Impossibly slow loading!

[Marivelvet]

Hello everyone!

This is an incredible site; I recommend it all the time. So I really hope someone here can help me with this awkward problem I have.

A few days ago I installed an antispam program, but it went wrong (apparently my antivirus didn't like it). I couldn't uninstall it the normal way ("add/remove"), so I removed it manually. But then - or perhaps it was when I installed the antispam in the first place? - I lost connection to my server (ISP). This was solved (after DAYS of hell) in a matter of seconds, using the WinsockFix application.

But - and here's my problem - since then, internet surfing has become impossible, because pages take AGES to load! For the moment being, I disabled the "show pictures" option - as a temporary solution, obviously - but even that improved the download speed only slightly, almost imperceptibly. It doesn't matter which browser I use (I have three): pages still load about TEN times slower than they did before.

I use Windows 98 (and would hate to replace it), and a dial-up modem; its speed and function are normal (52/s). Something else must be wrong - but what? Is there something in the registry that I should change?

Thanks so much for any ideas!

M.

[shanmuga]

Hi Marivelvet, Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

1. Download, Install and Run Spybot Search & Destroy (http://security.kolla.de/). It's free and it's safe to use. Most important - update Spybot S&D before you run it. Close all Internet Explorer windows, hit 'Check for Problems', Let it fix everything it finds that's pre-checked in red.

2. Download and run AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/AdAware). Again, be sure to update it before running. Then quarantine and cure the malware.

3. If problems remain, Download, unzip and run HijackThis (http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt). Make sure that you actually extract HijackThis to its own folder. DO NOT run it from within a zip manager , as no backups will be saved. Click "scan", when the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log" button.Press that, save the log somewhere, and please post a copy here.

Most of what it lists will be harmless or even required, so do NOT fix anything yet.

[Marivelvet]

Hi Shanmuga - thanks for such a prompt reply!

I think I'll "hijack this"...:))
I already use BOTH S&D and AdAware - I swear by them! (Although I haven't updated AdAware in a while because I'm so happy with S & D - I hope I'm not breaking any rules here by "endorsing" it so openly..:)). Just a few hours ago I ran it, and it came back with the usual "congratulations - no immediate threats/registry inconsistencies" - although it does list an awful lot of regisry changes etc., in all kinds of programs. But those aren't applicable in my case, I think (or they would be listed as "registry inconsistencies", I suppose).
So... I'll go to the "Hijack" thing - and get back to you, if it doesn't work. OK? ::))

THANKS!


Originally posted by shanmuga
Hi Marivelvet, Welcome to http://www.pcguide.com/ubb/pcgubb.gif

1. Download, Install and Run Spybot Search & Destroy (http://security.kolla.de/). It's free and it's safe to use. Most important - update Spybot S&D before you run it. Close all Internet Explorer windows, hit 'Check for Problems', Let it fix everything it finds that's pre-checked in red.

2. Download and run AdAware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/AdAware). Again, be sure to update it before running. Then quarantine and cure the malware.

3. If problems remain, Download, unzip and run HijackThis (http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt). Make sure that you actually extract HijackThis to its own folder. DO NOT run it from within a zip manager , as no backups will be saved. Click "scan", when the scan is finished, the "Scan" button will change into a "Save Log" button.Press that, save the log somewhere, and please post a copy here.

Most of what it lists will be harmless or even required, so do NOT fix anything yet.

[Marivelvet]

Hello Shanmuga and all -

I am sorry to report that "HijackThis" didn't solve my problem either. (But I am thankful for the suggestion anyway; it's a very handy program.)
In the meantime, I've ran a little program - which many of you know, I am sure - called the "Registry First Aid". Because I downloaded the free trial version (I never thought I'd actually happen to need a credit card - ever - so I don't have one), I got a possible diagnosis, but no "fix". According to the program, some of my "dll" etc. might be missing from the registry. Does that trigger any ideas... anyone?

And here's a part of the report from PC Pit, in case any of you good Samaritans out there take pity on me and decide to have some fun solving this puzzle...:))

Full Version Windows 98 4.10.2222
Free Resources 78%
Windows Scripting Version 5.0.531.7
CPU Load 0%
MaxPhysPage Limit No Limit
Min File Cache None
Max File Cache None
Swap File Status Enabled
Min Swap File None
Max Swap File None
Bandwidth Down 4 Kbits/sec
Bandwidth Up 55 Kbits/sec
Average Ping 481 ms
Ping Loss 0%
TCP Receive Window (default)

Cached speed: 39.57 MB/s
Uncached speed: 0.58 MB/s (23%)

Thanks everyone!


Originally posted by Marivelvet
Hi Shanmuga - thanks for such a prompt reply!

I think I'll "hijack this"...:))
I already use BOTH S&D and AdAware - I swear by them! (Although I haven't updated AdAware in a while because I'm so happy with S & D - I hope I'm not breaking any rules here by "endorsing" it so openly..:)). Just a few hours ago I ran it, and it came back with the usual "congratulations - no immediate threats/registry inconsistencies" - although it does list an awful lot of regisry changes etc., in all kinds of programs. But those aren't applicable in my case, I think (or they would be listed as "registry inconsistencies", I suppose).
So... I'll go to the "Hijack" thing - and get back to you, if it doesn't work. OK? ::))

THANKS!


Uncached speed: 0.58 MB/s (23%)