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System unusably sluggish + lost restore points

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by oserdavid, 2007/06/13.

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  1. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Unfortunately - I cannot connect to Disk Management Service - because 'Error: Server execution failed'

    I'm back in normal mode - wading through treacle again.

    Does Disk management service work in safe mode? Though it was hanging there, too (which made me think it mightn't work) so I closed it before any error message.

    Can you think of any other way of checking how full my disk is? I only have 1 internal drive, unpartitioned (though it may now be partitioned due to the failed attempt to run disaster recovery from the Retrospect disaster recovery CD I had fruitlessly prepared).
     
    oserdavid,
    #21
  2. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Open a cmd prompt > cd \ the get to the C:\ prompt and then type dir - this will show you the free space.
     
    PeteC,
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  4. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Defrag shows only 1 partition and now 48% free, after deleting a few bits and pieces, turning off restore points and reset of virtual memory to system managed from zero.

    I'm reluctant to click on my registry backup until I know how full my drive really is.
     
    oserdavid,
    #23
  5. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Ok - we cross-posted I'll try the cmd prompt stuff. Wife calls :eek: - will reply when I can....
     
    oserdavid,
    #24
  6. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    I would back up the existing registry first as a precaution.
     
    PeteC,
    #25
  7. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Says 34 dirs: 19,557,117,952 bytes free. I make that about half full.

    I wonder what then antivirus software was reporting. I wonder if it was also scanning my wife's laptop connected to the network. Should have been more vigilant. It seemed to me it was scanning my email stuff twice - but one of those scans in My Documents may have been within the zipped (.pcv) backup file... So likelihood is that it was scanning the other computer too... What do you think.

    I will backup this registry if the system will allow it - then maybe attempt to restore the old registry. Anything I need to be particularly careful about? What are the risks?
     
    oserdavid,
    #26
  8. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Quite possible if you were doing a full system scan.
    The main risk is completely fouling up the computer - I have no experience of restoring a complete registry - never had the need, but I would be wary of restoring an earlier registry into a system which has changed. Registry restorations are usually made if the existing registry is corrupted. I may have the wrong end of the stick, but I have to sit that one out as I just do not know.

    You need a second opinion.
     
    PeteC,
    #27
  9. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Mmm - in that case - last resort.

    I'll try the startup CPL program you recommended. Once installed, how to run it? Or do I start it in normal mode and just let it take over (quicker if I can install and start it in safe mode, though)
     
    oserdavid,
    #28
  10. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Run it in Normal mode - never tried it in Safe mode, but should work OK - it has a standard Windows GUI and is completely intuitive in use.
     
    PeteC,
    #29
  11. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    OK - seems to me I would need to make a note of all the items currently checked, uncheck all but one, in one group, startup normally (not safe mode) and see what happens. Then, if that works fine, check another one (without unchecking the first), restart, etc etc - until I get to one that checking starts off the treacle behaviour again. Would that be the correct approach?
     
    oserdavid,
    #30
  12. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    Yes - usual advice is disable all and if the problem is solved then re-enable one by one until the culprit is found. If the problem remains after unchecking all (and rebooting) then the culprit is elsewhere.
     
    PeteC,
    #31
  13. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    It shows 7 processes/programs checked out of 12 possible displayed. But my Task Manager shows (from 'all users' - but that's me) some 30 processes, plus the 8 SVCHosts... Seems the balance of probabilities favours 'elsewhere'!! But we'll see...
     
    oserdavid,
    #32
  14. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Well.. it does not appear to be any of the 7 items displayed - since leaving them all unchecked results in exactly the same problem. Back to msconfig?
     
    oserdavid,
    #33
  15. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    I don't think msconfig will show any more, generally less, but take a look.
     
    PeteC,
    #34
  16. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Neither does it help turning off from msconfig a few other items I knew to be safe to turn off. But there is too much there that I don't know if it's safe to turn off or not. One funny thing, something called ctfmon.exe refuses to stay turned off (in HKCU/Run). But it's unlikely to be the culprit, as it's something to do with alternative keyboards in Microsoft Office. (Funny it won't turn off though).

    I'm now back to square one, in safe mode... :(
     
    oserdavid,
    #35
  17. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    PeteC,
    #36
  18. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    First thought ....

    Use the System Configuration utility (Msconfig.exe) to enable a diagnostic start up. If you get an error refer to ....

    Msinfo32.exe Generates a "Can't Collect Information" Error Message

    On reading your first post again the IE 7 bit sounds a bit dodgy, but it's working - the key may be VirtualBox.

    I don't know how much of a long shot this is, but I think it worth your while to download, install and run Windows Installer Cleanup Utility and see if there are installer remnants of IE 7 beta and VirtualBox.

    I don't know how far the install of VirtualBox proceeded, but I would search the registry for VirtualBox and delete any strings foune (export them first).

    You will finfd the fully functional trial of jv16PowerTools quicker than regedit.
     
    PeteC,
    #37
  19. 2007/06/15
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks Pete. If we crack this I will certainly owe you one. Nothing in the registry (or the whole computer) for VirtualBox. Nor Innotek, who (though it is open source) mainly developed it. However, I gather some of its files were called VBox. Unfortunately, I recall this was the name Symantec once used to distribute their software online - maybe still do for all I know. I did find some registry keys, values, data for VBox - and have - with gay abandon, deleted them - mostly unsaved, 'cos I can think of no use for them otherwise, and there are no VBox files on my system.

    I am, however, not optimistic. I don't think VirtualBox got far enough from its splash screen to do anything. Regarding IE7 - that is a distinct possibility, because of the way it integrates into the whole Windows framework. Thus deleting IE7 beta 2 may, this time, hhave done some significant damage I wasn't aware of. I may try reinstalling IE7, just to see...

    Will report back some time over the weekend. Enough for now!!
     
    oserdavid,
    #38
  20. 2007/06/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    PeteC,
    #39
  21. 2007/06/16
    oserdavid

    oserdavid Inactive Thread Starter

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    OK msconfig - diagnostic mode. Hard days work.

    The problem seems to be in Services - Shell Hardware Detection. Which either means a problem with Windows or a problem with a piece of hardware, that Shell Hardware Detection can't digest. I'm going to investigate further - but if you have any ideas - would be welcome... G'night! :D (I hope)
    David
     
    oserdavid,
    #40
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