[flavallee]

Stay completely away from cleaners, boosters, optimizers - no matter what they claim they can do. They're useless and a waste of money and do nothing to make your computer run better. And using them can make some of your programs stop working and can damage the operating system. I can't make it any clearer than that to you.

---------------------------------------------------------------

[peck1234]

very true....

except I love ccleaner.... : )

[flavallee]

I have only one use for CCleaner - using it's "Tools - Uninstall" section in conjunction with the registry "Uninstall" section to edit and display my installed programs and drivers with their actual names and version numbers.

---------------------------------------------------------------

[tennisace]

Hi Phantom,

I opened add/remove programs and there is nothing listed called Windows Defender Signatures. Any other suggestions?

What else can you recommend to help speed up my computer?

[Phantom010]

Originally Posted by tennisace

Hi Phantom,

I opened add/remove programs and there is nothing listed called Windows Defender Signatures. Any other suggestions?

What else can you recommend to help speed up my computer?

Look at post #19. It does show in your Uninstall list.

[tennisace]

Hi Phantom,

You are correct. It is in post # 19 but it doesn't come up in add/remove applications.

[Phantom010]

It most likely looks like you don't have Windows Defender or Windows Defender Signatures on your computer anymore. HijackThis seems to be pointing out an entry in the registry that hasn't been deleted when uninstalling the program.

Windows Defender is clearly not running on your computer when looking at your HijackThis log anyway. You can forget about it.

[tennisace]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your help. I appreciate it. Even though I have tried a host of all your suggestions my computer is still slow. Here is a recap of what I have done so far:

Defragmented my hard drive.
Installed HijackThis, have done several system scans, posted results
Removed at least 10+ applications using add/remove and Revo Uninstaller.
Contacted Symantec and had them run the Norton Removal Tool and manually removed every folder with Symantec we could find.
Uninstalled Windows Search 4.0 (SearchIndexer.exe).
Unchecked 19 Startup applications from loading at Startup.
Updated the definition files and ran a scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware. Then allowed them to fix EVERYTHING they find.
I went into the C:\Program Files folder after a restart and then deleted leftover folders from application I deleted on add/remove.
I updated to Sun Java Runtime Environment 1.6.0.16 and
Adobe Reader 9.2.0
I deleted 9 entries from the HijackThis scan by clicking on Fix Checked.


My computer is still slow. Should I be looking at stopping some of the processes that are running in the background?

Can I go into my registry and remove programs (like Mozy) that have been removed but still have residual information on the registry and any other places like the folder for Program Files or under Documents and Settings/All Users/Application Data or under Documents and Settings/All Users/Start Menu/Programs or Documents and Settings/Default User/Application Data or under Documents and Settings/my name/Application Data?

Is there anything else that you can think of that I can do to help make my computer faster?

Thanks for all your help.

[peck1234]

Do a fresh format and clean install of xp

nothing beats that

[tinsom]

my suggestion is run defrag about five or six times
then run msconfig from start
and un click programs u dont use
also upgrade you ram this will help

[tennisace]

Hi Peck,

This will be a last resort for me since I don't have a copy of XP. My Dell computer came with it but with no disks for it that I can remember. I can't afford to buy a new copy of XP right now.

[tennisace]

Hi tinsom,

You may have noticed from my previous reply that I have already done the msconfig idea. My RAM is already at the highest level of 2 GB.

[flavallee]

tennisace:

Let's see a new HijackThis log.

Make sure to close all open windows before running a scan.

---------------------------------------------------------------

[tennisace]

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 9:38:10 PM, on 11/3/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16915)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\avp.exe
C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\avp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WgaTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=C:\WINDOWS\system32\Userinit.exe
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: HP Print Enhancer - {0347C33E-8762-4905-BF09-768834316C61} - C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_printenhancer.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Browser Defender BHO - {2A0F3D1B-0909-4FF4-B272-609CCE6054E7} - C:\Program Files\Browser Defender\PCTBrowserDefender.dll
O2 - BHO: IEVkbdBHO - {59273AB4-E7D3-40F9-A1A8-6FA9CCA1862C} - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\ievkbd.dll
O2 - BHO: PCTools Site Guard - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: PCTools Browser Monitor - {B56A7D7D-6927-48C8-A975-17DF180C71AC} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - D:\Program Files\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - D:\Program Files\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O2 - BHO: HP Smart BHO Class - {FFFFFFFF-CF4E-4F2B-BDC2-0E72E116A856} - C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O3 - Toolbar: StumbleUpon Toolbar - {5093EB4C-3E93-40AB-9266-B607BA87BDC8} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: PC Tools Browser Guard - {472734EA-242A-422B-ADF8-83D1E48CC825} - C:\Program Files\Browser Defender\PCTBrowserDefender.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVP] "C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\avp.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Banner Ad Blocker - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\ie_banner_deny.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: StumbleUpon PhotoBlog It! - res://StumbleUponIEBar.dll/blogimage
O9 - Extra button: Web traffic protection statistics - {1F460357-8A94-4D71-9CA3-AA4ACF32ED8E} - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\SCIEPlgn.dll
O9 - Extra button: Spyware Doctor - {2D663D1A-8670-49D9-A1A5-4C56B4E14E84} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\Shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra button: HP Smart Select - {DDE87865-83C5-48c4-8357-2F5B1AA84522} - C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra button: Favorites Finder - {7BEE99D8-664B-495d-AFAC-A0892B2876A7} - C:\Program Files\Favorites Finder\FavoritesFinderBar.dll (HKCU)
O16 - DPF: {0D062C61-F69C-11D6-A718-00C0F02CC8EE} (FISERV FIPSCO Report Viewer) - https://lpss.amerus.com/amu/reports/...amurptview.cab
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) - http://utilities.pcpitstop.com/da/PCPitStop.CAB
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {3D4C3992-ABD6-4F85-9A1B-8568E3B4DB3E} (FISERV FIPSCO Insmark Interface Class) - https://lpss.amerus.com/amu/InsMark/imkctl.cab
O16 - DPF: {49232000-16E4-426C-A231-62846947304B} (SysData Class) - https://wimpro.cce.hp.com/ChatEntry/...ds/sysinfo.cab
O16 - DPF: {493ACF15-5CD9-4474-82A6-91670C3DD66E} (LinkedIn ContactFinderControl) - http://www.linkedin.com/cab/LinkedIn...derControl.cab
O16 - DPF: {5727FF4C-EF4E-4d96-A96C-03AD91910448} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.srtest.com/srl_bin/sysreqlab_ind.cab
O16 - DPF: {6D2EF4B4-CB62-4C0B-85F3-B79C236D702C} (ContactExtractor Class) - http://www.facebook.com/controls/contactx.dll
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsof...?1127202276812
O16 - DPF: {7B62F6EE-D046-11D3-9C5E-0060082627F7} (TWDownloader Class) - https://pluto.conseco.com/download/TWDownload.cab
O16 - DPF: {A90A5822-F108-45AD-8482-9BC8B12DD539} (Crucial cpcScan) - http://www.crucial.com/controls/cpcScanner.cab
O16 - DPF: {A9F8D9EC-3D0A-4A60-BD82-FBD64BAD370D} (DDRevision Class) - http://h20264.www2.hp.com/ediags/dd/...osticsxp2k.cab
O16 - DPF: {CF40ACC5-E1BB-4AFF-AC72-04C2F616BCA7} -
O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{2FF9FD75-78DB-4A24-BE5B-AB9F9F1724E3}: NameServer = 4.2.2.2,4.2.2.3
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\PROGRA~1\KASPER~1\KASPER~1\kloehk.dll,C:\PROGRA~1\KASPER~1\KASPER~1\mzvk bd.dll,C:\PROGRA~1\KASPER~1\KASPER~1\mzvkbd3.dll,C:\PROGRA~1\KASPER~1\KASPE R~1\adialhk.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.DLL
O23 - Service: Kaspersky Internet Security (AVP) - Kaspersky Lab - C:\Program Files\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Internet Security 2009\avp.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE

--
End of file - 7980 bytes

[tennisace]

Hi flavallee,

Could I go to HijackThis and click on Fix Checked on the following:

These have the (no file) at the end which I assume means that the applications have been deleted and these are just leftover files.
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: PCTools Site Guard - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: PCTools Browser Monitor - {B56A7D7D-6927-48C8-A975-17DF180C71AC} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: StumbleUpon Toolbar - {5093EB4C-3E93-40AB-9266-B607BA87BDC8} - (no file)

I believe these applications have been deleted and these are just leftover files.
O8 - Extra context menu item: StumbleUpon PhotoBlog It! - res://StumbleUponIEBar.dll/blogimage
O9 - Extra button: Spyware Doctor - {2D663D1A-8670-49D9-A1A5-4C56B4E14E84} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll