Slow computer

[race2the redline]

In the past week my computer has suddenly started booting up/shutting down slowly, programs are also taking an age to actually load.

Ive done the usual defrag/scanning of the drives and a separate scan for any viruses with AVG etc to no avail.

Help!

regards
R2TR

[ThePassenger]

Check for spyware.

Check Event viewer to see if their is anything mentioned.

[race2the redline]

Thank you, any recommendations for identification and removal? SPYBOT?

regards
R2TR

[BliarOut]

Yup, Spybot fully updated. Also empty out the Prefetch Cache.

[race2the redline]

BliarOut said:

Yup, Spybot fully updated. Also empty out the Prefetch Cache.

Preftech Cache?

Please excuse stupidty.

regards
R2TR

[BliarOut]

from a command prompt:

sfc /purgecache


'Doze loads all the files in the prefetch cache at bootup. Over time it gets bloated and slows down booting quite noticeably. Does it good to be emptied once in a while, especially if you've installed/deinstalled a lot of apps.

[Fer]

BliarOut said:

from a command prompt:

sfc /purgecache


'Doze loads all the files in the prefetch cache at bootup. Over time it gets bloated and slows down booting quite noticeably. Does it good to be emptied once in a while, especially if you've installed/deinstalled a lot of apps.

Hmm, never heard of this before. Tread bookmarked to try at home tonight.

TIA,
Fer

[bigdods]

BliarOut said:

from a command prompt:

sfc /purgecache


'Doze loads all the files in the prefetch cache at bootup. Over time it gets bloated and slows down booting quite noticeably. Does it good to be emptied once in a while, especially if you've installed/deinstalled a lot of apps.

what does the sfc bit do then ? I just delete the entire prefetch folder once a month...

Edited by bigdods on Wednesday 3rd January 12:35

[zumbruk]

BliarOut said:

from a command prompt:

sfc /purgecache


'Doze loads all the files in the prefetch cache at bootup. Over time it gets bloated and slows down booting quite noticeably. Does it good to be emptied once in a while, especially if you've installed/deinstalled a lot of apps.

'sfc' has nothing to do with the prefetch cache. It's part of the Windows XP "file protection system" (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/22219 which prevents users from overwriting vital parts of Windows (of course, if Windows were properly designed in the first place, it wouldn't be necessary).

If you change any of the protected files, you have to flush the cache in order to prevent them being overwritten. This bit me hard with the "hosts" file.

[BliarOut]

Doh, was trying to simplify things.... Just empty the prefetch by hand and ignore everything I say.




















I'll be the one sat in the corner feeling stupid all afternoon!

[ThePassenger]

BliarOut said:

I'll be the one sat in the corner feeling stupid all afternoon!

ARgh! The sideburns are attacking me! Get out of my corner

[BliarOut]

ThePassenger said:

BliarOut said:

I'll be the one sat in the corner feeling stupid all afternoon!

ARgh! The sideburns are attacking me! Get out of my corner

Right, I'll have this corner instead

[race2the redline]

BliarOut said:

Doh, was trying to simplify things.... Just empty the prefetch by hand and ignore everything I say.

Exactly how do i do this?

Regards
R2TR

[BliarOut]

Go to C:WindowsPrefetch and just delete whatever's in there...



Yes, I'm out of the corner now

[Race2the redline]

BliarOut said:

Go to C:WindowsPrefetch and just delete whatever's in there...



Yes, I'm out of the corner now

While im pleased your out the corner; unfortunately neither the clearing of the Prefetch nor the installing/running of SPYBOT has helped is there anything else i can try?

regards
R2TR

[irm]

defragment

[BliarOut]

Run task manager and double click on the CPU and then the memory columns to sort which is using all your system resources and then report back.

[Scrufter]

Try CCleaner

www.ccleaner.com

[pincher]

I can thoroughly recommend TuneUp Utilities

I used it to clean up my desktop PC and that, coupled with it bit more memory has made it like new again.

[race2the redline]

BliarOut said:

Run task manager and double click on the CPU and then the memory columns to sort which is using all your system resources and then report back.

Thanks, ill try this tonight and report back.

Regards
R2TR