Windows XP forum: Slow moving computer, but show NO Viruses or Adware

if Earthquake's suggestion doesn't help, let us know what your computer specs are.

Also, what do you do about spyware? You mention viruses and adware, but nothing about spyware.

Mark

DMA doesnt always mean DMA. First it must be [physically] set to PIO Only > OK. [Then] set back to DMA > OK.

More info at MS KB artical DMA Mode for ATA/ATAPI Devices in Windows XP The entire artical is a good read but the necessary fix is probably ''To enable DMA mode using the Device Manager'' at the bottom of the page.

Hope this helps.

Charlie

Charlie,

Read your post as I'm trying to speed up my computer and I have my Primary IDE stuck in PIO mode. It's an HP Presario SR1720NX, AMD Sempron 3500+, Windows XP SP2. In an attempt to speed it up, I purchased a 1G module of Kingston RAM and moved the previously installed 256 modules to slots 2 & 3. Marginal improvement. Video & music files skip and bog down so I added a ATI 1650 (512 mB) graphics card: no improvement, even when I down loaded the current driver.

I've run SpyBot and EasyCleaner. Plenty of room on the harddrive 120G left, Windows says the disk does not need to be defragged so I didn't do it.

A while back, my wife's computer (an e-Machine) died--could not resurrect it-finally concluded it was a problem with the motherboard--possible lightning strike---we wanted photos & files from her harddrive so I slaved it to this one. Can't say for certain if that was coincident with the onset of problems, I don't think so, but I physically removed the drive recently. Now on the Device Manager, I have two "Primary IDE Channel" entries and two "Secondary IDE Channel" enteries. One of each has "Current Transfer Mode: Not applicable" The other Primary IDE Channel I cannot get out of PIO mode. What now?

Thanks,

seananddutch@yahoo.com

Thanks Darrell for the info, i'll give it a try. alan

Thanks again, Darrell. alan

I see you tried that...

Still try to make sure that you dont have too many programs and services going...

I'll try anything--I'll try pulling out the 1 gig module and see if it helps. Even when I have no windows open, I may have as many as 20 processes running--all seem to be legit (looked them up on google). I may have 5 or 6 svchost.exe 's open. I'm wondering if I may have some virus or trojan running in the backround because I'm currently running an old eMachine T2245 with a 2.2 gHz processor and 512 of RAM that runs pretty quickly...and I have 41 processes going right now!

If it is a virus, I've been unable to pick it up with SpyBot, Easy Cleaner or Norton. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

From Virus Bulletin News 2006


Recently released Active Virus Shield, the Kaspersky-based anti-virus product from web giant AOL, is coming under criticism, with allegations ranging from harboring adware to actually being spyware.

According to a report from PC World, small print in the EULA attached to the product allows AOL to harvest data from users' machines, bars users from installing ad-blocking software, and reserves the right to send out spam to email addresses required by the sign-up process. The privileges demanded by the EULA would, if put to use, earn the product the label spyware, according to the StopBadware Coalition. AOL has announced that it will be revising the EULA, which has been removed from the download site (here).

An optional toolbar included with the package has also been revealed to derive from software labeled as adware by Kaspersky's own products, and is alleged to have security vulnerabilities.
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Google:Problems using AOL: AOL 9 Startup speed
I have un-installed the AOL spyware, AOL AV and security center in Favor of Symantec corporate and that has helped with the overall machine speed, but AOL is ...
en.allexperts.com/q/Problems-using-AOL-1026/AOL-9-Startup-speed.htm - 19k -
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Recent (April 2007?) News Report:
A number of users are reporting that the >>>> new Kaspersky AV component <<< in the latest ZoneAlarm Security Suite 7 is BROKEN, and broken in such a way as to leave your system unprotected while appearing to be fully functional.

The problem manifests itself after a successful installation with the AV engine corrupting during a system signature update. Once corrupted it simply fails to offer ANY protection at all, although the USER will be none the wiser of this unless they happen to put their protection to the test.

Something as simple as running an EICAR file past the scanner will do the trick.

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You can obtain/download & save a free copy of the EICAR Test Virus
(perfectly safe: Looks exactly like a virus to AV scans BUT CONTAINS NO PAYLOAD..ALL working AV should find it during scan) from the following link: http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm#dl
Just leave it in your MY Docs or wherever for scan to find each time run.
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No wonder AOL will never get near my machine!

Try an ONLINE Scan for Viruses/Spyware etc:

http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan/

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

May not cure but can't hurt! Good Luck!

Firstly remove some unnessary programs from your computer.
Secondly run spyware scanning with Malwarebytes Free

low moving computer, but show NO Viruses or Adware