RE: Slow Computer

Viruses and worms
1

I have a very slow computer; it is three years old.

Photos on News websites take a long time to load or do not appear.

I’m getting a lot of “Server Not Found” messages when I try and visit websites after I open a few tabs.

A get a lot of stuttering that essentially shuts videos down when I watch HD 1080 or HD 720 videos though it depends on the website how bad the stuttering is.

I usually run SAS several times each day every week.

I did an MBAM, SAS, Avast!, and Avast! Boot Scan today, and a Disk Defragmentation last night, and the computer is still slow.

MBAM, Avast!, and Avast! Boot Scan didn’t discover any viruses.

I really don’t know what to do.

Is there something I can do to make the computer run faster so pictures download faster and so I can watch HD 1080 and HD 720 videos on my computer?

My Scans for MBAM, Farbar Recovery Scan Tool , and aswMBR.exe, are below:

2

Hi Jobber :slight_smile:

It is night here in Europe, so most of our Experts are sleeping.
Be patient, you will be helped as soon as possible.

Greetz, Red.

3

Ok, Ok. ;D

Here’s my Computer Information:

OS: Windows 10 Home

Intel(R) Core™ i5-3570k CPU @ 3.40GHz 3.80Ghz

System Type: 64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor

Installed Memory (RAM): 8.00 GB (7.90GB usable)

4

FIRST >>>>

Please go to START (Windows Orb) >> Control Panel >> Uninstall a Program or Programs and Features and remove the following (if listed):

Coupon Printer for Windows

To do so, left clicking on the name once and then click Uninstall/Change at the bar above the list window.

Follow the prompts of the uninstaller BUT please read carefully any questions it asks before answering; some uninstallers will try and deceive you into keeping the software.

SECOND >>>>

https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/farbar-recovery-scan-tool/FRST.gif
Fix with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/home/hosted-images-formatting/icon_exclaim.gif
[b] This fix was created for this user for use on that particular machine.
https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/home/hosted-images-formatting/icon_exclaim.gif

https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/home/hosted-images-formatting/icon_exclaim.gif
Running it on another one may cause damage and render the system unstable.
https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/home/hosted-images-formatting/icon_exclaim.gif
[/b]
Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop:

Both files, FRST and fixlist.txt have to be in the same location or the fix will not work!

- Right-click on

https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/farbar-recovery-scan-tool/FRST.gif
icon and select
https://sites.google.com/site/cannedfixes/home/hosted-images-tools/RunAsAdmin.jpg
Run as Administrator to start the tool.
(XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
- Press the Fix button just once and wait.
- If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run.
- When finished FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.
Please attach it to your reply.

5

Unfortunately, it looks like I missed the boat on this by a few hours. :cry:

I saw your quoted response but it was c. 2:30AM ET here so I decided I would try and apply the information you gave me after getting some sleep so I would do the task properly.

However, in the morning my computer’s access to the internet basically had corroded; webpage’s photos wouldn’t load so there would either be a blank space or a half loaded photo.

I started to get text only webpages with some photos but no background web design; or the design to the page looked completely different.

I could get to the Avast! forum and the page looked normal but my computer didn’t have enough “torque” to load the login page!!!

I then started getting “Server Not Found” and “Connection has timed out” messages from Mozilla Firefox which apparently uses Yahoo as its search engine in North America.

And now I have no internet access from that computer.

Sometimes the network status icon in Windows 10 shows that I do have internet access but when I try and search the internet and go online all I get is Mozilla Firefox’s start page and if I use the search engine I get “Server Not Found” messages.

Since I cannot access the internet, I’m unable to apply the fix you gave me!!

The other computer in the house, an Apple computer, two rooms away, works fine.

I don’t know if it’s just the router and it just needs to be reset.

However, I think it is a most likely a deeper problem because, as I said, the network status icon in Windows 10 shows from time to time that I do have internet access but I still cannot access the internet web.

Do you learn any bits of information looking at the scans and can diagnose and explain to me the problem(s)??

I think I may have downloaded some malware that is perhaps preventing me from accessing the internet.

I have a Windows 10 book: Inside Out: Windows 10 by Ed Bott; it states that you should use the ping utility.

“To use the Ping command, open a Command Prompt window (Cmd.exe) and type the command ping target _name (where target _name is an IP address of the name of another host machine . . .
If the machine on the other end of the connection replies, you know that the network connection between the two points is alive”

Do you recommend me trying this? What would be a good target name to type in?

Can you give me the command.

The book gives this only as an example:

C:>ping www.example.com

Also, the same day as I made the original post, I searched the forum for similar posts using the search tag “slow computer”; I found an old thread which recommended downloading a program called SpywareBuster.

I downloaded SpywareBuster 5.2 from MajorGeeks.com, and the program seemed to protect search engines from spyware.

It didn’t seem to be doing much so I uninstalled the program but I used a right click uninstall instead of the uninstall menu at the top of the programs page.

6
7

How is your system running now?

8

I’m still getting “Server Not Found” when I use Mozilla Firefox with the Yahoo search engine.

Please see Reply #4 above; Reply #4 explains how things are right now.

I inadvertently double posted my Reply twice. Sorry about that.

I won’t be able to work more on the computer until Monday or Tuesday at the earliest because I am going to the Hospital today for a procedure.

Reply # 4 explains everything and how the computer is running at the moment; I’m not able to go online.

I was not able to apply the fix you provided because I cannot get online.

Can you maybe explain to me what is wrong with my computer and do you recommend trying the ping command that the Windows 10 book talks about (please see Reply #4)?

9

You can try
ping www.google.com
and see what that does.

As to running the fix, if you can download the Fixlist.txt file to a USB drive via a different working computer and transfer to the infected machine, you can still run that.

If you are concerned about getting infected via the USB drive, then install MCShield on the system first and let it scan / protect the USB drive.

10

Take care of your own health first.
The health of your system can wait.

11
SECOND >>>>

Fix with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool
This fix was created for this user for use on that particular machine.
Running it on another one may cause damage and render the system unstable.
Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop:

Both files, FRST and fixlist.txt have to be in the same location or the fix will not work!

Right-click on icon and select Run as Administrator to start the tool.
(XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
Press the Fix button just once and wait.
If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run.
When finished FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.
Please attach it to your reply.

Ok, I found a little bit of spare time to work on this.

My brother downloaded the attached fix into the USB Flash Drive, and I uploaded the fixlist.txt document file you attached to my Desktop.

The FRST file document from the scan a few days ago is in the section Downloads of my profile folders (Music, Pictures, Documents, Downloads, etc., etc.).

Can I just Copy the FRST file document in Downloads and Paste it to my Desktop?

Then, after pasting it the FRST file document (Copy version) to Desktop, do I need to delete the original FRST file document in Downloads???

Also, the Farber Recovery Scan tool program I originally downloaded a few days ago is also in the section Downloads of my profile folders (Music, Pictures, Documents, Downloads, etc. etc.).

Is it ok to run Farbar Recovery Scan from my Downloads folder?

Or does the Farbar Recovery Scan need to be copied and pasted to Desktop and run from Desktop (and then deleted in Downloads?) as well?

I’m asking all these questions because I want to make sure I am doing this right.

12

You can move the FRST64.exe from the Downloads folder to your desktop (easiest way is to right click on the FRST64.exe file and select CUT, then right click on a blank spot on your Desktop and select PASTE). Once the FRST64.exe and the Fixlist.txt files are on the Desktop, you can run the script (start FRST64.exe as an Administrator and click on Fix [just once]); wait for the script run to finish. Once the system has restarted, if you can not connect to the internet, just copy the Fixlog.txt file on the Desktop to the USB drive and post the log file here via a connected system.

There is no rush on this; we can wait for your health first.

13

Ok, I did as instructed and ran the Fixlist.txt script on the FRST64.exe after moving both to Desktop using Cut and Paste.

I watched the FRST64.exe while running and it looked like it was deleting some old / temporary files on the computer, though I cannot remember exactly.

Anyway, when it was all done, it produced the Fixlog.txt on the Desktop.

Unfortunately, I still cannot connect to the internet.

When I try to use the internet, I can get the Mozilla Firefox search engine page but when I try to go to a website, I get a light gray screen that states “The connection has timed out.”

I also tried the ping www.google.com command.

The four echo datagrams–small Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) packets came back properly in roughly the same time:

Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss), Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds: Minimum = 36ms, Maximun = 48ms, Average = 39ms

The Windows 10 book states: " If all the packets you send come back properly in roughly the same time, your TCP/IP connection is fine and you can focus your troubleshooting efforts elsewhere."

But before I do anything else, is it possible that the USB Flash Drive I used to upload the Fixlist.txt to my infected computer is now infected with malware???

Because now I have to plug in the USB Flash Drive back in to my brother’s working computer to upload the Fixlog.txt to his computer in order to post it at the Avast! Forum.

I do not want to infect my brother’s computer.

Do you think I should download the MCShield program you mentioned to my brother’s working computer?

If so, what is the process after I download MCShield?

Run a MCShield scan and THEN plugin the USB Flash Drive into the USB port???

Also, I haven’t tried unplugging and turning off the router yet.

14

Install MCShield on the working computer and let it scan the hard drive. After that, MCShield will start with every boot of the system and scan every USB drive plugged into a system with MCShield running on it.

Please post the Fixlog.txt file as soon as you can. Thank you

15

OK, here is the Fixlog.txt and some snapshots I took of some of the problems I am having and also a few of the results from Windows 10 Network and Sharing Center diagnostic troubleshoots I have run.

I never did try to turn off and turn back on the router.

16

Note: Transfer these to the non-connected machine via the USB stick. Thanks.

FIRST >>>>

AdwCleaner by Xplode

Download AdwCleaner from here or from here. Save the file to the desktop.

NOTE: If you are using IE 8 or above you may get a warning that stops the program from downloading. Just click on the warning and allow the download to complete.

Close all open windows and browsers.

  • Vista/7/8 users: Right click the AdwCleaner icon on the desktop, click Run as administrator and accept the UAC prompt to run AdwCleaner.
    You will see the following console:

http://i1351.photobucket.com/albums/p785/dbreeze2/Scanners%20screens/AdwCleaner_v5016_zpsf8ln0fea.png

- Click the [b]Scan[/b] button and wait for the scan to finish.
- After the Scan has finished the window may or may not show what it found and above, in the progress bar, you will see: [b]Waiting for action. Please uncheck elements you don't want to remove.[/b]
- Click the [b]Clean[/b] button.
- [b]Everything checked[/b] will be deleted.
- When the program has finished cleaning a report appears.
- Once done it will ask to reboot, allow this

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vitKqfMQS4o/UEDylIQ7HJI/AAAAAAAABLc/Hx-IwqKoaxg/s1600/adwcleaner_delete_restart.jpg

  • On reboot a log will be produced; please attach that in your next reply. This report is also saved to C:\AdwCleaner\AdwCleaner[C0].txt

Optional:

NOTE: If you see AVG Secure Search being targeted for deletion, Here’s Why and Here. You can always Reinstall it.

SECOND >>>>

Please download MiniToolBox, save it to your desktop and run it.

Checkmark the following checkboxes:

  • Flush DNS
    • Report IE Proxy Settings
    • Reset IE Proxy Settings
    • Report FF Proxy Settings
    • Reset FF Proxy Settings
    • List content of Hosts
    • List IP configuration
    • List Winsock Entries
    • List last 10 Event Viewer log
    • List Installed Programs
    • List Devices [ Only Problems ]
    • List Users, Partitions and Memory size.
    • List Minidump Files
    • List Restore Points
      Click Go and post the result (Result.txt). A copy of Result.txt will be saved in the same directory the tool is run.

Note: When using “Reset FF Proxy Settings” option Firefox should be closed.

17

If you ping a domain (server) and you get a response it only means that the server is working and that you can connect to it.
It doesn’t mean that you can open a website that is on that domain/server.
Pinging a server is using a other protocol than is used for opening/showing a website.

Looking at your problems I suggest :

  • Download the latest drivers for your nic/motherboard from the manufacturers website.
    Make sure they are for Windows 10
  • Remove your network connection through the control panel
  • Remove your nic from device manager
  • Reboot and install the drivers
  • Setup your connection again (if it is not done automaticly)
  • Reboot and see if everything is working again.
18

OK, I ran the scan and I am at the “Waiting for Action” stage in running AdwCleaner.

The only box that has appeared is called “YahooAUService.exe”.

Apparently, from Googling it on my brother’s working computer, this file is an updater for Yahoo Instant Messenger (YIM) which is a program I do have installed on the computer I have trouble with.

Should I uncheck the box or remove YahooAUService.exe???

What do you recommend to do?

19

If that is the only line found in AdwCleaner then I would just exit the program (File > Exit).

The post by Eddy to remove the network connection and device from the system, reboot and then re-install / re-setup the device & connection is a good one. Please follow that to make sure all parts of the network connection are proper.

20

Here’s the Mini Tool Box text that was produced.

I’ll try and follow Eddy’s advice after a night’s rest.

I think I might need some help trying to do some of the tasks mentioned because I’m not too familiar with updating drivers but I’ll try and figure it out tomorrow; not sure how much time I have the next couple days to work on this because some housework has piled up and I have to write a few important business letters but I will get to it as soon as I can.

With AdwCleaner, I followed your advice and chose File and then Close.

Thus, the AdwCleaner scan was not completed and no scan results text was produced with that program.