[TerryNet]

I have Vista Home Premium (with all critical and recommended updates) on an HP Pavilion dv6500 laptop. First 3+ months I had it everything worked fine. For about the last 3 weeks most web pages, including almost everytime I click on a link in one of these forums, I get to see the "busy" icon for 10-15 seconds or so.

I think it is not a networking issue per se because I'm having no trouble wired or wireless on two XP PCs, it happens wireless or ethernet on this Vista PC, and even when it happens a Speedtest will show 7.5Mbps or better.

Things I have tried, with no change, include stopping the Sidebar, stopping Windows Defender and uninstalling Grisoft's Anti-Virus (I've reinstalled it).

I use Firefox 2.0.0.12, but using IE gives the same result.

In Safe mode with Networking the problem does NOT occur.

Thus, I'm thinking some software incompatibility with an outside chance of malware.

Any advice or suggestions?

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 12:54:34 PM, on 3/17/2008
Platform: Windows Vista (WinNT 6.00.1904)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16609)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe
C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\QPService.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\QLBCTRL.exe
C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe
C:\Windows\System32\rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\HPWAMain.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\WiFiMsg.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\hpwuSchd2.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LightScribeControlPanel.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnscfg.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\HpqToaster.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqSTE08.exe
C:\Program Files\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://home.pghconnect.com
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\Main,Start Page = http://home.pghconnect.com
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = PGHConnect
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (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
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QPService] "C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\QPService.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QlbCtrl] %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\QlbCtrl.exe /Start
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Health Check Scheduler] [ProgramFilesFolder]Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\HPHC_Scheduler.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvSvc] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\nvsvc.dll,nvsvcStart
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [hpWirelessAssistant] %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\HPWAMain.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WAWifiMessage] %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\WiFiMsg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BCWipeTM Startup] "C:\Program Files\Jetico\BCWipe\BCWipeTM.exe" startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgcc.exe /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [Launcher] %WINDIR%\SMINST\launcher.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [LightScribe Control Panel] C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LightScribeControlPanel.exe -hidden
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [AVG7_Run] C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgw.exe /RUNONCE (User 'Default user')
O4 - Startup: cleantemp.bat
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O20 - Winlogon Notify: avgwlntf - C:\Windows\SYSTEM32\avgwlntf.dll
O23 - Service: Ad-Aware 2007 Service (aawservice) - Lavasoft AB - C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware 2007\aawservice.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Alert Manager Server (Avg7Alrt) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgamsvr.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Update Service (Avg7UpdSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgupsvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG7 Resident Shield Service (AvgCoreSvc) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgrssvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG E-mail Scanner (AVGEMS) - GRISOFT, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVG7\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: CyberLink Background Capture Service (CBCS) (CLCapSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\Kernel\TV\CLCapSvc.exe
O23 - Service: CyberLink Task Scheduler (CTS) (CLSched) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\Kernel\TV\CLSched.exe
O23 - Service: Com4Qlb - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\Com4Qlb.exe
O23 - Service: HP Health Check Service - Hewlett-Packard - c:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\hphc_service.exe
O23 - Service: hpqwmiex - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: RoxMediaDB9 - Sonic Solutions - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\9.0\SharedCOM\RoxMediaDB9.exe
O23 - Service: SBSD Security Center Service (SBSDWSCService) - Safer Networking Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDWinSec.exe
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
O23 - Service: XAudioService - Conexant Systems, Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\xaudio.exe

--
End of file - 8023 bytes

[JohnWill]

I think I'd try disabling groups of items with MSCONFIG and see if you can isolate the application or process that is causing the delay. I'd be looking first at spyware and virus scanners, though it's hard to say what it might be.

[TerryNet]

Thanks, John. I'll do that soon and post the results.

[TerryNet]

I disabled groups of startup programs and also services. Even got to the point of disabling all startup programs and all non Microsoft services. Still the same problem.

Tried Safe mode with Networking again. That still works fine.

What else is different with Safe mode? Drivers and screen resolution would be two. The drivers for ethernet and wireless are the same in normal and Safe modes. Normal mode with different screen resolutions, including 800 x 600, still has the slow loading problem.

I disabled the two Bluetooth entries under Network Adapters in Device Manager. No difference.

Think I'll go back to my XP machines for the rest of today!

Any other ideas short of a Windows reinstall?

[JohnWill]

I'm running short. That sucks, don't know what is happening there. Have you reset IE7, just to be complete? Since FF does it too, I don't know if this will have an effect.

Reset Internet Explorer 7 Settings

[JohnWill]

A random thought...

I have a friend that just had a problem like this, only his was every time he right clicked on a file, there was this similar delay of about 10 seconds. Turned out to be a context handler looking for a network drive for no real reason, it was because a network install was done previously. Could that be one of the issues, of something similar? Maybe something about the HTTP association is hosed here.

[JohnWill]

Another thought... List the services and processes running in safe mode, then check the ones running in normal mode with all the stuff disabled in MSCONFIG. Try stopping any that are not the same.

[TerryNet]

I saw a notice that SP1 is now available, so that will probably be my next action.

Will try the IE7 reset then.

You lost me on the random thought. What do you mean by "network install"? And is there anything I can look for w.r.t. "HTTP association"?

Earlier I made a list of the (few) services running in Safe mode with the intention of proceeding as you suggest. Guess I'll have to do the same for processes.

Thanks for all the ideas.

[JohnWill]

I'd try the IE7 reset first.

It's not clear what I'd look for, just thinking about a recent experience where the context handler was introducing the delays.

[TerryNet]

The IE7 reset got IE7 working fine again.

Uninstalled FF and reinstalled it. Same problem. Same problem in Firefox's Safe Mode.

Created a new default profile with Firefox, and things are OK with that.

The really weird thing is that my regular profile is now at this moment working OK. The slow loading has been going on for weeks. So I'll have to see what happens tomorrow and probably the next few days to see whether the problem has gone away or is just resting a little bit. By the way my regular FF profile doesn't amount to much; no themes or extensions, about to add-ons, ... .

Thanks for all the help, John. Whatever happens, I'll update this.

[JohnWill]

Thanks, hopefully you've beat it into submission. I wonder what happened in the first place? It's odd that both IE and FF had the issue, that seems to point to some common element. I wonder if some Active-X or JAVA extension that you use in both places is screwing up?

[TerryNet]

Think I'm gonna drop this issue for awhile.

This morning I was back to the same ol' problem with Firefox. Uninstalled it and deleted the entire Mozilla folder from my Appdata. Now the new install is more erratic. For example, the last three threads I clicked on took 15, less than 1, and nearly 20 seconds to load for me to read.

I'm wondering if Firefox 2.0.0.12 and Vista have a subtle incompatibility. I installed that latest update Feb. 9, same day as some Windows updates, and the problem started around that time. I guess FF 3 will be out soon. I'm going to give this a rest and just see what happens. Can always use IE if I'm in hurry I suppose. Thanks again for the help.

[JohnWill]

Interesting. Let me know if you find out anything else, I'm about to migrate my main environment to Vista, sure would hate to have an issue like that come up!

[pvc_]

I'm having a similar problem on my desktop, which has 3 different network cards including a wireless card. As far as I know this problem has something to do with the IPv6/4 because appearently some routers don't support IPv6, so programs that use IPv6 like IE have problems with it. But, if you use other programs like an instant messaging program, you may not experience those kinds of problems. You may wanna go to microsoft web site and run their Router compatibility program and see if your router is supported.
When I get home I'm gonna try to connect directly to my modem and see if that fixes the problem.

[Rollin' Rog]

Try running Firefox without any phishing filter or ad blocker enabled.

I haven't had any compatibility problems with it -- but it may depend on what pages you are going to.