Dumb computer guy with questions

[dav4463]

First I will say I know very little about computers. Here is my problem:

Sometimes my computer runs fast with no problems. Videos will play perfectly.

Other times it will take 10-20 mouse clicks just to open a page! Sometimes I get an hourglass that stays up there for three or four minutes. Sometimes I will type a website address and get nothing....then a few minutes later...what I typed will finally come through. Videos will just stop and an hourglass will stay up there for a few minutes.

What causes this? I run an IOBIT scan that supposedly fixes most problems. I have free av antivirus. When I do a check...it usually says no problems.

[BillW]

How's your Internet provider? They could be causing your problems.

[dav4463]

I have Verizon DSL.

[Snag]

dav, do you have a wireless network setup? Also, does it happen when someone is on the phone at the same time you are on the web?

[douglasw32]

Do a google search for winmemoptimizer. It may just be your virtual memory,also make sure all windows updates are done

[Red Knave]

I have free av antivirus.This could also be your problem. Some of these are real cpu hogs. When you get a slowdown, check your cpu usage with Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del, select Processes tab, click CPU column header to sort by % of CPU usage) and see what's running. If any process has the cpu at a high %, Google it's name and see what you find out.

[Marshall Bennett]

Might want to test your internet speed which may rule out a server problem . I use speakeasy.com . I have cable and average about 5000 kbps . I've had server problems in the past and anytime I dropped below 1000 kbps my computer would slow dramatically and behave much as you have described .

[dutchboy]

How much Ram does your pc have?

[Fleur-de-lis]

Dave, what Red Knave asks you to do is the best way to start to understand the problem. What you posted as a problem could either be a slow PC or it could be internet related. And until you figure out which one it is you could be on a wild goose chase.

The next time you have a poorly responding system, start the Task Manager by either doing a right mouse button click on the Windows task bar, or, the old 3 fingure salute -- CNTL+ALT+DEL then select Task Manager.

With the Task Manager window open click on show process for all users. It will prompt you with another pop up window asking you if that is really what you want to do, click Allow.

The Task Manager will restart and will show all of the tasks for all of the system users including Windows processes that might normally be hidden. Find the column labeled CPU and click on the column header until you get a downward pointing arrow. This will result in the percentage utilization values being sorted in descending order. You want it in decending order so the largest usage processes are at the top of the list.

If you see something like your browser's name as a huge percentage user when the reponse time is poor and the hour glass wait icon is showing, it is your browser that has a problem. It could be the browser or JAVA. Or, it could be some other process on your PC other than your browser that all of a sudden has become a hog when it comes to using the micro processor.

On the other hand, if you see your browser in the list but is it not using hardly any CPU and System Idle Process is at the top of the list with something like 90 or 95% then you are waiting on the network or something on the internet and possibly the host web site.

The approach outlined above is a classic divide and conquer. It should at least get you headed in the right direction to discovering why you system sometimes is so unresponsive.

Good luck!

[dav4463]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will try and figure it all out in the next couple of days!

[dav4463]

Do a google search for winmemoptimizer. It may just be your virtual memory,also make sure all windows updates are done

this seems to help a lot! thanks!

[dav4463]

dav, do you have a wireless network setup? Also, does it happen when someone is on the phone at the same time you are on the web?


Mine is not wireless. I never use my home phone for calls anyway.

[Pell Mell]

Dave, what Red Knave asks you to do is the best way to start to understand the problem. What you posted as a problem could either be a slow PC or it could be internet related. And until you figure out which one it is you could be on a wild goose chase.

The next time you have a poorly responding system, start the Task Manager by either doing a right mouse button click on the Windows task bar, or, the old 3 fingure salute -- CNTL+ALT+DEL then select Task Manager.

With the Task Manager window open click on show process for all users. It will prompt you with another pop up window asking you if that is really what you want to do, click Allow.

The Task Manager will restart and will show all of the tasks for all of the system users including Windows processes that might normally be hidden. Find the column labeled CPU and click on the column header until you get a downward pointing arrow. This will result in the percentage utilization values being sorted in descending order. You want it in decending order so the largest usage processes are at the top of the list.

If you see something like your browser's name as a huge percentage user when the reponse time is poor and the hour glass wait icon is showing, it is your browser that has a problem. It could be the browser or JAVA. Or, it could be some other process on your PC other than your browser that all of a sudden has become a hog when it comes to using the micro processor.

On the other hand, if you see your browser in the list but is it not using hardly any CPU and System Idle Process is at the top of the list with something like 90 or 95% then you are waiting on the network or something on the internet and possibly the host web site.

The approach outlined above is a classic divide and conquer. It should at least get you headed in the right direction to discovering why you system sometimes is so unresponsive.

Good luck!

Very interesting. What does it mean when the system idle is listed at the bottom but almost always shows 95-99%?

[Fleur-de-lis]

Most generally, when System idle shows 95-99% it means there is very little your computer is doing -- it's just sitting there waiting for work. There is the overhead of the operating system looking for work to do along with some other tasks that run in the background but when you don't have anything burning cycles then the computer just sits there waiting, and waiting, forever. The CPU is still clocking and those cycles are assigned to a task called System idle.

[dav4463]

What can you do to make it faster when System Idle is 95-99%?

[dutchboy]

What can you do to make it faster when System Idle is 95-99%?

1. Speedtest.net will test the internet connection speed. Try it when you are not having a problem. Test again when you are having problems.

2. How much Ram/memory does your pc have?

3. Is this a new problem? Your pc could be infected and is being used to send spam as part of a botnet.

[dav4463]

I downloaded AML free registry cleaner and did a scan. It found 445 problems. I clicked fix all and my computer has never run this fast before! I hope it keeps working like this!

[my_nameaintearl]

Run malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.org


then run superantispyware
http://www.filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/


remove everything and your computer should be clean

[dav4463]

Run malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.org


then run superantispyware
http://www.filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/


remove everything and your computer should be clean

Thanks!