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04 Mar 07 - 01:05 PM (#1985966) Subject: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Uncle_DaveO Part of a continuing saga: I run XP Pro on my Compaq EVO W4000, which is about four years old. I have recurrent problems which show up in the running of various programs. 1. A great deal of the time the computer operates VERY slowly compared to what I've been used to. This shows up in Quicken, in Quattro-Pro, and on the web (accessed with either Netscape 7.2 or Mozilla Firefox). 2. Sporadically, the operating window will jump to the previous state, as if I had clicked the left arrow. This will often happen when I first try to input into the current window--perhaps only by clicking on an input box--or sometimes later (see Mudcat behavior, below). I can then return to the window where the problem occurred by clicking the right arrow. I may be all right then in the "problem" window, but then again it's not uncommon for this to happen four and five times in a row before I'm able to do anything that sticks in that window. Then I might go a week before it happens again. In Mudcat, if it happens when I'm preparing a post, the part of the post already typed in may be there upon my return, or it may have disappeared. This may happen in Mudcat in the middle of preparing a post, or on trying to submit. This happens online, in Mudcat and at other sites too. Doesn't seem to happen to me in Quicken, but it does in Quattro-Pro, as well as online with Netscape or Firefox. I've mentioned this one here previously. Seems to me there was another problem too, but my biological memory fails me. I don't expect anyone here to diagnose and cure THAT for me. All of this (computer stuff) happens despite my having cleared the computer with Ad-Aware, Registry Mechanic, Easy Spy Remover, and Norton Antivirus. LOTS of free HD space, and HD kept fairly well defragged. Any ideas? Dave Oesterreich |
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04 Mar 07 - 01:08 PM (#1985971) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Uncle_DaveO I should add that these things happen apparently independently of what other programs may be running. Dave Oesterreich |
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04 Mar 07 - 02:07 PM (#1986015) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: JohnInKansas The first possibility I can think of for the extra jumps would be that either your mouse or your keyboard might be tossing some extra bits due to a sticky switch or worn out cable or other connection. If either of those is a "wireless" there may be a low battery somewhere. If they're on wire leads, the cable and/or connector(s) would be the logical suspects. A corrupted driver could also be involved, and the usual first action there is to go to Device Manager, delete the driver, reboot and let PnP reinstall the device. A sticky key on your keyboard that tosses the Alt "bucky-bit" could cause you to jump back to the previous page when you hit either a backspace or left arrow key in IE. There likely are other "stuck bit" combinations. Your other browsers probably have the same or similar quick-keys as defaults. Cleaning (vacuum?) the keyboard might help, but trying a different keyboard, if you have one, is a slightly more reliable test. Assuming that all of your "Antis" are thoroughly modern (current versions and signatures etc), common kinds of malware can be discounted; but there are forms (mostly root kit kinds) that aren't usually detected by any of those you're using. I don't have much on the few "special purpose" scanners that are sometimes suggested when there's good reason to suspect malware of this kind, although a couple of places specialize in the particular art form. Chasing this possibility can be really tedious, so it's common practice to eliminate all else first. Erratic web behaviour can come from having you're clock set wrong. It needs to be within a reasonable agreement with the web clock that sites are using. With WinXP you should be able to double click the time at far right of the Start bar and find a "synchronize" button. It shouldn't make much difference which site you synch to. With recent futzes with daylight saving time this could be a common problem for a lot of people, but I don't think any of the deviant time-switches have hit yet. You've probably already thought of all of the above; but I can't resist puzzling out loud. John |
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04 Mar 07 - 02:23 PM (#1986028) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: JohnInKansas If you eliminate everything else and want to probe the rootkit thing, one place to start could be Microsoft RootkitRevealer. It's a "TechNet" article so it doesn't have a doc number for easy reference, and it probably assumes a skill level that you have; but some others (more likely to need it?) may not be able to get much from trying to use it. Disk cleanup and Disk "Check for Errors"1 could show something simple, so I'd do all the normal stuff before worrying about exotic infections (Right click your drive in Windows Explorer, Properties, Tools). 1 Check for errors can take a long time, and if you check the "try to recover sectors" box can take a very long time, so plan accordingly. John |
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04 Mar 07 - 02:52 PM (#1986056) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Bill D I agree with John...it 'sounds' like a hardware problem...like a short or something....even one key sticking or getting 'loose' might trigger funny jumps. A malicious program would likely do more serious stuff. There are issues about memory..(how much cache is being used..etc.)...or how much of the CPU is being used at the moment that might play a part. I'd do tests with all non-essential programs closed, then try something like Mudcat for awhile and see if it still happens. (It's ALWAYS hard to trap an intermittent problem!) |
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04 Mar 07 - 04:58 PM (#1986173) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Uncle_DaveO For what it's worth, I almost NEVER use IE. I ran Compaq diagnostics, and USB controller passed, as did Refresh Timer. My hard drive has 33.91 GB total, 5.73 GB or 16% free. I defragged, and have 19% fragmented after defragging. The keyboard and trackball plugs seem solidly in their jacks. I think I have a spare trackball which I can substitute. I'll vacuum the keyboard,and see what happens. Any idea on execution speed? It is frequently S-L-O-W-W-W! Dave Oesterreich |
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04 Mar 07 - 06:11 PM (#1986244) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Bill D when execution speed is slow, do alt-ctrl-del and look at the usage by various processes.....just today I had a slowdown and found that somehow "Quickview Plus", a program for viewing lots of formats, had somehow been activated and was using 83% of the CPU....closed it and it improved a LOT! |
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04 Mar 07 - 06:28 PM (#1986259) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: JohnInKansas DaveO - Even if you don't use IE, it's part of Windows. It has to be on your machine and can't be removed without disabling a bunch of things. Since it's on your machine, malware can use it, even if you don't, so you MUST KEEP IT UP TO DATE, whether you use another browser or use it. Most of the critical updates for IE will be part of the WinXP Critical Updates, so you don't have to do separate IE updates. |
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04 Mar 07 - 07:50 PM (#1986318) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Artful Codger As far as I can tell, these are XP "features". I've seen this kind of wonky behavior on every computer XP computer I've worked on for any time, regardless of manufacturer or XP flavor (Home, Pro or Server.) After a recent update, my computer began to freeze, though this has now subsided somewhat. Good luck, though, getting Microsoft to admit the problems are theirs--or getting a resolution. They'll tell you to update to Vista, though that opens a whole nother set of problems (on top of the ones they've failed to fix in XP, or 2000, or 98...) |
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05 Mar 07 - 12:48 PM (#1987139) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Uncle_DaveO Well, I have part of my answer(s). I got hold of "my" computer tech (who is hard to reach), and he told me two things: 1. As mentioned by several of the above posters, the jump-back problem is likely due to keyboard sticking problems. I have another computer, whose keyboard may fit. I'll try switching keyboards, and find out whether it makes a difference. 2. "The slows" is probably due to leftover junk on the disk, with associated problems in the registry. He told me to get the FREE! program CCleaner ("Crap Cleaner") exe and run it to identify what would probably be a huge number of items clogging things up. I did that, and lo and behold! there were hundreds of items identified. I had CCleaner remove them, and I was told it removed 3440.9MB of "stuff" from the computer! On my own, I decided that that removal would have left a lot of "orphans" in the registry. As I mentioned in a post above, I had just run Registry Mechanic yesterday, but I ran it again after CCleaner. It identified and fixed 149 registry problems. I rebooted, and rebooting was much faster than it had been. After I trade keyboards and run for a while I'll give another report. In the meantime, thanx to all and sundry for your thoughts and help. Dave Oesterreich |
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05 Mar 07 - 01:05 PM (#1987160) Subject: RE: Tech: Mystery computer problems From: Bill D Yep...CCleaner is a great help! Glad you got most of that working. |