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passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 02:31 AM Nov 2015

Help with computer locking up or running too slow...I mean like it died.

Last edited Sat Nov 28, 2015, 03:16 AM - Edit history (1)

I am having serious problems and may have an infected/compromised system. But I also may just have a dying system I have a probably six year old system. Maybe it's just not enough RAM to handle anything I'm trying to run today.

My system:

AMD Athalon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+

2.01 GHz, 896 MB of RAM

127 GB capacity, with 23.7 GB used

OS Win XP Pro, version 2002 (service pk 3)

Adobe Flash, version 19,0,0,245 installed (current)

Firefox 52.0 (current)

Chrome (current) Not using it...just saving for favorites

Outlook Express 2002 (10.6863.6870) SP3

Avira version 15.0.14.259

Spybot 2.4 (tried to update today...I think its current)

CCleaner v5.12.5431


I read the pinned thread about searching for malware:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/109512475

linking to this page of instructions:

https://malwaretips.com/threads/how-to-remove-trojans-spyware-rogues-and-other-malware.6941/

I have a few questions before trying this:

A few months back, Chrome crashed and it wouldn't let me reinstall it. I then tried running firefox. I also have Outlook Express (an old version) installed, that I use just for my e-mail, not for any other browsing.

My system is crashing constantly, or slowing down so badly that I think it's crashed and I end up locking it up even trying to delete tabs and close software or the system. I scanned with Avast, Spybot, and ran defrag. Then I paid a friend/tech to help me, by e-mail, and this was his advice:

First, Avast is now obsolete. Get rid of it. It caused a lot problems for me and I finally got rid of it last year. I now use Avira.

For a my firewall I now use Tiny Wall.

But first, you should clean you hard drive. For that, use disk clean up which is built into XP.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/310312

Just take your time and follow the instructions. It will take quite a bit of time to accomplish all that. If you do not or cannot, I WILL loose your hard drive and everything on it.

Heck I'm surprised it's still running.


I did everything he suggested, including deleting avast and comodo, but discovered you need win 7 or higher for Tiny Wall, so he said just reinstall chrome and use the firewall that comes with Chrome.

After doing what he suggested, I got as far as not downloading Tiny Wall, and then reinstalled Chrome (it did reinstall this time). But Chrome still kept crashing on me so badly that I went back to firefox. I now have no firewall.

What I first need to ask is...can I have this page of directions (in the link above) open while I go through the steps to try to check my system for being compromised? If not I will have to print it off first.

Second, if my system is failing, might it not crash it to download all these additional programs? I will delete Chrome first...it's installed, but I'm not currently using it. I don't have all my files backed up yet (no exterior backup drive hooked up) and I don't want to lose everything trying to do this. I have backed up a few key files and will back up a few more before trying this, but I only have a thumb drive to back them up on.

If you think it's safe to try this, should I reinstall Comodo first (it was not letting me download and install software before, and I really don't know how to use it any more. It's gotten too complicated for me...not tech savvy at all here). I'm kind of afraid to go to all these links and download anything without a firewall. Or is there a smaller, safe firewall like Tiny Wall (free option) I can try that will work with Win XP?

I'm at the point where I have to stop and run ccleaner and then restart my machine about five times a day to keep it from locking up or bogging down. I also try to run spybot at least once a week, but it never finds anything serious. What it finds are just normal files it considers low risk. I can't run Netflix. I can't look at Google Maps, or anything that involves a lot of tabs or resources, (like Google maps). And I can't run MSNC's new player, so no more Rachel or other programs there until I can get Win 7 or higher.

I appreciate any and all help out there. I'm not in a financial position to hire help again, and/or buy a new PC right now. I don't know if this system can handle an upgrade to WIN whatever (I don't want 8...aggghhh), but if it can, mabye I could run Chrome again and use it's firewall, or use Tiny Wall. I really need a firewall.
43 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Help with computer locking up or running too slow...I mean like it died. (Original Post) passiveporcupine Nov 2015 OP
I would definitely upgrade the RAM blogslut Nov 2015 #1
Thanks blogslut passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #2
See, with RAM blogslut Nov 2015 #3
OK, I'll call 3B Tech about the RAM passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #6
I'm posting to you blogslut Nov 2015 #9
See...there is so much I just don't know passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #11
Reading down through this, you either have a full/faulty hard drive, or -none Nov 2015 #4
I've never run check disk passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #7
The Disk Check will tell you if the hard drive is OK or not. -none Nov 2015 #12
Thanks, I'll run it now. passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #14
OK, I just ran check disk passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #16
I don't have access to an XP machine, but... -none Nov 2015 #17
Thank you passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #19
restore your windows XP to an earlier date (you will not lose any files) here's a link how. Sunlei Nov 2015 #5
I can try to restore XP...never done that passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #8
Always keep CCleaner blogslut Nov 2015 #10
Spybot does not run scans on my system automatically. passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #13
cool blogslut Nov 2015 #15
system restore to an earlier date saves your settings. Sunlei Nov 2015 #35
This message was self-deleted by its author passiveporcupine Dec 2015 #36
If I restore Win XP to before chrome crashed, or even two months back, passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #18
Is the warning icon a red shield with an x? blogslut Nov 2015 #22
Yes, it's the red shield with the x passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #24
I'm not finding anything on security settings to indicate a firewall installed passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #28
Oh, another question passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #20
No free upgrade for XP. 7 will be supported to at least 2020 if not longer hobbit709 Nov 2015 #21
I thought you can't buy 7 any more. passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #23
Data files can be copied from hard drive onto external drive. hobbit709 Nov 2015 #26
Thanks, I'll check Amazon for 7 passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #27
You guys I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the advice here passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #25
I'm late to this thread Denzil_DC Nov 2015 #29
Thanks Denzil, I'll check it out passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #30
No worries. Denzil_DC Nov 2015 #31
I'm not seeing a service host problem. passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #32
That's fine, sounds normal. Denzil_DC Nov 2015 #33
I will check into that...thanks again passiveporcupine Nov 2015 #34
So, this morning I almost couldn't start my PC passiveporcupine Dec 2015 #37
That link of yours Denzil_DC Dec 2015 #38
Thanks so much passiveporcupine Dec 2015 #39
You're welcome. Denzil_DC Dec 2015 #40
One other thought: Denzil_DC Dec 2015 #41
I usually just shut it down and immediately hit restart, when it's hung up. passiveporcupine Dec 2015 #42
If it's playing up, Denzil_DC Dec 2015 #43

blogslut

(37,955 posts)
1. I would definitely upgrade the RAM
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 03:34 AM
Nov 2015

1 Gig (896 MB) just isn't enough. If you can tell us the maker/model of your computer then we can tell you how much RAM capacity it has and what type you need to get. As for the firewall, just use Windows Firewall - it's native to Windows XP (with Service pack 2) and works just fine.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
2. Thanks blogslut
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 04:17 AM
Nov 2015

It's a 3B Tech computer...built by a company back east.

I have a labeled photo of the motherboard.

It's a MCP6P-M2

It has two DDR2 DIMM Slots
each DIMM supports 256MB/512MB/1GB/2GB DDR2 533/667/800

Does this help?

3B tech can probably help me with ram, if the board can hold more. I need to buy a new fan from them too, and a cable I misplaced that connects the front high speed USB port and the memory card reader. I've never used those because I lost the cable. I don't want to invest any more money in this PC unless I can upgrade it so it works for what I need now.

I have windows firewall on, but I didn't think it was good enough in XP. I'd heard Win 7 and up was good.

blogslut

(37,955 posts)
3. See, with RAM
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 07:48 AM
Nov 2015

...it's important that you put the right size module in the proper slot. You should contact 3B Tech to ask about upgrading RAM. It shouldn't cost too much to buy a couple of sticks and install them yourself. If you pay more than $50, you're getting ripped off.

As for your firewall, I'm not aware of Windows Firewall on XP being any better or worse than other firewalls but I could be wrong.

Yes, get that fan. If your machine is overheating that's gonna fry everything.

As for the cable, there's a bajillion universal cables to connect your USB port to your card reader - you just have to make sure the dongles fit in the ports. Don't pay a bajillion dollars for a cable.

I think, ultimately, you just really really need to get more RAM. And eventually, you should upgrade to, at minimum, Windows 7.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
6. OK, I'll call 3B Tech about the RAM
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 06:05 PM
Nov 2015

My fan is still working. I have to turn a heater on the system before I start it up to make sure it's warm enough, or it growls so much I have to shut it down again. I need to swap it out before ti dies.

The cable may be a special one (tiny) that had a connector at each end, and it connected both the usb port and card reader at the same time. Maybe they are both installed on a tiny board that just has a usb port on it...if so any usb cable will work?

I tried talking to 3B tech about it and he didn't seem to know what I was talking about, and my PC was in use at the time so I couldn't look inside. Next time I call them I'll have the tower open.

I also have an extra hard drive and an external case I want to get hooked up (if I can free up another usb port) to have a back up system hooked up. I want that front high speed usb port for downloading pictures.

The reason I bought a 3B Tech computer is because they had good prices and I was broke and my old gateway was dying, but I'll check pricing on things before placing an order with them. It may be that my system is too old and the motherboard too old to upgrade.

blogslut

(37,955 posts)
9. I'm posting to you
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 06:30 PM
Nov 2015

...on an 11 year old Thinkpad T60, with a 2GHZ chip, 2GB RAM and Win 7. It works just fine for my needs.

That cable that connects your USB port and your card reader, is it external? If so, then you want to look at the port on your card reader. While it may be a regular size female port, it could be micro or mini USB. So, you want a male/male cable with the appropriate size connectors. If that whole business is internal, then definitely crack open your tower and look for the model numbers on your USB/Card readers.

As for connecting peripherals like an external hard drive, maybe you should get a USB hub - they're cheap:

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
11. See...there is so much I just don't know
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 07:46 PM
Nov 2015

I didn't know you could run multiple devices off a single usb port. I guess I should have figured that out, since the front usb port and card reader run off one cable.

My connections are internal, so I'll have to open it up to figure out what kind of cable I need. You say I need the card reader model number? Is that to get a cable that will work, or what? I can figure out what connectors I need just by looking at it, can't I?

I wish my old Kodak camera cable would work for that. I don't need it now as my new camera had a different connector on it. It's a regular usb connector at one end and a micro or mini d style plug at the camera end.

Cracking open the tower is the hardest part for me, because I'm kinda crippled and crawling under my desk to unplug everything and then hook it back up is torture for me. It's why I keep putting everything off till it breaks.

-none

(1,884 posts)
4. Reading down through this, you either have a full/faulty hard drive, or
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 11:03 AM
Nov 2015

a bad RAM stick. You need at lead 2 gig for XP to run with any speed, replacing the RAM is good..
As for the hard drive, do a disk check for bad sectors. The logs will tell you after you run it.

I use Bitdefender for the antivirus. And Malwarebytes and SUPERAntispyware.
I use the Win7 Firewall.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
7. I've never run check disk
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 06:08 PM
Nov 2015

Do I want to run both scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors, and automatically fix file system errors at the same time? Will I need to restart after?

If I have over 100 GB of free space, does that indicate my hard drive is not "full"? Sorry...stupid question, but you are talking to an old granny here.

-none

(1,884 posts)
12. The Disk Check will tell you if the hard drive is OK or not.
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 07:47 PM
Nov 2015

The only time I have had a problem with Disk Check is when the hard drive in is real trouble anyway. I normally tell it to find and recover bad sectors. It does wonders sometime to fix problems.
The last time I ran Disk Check on an XP machine a couple of months ago, it cleared up a problem I had with the antivirus not wanting to run. Plus the computer stopped going catatonic and needing a reboot, when left alone for a while.

With over 100 GB of free space, you're good there.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
16. OK, I just ran check disk
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 08:49 PM
Nov 2015

My system restarted automatically when it was done, and there was no indication of any kind of report telling me what it found. Where would I find such a report?

-none

(1,884 posts)
17. I don't have access to an XP machine, but...
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 09:05 PM
Nov 2015

This looks as easy as anything:
Start -> Run -> type "eventvwr.msc" (no quotes) -> ENTER. Click on Application and select the most recent winlogon entry.
http://superuser.com/questions/173887/where-are-the-results-of-the-xp-disk-error-checking-utility-logged

Good luck

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
19. Thank you
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 11:08 PM
Nov 2015

The only options I see that come up are:
application
security
system
Comodo Internet Security
Comodo Internet Security CEF
Comodo Internet Security trace
Internet Explorer
Spybot Search and Destroy
Windows Powershell

The system file has events listed for today going back to 11/1/2015
The windows Powershell is all from 2014

The System shows mostly lines of information, but it looks like two errors repeat every time I start up or restart the system.

error 11:28:2015 4:31:44 Service Control manager event 7000
error 11:28:2015 4:31:44 service control manager event 7009

And every now and then a warning or other error pops up. These are the warnings I keep seeing scattered through the report.

Warning Dhcp event 1003
Warning avgntflt event 18
warning W32Time event 36
error Dhcp event 1002

Then on 11/8 I see a whole bunch of errors in a row but they only consist of two different repeated events.

error SidebySide event 59 and event 32
There are 42 alternating line entries of these error events

The first two errors (event 7000 and 7009 repeat each day for the rest of the report, but no warnings show up. It looks like SidebySide may have started something.

I don't know what any of this means, or if it will even help.





Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
5. restore your windows XP to an earlier date (you will not lose any files) here's a link how.
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 12:28 PM
Nov 2015

It's easy and will undo many problems. pick a date a couple months ago if you can.

http://www.wikihow.com/Restore-Your-Windows-XP-Computer


don't download any more of that 'freeware' and if you can try to uninstall (in control panel add/remove programs) as much of the freeware as you can.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
8. I can try to restore XP...never done that
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 06:14 PM
Nov 2015

I will lose all my settings though, right? I won't lose my OS or anything?

Are you saying I should not be using Avira, CCleaner, or Spybot? Or just that I should only be using upgraded for pay versions?

blogslut

(37,955 posts)
10. Always keep CCleaner
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 06:33 PM
Nov 2015

Spybot is okay but I prefer SpywareBlaster because it just blocks stuff, it doesn't run scans in the background all the freaking time. Don't know about Avira.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
13. Spybot does not run scans on my system automatically.
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 07:48 PM
Nov 2015

I have to remember to run it. I only do it about every week or so...after checking for updates.

blogslut

(37,955 posts)
15. cool
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 07:59 PM
Nov 2015

I haven't used Spybot in ages. I might have it confused with some other anti-spyware program where you have to go in and turn off the default auto-scan. I have to manually update the database for Spywareblaster as I've had it before they started giving the auto-update feature away for free.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
35. system restore to an earlier date saves your settings.
Mon Nov 30, 2015, 12:18 PM
Nov 2015

I have an old XP windows comp, with firefox and chrome installed and it always locks up.

Those 3 don't work well together and with your very low memory and all the downloads you have it will lockup. At some point all the hard reboots you have to do will fry your computer.

Here's a place you can try to see if your computer can take more memory- on front page is a scanner that will tell you if your computer memory can be upgraded.

http://www.crucial.com/
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also suggest when your computer runs slow or locks up, to push 3 keys- ctrl, alt, and delete- task manager will come up.

Then you can click CPU or memory in task manager and see what programs are using up all your memory or CPU and maybe delete those programs to free up some space. (Only delete programs in Control panel- add/remove programs.)

You can 'close' some programs in task manager and maybe that will speed up your computer a little and prevent a total lock-up.

good luck, you need more memory and a larger computer for everything you like to download

Response to passiveporcupine (Reply #8)

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
18. If I restore Win XP to before chrome crashed, or even two months back,
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 09:14 PM
Nov 2015

I will lose Avira and Silverlight, as those are recent downloads. What about recent upgrades on the other stuff like spybot, CCleaner, and whatever else I might have upgraded since then and forgot about? I''m not sure I want to do this right now...maybe after I upgrade RAM?

Also, I have a warning icon that popped up after my last restart, down in the right hand corner of the task bar, where the little icons sit. It says I have no firewall turned on, yet Windows firewall is turned on. That has popped up in the past, and that is why I didn't know I even had Win XP firewall turned on. Is this a problem?

There is also an icon for safely removing hardware, and it's for my thumb drive that I have plugged in and am using for backups. It says to safely remove that drive I need to select it and click stop and then remove it. As long as I'm not transferring files to that drive, I don't need to worry about stopping it, do I?



blogslut

(37,955 posts)
22. Is the warning icon a red shield with an x?
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 10:15 AM
Nov 2015

If so, then that's a warning from your Windows Security. If it's another icon it might be your old firewall program telling you it's pissed off that you don't love it anymore. Make sure to go into Windows Security settings and insure that the old firewall is disabled and that Windows firewall is enabled.

As for that remove hardware thing, don't ignore it. Right-click on it and click the correct device to remove and wait for it to tell you it's okay to remove your thumbdrive from the port. It won't kill your machine if you remove/unplug hardware without "safely" removing it first, but you'll probably get the blue screen of death and nobody likes that.

As for losing stuff if you restore XP, that's very likely, not absolutely, but likely. You might want to do that after you ensure your hard drive is healthy and your ram is healthy and/or upgraded.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
24. Yes, it's the red shield with the x
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 05:41 PM
Nov 2015

My old firewall was Comodo and I uninstalled it. Do you mean it might still be enabled even if it's not installed on this system any more?

I'll see if I can figure this out today...thanks. I know windows firewall is on, but I didn't look further than that.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
28. I'm not finding anything on security settings to indicate a firewall installed
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 06:12 PM
Nov 2015

other than Windows.

This little warning does not pop up every time I start up or restart, so maybe it's just a glitch?

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
20. Oh, another question
Sat Nov 28, 2015, 11:43 PM
Nov 2015

Can you still upgrade Windows (where you get some credit for already having windows), or do you just have to buy the newer versions? And if I upgrade, don't I have to upgrade to at least 8? I didn't think you could upgrade to seven any more. I mean they've already come out with 10, so how long will Win 7 even be supported?

hobbit709

(41,694 posts)
21. No free upgrade for XP. 7 will be supported to at least 2020 if not longer
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 12:43 AM
Nov 2015

Best bet would be to do a clean install of 7.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
23. I thought you can't buy 7 any more.
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 05:38 PM
Nov 2015

I haven't ever changed an OS unless I was changing out the whole computer. I can't do the OS install myself...it asks questions I don't know how to answer. But doesn't that mean everything on the system will be gone? All my other applications and software/hardware will have to be reinstalled afterward? And I will have lost all my e-mail address book info and favorites? Because I'm pretty sure that is what happens when you change an OS.

hobbit709

(41,694 posts)
26. Data files can be copied from hard drive onto external drive.
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 05:46 PM
Nov 2015

You will have to reinstall software and some drivers(the ones that aren't in the database)

You can export address books, etc. from any decent email program, save to an external drive and import on the new setup.

The only questions it asks is Time zone, User name, Public or private network.

you can still buy 7, just not from M$ but a lot of stores still have copies.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
27. Thanks, I'll check Amazon for 7
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 05:59 PM
Nov 2015

I had my tech friend walk me through installing XP (by phone) on this system, and there were questions/choices that stumped me. It was too long ago, and I don't remember what they were, but they were not simple questions like you have listed. There weren't a lot of them, but even one question is enough to stop me in my tracks.

Maybe I can find someone local who can walk me through it again. I know one used system I bought from the classifieds. I took it to a tech and paid a lot of money just to have Win XP installed, even though it only took him a few minutes of actual involvement. Most of the time it was doing it's thing while he was in another room working on something else. I just can't afford to do that again. It turned out I couldn't use that system anyway...it was too noisy, so I wasted money on it.

I now have a house full of old computers and stuff that I need to clean out. I need to get serious about this and upgrade my system and set up my external backup and then back up all my files off all the old systems and get rid of everything I don't need. My cabin is too small to be a junk room. Oh man, all the cables and adapters. Do they breed in drawers or something? And the mice and the keyboards. They must be breeding too.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
25. You guys I can't tell you how much I appreciate all the advice here
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 05:44 PM
Nov 2015

I know it's time consuming and still you give of your time freely. I don't know how you all learn this stuff and understand it. There is so much to learn. My brains are too old to learn anything this complicated and remember much of it. It's like learning a new language for me and I was never good with languages.

So thanks to everyone who is willing to help old farts.

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
29. I'm late to this thread
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 06:58 PM
Nov 2015

and glad to see you've had so many offers of assistance.

Take a look at this old thread in case it's any help:

Problem Solution: Windows XP, svchost.exe using 99% CPU, very slow system

If you follow the first part of the instructions (under "Confirmation&quot and find that svchost.exe is hogging resources, then this may be an indication that you have the problem identified there.

If so, then the next problem is that some of the links on that post are outdated (for instance, Microsoft no longer lets you download Internet Explorer 8), but there might be ways around that.

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
31. No worries.
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 09:31 PM
Nov 2015

The initial check is quick and easy.

If it shows that problem and you have a version of IE earlier than 8, then there are non-Microsoft download sites out there where you can get it, but we'd need to find a safe one. The security patch the post mentions is still available from Microsoft (and I have a copy of it anyway).

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
32. I'm not seeing a service host problem.
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 10:20 PM
Nov 2015

I just opened youtube and left a video running, then google maps and zoomed in on my property in satellite mode, and I have multiple tabs open in firefox...while watching Task Manager. Most of my activity is bouncing back and forth between Firefox.exe and system idle (most often sitting at system idle). Some times plug-in container.exe kicks in a little. Firefix is using the most memory (414K), and plug-in container.exe (85K) is next. I'm not sure IE is my problem.

But then, my system hasn't crashed today, so maybe running check disk yesterday did some good?

If I upgrade to win 7, I will probably try to learn how to use Chrome or Firefox for e-mail and calendar, and drop IE altogether. I just haven't figured out how to get something like Outlook Express e-mail handler and Calender anywhere else yet. I don't really want multiple Operating systems tying up my machine.

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
33. That's fine, sounds normal.
Sun Nov 29, 2015, 10:53 PM
Nov 2015

It was worth a try, just in case.

If you're looking to replace Outlook Express, my neighbor was very used to it, and switched over to Windows Live Mail quite easily (similar interface).

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
37. So, this morning I almost couldn't start my PC
Tue Dec 1, 2015, 01:35 PM
Dec 2015

It started up OK, and then I opened outlook and firefox, but then everything locked up and it took me ten minutes to finally get it to shut down safely. Control Alt Delete does not work when it's like this.

So when I restarted it came up with an error. I shut it down completely and let it sit for fifteen minutes and then started it again and the same error came up again, before trying to launch anything.


Schedule.exe Error Signature

szAppName: sched.exe szAppVer:15.0.14.257 szModName: msvcr120.dll
szModVer: 12.0.21005.1 offset: 000z7676




Does anyone know what this means. Did running check disk do this? I just clicked OK and kept on going and I'm in and things are working, but I'd like to know what the error is about.

I googled it and this page says it might be legit or a trojan. I has a link to check for errors, but I don't trust any site I don't know.

http://www.file.net/process/scheduler.exe.html

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
38. That link of yours
Tue Dec 1, 2015, 07:31 PM
Dec 2015

is for scheduler.exe, not schedule.exe (assuming "Schedule.exe Error Signature" up there isn't a typo).

Here's the link at that site for schedule.exe: http://www.file.net/process/schedule.exe.html BUT I never find sites like that much help.

Sched.exe is part of Avira, so it's most likely that, as we know you have Avira on your system and its updater is likely to kick in on boot-up. Maybe uninstall/reinstall Avira and see if that helps, or even uninstall it and try a different AV program (as I think you discussed above in this thread)?

Or, temporarily: Click the Start button at low left on the XP homescreen and select Run... Type in msconfig and click OK to bring up the System Configuration Utility. In the Startup tab, look for any entry that looks like it relates to Avira, or indeed sched.exe. Untick it and click OK. You can now reboot your computer to let the change take effect. With any luck, your system won't hang when it reboots and we'll maybe be a little closer to identifying that particular issue. If it does seem to be that the Avira updater is faulty, then you could go ahead and uninstall/reinstall, or uninstall and get a different AV program.

Avira won't auto-update again until you go through the same msconfig process, recheck that box and reboot. You should be able to update your Avira virus signatures from within Avira itself. I don't recommend this as a solution of any sort as you'll inevitably forget to update Avira manually at some point, which isn't a good idea.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
39. Thanks so much
Tue Dec 1, 2015, 09:18 PM
Dec 2015

you are correct...it is schedule, not sheduler. I was a little frantic this morning when I saw that. Will try your suggestion.

Thanks again.

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
40. You're welcome.
Tue Dec 1, 2015, 09:54 PM
Dec 2015

I've seen quite a few complaints about sched.exe slowing up startup etc.

I'd try to be online as little as possible while Avira's disabled at startup/before you install a different AV, as you'll have no real-time protection.

Avira has its own registry clean-up tool that you can run after uninstalling Avira: http://www.avira.com/en/download/product/avira-registry-cleaner

I recommend you run that tool after uninstalling Avira so that it cleans out any rubbish in your registry that the original installation left behind. This may help make a reinstall of it work properly.

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
41. One other thought:
Wed Dec 2, 2015, 09:04 AM
Dec 2015

While you're having these issues at startup, if you get your computer running OK during a session, when you've finished, try setting it to hibernate (Start > Turn Off Computer... > Hibernate) rather than shutting it down completely (Start > Turn Off Computer... > Turn Off). It should restart more quickly and may not be so prone to hanging, so you may save some wear and tear from repeated reboots.

passiveporcupine

(8,175 posts)
42. I usually just shut it down and immediately hit restart, when it's hung up.
Wed Dec 2, 2015, 04:32 PM
Dec 2015

I try to do a clean shut down and restart (occasionally I have to hard boot) after running ccleaner. I always run CCleaner before shutting down (unless it's frozen). I do the shut down to try to clear anything that is causing it to hang up, but maybe that's not necessary? Just ccleaner and hybernate (stand by for XP) will do it?

I have been told that if you are having trouble on start up you can shut down and give it a few minutes before restarting and it might clear out some things.

Denzil_DC

(7,188 posts)
43. If it's playing up,
Wed Dec 2, 2015, 04:38 PM
Dec 2015

then a hard reboot is no doubt the way to go. If it's running OK, I'd hibernate it.

I'd suggest going easy on using CC Cleaner. It can lead to its own issues (I've knackered an XP installation before now by using it), and it asks you if you want to back up your registry each time for good reason.

It can show up issues, sure enough, but sometimes its cure is worse than the malady. Let your system settle down and take any problems as they come and ask about them here if you can - sounds like it has a few hardware and software problems as it is, don't want to add to them.

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