Annoyingly Slow Response Times - Suspect Malware

[BobH]

[ I wasn't sure which forum to post this on. Please move it if there is a more appropriate place for it. ]

Recently, my PC has been sluggish. I've tried every sort of laxative I know; yet the problem persists. It is particularly noticeable in the browser (Firefox 3.6.8) but also obvious in the email client (ThunderBird 3.0.6) and other applications. My Windows XP Pro SP3 is fully up to date, according to the scans, and the firewall is turned on. I run avast (free version) AV. I've run CCleaner and AntiMalWareBytes frequently. I also run WinPatrol. Those tools are freshly updated. I've even installed a much larger HDD {and defragged it) suspecting that a drive 3/4ths full might be the cause. The new drive is only a quarter full. It's as if there might be a bot running that I can't detect or that the system has been captured. I don't know how to associate CPU usage with particular OS functions and running applications. Likewise, I don't know how to test to see if the problem is with my ISP (Time Warner RoadRunner broadband).

I suspect some malware that I'm not detecting. My usage habits have not changed. I have no new background apps - at least none that I can find. The machine is a Core Duo HP laptop with 2GB RAM and 1.8GHz speed.

I'm posting here to ask for help, but it also occurred to me that a forum/thread for system tuning and problem resolution might be useful.

I'm eager to hear your suggestions and thoughts on the proposed thread.

[JoeP]

Have you run Task Manager to observe the CPU usage? If you have either post a screen shot or list of the offenders.

Is the slowdown when you access the Internet? Or when you load a program? Or use a non-internet program such as Word, Notepad, etc.?

Joe

[BobH]

Screenshots as requested.

The sluggishness seems to be intermittent, but I notice it most using Firefox because that is the application that I use most. Occasionally I will edit photos, write documents using and old copy of Word or OO Writer; but mostly I surf and read/write email.

ApplicationsSS.jpg

Processes1.jpg

PerformanceSS.jpg

[HansV]

In your screenshots, Defraggler is using almost 50% of the processor time. Had you started it manually, or have you scheduled it to run regularly?

[StuartR]

It looks like defraggler is using 49% of your CPU. Try turning it off for a while and see if performance improves.

You can sort the task manager window by clicking on the heading of the CPU column to get all the processes using significant CPU to the top.

[BobH]

Yes, I'm aware that the SS show Defraggler using a lot of CPU. I started it manually as I had apparently interrupted it before it completed.

At the moment, I'm not experiencing the sluggishness despite the fact that a defrag is running as are my browser, Thunderbird and the few dozen background processes.

Can anyone suggest a way to vet all those processes to determine their necessity or advisability? I can't identify them all by name.

Thanks for the help!

[HansV]

Typing the (partial) name of a process into Google will usually yield relevant information.

You might also use the free utility WhatInStartup. This shows which programs/processes are started automatically when you start Windows, and lets you disable the ones you don't need.

[Don Wells]

FWIW. I recently observed that an extensive collection of bookmarks was significantly slowing down the launch of Firefox.