[Dreamcatcher]

I recently did several OS Restores, none of which detected a modem. So I installed an external modem and was again able to access the internet...but slowly. Then I installed AOL's McAfee Security Center (firewall, antivirus, spyware protection) and now my computer is really, really, slow. I've turned off the MS automatic updates because they seemed to be slowing things. Now I think the problem might be AOL's Security Center. Any suggestions?

[lunarlander]

Slowness, overloaded cpu etc is typically assocaited with spyware. Run a scan with your Mcafee and see what it finds.

[Dreamcatcher]

I did the scan and nothing was detected. Is it possible that installing the external modem made a difference in what RAM is available? Or the fact that my toolbar constantly shows there are updates? Yesterday I download Service Pack 3 (it took 5 hours with dial-up) and at the end there was a message that the download failed.

[SayWhat?]

I don't know what to do imo...seems like a complicated problem because we still don't know anything about your computer.

[Dreamcatcher]

I have an eMachine with Windows XP and 256 RAM (expandable to 2 G). The RAM has been okay until I restored and installed the external modem...though I will get more as soon as I can. I don't know if the recent changes have caused the problem. Maybe there are changes I can make in some settings?

[SayWhat?]

Why did you restore?

[Dreamcatcher]

I had been getting a lot of disconnects, plus inappropriate error messages...such as one saying a page couldn't be loaded/..when the web page had already loaded. There were other messages that I don't remember. There were a lot of indications that something had gotten messed up and I tried for days and couldn't correct the situation either through MS or AOL. I finally decided I would be better off starting fresh. I've had to do this before on another machine, several times, and never had a problem with speed.

[AleciaBrent]

I have a friend with the same issue. Here, everytime he logged into AOL kept getting a flash screen telling that his system was not protected so he ended installing the AOL S&SC. Now his system is running slow and wants it removed but there is no uninstaller.

[Dreamcatcher]

Maybe this will help your friend: in Windows Explorer go to Program Files. Click on McAfee.com, then Agent. Under Agent is a file called "uninst". I haven't opened this file, but it might have the info needed to uninstall.

[piano9playa5]

Just to be safe: Go to the Malware Removal & HJT logs section and read the Sticky "Please read here first BEFORE posting for help in this forum"
Follow through it's instructions and then post a HJT log and a description of your problem... Hopefully it's something simple. Good Luck!

[scorpionsting]

McAfee Security Center is known to hog a lot of your system resources, so my advice is uninstall McAfee..and see if that speeds up your comp, if it does than scan your comp for spywares,, as they slow the comp..try out SUPERantiSpyWare..

http://www.download.com/SUPERAntiSpy...dlPid=10881361

also they are better free antivirus softwares, like Avira And Avast,
you can use either of them

http://www.download.com/Avira-AntiVi...dlPid=10877501

http://www.download.com/Avast-Home-E...dlPid=10879477

install ccleaner and clear all your junk files,

http://www.download.com/CCleaner/300...dlPid=10876371

try out revo uninstaller, capable of uninstalling all the difficult to uninstall ones..

http://www.download.com/Revo-Uninsta...dlPid=10854684

lastly increase your RAM atleast by another 512mb,hope this solves your problem