I use Windows XP and am trying to help my neighbor who is using Vista.

He system has "suddenly" (don't you hate that??) started running so slowly
that it is even difficult for me to try to analyze what's going on. I was
able to check her startup folder and verify that there isn't anything
unusual in there trying to open.

Tried to bring up task manager but after 8 minutes of watching the little
circle spinning, we tried to move onto something else. The "processing"
light on her CPU continues to flash as though it's doing something, but it
literally takes 7 or 8 minutes for anything to open.

Obviously, something is running in the background, but I don't know how to
detect it and turn it off.

Any suggestions??

BK wrote:

I use Windows XP and am trying to help my neighbor who is using Vista.

He system has "suddenly" (don't you hate that??) started running so slowly
that it is even difficult for me to try to analyze what's going on. I was
able to check her startup folder and verify that there isn't anything
unusual in there trying to open.

Tried to bring up task manager but after 8 minutes of watching the little
circle spinning, we tried to move onto something else. The "processing"
light on her CPU continues to flash as though it's doing something, but it
literally takes 7 or 8 minutes for anything to open.

Obviously, something is running in the background, but I don't know how to
detect it and turn it off.

What happens in Safe Mode?

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

I started up in safe mode and was able to move around among programs much
better. In safe mode is where I was able to check her start up folder and
verify there wasn't anything unusual in there. But I didn't seem to be able
to run any diagnostics in safe mode, and I don't know what else to do in
safe mode to fix it for when we open it normally.

Can you help me out?


"Malke" wrote in message
...
BK wrote:

I use Windows XP and am trying to help my neighbor who is using Vista.

He system has "suddenly" (don't you hate that??) started running so
slowly
that it is even difficult for me to try to analyze what's going on. I
was
able to check her startup folder and verify that there isn't anything
unusual in there trying to open.

Tried to bring up task manager but after 8 minutes of watching the little
circle spinning, we tried to move onto something else. The "processing"
light on her CPU continues to flash as though it's doing something, but
it
literally takes 7 or 8 minutes for anything to open.

Obviously, something is running in the background, but I don't know how
to
detect it and turn it off.

What happens in Safe Mode?

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

BK wrote:

I started up in safe mode and was able to move around among programs much
better. In safe mode is where I was able to check her start up folder and
verify there wasn't anything unusual in there. But I didn't seem to be
able to run any diagnostics in safe mode, and I don't know what else to do
in safe mode to fix it for when we open it normally.

Obviously something is running in Regular Mode that isn't running in Safe
Mode. Do clean-boot troubleshooting to determine what this is.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;929135

At the risk of offending you - and I really, really don't want to offend you
- possibly it would be a better solution for your neighbor to take her
computer to a computer professional (not your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). You know your own skill level best, of course.
Again, I'm not making this suggestion to offend you; I'm just being
practical if your computer skills aren't that high.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

Absolutely no offense taken at all. I definitely do know my own
limitations, and I just thought I might give it my best shot if there was
something easy to try. I just don't know much about Vista at all since we
are using XP. I think she may well be on her way to a computer
professional.


"Malke" wrote in message
...
BK wrote:

I started up in safe mode and was able to move around among programs much
better. In safe mode is where I was able to check her start up folder
and
verify there wasn't anything unusual in there. But I didn't seem to be
able to run any diagnostics in safe mode, and I don't know what else to
do
in safe mode to fix it for when we open it normally.

Obviously something is running in Regular Mode that isn't running in Safe
Mode. Do clean-boot troubleshooting to determine what this is.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows
Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;929135

At the risk of offending you - and I really, really don't want to offend
you
- possibly it would be a better solution for your neighbor to take her
computer to a computer professional (not your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). You know your own skill level best, of
course.
Again, I'm not making this suggestion to offend you; I'm just being
practical if your computer skills aren't that high.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

I'd suggest trying to locate a computer club in your/her area and see if someone there might be able to help.

the big name stores services are not known to be the best source for tech help.
and additionally they have been known to STEAL personal data from computers in for repair/








"BK" wrote in message ...
Absolutely no offense taken at all. I definitely do know my own
limitations, and I just thought I might give it my best shot if there was
something easy to try. I just don't know much about Vista at all since we
are using XP. I think she may well be on her way to a computer
professional.


"Malke" wrote in message
...
BK wrote:

I started up in safe mode and was able to move around among programs much
better. In safe mode is where I was able to check her start up folder
and
verify there wasn't anything unusual in there. But I didn't seem to be
able to run any diagnostics in safe mode, and I don't know what else to
do
in safe mode to fix it for when we open it normally.

Obviously something is running in Regular Mode that isn't running in Safe
Mode. Do clean-boot troubleshooting to determine what this is.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows
Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;929135

At the risk of offending you - and I really, really don't want to offend
you
- possibly it would be a better solution for your neighbor to take her
computer to a computer professional (not your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). You know your own skill level best, of
course.
Again, I'm not making this suggestion to offend you; I'm just being
practical if your computer skills aren't that high.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

What you can do to help is ask if she recalls anything at all that
happened "Just Before", for example thunderstorm, power outage etc. Did
she try to install or do anything unusual.

Also, see if she can dig out the original driver CDs and things to take
to the store, the technician may get some clues from those.

Personally I would stand losing stuff and just reinstall - and then buy
Acronis True Image for next time. This is quite possibly a corrupted
driver, maybe motherboard driver or some chipset driver, or it could
even be that the filesystem has been damaged, it could also be a
hardware fault. Usually these things occur when power outages take
place. Anyone who has valuable data is wise to invest in a cheap UPS,
they help a lot. Vista, XP, Linux you name it will all suffer the same
trouble from power outages.



BK wrote:
Absolutely no offense taken at all. I definitely do know my own
limitations, and I just thought I might give it my best shot if there was
something easy to try. I just don't know much about Vista at all since we
are using XP. I think she may well be on her way to a computer
professional.


"Malke" wrote in message
...
BK wrote:

I started up in safe mode and was able to move around among programs much
better. In safe mode is where I was able to check her start up folder
and
verify there wasn't anything unusual in there. But I didn't seem to be
able to run any diagnostics in safe mode, and I don't know what else to
do
in safe mode to fix it for when we open it normally.
Obviously something is running in Regular Mode that isn't running in Safe
Mode. Do clean-boot troubleshooting to determine what this is.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows
Vista -
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;929135

At the risk of offending you - and I really, really don't want to offend
you
- possibly it would be a better solution for your neighbor to take her
computer to a computer professional (not your local version of
BigComputerStore/GeekSquad). You know your own skill level best, of
course.
Again, I'm not making this suggestion to offend you; I'm just being
practical if your computer skills aren't that high.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
Don't Panic!

did you install anti-virus lately? or have antivirus pre-installed in your PC?
if yes then that could be one that is causing the problem.

"BK" wrote:

I use Windows XP and am trying to help my neighbor who is using Vista.

He system has "suddenly" (don't you hate that??) started running so slowly
that it is even difficult for me to try to analyze what's going on. I was
able to check her startup folder and verify that there isn't anything
unusual in there trying to open.

Tried to bring up task manager but after 8 minutes of watching the little
circle spinning, we tried to move onto something else. The "processing"
light on her CPU continues to flash as though it's doing something, but it
literally takes 7 or 8 minutes for anything to open.

Obviously, something is running in the background, but I don't know how to
detect it and turn it off.

Any suggestions??

She has not installed anything new on her system. She is using the same
antivirus that has been operational on the machine since she purchased it.


"ICQM Houston" wrote in message
...
did you install anti-virus lately? or have antivirus pre-installed in your
PC?
if yes then that could be one that is causing the problem.

"BK" wrote:

I use Windows XP and am trying to help my neighbor who is using Vista.

He system has "suddenly" (don't you hate that??) started running so
slowly
that it is even difficult for me to try to analyze what's going on. I
was
able to check her startup folder and verify that there isn't anything
unusual in there trying to open.

Tried to bring up task manager but after 8 minutes of watching the little
circle spinning, we tried to move onto something else. The "processing"
light on her CPU continues to flash as though it's doing something, but
it
literally takes 7 or 8 minutes for anything to open.

Obviously, something is running in the background, but I don't know how
to
detect it and turn it off.

Any suggestions??

I simpathise with you. I have a similar problem. I have not loaded any new
software recently but a few days ago, my laptop just started running slow.
Right when I needed it most. I have followed the thread below and tried the
clean boot process but even in the first stage with minimal services and no
startup Items the problem still occurs. Seems, as you say, the light
indicating disk activities just keeps on flashing. I have run task manager
and watched the cpu activity light and it remains constant at around 46 -
60%. Then, after a while, all the "ghost" activitie ceases and the computer
returns to normal operation.

I have disabled defender, anti virus etc.. and still cannot find the problem
software.

Where do we go from here?

RF

"BK" wrote:

I use Windows XP and am trying to help my neighbor who is using Vista.

He system has "suddenly" (don't you hate that??) started running so slowly
that it is even difficult for me to try to analyze what's going on. I was
able to check her startup folder and verify that there isn't anything
unusual in there trying to open.

Tried to bring up task manager but after 8 minutes of watching the little
circle spinning, we tried to move onto something else. The "processing"
light on her CPU continues to flash as though it's doing something, but it
literally takes 7 or 8 minutes for anything to open.

Obviously, something is running in the background, but I don't know how to
detect it and turn it off.

Any suggestions??