was done I clicked "open folder". Explorer came right up (I performed those updates mentioned above) and while I had explorer going, I clicked the 'up' button and explorer moved up one folder level. I did this all the way up that one drive. When I clicked 'up' again it went to 'My Computer' and did it's crawling through molasses thing again.

Also, if I right click on something and my mouse hovers over the 'send to' item, I have to wait a couple of minutes before anything happens.
**end update**

Do any of you gurus have any suggestions? I really need to fix this asap.

I thank you so much in advance

David
Comments (Page 2)
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on Oct 27, 2006
btw.., if you have the system restore in active mode.., i suggest you to stop it!

System restore makes a copy of your system data (i guess), and that copy could have virus or spyware...
on Oct 27, 2006
Since my preference is to defer to 'yraq', I will pretty much watch the thread for the inevitable fix from 'yraq' (or at least, almost always!).

The only suggestion I would make is to record the processes running under safe mode which are listed in the task manager (assuming safe mode is just peachy). I would also say to use the 'View menu\Select Columns' option in task manager to select the 'PID' column. This will allow you to identify the various "svhost" processes which are running successfully under safe mode.

If needed, you can use this record of processes to "Not" turn off in normal mode if you go that route.

No popcorn for now.
on Oct 27, 2006
I'd follow yrag's advice...and NOT add to your woes with any new install, no matter how it's implimented.  The system clearly is choking as is...
on Oct 27, 2006
ok...all I installed was that reg mechanic. it gets to hkcr\ias.timofday.1 and just sits there.

i updated the vid drivers, hyperion 4in1, ran sfc /scannow still mussed.

will start listening to yrag...

TrueVector version:6.5.731.000
on Oct 27, 2006
I'll assume that's '737'.....is it ZASS, PRO or Free?
on Oct 27, 2006
turned off system restore
on Oct 27, 2006
i copied that version straight from the zone alarm free 'about' screen
on Oct 27, 2006
Oh my.........  

OK, one thing at a time. Turn off the ZA firewall (engage Windows). System Normal?
on Oct 27, 2006
ok...i see that there is an update available...but not going there unless you say so
on Oct 27, 2006
za off, no help
on Oct 27, 2006
List your security apps
on Oct 27, 2006
none currently active, but normally
avg free
za free

not sure if you mean these also ?
ccleaner
ad-aware
spybot s&d
hijack this
on Oct 27, 2006
They should be fine as long as you didn't go nuts with CCleaner and S&D Teatimer isn't running. This ZA install version is problematic. Do a clean un-install and then install this: WWW Link

'Clean un-install'

Download and save newest ZA build to disk.

Start/ Zone Labs/ right click Uninstall Zone Labs Security. Change target to: "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zauninst.exe" /c (copy and paste). Apply, exit and then click on Uninstall Zone Labs Security.

On the prompt, click yes to clean uninstall.
On the prompt, reboot into Safe Mode.

Click on saved ZA download and install. Follow prompts.

On Reboot prompt, boot into normal Windows.
on Oct 27, 2006
ok..new version installed...problem remains.

I don't know if this helps or not but the first sign of trouble is the windows boot screen, the one with the animated little progress bar, it takes way to long to get past that.

Once that screen does go away, the screen stays blank for too long before it gets to the user sign in screen and again too long after I type in my password and hit enter
on Oct 27, 2006
Windows is trying to find something...

Couple of things:
Is the time and date correct?
Look in Taskmanager and see if imapi is running (make sure there's no disk in)
Look in Administrative Tools/ Events.....any errors?

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