Slow Laptop Issue

G

GreatestOne

Limp Gawd
Joined
May 15, 2005
Messages
488
I know what u guys are thinking when u read the title, LOL, but here it is:

Toshiba Satellite C655-S5540 (crappy cheap laptop bu should still run every day remedial stuff ok)

Client complained of painfully slow performance even after restore.

So I took and and did some scans. Tons of viruses and spyware using SuperAntiSpyware and Avast. So instead of spending more time trying to clean everything, just factory restored it again, installed all the anti-malware programs, did more scans, was clean and running well. Did a burn in test and no errors after an hour.

2 days later she said it was slow again, unusably slow. I had Toshiba support call her and remote in, but who knows what that will do. Last night they hung up on her and didnt even call back, wow.

Anyone have a similar experience with these or any other computer, any known issues? Could it be a boot level virus or.... hard to believe its an actual hardware error if it works perfectly after restore.
 
when I build a machine for someone, I take a screen print of the task manager showing process are running, then when they call me for a problem, have them read me what they see to compare it to what I delivered.
check and see whats running, maybe the HDD is bad, or after you did the restore, you didnt mention if you did all the OS updates ....coulda been running lots of updates
 
The client is a 42 yr old female school teacher, friend of a couple of legit friends of mine, LMAO, I doubt whatever she is doing is making the laptop bad. And she "said" she only uses the "internet" and MS Word (not even Office, I saw the disc).

I did run 2 iterations of Win7 updates, but didnt check of that were all... usually the first 2 are the most demanding. Even on a slow laptop, these updates should not make it run like molasses.

I might just have to get on Teamviewer and see whats going on the with tasks... just annoying because she says its running so slow (like when I first got it) that even viewing the task manager will probably take like 20 minutes. I assume u can install Teamviewer in safe mode? SM runs with decent speed at least.

We'll see first if Toshiba had any luck, or if they even called yet, and go from there.

If anyone else knows if this issue, please let me know any other possibilities.
 
Almost sounds like time for Linux and either wine or crossover office to run Word.

I'm sure that'd go over quite well, really it would! (spot the sarcasm)
 
"click here to learn Oprah's number 1 secret to a happy life"

I bet shes clicking these....
 
Need to find out what else she is installing. I run a side business for people in my workplace fixing their computer problems, and it's always the same:

"I just install some apps for Google Chrome."
-20 types of coupon adware and malware programs found...
-10 types of online web game malware programs found...
-5 types of "scanners" that promise "improved performance" that are really just ad delivery platforms...

If they don't have an antivirus program installed I'll install Avast. I'll also add the original version of Spybot (with all updates!) and MalwareBytes. A packet is included with instructions to run scans at least every week and to read the f***ing EULA before installing anything.

One of the PCs I fixed took about 7-10 minutes to fully boot into Windows. Took about 90 seconds after cleaning it up.
 
FnordMan said:
Almost sounds like time for Linux and either wine or crossover office to run Word.

I'm sure that'd go over quite well, really it would! (spot the sarcasm)
Click to expand...

I'll mention that and have her respond to you... you'll prob get a good laugh since this was out last thread:

Her: It started out slow again as soon as I got home and its been worse every since
Me: I hope you dont have some anti-technology spirit in your house because location is the only thing that changed since it worked fine here
Her: Whats an "anti-technology spirit"?
Me:........................

mnewxcv said:
"click here to learn Oprah's number 1 secret to a happy life"

I bet shes clicking these....
Click to expand...

LMAO, now thats just mean.

Armenius said:
Need to find out what else she is installing. I run a side business for people in my workplace fixing their computer problems, and it's always the same:

"I just install some apps for Google Chrome."
-20 types of coupon adware and malware programs found...
-10 types of online web game malware programs found...
-5 types of "scanners" that promise "improved performance" that are really just ad delivery platforms...

If they don't have an antivirus program installed I'll install Avast. I'll also add the original version of Spybot (with all updates!) and MalwareBytes. A packet is included with instructions to run scans at least every week and to read the f***ing EULA before installing anything.

One of the PCs I fixed took about 7-10 minutes to fully boot into Windows. Took about 90 seconds after cleaning it up.
Click to expand...

I know I know, but she claims she only opened up and checked FB and Yahoo so.... she is bringing it back now so I will confirm this is true.

The highest probability (despite all your positive comments) is a bad HD, so I might just get one off ebay for $27 after doing a quick mem check first to make sure its not the RAM, which is like a 0.00001% chance but no point in ordering anything wrong when that test takes a few minutes to do. If the new HD doesnt do it, then I'll be pretty pissed.

I also favor Avast for free AV, but sometimes switch it up with AVG now since they got better again, and Norton if they have Comcast, which comes free. My big thing is to switch between these AV programs every year for better cleaning, not a fan of leaving like Norton in there for 10 years, even with new subscriptions. When I install something else, it always picks up some old virus somewhere.

Thanks for the laughs, I'll keep u updated, since I am sure all of u are breathless with anticipation.
 
It could be an infect thumb drive...

Else it could be Toshiba's Eco mode. Permanently disabling that sped up my laptop tremendously. Can't uninstall it because it is part of the Toshiba Value Package (hot keys) if I recall correctly.
 
My general rule of thumb for users is to trust that the computer is, in fact, running slow...and to ignore all of the rest of the comments about how it's "only" being used for Facebook and Yahoo. Every user lies about what they actually do on their computers and I hardly ever have a user come clean about clicking on something stupid. It's just like how when most people go to the doctor they lie about how much exercise they're getting, or how many twinkies they're eating...they know what they shouldn't be doing but they do it anyways.

There's always the possibility that something more serious is happening and those avenues should definitely be checked out. But it's time to get cynical and stop believing the user beyond that it's running slow.
 
PornoSatan said:
She's probably clicking on the giant green "download" buttons on piratebay
Click to expand...

Believe me she dont know what a pirate bay even is.

Gookitron said:
It could be an infect thumb drive...

Else it could be Toshiba's Eco mode. Permanently disabling that sped up my laptop tremendously. Can't uninstall it because it is part of the Toshiba Value Package (hot keys) if I recall correctly.
Click to expand...

Will this be true even after I uninstall ALL Toshiba programs? Because deleting all bloatware is one of the first things I do to any system.

mdmcaf said:
My general rule of thumb for users is to trust that the computer is, in fact, running slow...and to ignore all of the rest of the comments about how it's "only" being used for Facebook and Yahoo. Every user lies about what they actually do on their computers and I hardly ever have a user come clean about clicking on something stupid. It's just like how when most people go to the doctor they lie about how much exercise they're getting, or how many twinkies they're eating...they know what they shouldn't be doing but they do it anyways.

There's always the possibility that something more serious is happening and those avenues should definitely be checked out. But it's time to get cynical and stop believing the user beyond that it's running slow.
Click to expand...

Trust me I am as cynical as anyone, but she doesnt fit the profile of someone going to porn sites or free downloads.

But regardless, while I am waiting for this new hard drive, I decided to mess around with it for my own curiosity while watching some NCAA games, and found some things that werent so kosher:

1. I had to do another restore since it wouldnt even boot up anymore when I got it back this time
2. Laptop ran perfectly until I d my 4th Windows update, the one where you manually select all the critical and optional ones... after that the system hung, and I had to do a hard reboot. Since then the computer has hung here and there randomly, and boot time has been slower by over 50%. However, most times it works fine but still slower than before this update.

So like an idiot I didnt expect just one series of updates to do this, I didnt create manual restore points along the way, and there seems to be no way to restore back to before these updates automatically.... thanks Microsoft, way to get better. So I guess I can manually uninstall the updates through the Programs manager by the date uinstalled, but thats kinda a pain since there are like 10+ updates to take out.... not sure if I care THAT much about it.
 
The processor in that machine isn't much of a processor (1.65GHz AMD APU)...it's at least a dual core, but I would start trying to cut down on system resource use as much as possible. Toshiba probably ships the laptop with a ton of bloatware (assuming you used a Toshiba restore disc to reload Windows)...so maybe start with getting rid of that stuff.

Revo Uninstaller would work best as it gets rid of the leftover junk in the registry, etc. and then a run of CCleaner should improve performance after everything is uninstalled. You might also want to consider turning off Aero to see if that gives you any performance.
 
mdmcaf said:
The processor in that machine isn't much of a processor (1.65GHz AMD APU)...it's at least a dual core, but I would start trying to cut down on system resource use as much as possible. Toshiba probably ships the laptop with a ton of bloatware (assuming you used a Toshiba restore disc to reload Windows)...so maybe start with getting rid of that stuff.

Revo Uninstaller would work best as it gets rid of the leftover junk in the registry, etc. and then a run of CCleaner should improve performance after everything is uninstalled. You might also want to consider turning off Aero to see if that gives you any performance.
Click to expand...

Ya the CPU sucks balls, but still, unless there is a ton going on, it should run Chrome and MS Word fine I think.

As I said taking out the bloat is the first things I do along with putting in AVG/Avast and all the Adobe stuff. Basically when I am done, I have Windows, the AV, Adobe plugins/Reader, java, and sometimes SuperAntiSpyware, thats it. But this is about improving performance, there is something wrong... when is say it hangs, I dont mean its "slow" I mean it HANGS, like for over half an hour or more, just trying to open another browser or go to settings etc.....

I am still curious to see if its the latest addition of Windows updates thats screwing it up. Its amazing how Microsoft still refuses to create real restore points after major updates... I think actually earlier versions of XP had this working better than every after that. SMH


One interesting thing... when I ran Prime95 and memcheck they were all passed. Then I ran orthos for about an hour or two and it crashed one time and second time I caught it blue screening, so I assume thats what happened the first time as well. It went by too fast for me to get the codes, but I never had a healthy hardware PC blue screen by just running orthos.
 
I am just imagining all of the goat porn she's watching. While OP believes her FB and office story lol
 
Ah! Okay, I was mistaken. If it's hanging like that then it's most likely hardware related.

I'm not super familiar with Orthos, but crashing twice suggests that there's a hardware problem...as you said: healthy hardware doesn't crash when stressed like that. There is the possibility that it's overheating, which would explain the hangs...but wouldn't explain why you were able to run Prime95 on it (but that largely depends on how long you let Prime95 run). Was it really hot when Orthos crashed?

Maybe try removing RAM modules to see what that does. One at a time, each in different slots to determine if it's bad RAM or a bad slot. A bad stick will fail in either slot and a bad slot will fail any time there's RAM in it. Since it was orthos that failed, that would be the test I would stick with. (I'm basing this off of seeing that Orthos will stress both RAM and CPU at the same time in certain tests as well as the fact that it's another test to try and it never hurts to have more information).
 
Of course, that also doesn't account for the update theory...which I think is certainly valid. The only tricky part there, is if it IS the updates that are killing it there isn't much that you can do except for look for a hotfix (which rarely work for me) or maybe see if a driver update will fix the problem...or just wait for Microsoft to release updates that fix the updates.
 
I let Prime run for I think 2 hours, and memtest for 5 iterations would took over 5 hours, so I figured they were both ok, CPU and RAM. And the laptop runs hot almost no matter what. But I have yet to see a hot laptop make a laptop run slow... it usually either shuts it down or causes some visual error. Right now the hard drive thing Toshiba suggested is sounding the best, and its on the way anyways.

As for the updates, if I still have time before the HD gets here, I will be tempted to redo the restore and then run the updates all the way up to where I had the problem, and then stress it out and run stuff for a few days. I am not going to deal with hotfixes and fixing anything backwards, screw that! I'll just turn off the auto-Win-updates if thats really the problem. For what she does, she could do without even the first update.

Now its more like curiosity than anything.
 
I can understand about the curiosity. I'm curious too, so please let me know what the results are :)

The hard drive being the issue makes a lot of sense.

I've had some experiences with laptops where they'll throttle down their CPU frequency enough to cause pretty severe hangs due to thermal issues...so I was thinking that that might be the case.
 
I just did another restore since thats "quicker" for me, dont have time to be going around fixing stuff, restore I just let run and watch my NCAA games and took out all bloatware during that time as well. Now I will only install Chrome and 2 iterations of Win updates, then shutting Win updates down, then test until the HD comes. I am "hoping" it still hangs at some point there, we'll see. Either way, the HD is getting replaced just to be safe since client already agreed to it and only extra $30.
 
+1 for the HDD theory based on the new information.
Funny that there's no mention of running an hard drive testing tool. Have you tried to check with one?

Can't link on my phone. But something like hdtune or maybe Toshiba has some HD scanning tool?
 
I figured when the Windows startup checker went through it I assumed whatever... yea that kinda makes no sense but I guess with all the other testing I figured the HD was the only thing left.

Anyways, results of the HDDScan SMART are there are problems with

005 Reallocation Sector Count 100 100 0000000000-0180 050
196 Reallocation Event Count 100 100 0000000000-002C 000
197 Current Pending Errors Count 100 100 0000000000-03B8 000
199 UltraDMA CRC Errors 200 200 0000000000-0001 000

Will try another scanner as well in a bit.

Also, after doing only 2 iterations of Win updates, laptop has been running perfectly, but now orthos crashes after about 10 hours+ of running hot. But no more blue screen.
 
I would highly suggest getting a vanilla ISO from Microsoft of whatever OEM Windows it is running. Use that with her OEM key to install Windows, that way you can skip all of the Toshiba Bloatware plus recover the near useless recovery partition. I have done this on all of my laptops and they run much faster this way.
 
And the Windows checkdisk run during startup has hung on Step 5 of 5... seems more and more the HD.

Ivan I do usually do exactly that but this is kinda a low budget helping thing and I was doing what took the least amount of my time, didnt feel like finding and installing all the separate drivers, thats a real PITA, esp when they dont have them neatly in the recovery drive, which they all should. Either way, I dont think that will help here anyways.
 
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