dell 2350 very slow.......only 128mb ram

[geoss]

Hi,
I'm writing for my son and wife. This computer -a Dell 2350, running XP Home, with 128mb of ram. They have separate user accounts.
The machine is very slow. I have done ad-aware, and spybot, and cleaned Temp. Internet Files. I have looked over MSCONFIG: and it has 3 McAfee applications, qttask, realsched, and PSFree pop up stopper running.
Can someone please help try to speed this up?
I have stopped Index Servicing and System Restore.
How much difference would 512 Ram make instead of the 128mb?
They have hi speed internet, but the workings of the machine are slow, ex. bringing up Msconfig, bringing up the home page.please help.
Thanks
George

[geoss]

this is the Hijackthis file:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.1
Scan saved at 7:57:35 AM, on 8/5/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
C:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Panicware\Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition\PSFree.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\nicole\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for hijackthis[1].zip\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.comcast.net/
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = http://localhost;
O2 - BHO: myBar BHO - {0494D0D1-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: &SearchBar - {0494D0D9-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\McUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DwlClient] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sr1exe] "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Dell\Alert\252\updtSup3.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] c:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PopUpStopperFreeEdition] "C:\Program Files\Panicware\Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition\PSFree.exe"
O9 - Extra button: ComcastHSI - {669B269B-0D4E-41FB-A3D8-FD67CA94F646} - http://www.comcast.net/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Support - {8828075D-D097-4055-AA02-2DBFA9D85E8A} - http://www.comcastsupport.com/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Help - {97809617-3937-4F84-B335-9BB05EF1A8D4} - http://online.comcast.net/help/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.dll
O16 - DPF: {1D6711C8-7154-40BB-8380-3DEA45B69CBF} (Web P2P Installer) -
O16 - DPF: {2B96D5CC-C5B5-49A5-A69D-CC0A30F9028C} (MiniBugTransporterX Class) -
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99F7-4BB4-88D8-FA1D4F56A2AB} (YInstStarter Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yahoo.com/dl/installs/yinst0401.cab
O16 - DPF: {62475759-9E84-458E-A1AB-5D2C442ADFDE} - http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52/20031216/qtinstall.info.apple.com/mickey/us/win/QuickTimeInstaller.exe
O16 - DPF: {CCA6CE4C-2199-4A4F-9542-12E0163D6841} (Dialer Class) - http://sessa.isprime.com:81/tel2net/CABEDialer.cab
O16 - DPF: {FF0C042C-98E9-4C36-B2EC-E21FDFDCEF75} - http://download.redswoosh.net/Installer/104/rsinstaller.cab

[DuncanIdaho]

You could lose the Real agent and the qttask, neither need to run all the time. More ram would certainly help things out a bit. That BHO Mybar looks suspect, but I'll defer to other opinions on that, as I'm no spyware expert. (Personally, though, I don't let any of those little so called 'free tools' on my PC, since most I've found are spyware or malware).

I'd also add that turning off System Restore does free up some resources, but it could also strand you later if you need it! It has saved me a few times in the past in a big way, I'd find it hard to recommend leaving it turned off, but that's just my take on it.

[Catweazle]

128Mb of RAM is nowhere near enough for Windows XP. 256Mb should be the minimum, and it doesn't really start to run well until you have 384Mb or 512Mb.

Post your Hijackthis logs in the Security forum section please. They are expressly forbidden in other forum sections.

[alc6379]

128Mb of RAM is nowhere near enough for Windows XP. 256Mb should be the minimum, and it doesn't really start to run well until you have 384Mb or 512Mb.

I wholeheartedly agree.

I worked for a lady that had a Dimension 4300 with 128MB of RAM running XP. That thing ran like a dog, and she was always badmouthing Dell because of it. After I found out that the machine only had 128MB, I yanked out that stick and put in 2x256MB sticks in there. Booted it up, and lo and behold-- the thing ran great! Then she loved Dell!

[geoss]

Hi...................my Dell is very slow.........when I click on IE, it takes a long time to come up.............Have done ad aware, and SpyBot, thinned out msconfig(there are 3 McAfee applications, qttask, and realsched there now).
Here is ther HiJack This log........................

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.1
Scan saved at 7:57:35 AM, on 8/5/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
C:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Panicware\Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition\PSFree.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\nicole\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for hijackthis[1].zip\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.comcast.net/
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = http://localhost;
O2 - BHO: myBar BHO - {0494D0D1-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: &SearchBar - {0494D0D9-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\McUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DwlClient] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sr1exe] "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Dell\Alert\252\updtSup3.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] c:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PopUpStopperFreeEdition] "C:\Program Files\Panicware\Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition\PSFree.exe"
O9 - Extra button: ComcastHSI - {669B269B-0D4E-41FB-A3D8-FD67CA94F646} - http://www.comcast.net/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Support - {8828075D-D097-4055-AA02-2DBFA9D85E8A} - http://www.comcastsupport.com/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Help - {97809617-3937-4F84-B335-9BB05EF1A8D4} - http://online.comcast.net/help/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.dll
O16 - DPF: {1D6711C8-7154-40BB-8380-3DEA45B69CBF} (Web P2P Installer) -
O16 - DPF: {2B96D5CC-C5B5-49A5-A69D-CC0A30F9028C} (MiniBugTransporterX Class) -
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99F7-4BB4-88D8-FA1D4F56A2AB} (YInstStarter Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yah...s/yinst0401.cab
O16 - DPF: {62475759-9E84-458E-A1AB-5D2C442ADFDE} - http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52...meInstaller.exe
O16 - DPF: {CCA6CE4C-2199-4A4F-9542-12E0163D6841} (Dialer Class) - http://sessa.isprime.com:81/tel2net/CABEDialer.cab
O16 - DPF: {FF0C042C-98E9-4C36-B2EC-E21FDFDCEF75} - http://download.redswoosh.net/Insta...rsinstaller.cab

help please,
George

[Catweazle]

I've just spent a few days sorting out a mess for a friend who had a Celeron based Compaq. It had only 128Mb and some 'well-meaning' friends had done so much tinkering with the system that virtually every feature of Windows XP had been disabled!

All that was needed was enough RAM, and boosting it to 384Mb, then disabling the onboard graphics and dropping in an old GeForce2 MX video card made his system jump up and sprint!

[dlh6213]

I'm pretty much just going to reiterate what has already been mentioned here, but first I'd like to ask if this system has always run slow or if it just started running slow recently?

My XP system originally had 128MB and it ran very slow; Microsoft says this is the minimum, but 256MB is the actual minimum for it to run well. I have 384MB now and I frequently feel like I still need more. If you can get 512MB in your system, your wife and son should be happy... unless there's another problem.

[crunchie]

XP needs a minimum of 256 RAM to operate normally. Buy more RAM :) .

Unzip HJT into it's own permanent folder before doing anything in order for it to create backups. (Not a temporary folder or directly on the desktop (in a folder on the desktop is fine) & not directly on your hard drive). Close all (browser) windows & rescan with hijackthis. When the scan is finished place a check in the box to the left of the following entries & click 'fix checked' :

O2 - BHO: myBar BHO - {0494D0D1-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL

O3 - Toolbar: &SearchBar - {0494D0D9-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL

O9 - Extra button: ComcastHSI - {669B269B-0D4E-41FB-A3D8-FD67CA94F646} - http://www.comcast.net/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Support - {8828075D-D097-4055-AA02-2DBFA9D85E8A} - http://www.comcastsupport.com/ (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Help - {97809617-3937-4F84-B335-9BB05EF1A8D4} - http://online.comcast.net/help/ (file missing)

O16 - DPF: {1D6711C8-7154-40BB-8380-3DEA45B69CBF} (Web P2P Installer) -
O16 - DPF: {2B96D5CC-C5B5-49A5-A69D-CC0A30F9028C} (MiniBugTransporterX Class) -
O16 - DPF: {CCA6CE4C-2199-4A4F-9542-12E0163D6841} (Dialer Class) - http://sessa.isprime.com:81/tel2net/CABEDialer.cab
O16 - DPF: {FF0C042C-98E9-4C36-B2EC-E21FDFDCEF75} - http://download.redswoosh.net/Insta...rsinstaller.cab

Reboot into safe mode following the instructions here & navigate to & delete the following if found:

C:\Program Files\MyWay

Go into Msconfig & place a check in all entries so that they all start up. You can go back in after we have had a look & reconfigure it.

Reboot normally after doing the above then post a fresh log please.

[geoss]

can I have some more instructions on how to unzip into its own permanent folder.......not really sure how to do this?????????thanks
George

[caperjack]

Important: Create a folder on the C: drive called HJT.
You can do this by going to My Computer (Windows key+e) then double click on C: then right click and select New then Folder and name it HJT.
Unzip HijackThis into this folder. When you run HijackThis from this folder and have it "Fixed checked" it will create a backup file of modifications to use if restore is necessary.

[alc6379]

I the case of the 2350, pull your 128MB stick of memory, and get two 256MB sticks. That system's only got 2 DDR slots.

[geoss]

Hi,
Here is the new hijack this log file.I also deleted "MyWay":

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.1
Scan saved at 9:40:43 PM, on 8/6/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcshield.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
C:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Panicware\Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition\PSFree.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\HiJackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.comcast.net/
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = http://localhost;
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee.com\Agent\McUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DwlClient] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Dell\EUSW\Support.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [sr1exe] "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Dell\Alert\252\updtSup3.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] c:\program files\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe" -osboot
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PopUpStopperFreeEdition] "C:\Program Files\Panicware\Pop-Up Stopper Free Edition\PSFree.exe"
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.dll
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) - http://pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99F7-4BB4-88D8-FA1D4F56A2AB} (YInstStarter Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yahoo.com/dl/installs/yinst0401.cab
O16 - DPF: {62475759-9E84-458E-A1AB-5D2C442ADFDE} - http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52/20031216/qtinstall.info.apple.com/mickey/us/win/QuickTimeInstaller.exe

[alc6379]

I merged your two threads together, so all of your responses will be in one. In the future, stick to one forum or the other when asking a question. If it's in the wrong forum, one of us mods will move it for you :)

[crunchie]

That log looks clear now :) .