This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(128, 8%, 22%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EA%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
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
Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.
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.
Hi,
No, leave the Windows Firewall running.
Those services are required so you are not offered a chance to stop them from loading.
Hope this helps.
Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.
Gwen
RpcSs Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
ProfSvc (group netsvcs) User Profile Service
PlugPlay (group AcomLaunch) Plug and Play
FWIW all three are running here.
I would concentrate on making certain that there is no malware.
O.k. Just wondered if Firewall could be causing the slowness. I will run ccleaner. Should I run the registry cleaner that comes with ccleaner or just do the run cleaner?
After I run it, I will reboot into safe mode and try running the TK killer program as administrator or by the desktop icon.
Is there something to the fact that I normally don't have to click on a user icon to get the computer to boot and now I do? Something that changed that?
HI,
No do not run the registry cleaner section.
And you want to run TDSSKiller.exe and the others as no one program detects all malware.
Be sure you have removed an external devices that you can.
You should also check with AVG support and their forums about those problematic ghost
devices which should have been uninstalled when you removed AVG.
It is possible that if you have malware that the logon was changed, and there may be other
reasons. Ignore that until the cause of the issues are known (if possible) and/or removed.
Hope this helps.
Rob Brown - Microsoft MVP <- profile - Windows Expert - Consumer : Bicycle <- Mark Twain said it right.
