Need computer advice...soon!!

SLIDER-in-KY

For about the last month, my home computer has been terribly slow on the Internet. I have called my ISP help desk and they have been zero help. I have no viruses, no spy programs (checked that using Ad-Aware), cleaned my temp. files, cleaned the cookies, and even ran a defrag. Any idea as to what would be causing my Internet connection to be drastically slowed? I feel that it is definately my computer, and not the ISP because I don't have this problem with my laptop.


I'm clear, you're clear, everybody's clear...SHOCK!!!

kitfoo

That happened to me a few years ago. If thats the only problem you have with your computer, I would just install a fresh copy of Explorer. It should fix any problems you had. Just remember to save your favorites so you don't lose them. Also, have you updated Windows recently? That could be another fix.

gogolen

See if there is an updated driver for your modem if there is download and in stall it. That worked for me.

concealedG36

Slider, there are all sorts of questions I would need answered before being able to help.

First, what operating system are you using? Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP?

You are using dial-up Internet access right? Your laptop uses this same dial-up account, right? At what speed does your laptop connect and at what speed does your home computer connect (baud rate, measured in bps)? You can hover your mouse cursor over the little picture of two computers blinking, in the system tray (where the clock is in the bottom right of your desktop), to see the connection speed.

If the connection speeds are different then that is the source of the problem. Perhaps the modems are capable of connecting at different maximum speeds? If the speeds are similar but the performance of the home computer is still much worse then the problem is likely not with the actual connection.

I would recommend following both goglen's and kitfoo's advice with regards to the Windows updates and the modem driver.

Usually, if your system seems to slow down for no good reason I've found that a worm or other infection is the cause. These types of malicious code can eat up all of your system's resources causing the computer to function slowly. Are you running up-to-date anti-virus software?

Send me an e-mail if you want to discuss your options.

Thanks,
G36



Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT CriminalsThe 2nd Amendment; America's Original Homeland Security

offeror

Some good suggestions here. Sounds like a bottleneck of some kind. Could easily be an unnecessary app running in the background, vying for space on your connection. Could be logon speed, could be your modem's init settings. Among other things. Try checking all the possibilities suggested. But if I had to guess I'd say a running app somewhere behind the scenes -- unless you've got your RAM filling up somehow and there's no room left to do work.

T. Jefferson: "[When doing Constitutional interpretation], let us [go] back to the time when [it] was adopted. [Rather than] invent a meaning [let us] conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

NRA Life Member

Colt Super

When that happened to me, I did everything I could think of for 2 months without fixing it. It turned out to be a bad mechanical connection at the box where my phone line comes in from outside.

God Bless America and...
NEVER Forget WACO
NEVER, EVER Forget 911

concealedG36

quote:Originally posted by Doug Wilson
When that happened to me, I did everything I could think of for 2 months without fixing it. It turned out to be a bad mechanical connection at the box where my phone line comes in from outside.

God Bless America and...
NEVER Forget WACO
NEVER, EVER Forget 911


If that were the case all connections from inside the home would be equally slow.

G36



Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT CriminalsThe 2nd Amendment; America's Original Homeland Security

SLIDER-in-KY

Well, let's see if I can answer all of those questions without forgetting something...I am running Windows 98 on the computer in question. I am using a dial-up service. Before the problem started, it would connect at 50667 or 52000 almost every time. Now, it will connect at 44000 or 45333 and be MUCH slower. In contrast, my laptop will sometimes connect at the same speeds, but loads pages faster. I have run the virus scan on my computer and also tried an on-line virus scan and found nothing. I'm at my wits end here. If I don't get that computer fixed soon, I am going to take it out and make a target out of it!


I'm clear, you're clear, everybody's clear...SHOCK!!!

concealedG36

Okay, slider, thanks for the replies.

Try pressing CTRL + ALT + DEL. In the window that appears see if you can locate something named DLLHOST.EXE. If so, you are infected with the Blaster worm. This worm can cause the symptoms you've described and it can also frequently evade virus scans.

Also, visit http://computers4sure.com/speed.asp and click on the button that tests your connection speed. Does it match the speed you're seeing in the system tray?

Finally, have you considered backing up your data to CD-R or other media and reformatting/reinstalling Windows? Or, better yet, have you considered upgrading to Windows XP. XP is MUCH, MUCH better than 98 and is faster too.

E-mail me if you questions or if you want help.

Thanks,
G36



Gun Control Disarms Victims, NOT CriminalsThe 2nd Amendment; America's Original Homeland Security