Solve : Hopefully this Q doesn't appear quite ignorant?

1.	Solve : Hopefully this Q doesn't appear quite ignorant?
Answer» I have a Dell Dimension E310 with Windows XP that going on a couple of years old. My problem just started a few weeks ago, but it's really affecting computing. After about 15 minutes of use from start-up, I'll notice (by sound) that my computer fan seems to be speeding up. At the same time my computer processing slows down to almost nothing. I have consulted a friend on this, who recommended that I blow out the computer as he felt it was overheating from being full of dust. Well, it was dirty, and I spent about HALF a can of pressured air to blow out all of the dust THOROUGHLY and made sure vents were entirely clean. Well, I still GOTS da' problem! Do I have a part of some sort going bad (yep my warranty is expired), or am I just a dummy over looking something obvious? By the way, when I close Explorer the fan will slow down and my computer speed will com back for a few minutes until I get on-line again. Your help is much appreciated.Welcome to the CH forums. Could be that the processor is overheating. Do you monitor temps? Can you remove the processor fan and replace the thermal paste? Quote By the way, when I close Explorer the fan will slow down and my computer speed will com back for a few minutes until I get on-line again. Hmmmm. Is that Internet Explorer? Heavy cpu usage when on-line, causing the temp monitoring to speed up the fan... Computer slows to a crawl... I'm thinking maybe, just maybe, malware or trojan infection? if that is so, you NEED the specialist advice that others on this forum can give. When the problem occurs you could open a command prompt and type NETSTAT and press Enter, and see if a huge long list results? That might indicate your computer has become a zombie, but like I SAY others should advise you on that. If it does not happen when (if) you are using Firefox (free to download) that might be a clue. I have to agree that it sounds like you've got a bunch of junk running, probably spyware, etc. If you decide to follow my advice, you might want to print this out. This might take you several hours. If you don't have good anti-virus and anti-spyware programs running, the first step is to get them. There are a few really good free ones out there. A simple search will help you find the info you need on which ones to use and how to get them. I've found that the free ones run as well or better than ones you have to buy, and take up less resources, too. Once you download, install, and run these programs, and perform scans with each, each one will alert you to any threats on your computer. Quarantine them, delete them, whatever--just get them gone. After that, run a good defragger. You can use the one that comes with Windows, or you can find a free one that runs faster by doing a search. After you defrag, restart your computer and you should see a huge difference. There are other things that may be causing the slowdown, too: -Keeping your phishing filter on (In Internet Explorer, click on Tools>Phishing filter and then either Turn Off Automatic Website Checking, or just lower the settings if you still want it running.) -Your firewall may be working overtime (this could also be because of malware and stuff.) -How much junk is in your system tray? If you've got a bunch of unnecessary programs running in the background, they're taking up RAM. The anti-spyware program I use allows me to see what runs at start up, but someone else may need to tell you how to do it a different way if yours doesn't have that feature. -What are you doing on the internet? If you're watching video or playing games, you could just be using a ton of memory, and possibly pushing your graphics card to the limit. I really think this will help you. If your problem ends up being a hardware one, you will at least have cleaned up your system and got it running faster on that end.katefields, be careful about giving malware removal advice on here, even if well meant, the mods may turn around and bite you, saying you are not "qualified". I have been burned that way.Thanks. Duly noted and post edited.Quote katefields, be careful about giving malware removal advice on here, even if well meant, the mods may turn around and bite you, saying you are not "qualified". I have been burned that way No reason for sour replies over, and over about very same issue. Please, grow up. Thanks guys - I appreciate your help, and will take steps to follow your advice. And please don't worry with me - I know you're trying to help regardless of what you guess the problem might be, and I would just never treat anyone as liable for their help. One thing I will note is the good resource that this site happens to be. Michael

Answer»

I have a Dell Dimension E310 with Windows XP that going on a couple of years old. My problem just started a few weeks ago, but it's really affecting computing. After about 15 minutes of use from start-up, I'll notice (by sound) that my computer fan seems to be speeding up. At the same time my computer processing slows down to almost nothing. I have consulted a friend on this, who recommended that I blow out the computer as he felt it was overheating from being full of dust. Well, it was dirty, and I spent about HALF a can of pressured air to blow out all of the dust THOROUGHLY and made sure vents were entirely clean. Well, I still GOTS da' problem! Do I have a part of some sort going bad (yep my warranty is expired), or am I just a dummy over looking something obvious? By the way, when I close Explorer the fan will slow down and my computer speed will com back for a few minutes until I get on-line again. Your help is much appreciated.Welcome to the CH forums.

Could be that the processor is overheating. Do you monitor temps? Can you remove the processor fan and replace the thermal paste?

Quote

By the way, when I close Explorer the fan will slow down and my computer speed will com back for a few minutes until I get on-line again.

Hmmmm. Is that Internet Explorer? Heavy cpu usage when on-line, causing the temp monitoring to speed up the fan... Computer slows to a crawl... I'm thinking maybe, just maybe, malware or trojan infection? if that is so, you NEED the specialist advice that others on this forum can give. When the problem occurs you could open a command prompt and type NETSTAT and press Enter, and see if a huge long list results? That might indicate your computer has become a zombie, but like I SAY others should advise you on that. If it does not happen when (if) you are using Firefox (free to download) that might be a clue.

I have to agree that it sounds like you've got a bunch of junk running, probably spyware, etc. If you decide to follow my advice, you might want to print this out. This might take you several hours.

If you don't have good anti-virus and anti-spyware programs running, the first step is to get them. There are a few really good free ones out there. A simple search will help you find the info you need on which ones to use and how to get them. I've found that the free ones run as well or better than ones you have to buy, and take up less resources, too.

Once you download, install, and run these programs, and perform scans with each, each one will alert you to any threats on your computer. Quarantine them, delete them, whatever--just get them gone.

After that, run a good defragger. You can use the one that comes with Windows, or you can find a free one that runs faster by doing a search.

After you defrag, restart your computer and you should see a huge difference.

There are other things that may be causing the slowdown, too:

-Keeping your phishing filter on (In Internet Explorer, click on Tools>Phishing filter and then either Turn Off Automatic Website Checking, or just lower the settings if you still want it running.)

-Your firewall may be working overtime (this could also be because of malware and stuff.)

-How much junk is in your system tray? If you've got a bunch of unnecessary programs running in the background, they're taking up RAM. The anti-spyware program I use allows me to see what runs at start up, but someone else may need to tell you how to do it a different way if yours doesn't have that feature.

-What are you doing on the internet? If you're watching video or playing games, you could just be using a ton of memory, and possibly pushing your graphics card to the limit.

I really think this will help you. If your problem ends up being a hardware one, you will at least have cleaned up your system and got it running faster on that end.katefields, be careful about giving malware removal advice on here, even if well meant, the mods may turn around and bite you, saying you are not "qualified". I have been burned that way.Thanks. Duly noted and post edited.Quote

katefields, be careful about giving malware removal advice on here, even if well meant, the mods may turn around and bite you, saying you are not "qualified". I have been burned that way

No reason for sour replies over, and over about very same issue. Please, grow up.

Thanks guys - I appreciate your help, and will take steps to follow your advice. And please don't worry with me - I know you're trying to help regardless of what you guess the problem might be, and I would just never treat anyone as liable for their help. One thing I will note is the good resource that this site happens to be. Michael

Solve : Hopefully this Q doesn't appear quite ignorant?

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