slow system- no virus or spyware

[dicklaw18]

hello everyone im having a problem on a friends computer. its running very slow and takes 5 to 10 mins to open any programs or anything. the cpu is never more than 5% and there is plenty of memory availible. anyone have any sugestions? I was thinking it would possible be faulty hardware but I wasn't sure. any helo is greatly appreciated.

[vr6rafal]

I had a client with the similar problem and it ended up being a failing hard drive.

[gunslinger]

What are the computers specs? RAM, CPU, ect. How many things are running in the background? How much hard drive space is free? All of these things can effect the speed. The first thing I would do is scan for junk files clogging up the works, Ccleaner seems to work well for this. Next I would check for spyware/malware/adware/viruses. Mcafee stinger, spybot S&D , and ad-aware work well for this. Have you tried doing a defrag? After all this I might think the hard drive is failing.

[ataylor]

I've had that problem many times before. Generally, if files/programs are taking that long to load then the hard drive is having problems. Listening to the hard drive is usually advisable; if its just going "click...click...click" instead of the usual rapid succession of noises then its a hardware issue.

[nonchalant]

How can you be sure you dont have a virus or spyware problem seeing as no AV has a 100% detection rate?

[mityay]

I would check the cpu temperature. You can use program called CoreTemp advertised here on Techniblle. Here's a link: www Technibble.com/repair-tool-of-the-week-coretemp/
If temperature is too high then failed cpu fan is probably to blame.

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by nonchalant

How can you be sure you dont have a virus or spyware problem seeing as no AV has a 100% detection rate?

Run two AV scanners. Usually I would use NOD32 and then ClamWin. In the case of Spyware, Ad-Aware and Spybot.

[gunslinger]

You can run two antivirus programs but never install more than one, if you do it can cause a conflict not to mention slowing your system even more. I agree with running the Ad-Aware and Spybot. But, do this from your flash drive, don't install them if you don't have to. I run AVG and once a week do a Ad-Aware and Spybot scan, and I almost never get infected. If AVG does pick up something even if it says it deleted it, I'll also run Mcafee stinger and the Ad-Aware and Spybot just to be sure its gone.

[nonchalant]

Originally Posted by ataylor

Run two AV scanners. Usually I would use NOD32 and then ClamWin. In the case of Spyware, Ad-Aware and Spybot.

You didnt happen to install the latest version of Adaware did you? Only, I installed that on a PC the other day and Im still not sure if that was the problem but I had to format afterwards the PC was that slow (even after uninstalling Adaware).

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by gunslinger

You can run two antivirus programs but never install more than one, if you do it can cause a conflict not to mention slowing your system even more. I agree with running the Ad-Aware and Spybot. But, do this from your flash drive, don't install them if you don't have to. I run AVG and once a week do a Ad-Aware and Spybot scan, and I almost never get infected. If AVG does pick up something even if it says it deleted it, I'll also run Mcafee stinger and the Ad-Aware and Spybot just to be sure its gone.

You can install more than one, as long as one of them isn't running an on-access scanner. ClamWin does not have an on-access scanner built in, so its safe to install alongside other programs.