When I used to run windows, I used to re-format my HDD every six months and re-install the OS. That always works.

Clonezilla makes the job easy now.

I've been running linux for 12 years now, never had a virus and always fast. [just saying]

Back in the past your reformatting the hd and the reinstall was almost a must for win95, and win98. Xp not so much, because system restore was introduced and restore in general made the necessary reformatting of the drive not an issue. Only in the most extreme screw ups that I had to wipe the system and start over.

Chad had an excellent suggestion about 'msconfig' and sparky disabling all of the junk and stuff that is loaded at start up. Then taking a hard look at what IS being loaded. Using a web search on every command or process to see just what program owns it or what it does.

Msconfig is a very powerful, tool that can help find where it hurts.

OK, I maybe shouldn't have commented. I haven't regularly used Windows since 2001, and then it was only for gaming. I built a new machine 2 years ago and left a 200 GB partition for windows if I ever wanted to play a game -- it's still sitting empty.

I'll stick with what I know....

You did good, I just was not sure of what flavor of windows you were talking about. Xp as I said dam near eliminated the need to have and wipe the system squeaky clean and redo. With the newer flavors of the windows ecosystem, about the only need to nuke your system and reinstall is for the most major of screw ups.

Before xp came along , it was dam near an article of faith that reformatting and reinstalling had to be done every couple of months, 6 months was very common.

Thanks. Yeah that is what I was doing.

The last Windows OS I ever used was Windows 2000 [not Windows Millennium]. It actually wasn't bad. I have an XP install disc, but never used it -- my 200 GB partition is still waiting.

95% of the things I do is with a web-browser. The other things are multimedia, and VLC handles that. I have no reason to install windows.

I used to be a big linux advocate; but I know people are sometimes apprehensive trying something new -- so I kind of gave up.

Ran CC Cleaner and Spybot. CC Cleaner got rid of a bunch of stuff; Spybot found nothing.

Same problem. Here's a screenshot of one of the ads that comes up repeatedly, and the processes that are running...
slow computer ad.jpg

Have played with linux but I never got into it. It is a great system for those that want to tweak and play with the command line like the Dos ecosystem of old, Hell still have some old laptops that uses dos shell programs. 1 meg max memory on some and one 8 meg memory unit. it does run win 3.3 or so, have not booted it in a while, use that one in my ham shack to control my Kantronics kam all mode.

can you redo the screen shot an maybe upload it to tinypic and link to it from there instead of using the gsus attachment feature? it's too blurry and i can't read it.

If running Firefox, install a block and disable popups or find that will work with your browser. Others may have more of a clue.. Looks like you do not have a system problem, and more of a browser problem.

What browser do you use?

http://www.google.com/search?num=50&...l783l1.3.1l5l0

alright sparky, do this.

go here: malwarebytes.org

download and install the free version. start it up, but do not run it. update it. then, close all of your anti-virus, firewall stuff, etc. and disconnect from the net. then, run malwarebytes. it will find and destroy the nasty you have.

There are two conhost.exe's running that seems strange.

I don't play with the command line much. I use a GUI...

screen.jpg

Nice background http://www.discussworldissues.com/fo...ilies/grin.gif

I cut my teeth with cpm and then dos, always loved the command line with all the wonderful switches. Then the shell programs came along that sorta made things easier, especially for friends at the time that did not want to learn commands and their uses, that at that time I was the grue for several business and friends in the very early days of the pc.

The GUI has spoiled me rotten, and now only visit the command line when all else fails. Still have EVERY release of Dos and Windows( except win 2000 and visa) Growing moldy and taking up space somewhere in this house.

Sparkey look at your firewall, and upgrade it if you can. and make sure that your a/v programs are up to date. And make it a religion to run a scan on your system every day or so. If you have good up to date protection programs running you will not have the problem you have.

But never get into the old 'out of sight, out of mind' comfort level.

Always make sure you scan your system like clockwork. We have a much loved lady member here that just recently learned or relearned that lesson.

Just saying.

Are we even sure sparky is infected at this point? It seems like he's run every anti-malware program and come up with nothing.

Is your harddisk full? If so, this causes slowness. It needs to have about 3% free to move files around.

He may have a ad monster or such, We or I went off the deep end about his problem trying to cover all possible causes. But then he posted that pic, and that may have been it Chad is right.

Sparky's system probably is just fine. But It still does not hurt to clean and take the trash out, that usually makes them run better.

Just shooting shit, between sparky's reports on his progress.

I have a 300 Gig hard drive, which is about 30% full.

I tried Chad's suggestion and removed everything from Startup. No change.

Why does my task manager not show my system as being more taxed. CPU Usage 30%, Physical Memory 48%. Is that a lot?

Thanks, I switch them around ever now and then.

I use the command line sometimes. I don't really learn them. I just have a .txt file with the one's I need and copy/paste them

I go here often for new ideas

http://www.commandlinefu.com/commands/browse

There was a good thread about these programs a few weeks back which turned out to be a godsend, because my computer started to get really slow when it was connected to the Internet. I installed CCleaner (I was running Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes already) and ran the Cleaner and Registry tools, and it seemed to fix whatever was causing the problem (I hope!). Now I run all three programs religiously, as I wasn't doing that before.