Today, I switched on my computer to find that it was really slow at loading. It finally loaded. Then I started to use it and it was going slow. I noticed the other day, Powerpoint opened for no reason.

So, the best thing to do is to scan for viruses/spyware.

I first used Spybot S&D. Just a few tracking cookies and some recently opened file lists. Then I tried Ad-Aware SE. Nothing bad detected. Then I even tried Microsoft Antispy. Still nothing. I still had Norton left, but that takes a while, so did a few other simple things before.

I cleared my cache, backed up and my cookies and deleted them. Then ran disc clean-up to get rid of other files. Then I did disc-check and then defragmented. Still, the speed of XP was slow. Then I decided to use Norton AntiVirus 2004. (All these had up to date definitions loaded). I ran Norton, locked my computer and went away. Came back and to my horror, for some strange reason, there was the welcome to Windows screen, please press CTRL+ALT+DEL to login ... blah blah...

So, I decided to go back in and scan some common virus/spyware places like C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\System32, and C:\Documents and Settings.

I then sat there with it, moving the mouse so the screen saver didn't come on etc., then, it did it again, I realized what had happened before, the computer had restarted for no reason...

It had managed to scan most of the files and those results showed no viruses/spyware...

I went to the Startup and Recovery options in the My Computer Properties and had unchecked Automatically restart ages ago.

I haven't done anything like any tweaking recently (I did ages ago and the computer has been fine up until now...), nor have I done any installations...

I do have a firewall as well, and haven't accepted any of those msn viruses which I have noticed that some of my contacts have, as it has been trying to send itself to me, but it wasn't detected so it doesn't seem that I have it.

So, the reason I have explained this is to get an answer to this thread title...

I am currently using Windows XP SP2.

It would be appreciated if someone could help me.

You should stay at your computer. A message box will probably come up and say that you have X amount of time before your computer shuts off. Just type Start->Run->shutdown /a. Then PWN TEH VIRUS!!!!!11 \o/

lol

It's not that kind of restart, my computer just goes off, does the POST test beep then I see the boot logo and the WinXP boot screen, this is why I think this is reallly dodgy...

Maybe a brownout or whatever it's called, does your computer have enough power?

Well, my computer has always had the same psu, always been connected to the same socket, nothing else in the house swtiched off either and my computer switched off only when performing a virus scan ... . Everything hardware-wise seems to be working and looks ok, i checked inside...

Well, the restarting seems to have layed off, but I haven't performed anymore virus scans. I have no idea why virus scanning could cause a weird restart but, hey!

The slowness is still there though

Does it also restart while doing anything else that uses a lot of cpu time?

Nope, well, this is the first time it has done this and I have had everything else that has been running today, running for a long time before all this happened. (Norton scans etc.)

I'm in the dark just as you are, hope someone else has a better way of solving this than using system repair or installing windows again.

Thanks for your help anyway, Ezra.

Re-installing windows isn't too much of a task..., but I wanted to find a solution to the problem rather than doing that. (One reason being, that this is the longest I have had XP installed until re-installing and wanted to keep it that way ) but anyway,...

I'll wait for a few more posts of suggestions that some other people might have, then consider re-installing.

quote:

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Originally posted by jren207
Well, the restarting seems to have layed off, but I haven't performed anymore virus scans. I have no idea why virus scanning could cause a weird restart but, hey!

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Edit: my bad... i removed a part of it manually, re-run the anti-virus scan and it cleaned out the rest

Thanks, i'm all open to any suggestions

I'll try it tomorrow because it's like 2:00AM lol (me trying to fix the problem but not succeeding... )

Don't worry about not knowing the name of the virus, there are sooo many types, it's just crazy now...

* jren207 considers switching to linux lol

I've been getting that as well!
At first I thought I was knocking the cable with my foot, but then it's happened again quite a few times since

Norton found nothing

Spybot found nothing

quote:

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Originally posted by jren207
* jren207 considers switching to linux lol 

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quote:

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Originally posted by sprinkles
I've been getting that as well!
At first I thought I was knocking the cable with my foot, but then it's happened again quite a few times since

Norton found nothing

Spybot found nothing

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Hmmm, i've yet to try the suggestion from Z_Joanna_ZZZ, i'll do that tomorrow,

but I'm thinking that it might not be a virus, a conflict with another program maybe, although, i don't remember installing much lately..

I honestly thought it might be a harware problem (It still might be), I even checked that the CPU speed was ok with the Intel processor ID Utility.... but it reports that my CPU is running at the correct speed as it was manufactured to run at.

Just do a System Restore to a few days before, when you were sure it worked fine. Windows is very good @ fucking up itself, so it does not need to be ur fault.

Maybe you have a hardware problem...

Go to start -> run -> devmgmt.msc 
and check if there are any " ! " 's

you should check the event log under  control panel> admin tools> Event Viewer and see if its reporting any problems

Hmmm..

I tried the try trendmicro scan online, nothing.
I tried system restore, nothing.
All my devices are running correctly, no "!"'s anywhere.
The only errors in the event log were something about DCOM, not unloading user profiles etc, which I have installed a tool from MS to solve this.

Still, slowness.

quote:

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Originally posted by jren207
DCOM, not unloading user profiles etc, which I have installed a tool from MS to solve this.

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quote:

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Originally posted by chris100

quote:

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Originally posted by jren207
DCOM, not unloading user profiles etc, which I have installed a tool from MS to solve this.

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hope you don't mide me asking but were do you get the tool i get that to?

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Ok, i'll just post another post (omg I double posted ), anyway,

I decided to reformat, and while I was doing some lastminute backups, (thank goodness for the windows CD writing wizard, yeh that sounds stupid ), I got a bluescreen with an error on it saying something along the lines of "Windows has been disabled to prevent damage to your computer". Then something about a driver problem and a memory reference.

(don't worry, I didn't lose any files, the writing wizard had just completed)

Anyway, what I think it was, was a dodgy Chipset driver for my SiS chipset. (More specific, an IDE chipset driver).

That's the only kind of thing, or major driver upgrade I performed, although why it had waited to unleash it's computer crashing powers when it did, I have no idea....

anyway, be careful and um.... stay away from chipset driver upgrades Kids!!