Do I have a virus?

Have you tried just rebooting it?

 

1. Could it be downloading or installing updates?

2. Could it be running a virus scan in the background?

3. Do you have any unconfessed sins? (You never know!)

 

I know when my AntiVirus program is updating it's definitions, my system will go somewhat slow.

I used to run AVG and loved them, but after version 8.0 came out I started to see it miss things, so I switched to avast! and have loved that.

If it continues, try downloading avast! or another virus program and let it scan your system.

http://www.avast.com/

Edited to Add: Avast! has pay for versions, but they also have a free home version, which is the one I am running with great success.
http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

 

sometimes the internet is moving slower than usual too. I get that sometimes and panic about viruses and all that garbage..reboot by shutting computer off, waiting a few seconds and turning it on again.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Number 3! Thats funny! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

 

Two things come to mind to try.. When you open the task manager (clt, alt delete) what is running? anything that stands out as odd? a .exe or .com file? anything under the users log in?

Second thing, if you do to Start -> Run -> msconfig and look under Startup and Services, do you see anything that is odd? If you see anything that looks funny, uncheck those items and then apply, and close. Reboot and see if it makes a difference.

 

Hey Mark,

In looking at the processes running I would guess that your issues would be in the highlighted items. Not that they are bad like a virus, but that they are bad in the amount of CPU and memory they use.


searchfilterhost.exe

searchprotocolhost.exe

searchfilterhost.exe

searchfilterhost.exe


When I googled those items I found many people complaining about how slow their system was and some of them described what you're living through.

You can selectively stop a process for a test through a configuring program that is build into Windows. Here is a link that will show you the steps to start or stop a process at boot up I would suggest you stop those processes and then reboot and try it out for a few hours and see if it makes a difference.

http://netsquirrel.com/msconfig/msconfig_vista.html

Good luck!

 

Rev. I did the same thing... I bought a Dell Vostro.. intentionally with XP on it.. Last April...

By Sept. or Oct.. it started doing the same thing yours is doing...

I just wiped it clean, starting over with the disks that came with it.. and voila.. .it works great!!!

I think something was downloaded from the factory because it wasn't as fast as it is now when it was new....

I know that is hard to hear..

 

If you decide to wipe the slate and start over, see if you can find someone who has a full version of XP (Home or Pro, whichever you have) and use it insead of the disks that came with your computer. you can use your serial you already have, but you won't get all the "crapware" that came on the computer originally. I do this all the time on the computers I work on and it is completely legit.

Also, write down the error codes from the blue screen and look them up on Microsft's site. Those codes tell you what went wrong. It could be a serious problem like failing RAM, or it may be an IRQ conflict.

Scan for spyware. Use Spybot and SUPERAntiSpyware (both are free programs) and both are good.

 

Here is a link to a site that has guides as to what services can be stopped/disabled:

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/OSguides.htm

I run Windows 2000 (I will never 'downgrade' to XP) and printed out this guide years ago so if I ever have to reinstall, I have a hard copy to refer to.

I currently have 22 processes running under Win 2K. Each unneeded service that you can stop means your computer will boot a bit quicker, run a little faster and be just a little less vulnerable to an attack.

Warning: some services are vital to be left running and your computer may be left virtually disabled or almost unbootable if the wrong service is disabled. For example, never NEVER try to turn off 'Remote Procedure Call'!

Viruses/spyware/trojans usually install themselves using Java, and in the case of Internet "Exploder", Active-X. (Firefox does not have Active-X.) Especially with IE, it is possible to get an infection merely by clicking on a malicious website.

I only surf the 'net using Firefox (safer than IE) and use the add-on "NoScript" with it. I only have about a dozen sites' in NoScript's 'trusted' database, every other site is 'untrusted'. I turn on all the options in the untrusted settings. That helps to keep any of the baddies from getting downloaded to my computer (along with using a router, much safer than using a software firewall. Anybody who is using cable Internet or DSL needs to be using a router and/or hardware firewall).

If a website needs java to run, I then can make the choice whether to trust them and allow it to run. On the other hand, if they are an unknown to me site, I usually won't take the risk.