Gateway Laptop

[FROG MAN]

My daughters Gateway laptop I bought her for college graduation about 18 months ago has issues. It's running windows 7 64 bit with 4Meg of Ram. Recently everything runs extremely slow and sometime freezes up.

 

Last weekend I managed to run a malware bytes scan no problems and a reg clean program. AVG antivirus still freezes before completing a scan. I did manage to check scandisk,defrag,cleanup junk files,etc. The computer takes about 10 minutes to boot up. I went in and done a clean boot. disabled all non essential statup up programs and disable services everything except windows essentials. this fixed the slow boot issue but still runs programs slow and internet.

 

I'm thinking about doing a complete restoration but this would destroy all her files and pictures. Also trying to do a restore to an earlier point will usually do it but this computer says there are no earlier restore points. I have tryed to move her files to a usb jump drive but even that transfer rate is extremly slow. It says moving about 5 gig of data will take over 1 day to a usb jump drive Holy Cow.Anyway getting ready to make new pot of coffee and hit it again.Her system still shows 4 meg of ram what the H is going on?

[FROG MAN]

Update the computer is very slow to log off. If I force a shutdown the next time it reboots it checks files for consistency. During this process it always says deleting some index files and recovering some orphaned files. It's running a little faster this morning currently doing a AVG scan again. I checked the cpu speed last weekend to see if anything was hogging 100 percent of the processing power. No issues there.

[Snaggletooth]

No whiz kid here but try this. Worked on my daughters desk top.

 

At reboot, enter into the "Safe Mode". Try to run your security program from there, If not, try to update on-line any security software you have if possible and run a complete scan. I took 8 hours for her system just to download the update to her security program, (which she had not done in 2 years). Then another 3 hours to install it and another 1 1/2 to run the scan.

 

Man you would not believe the garbage that was in there. Hundreds of things that should not have been there and all of them were active when the 'puter was running. Once I got that cleaned out I was able to reboot and get it fired back up normally. It was a huge change. Not like new but danged close. Booted much faster, under a minute, and every program ran at normal speed again.

 

Got her educated on how to do backups, and set her up with a stack of CD's to move her pics and music to. A couple of new jumpdrives for the take along stuff. I made two backups of her operating system for myself to save myself some time if it happend again. (I hope not)

 

I hope a someone can come up with something easier and faster for you. I lost better than 18 hours saving hers.

 

Hope you get it fixed.

 

I've run Norton on my desk top since it was new and upgrade it every year. Never have any problems like she ran into.

 

Mike

[FROG MAN]

AVG will only run as a command line scanner in Safe Mode. Doing that now. Tell me about backups. I bought a Home Server last year for that purpose can't get anybody to use it but me and Ramona. More later.

[Snaggletooth]

Have you ever used a program to wipe off the crud that gets left on your system after visting web sites?

 

Webroot Software has Window Washer. Nice lil program for pretty reasonable money. I've been using that since '97 along with Norton Internet Security. Washer knocks out anywhere from 500kb to 10mb everytime I run it and that is several times a day. That stuff adds up and slows you down also.

 

It wiped about 450mb off my duaghters unit to when I ran it on there.

[FROG MAN]

I have used window washer before but not for a few years. Might be worth a try.

[dacheedah]

1: go to accessories and disc cleanup

2: go to your browser(s) and cleanup the cookies and history

3: do a disc defrag

4: Go to microsoft.com and download security essentials , run that (it's free) and see what it finds

5: Ask her if she installed a "virus program", often a program that installs spyware or malware come from free music or video's. They appear to be real but are a program that keeps you in their payment system. If so find out and remove it.

6: If she installed a program and uninstalled it or deleted it incorrectly she has a corrupted registry. The computer will keep looking for it and it's not there and it will use resources to try to find it or run the missing program that will eat up memory and bog the thing down. (Kind of like trying to start a first gen in 5th gear)

[Michael_Bishop]

I have seen a computer run slow with no virus on them. It was the hard drive going bad losing clusters. I would try right click then you will see a menu and left click on properties. Then you tabs with one mark tools click it. Then you will see the frist one check drive for errors click that button and put a ckeck in Auto fix file system errors.

 

It will tell you it can't do it now do you want to do it on next startup click the button schedule disk check. Then shut down computer and restart it. Then it will run a 4 or 5 step check. If you see it say like relocate Sectors and Clusters in the report that is a good sign the hard drive is going bad. The lady next door to me had a 2 month old HP thet the drive was bad.

 

And like a guy said tell her to back up often you never know when something is going to happen.

[friesman]

I have seen a computer run slow with no virus on them. It was the hard drive going bad losing clusters. I would try right click then you will see a menu and left click on properties. Then you tabs with one mark tools click it. Then you will see the frist one check drive for errors click that button and put a ckeck in Auto fix file system errors.

 

It will tell you it can't do it now do you want to do it on next startup click the button schedule disk check. Then shut down computer and restart it. Then it will run a 4 or 5 step check. If you see it say like relocate Sectors and Clusters in the report that is a good sign the hard drive is going bad. The lady next door to me had a 2 month old HP thet the drive was bad.

 

And like a guy said tell her to back up often you never know when something is going to happen.

 

it sounds like a harddrive going down to me too.

Be careful using programs to clean out the registry or say they can fix your issues, as ive seen them remove crucial files in the OS making the harddrive unbootable.

Before you go too much farther, I would suggest going to the store and buying a usb external harddrive so you can get your backup done. (less than 100 bucks) Copy all your files off to it and then check your harddrive for errors.

 

if that checks out, then do your system restore using the manufacturers disks, but they will wipe everything .

 

Brian

Edited October 23, 2011 by friesman

[saddlebum]

I have had similiar issue's. and this is what I have done.

1. In you internet browser go > tools > internet options > browsing history settings > view files > select all > delete.
   
2. Go to this web site http://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER and download the free version of CCleaner
   
3. Then go to this website http://www.piriform.com/defraggler and down load the free version of Defraggler ( I find it is more thourgh then windows defrag)
   
4. run both programs alternating between them a couple of times.
   
5. Last go into CCleaner and find the program registry fix and run it.
   

I have followed these steps many times and had very good success with it.

 

Please Note I am not a PC Guru this is just something I have found after numerous dead end try's and lots of trial and error with other methods, and the above steps has so far worked the best for me . I also have a program called pest patrol that works well for some stuff.

[myminpins]

CC Cleaner is awesome - free and works great, never screws up the registry.

 

Are you running Windows IE? If so, think about switching to Firefox. It's much safer and runs more reliably. (I use Opera personally but am a bit of a guru)

 

Get at least one external hard drive and put most of your "stuff" on there. I have two hard drives connected to my laptop. The only stuff on my laptop harddrive is the operating system and bookmarks. Keeps it much more minimal that way. I also divided up the hard drive so the operating system is on its own section of the hard drive.

 

You should run CC Cleaner every few days, including the registry cleaner that comes with it. It helps a lot.

 

I never update Windows but that's just personal preference. I find the less often Microsoft touches my operating system, the better it runs.

 

Try an anti virus like eSet Smart Security - much better than AVG.

 

Make sure to clean out old emails, too, or use something like Gmail so it doesn't use up your hard drive or make the whole system slow down.

 

My laptop is three years old now, running Windows 7 32 bit and it still runs as fast as the day I got it - well, faster, really, since it came with Vista and I put 7 on it AND removed all the "crap" that comes with laptops.

 

Make sure you empty your recycle bin often, too. Too much junk and trash can really slow a system down.

 

If you put the operating system on its own partition, you never lose your files, photos, etc. if you have to do a restore

 

Good luck.

[FuzzyRSTD]

CC Cleaner is awesome - free and works great, never screws up the registry.

 

Are you running Windows IE? If so, think about switching to Firefox. It's much safer and runs more reliably. (I use Opera personally but am a bit of a guru)

 

Get at least one external hard drive and put most of your "stuff" on there. I have two hard drives connected to my laptop. The only stuff on my laptop harddrive is the operating system and bookmarks. Keeps it much more minimal that way. I also divided up the hard drive so the operating system is on its own section of the hard drive.

 

You should run CC Cleaner every few days, including the registry cleaner that comes with it. It helps a lot.

 

I never update Windows but that's just personal preference. I find the less often Microsoft touches my operating system, the better it runs.

 

Try an anti virus like eSet Smart Security - much better than AVG.

 

Make sure to clean out old emails, too, or use something like Gmail so it doesn't use up your hard drive or make the whole system slow down.

 

My laptop is three years old now, running Windows 7 32 bit and it still runs as fast as the day I got it - well, faster, really, since it came with Vista and I put 7 on it AND removed all the "crap" that comes with laptops.

 

Make sure you empty your recycle bin often, too. Too much junk and trash can really slow a system down.

 

If you put the operating system on its own partition, you never lose your files, photos, etc. if you have to do a restore

 

Good luck.

 

Could you give me the exact link to the free CC Cleaner. I downloaded from the other link given here and it is wanting me to register CC Cleaner after the scan. Then wants $30.00 or so for the Cleaner. ???????????????????? I wished I could get you to clean this up and set up like yours.

Edited October 23, 2011 by FuzzyRSTD

[myminpins]

http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner Top right corner.

 

It takes hours and weeks and months to learn all this and I learned it all the hard way as I'm self-employed. I'd never want to do it for a living, that's for sure, it's way too time consuming!!!

[FuzzyRSTD]

http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner Top right corner.

 

It takes hours and weeks and months to learn all this and I learned it all the hard way as I'm self-employed. I'd never want to do it for a living, that's for sure, it's way too time consuming!!!

 

Thank you .......

[FuzzyRSTD]

http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner Top right corner.

 

It takes hours and weeks and months to learn all this and I learned it all the hard way as I'm self-employed. I'd never want to do it for a living, that's for sure, it's way too time consuming!!!

 

Sorry myminpins, that is not it either. It is a free update checker (farthest upper right hand corner). Maybe I am missing something ?

Edited October 23, 2011 by FuzzyRSTD

[myminpins]

See picture attached. That IS the correct link. You click at the arrow and you download the latest version of CC Cleaner.

[FuzzyRSTD]

See picture attached. That IS the correct link. You click at the arrow and you download the latest version of CC Cleaner.

 

OK, I will try that again. I think that is where I downloaded the first time. It did a scan and found a lot of stuff, but then wanted me to register it. The cost was ???/ can not remember. Will try again. I went to Program uninstall and got rid of all the first download. Thanks for the help. Trying again.

[myminpins]

Well, I've used that link for years and have NEVER registered it and NEVER paid for it.

 

If it doesn't work, maybe try another browser.

[FuzzyRSTD]

Well, I've used that link for years and have NEVER registered it and NEVER paid for it.

 

If it doesn't work, maybe try another browser.

 

Thanks, worked that time. Sorry and thanks too. This time it cleaned out a lot of stuff. I had to sign in again to VentureRider.org. I am now running the defragler that was mentioned.

[flb_78]

I don't even run an antivirus anymore,.

[friesman]

I don't even run an antivirus anymore,.

 

Me either, Since the switch to 7 ive found way less stuff attacks it, and with runnung a malware program every week or so keeps my machine clean. I keep my data on a 2nd drive so if something goes wrong I just clone a copy of win7 back to my laptop, and I am ready to go in about 30 minutes.

 

 

Brian

[dacheedah]

Your system discs are probably on a partition of your hard drive. If you didn't make the discs when you got your system and having troubles I would burn a set now. If you do loose a hard drive you can restore the OS in short order.

[BuddyRich]

Bring up the task manager (Ctl,Alt,Del)and see if your pegging the scales in CPU usage (Performance Tab). If not click on the Resource Monitor Button towards the bottom of that page and then watch the Disk I/O. Also check the Event Viewer for any Disk I/O errors. Your's won't have six CPU's but it may have 2 or 4 depending on the model. If your pegging the scales in Disk performance you may have an HD or Controller going bad. Are the fans running to cool it ?

 

 

Edited October 24, 2011 by BuddyRich

[saddlebum]

Could you give me the exact link to the free CC Cleaner. I downloaded from the other link given here and it is wanting me to register CC Cleaner after the scan. Then wants $30.00 or so for the Cleaner. ???????????????????? I wished I could get you to clean this up and set up like yours.

after opening the link I gave back in post #10 you select either of the two options in the bottom of the left pane. The marked as CCleaner Free, no support.

[FROG MAN]

Not happy today. I found a recover O/S menu to restore O/S to original default but still save personal data to backup file. I tried that and she locked up in the process. Now it won't boot No bootloader. I made a emergency boot cd from another windows 7 machine to boot into recovery manager with tools but everything I try like save personal data still locks up freezes before done.I'm taking day off but not working on this for another week. If I could pull hard drive out and connect it to my desk top then maybe I could get some data off?