Member Avatar for umadan

So I have a windows xp and on the main identity I get the following message 'Failure to load hardware monitor driver' This is under the banner of 'slowdownCPU' This identity shutsdown everytime. If I log on with another identity and then switch to the main one (without disconnecting the other) then it works okay. Also I sometimes get a Norton 'Bloodhound' message in red, but itseems this is an unidentified problem rather than a virus.

Any ideas, please, anyone?

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A few focused, practical steps to resolve the “Failure to load hardware monitor driver” message and protect your Outlook Express mail while you troubleshoot.

Because the problem disappears when you use a different Windows identity, the culprit is very likely a per‑user startup item (something that runs only for your main account). was right to point at startup items, and ’s note about vendor utilities is also relevant: motherboard/monitoring utilities often install per‑user helpers that try to load kernel drivers and fail. See where Windows looks for per‑user startup entries and Run keys. (cisa.gov)

Preserve Outlook Express before changing anything. In OE use Tools → Options → Maintenance → Store Folder to find the message store, close OE, then copy that folder (all *.dbx files) to removable media. To move mail to a new identity either import the copied store from OE’s Import wizard or copy the dbx files into the new identity’s store folder (close OE first). Always keep a backup copy of the originals. Detailed steps and cautions are in the Microsoft/OE guides. (learn.microsoft.com)

How to find and silence the offending “slowdownCPU” safely: search the disk for the executable name to get its folder, check the per‑user Startup folder and the registry Run keys (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run) and, for a full view across accounts, run Sysinternals Autoruns to see the exact image path and publisher. Disable the entry first (don’t delete), reboot to confirm the problem goes away, then either uninstall the vendor utility or replace it with an updated download from the manufacturer. Back up the registry before editing. (learn.microsoft.com)

Why the hardware‑monitor driver error appears and Norton’s Bloodhound: OEM installer DVDs often ship old or unsigned monitor drivers that newer Windows setups balk at; installing drivers from the motherboard vendor’s website (run as Administrator) normally fixes that. Norton’s “Bloodhound” is heuristic detection and can produce transient red alerts; update definitions, run a full scan, and if you’re unsure get a second opinion with a well‑known on‑demand scanner. (windowsreport.com)

If needed, report back the full filename and the path you find for slowdownCPU and the exact Norton message text — that will let responders point to the exact package to remove or replace.

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Member Avatar for DMR

1. How long have you been getting the errors from the CoreCenter software.

2. Please post the exact make/model/version/revision of your motherboard; CoreCenter exhibits such problems with certain mobos.

3.

Also I sometimes get a Norton 'Bloodhound' message

Details, please; you've given us nothing to go on here.

Member Avatar for umadan

1. How long have you been getting the errors from the CoreCenter software.

2. Please post the exact make/model/version/revision of your motherboard; CoreCenter exhibits such problems with certain mobos.

3. Details, please; you've given us nothing to go on here.

Hi, thanks for your reply. I'm afraid I've got a very limited knowledge of pcs (to give you some idea I had to go to Wikepedia to find out what Motherboard meant!)

Well this has been happening for about three months (we bought the pc 5 months ago)

The pc is a Runner, I looked under properties and found the word 'Maxtor' with some numbers, is that useful? I could get the numbers if necessary

As for the Norton message, it doesn't always come up, often it just stops and goes back to the idnetities. When it appears normally it only comes up red for half a second and then it goes green again. Once it gave me the name of a Bloodhound virus and I checked under the list of Norton viruses, it wasn't there. A friend told me that it could mean it's simply an unidentified error rather than a virus.

One solution could be simply to migrate all my files onto another identity, the only problem is how do I do that with Outlook Express without losing all the stored messages? In desperation I saw that I had the chance to activate 'firewall' and so I did that yesterday. Now it's just told me that it's blocked something called LEXPPS.EXE . Am seriously thinking of going back to using my abacus

Member Avatar for DMR

Obviously, you've never tried to write a business proposal on an abacus. :mrgreen:

1. I was about to give you a short description of what the lexpps.exe is and does, but I found this wonderful summary over at and just had to pass it along instead:

Lexmark Printer Port Scanner. Background task which auto-loads with the rest of the printer drivers and which allows your Lexmark X or Z Series to be shared over a Windows peer-to-peer network using the conventional method of setting up a shared networked printer (without it, you will not be able to share the printer using the conventional Windows method).
Recommendation :
This task is a comprehensive nightmare. From preventing your PC from booting up, to interfering with your network card, to asking your Internet firewall for permission to install itself as a server application, to general PC instability, this task has everything to make you instantly return your Lexmark X or Z Series printer and go for something else, and some users have done so !! In order to regain your sanity the first thing to do is to rename LEXPPS.EXE to LEXPPS.EXE.OLD (do it in Safe Mode if you cannot boot your PC normally) – this will ensure that this task never loads and will cure all the problems that it causes. If you need to network the printer over a peer to peer network, do not use the standard manner, instead install the printer as a local printer on the remote PC, and then go and change the port from a local port to the network share that the printer is known as.

2. Here's a good description of Norton's "Bloodhound" component (found on another antivirus company's FAQ site):

Bloodhound is a generic name used by Norton Anti-Virus that it might have found an unknown virus. Sometimes this is a false alarm, sometimes a real alarm on a virus unknown to NAV.

If a full system scan with Norton (with the most current virus definitions installed) doesn't turn up a real virus, chances are good that the Bloodhound alert is a false positive. If you would like more peace of mind, I'd suggest running one or more of the free online antivirus scans listed at the beginning of this post.


3. The info you posted about the computer doesn't help much; "Maxtor" is the brand of hard drive, and I've never heard of a brand/model of PC called a "Runner".
I'll have to finish up on this part tomorrow, as I don't have a definitive answer yet, and it's after midnight in my end of the world- time to log off.

Member Avatar for SuperSam

Hi,

Click Start-> Run-> Type "msconfig" without quotes, and click "Startup" tab and in the Startup item list..look for "slowdownCPU". If you find it, uncheck the corresponding box..click "Apply" and "Close". Click "Restart" and post back.
If the error persists..follow the same instructions except now disable all the startup items and check if issue persists. If the error stops then keep re-enabling small groups of startup items..until you pinpoint what is causing the error.

Sam.

Member Avatar for umadan

Wow this is great, thanks everyone for the suggestions, I finally got a red Norton and it said that zero elements are affecting the performance (so why does it come up in red?) Now I'll try following your advice

Member Avatar for DMR

If Bloodhound is finding nothing wrong, and you find its alerts distracting, you should be able to turn off or minimize the Bloodhound feature's activity. The exact setting for that varies depending on the specific version of Norton that you are using, but it's usually in the Advanced options area, and sometimes buried in a "Heuristics" submenu.

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