Win 7 Pro 64 ~ taking too long to open programs, white screen, etc.

[Bozobytes]

WINDOWS 7 PRO 64 BIT ~
Intel Q6600 Core 2 CPU – 2.4GHz / 8GB DDR2 / SP1

First issue ~
One thing I’ve noticed is that when I click on a program or try to open a file, the screen turns into a opaque white, kind of transparent, then I see the (NOT RESPONDING) at the top, the timer going around and around, then finally after about 40 to 60 seconds, it finally opens up.

I try to defrag once a month, clear my browser history, delete all cookies and empty recycle bin as often as I can. Could this be the fault of the CPU, the 8GB DDR2 memory, or the Win7 O.S. causing this slow down?

Second issue ~
Another thing is when I have Windows Explorer opened up, and I want to go back to four or five previous folders, I have to keep clicking on the Drive, My Computer, Photos, Misc. photos, and to the file I want….is there an easier way to revert back to a previous folder with out all those extra steps?

Yeas I do like Win7 Pro, but these small issues are driving me crazy, of which, I don’t remember Win98, or even WinXP causing these things.

Thanks!

 

[Shintaro]

I would suggest:

1/ Run chkdsk /F
2/ Offline scan for viruses/malware: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/w...fender-offline

Hope this helps.

 

[Bozobytes]

Shintaro~
I Defragged my Drives and ran chkdsk /F, no issues.
I also ran the FULL Virus scans, I also did not fine anything. I have the ATT McAfee premiere protection that covers viruses,Malware,spyware,Adware,etc.

Do you think I should also download and install the Windows Defender too? Thanks.

 

[Shintaro]

I understand that you ran a full scan, but a Offline is different to a scan when Windows is running.

The link above in post #2 is for the Offline scan software. What you do is download a EXE from Microsoft that will create a bootable CD/DVD or USB.
You then boot off that CD/DVD or USB. That scan is a Offline scan.

Hope this helps.

Please ask if you have any question / concerns.

 

[amaltom61]

* Too much softwares running at once can cause your computer to be slow.
* And too much software installations are also bad. I recommend keeping the number below 75.
do a virus scan using Kaspersky Rescue disc http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208282173
* I think windows defender will find nothing (the built in windows defender and Microsoft Security essentials are the worst antimalware, antivirus softwares)
too much startup programs are also bad
* use a registry cleaner.
Warning registry cleaners can do both harm and good so use a trustworthy one
* Ashampoo registry cleaner is good (Now they are offering it for free) i use it
http://www.ashampoo.com/en/usd/lpa/gift/ enter ash-free as coupon code
* Ccleaner is also not bad
http://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER

* If you find a trustworthy one,use it (no need to buy anything use it as a 30 day or 10 day trial. no trial version, skip to the other )
* If this fixes your problem i recommend buying it
* if it dosen't fix your problem restore the registry settings using the built in restore of the registry cleaner

 

[Bozobytes]

Win7 Pro (64) 8GB DDR2 Intel Q6600 Core duo2
Can't Esc programs or files, screen turn white, then unresponsive!

Yeah it's so different than WIN XP, With XP, when I clicked on a program to CLOSE, I could simply click on the "Esc" key and it would go away....With Win7, (64) When I Click on a program,document,or Photo, to either open or close, clicking on the "Esc" key does nothing at all, ONLY the little blue round circle alongside the arrow curser would spin around forever and ever, then the whole screen turns all white with the NOT RESPONDING message at the top. Very Frustrating!!!! Then I have to Control-Alt-Delete, then End Task, then have to restart computer, maybe five to eight times a session..

I try to ONLY have one program open at a time.

 

[Shintaro]

Run Sysinternals Procmon and see if you can see what is going on.
It will create a lot of information, but you should see failures or something that it is having trouble with.

Start Procmon,
In Procmon Filter->Reset filter
Start a program that you know is going to take a long time to start.
When it finally starts.
Stop Procmon and save the log.

If you want zip the log file and either upload it to the forum or to mediafire.com

I'll try and help if you like.

 

[Bozobytes]

Well maybe this Procman will be easier to use than the Windows offline link you sent me..All kinds of BLUE screens. But this white window slow opening is happening with ALL MY PROGRAMS, not any particular one.
I downloaded file from Microsoft, inserted 8GB Flash drive, dragged the file over to the Flash drive from the download folder, removed it, went to BIOS to change boot sequence to boot to USB, no such beast, then opened NERO and inserted blank CD and tried to burn file to the CD, it started then I got the BLUE SCREEN. Did a Hot Boot, then the trusty ol' "Start Windows Normally" prompt option popped up, I did that, and then another BLUE SCREEN.

Somehow I got a BLACK screen with the round blue timer spinning round and round and nothing happens.

Another window I saw was "Windows detected a problem. We can check the problem when you go back online." Then after another dance trying to get the windows to start normally after about ten minutes, the same window, "Windows detected a problem, so I clicked on this after I opened Browser,then I get the Blue screen again.

Now I have the OEM version, not full version of Win7Pro64, so the repair utility might not be on this particular install disc.

I also use Firefox and it is updated, ( and does crash from time to time) but I've been seeing a lot of adobe flash crashes too. That is also updated. I'll remove and re-install the Adobe flash.

I could do a System restore, but first I want to do a System Start up Recovery, even though i can eventually get windows to start, but somehow I'm getting all these blue screens.

Now after I get that Microsoft file burned to CD, I'll go back to BIOS sequence and change the first boot to the DVD/CD drive to boot off the CD.

First boot ~ SATA WDC 500GB Drive.
Second ~ IDE Pioneer DVD
Third ~ SATA 3M WDC-WD7
Fourth ~ Boot other device - YES

When I shut down puter, and restart, I am getting the Start Windows normally prompt.

 

[Shintaro]

There are files in the c:\Windows\minidump directory that I want to have a look at first.
Do you know how to zip the files and up load them to the forum?

 

[Bozobytes]

Here is a .Rar Folder of minidump. I hope you can find something here. Thanks.
I finally burned the file to the CD using the Microsoft download to computer to CD. Will this defender mess any of my ATT McAfee security suite Virus program?

 

[Shintaro]

Can you please download and run TDSKiller please.
http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363

 

[Bozobytes]

Sorry it took a while scanning, so here are those results.
I ran the FULL Custom Defender Offline utility on all three drives, Bootable Main C:/, and two Storage drives, F:/,and G:/. it ran for about two hours. It scanned about 387,157 Files, with no threats. Virus/Spyware definitions are up to date.

I also ran a FULL McAfee Security Scan on 281,768 files, on all three drives and found 17 cookies, and two Trojans, which it removed. So both the defender and McAfee stated there are no issues and everything is up to date.

Even after all that scanning, It still take Windows longer than usual to open to the welcome screen.

I've used Malwarebytes In the past, but ATT told me it would conflict with their ATT McAfee Virus software,so I removed it. I'll try the
Kaspersky Link and post back.

 

[Shintaro]

If you get a chance run TDSKiller.

 

[Bozobytes]

Yes.it was a very fast scan and found the following:
Rootkit.Boot.Pihar.c on the Physical drive:\Device\harddisko\DRO malware object, HIGH RISK.

...and this one,
TDSS File System, Suspicious object, medium Risk.

2 threats found
2 Threats Neutralized
30 objects Quarantined


...which I presume it has something to do with Kaspersky, which is weird that my McAfee virus window popped up telling me it removed this particular Trojan. Do you think this utility actually planted a virus on my system and McAfee found it?

 

[Bozobytes]

Shintaro,
Since it's only 7:09PM Sydney time, and 2:09 AM PST, it make total sense that I am now going to bed. Thanks for your help today.

 

[tenthousandthregistration]

Win7 Pro (64) 8GB DDR2 Intel Q6600 Core duo2
Can't Esc programs or files, screen turn white, then unresponsive!

Yeah it's so different than WIN XP, With XP, when I clicked on a program to CLOSE, I could simply click on the "Esc" key and it would go away....With Win7, (64) When I Click on a program,document,or Photo, to either open or close, clicking on the "Esc" key does nothing at all, ONLY the little blue round circle alongside the arrow curser would spin around forever and ever, then the whole screen turns all white with the NOT RESPONDING message at the top. Very Frustrating!!!! Then I have to Control-Alt-Delete, then End Task, then have to restart computer, maybe five to eight times a session..

I try to ONLY have one program open at a time.

I got a lot of that delay/freeze pain for weeks and then after my re-boot method, each time my hard drive completely failed to boot; I am having my 3D laptop put in a fourth hard-drive this week, 3 just didn't work anymore. A 3D laptop. Tosh replaced em.

Like a muppet; when it freezes like that regularly I end up disconnecting power completely and fresh booting. Don't do that. I think I helped wreck my hard drive completely after 100 times of that to each drive over 18 months.

What made the puters keep freezing like that is beyond me as I only had 1 second freezes on vista or 3 second freezes on XP; whereas Win 7 it could lock up for a wait of 5-minutes..or until I cut power..

I prefer my Vista again, or my XP desktop.

Ever thought of a fresh install on an SSD?

 

[amaltom61]

Do you think this utility actually planted a virus on my system and McAfee found it?

Which utility ?
TDSKiller is the best rootkit detction and removal utility. It found what Macfee missed because TDSKiller specialisec in one thing-- Rootkits
Which are very hard to remove and detect by ordinary antivirus softwares

 

[amaltom61]

Ever thought of a fresh install on an SSD?

I don't recommend installing Windows on a SSD. SSDs are still new technology,it still needs improvement.You can use SSDs for data storage.Windows writes new files to the storage device 24x7(if it is turned on 24x7 ),thus decreasing the life span of the SSD.


A fresh install of windows is the last and the best option.

 

[Bozobytes]

Hey,
Yeah, I thought about SSD's, (IMO, much better than STD's...haha) but as you say,they are relatively new, but i think they are VERY expensive for the least amount of space you get. They may also be faster to boot from the SSD than my Raptor, (which I used to have for boot drive, then changed to a 500GB, because it was filling up with Apps)

I was also surprised the TDSKiller found what ( I think) McAfee did not, which was a moderate risk trojan, with the name containing something to do with TDSS File System, ......Isn't that related to the TDSKiller Utility somehow, or did McAfee think it was a trojan?

I had a bad case of Malware and McAfee did not get rid of it and I kept getting slammed with hundreds, if not thousands of pop ups, that I could NOT get rid of, so I had to format and re-install Win7 twice before, which is a pain in the buttsky. if only I could keep the programs and apps, and only install the Win7 Pro itself, it would be far less painful, but all that software,hardware, and updating, etc.?

C'mon, we can put over one hundred thirty-five space shuttles up in space, How can we not figure this all out?

Maybe un-clicking my window start up programs running in background will help a little bit.
https://www.w7forums.com/win-7-pro-64-taking-too-long-open-programs-white-screen-etc-t14932p2.html#

 

[TrainableMan]

It seems the BIG issue in this OPs situation is they are infected. Once your machine is infected with a root kit it does an excellent job of hiding itself, especially from A/Vs.

In safe mode run TDSKiller and then with the root kit disabled, run a complete A/V scan. In fact I would probable do it every day till no root kit is found.