Windows 7 desktop computer extremely slow

Anonymous
2011-12-22T20:30:58+00:00

I have a problem with my Gateway DX4831-01e desktop computer (1 1/2 years old) which is running Windows 7. 

Last week, something happened (I don't know if it was an upgrade or a virus) but Windows 7 (64) started running extremely sluggish.  I restarted and it was extremely slow on start up.  I can get into Safe mode but it takes a couple of hours to load all.  I can still access my hard drive and files there and I can plug devices into my USB ports (to allow backups and to load files for running)

On start up it goes from the Gateway screen to the Bios screen and then starts acting slow.  Pressing F8 over and over gets me into Safe mode but it is very slow and during driver loading, it seems to hang up on the ClassPNP.sys file, but it eventually loads all(after an hour or so). 

 I have tried many things including running System restore and repair and running sfc /scannow (took overnight), removing AVG 2011 free (my virus scanner) and all of the folders that the AVG removal tool didn't remove, and deleting Temp files. 

One other strange thing I noticed is that in my Start up programs (I use selective start up) there were three checkboxes for starting up a Java update, and Adobe reader and Adobe acrobat.)  I removed all checkboxes but the system gets slow before I even get to the start up files, but it was strange and might point to the cause of the big problem.

 My questions are, what is happening between the Bios screen and the driver loading screen that would slow it down?  Could it be prefetch or start up file loading?  I don't think so because I haven't even gotten to the Safe mode choice screen before the slow down happens.   

Should I erase Prefetch or remove and reinstall the button cell battery to reset Bios?  Will it ask me for a password on restart that I know I don't have? 

Thanks in advance!

Gwen

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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Anonymous
2012-01-06T07:22:19+00:00

HI,

Gateway should have documentation on installing Windows on a new drive. And

they will sell the installation media cheap, if you need it, since you already own

Windows. Once you have the correct disk the installation is very straight forward.

The Repair Disk you made is not an installation disk.

Hope this helps.

Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle <- Mark Twain said it right.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-12-28T17:18:52+00:00

    Malwarebytes is still running in Safe mode but after doing checks in task manager to see what else was running, I now can't click back onto it and I see from Task manager that it is Running for a few seconds and then Not Responding for a few seconds.  Should I just cancel it and run the TDSSKiller program?  I suspect it will also run long.

    Thanks

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-12-28T01:14:05+00:00

    Hi,

    When you used the Clean Boot you should have stopped all non-essential programs,

    drivers, and services and since that did not help is it unlikely that Process Explorer

    will show anything - it might - just very doubtful. A quick method to check anything

    running is using TaskManager - Right Click TaskBar - TaskManager - Processes,

    Services, and Applications tabs - Process Explorer expands the information available

    from there.

    Did you run TDSSKiller.exe and the other malware checks to see if something was

    found there? And you can run them in Safe Mode. After checking for malware rerun

    the clean up and if needed use a Repair Install.

    SysInternals - Process Explorer.

    http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653

    Hope this helps.

    Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-12-28T01:01:24+00:00

    Your link on Process Explorer doesn't work.  Can you please send another one?

    Thanks!

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-12-28T00:59:55+00:00

    So do I download the Process Explorer to my good computer, and then use a flashdrive to copy it to the bad computer and run install from Safe mode?  And then do I restart into Safe mode again to run it?

    Should I remove the AVG ghost devices?

    Thanks

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