Computer lags/struggles under load

[PascalT]

I tend to be able to fix my own issues when it comes to computers, but this time I am a bit stumped. My computer has been running perfectly well for years but all of a sudden this week it started to lag a lot. Under heavier loads it crawls and even as I am typing this with only a few programs opened (Chrome, Dreamweaver) I drag the task manager window around and it is stuttering around and the computer cannot redraw the window fast enough to be a smooth movement. Even my mouse cursor lags. Basically everything I do seems slower, even typing in this box there's clearly a delay.

My cpu usage seems mostly normal, and I have 47% of my memory available. Plenty of space in my hard drives and i have the latest drivers/windows updates. I look at my processes and cannot notice anything out of the norm. I have not changed anything major on my computer recently. I've done numerous virus/malware scans.

What might bring such a sudden change in my computer's behavior? Any ideas what could cause it or what I could do to find out? I realize it's a question difficult to answer given the lack of exact information but nothing comes to mind as to why it should have become so all of a sudden.

thanks

 

[Bubbaleone]

53% of 8 GB RAM in use is not normal. Post screenshots of the Task Manager Performance page and Process page with a couple of apps running in the background. That your computer would suddenly start lagging is due to something using a large amount of resources, but until we can see some actual numbers and processes it's just a guessing game.

 

[PascalT]

Here you go. This is a pretty typical set of programs i have opened most of the day. There's still a perceptible amount of lag when I just rebooted with no new programs opened. I just ran CCleaner as well.

 

[Bubbaleone]

Can you identify these processes?

unit.exe
unit_manager.exe
flux.exe
KeyScrambler.exe

Are PokerTracker and PokerStars GUI recent additions? I'm trying to determine if you may have programs (other AV, anti-keylogger, risky programs, etc.) that are loaded at logon which are causing Comodo to run silently in the background

 

[PascalT]

Unit.exe / unit_manager.exe: No clue, I try to open File Location / Properties and nothing happens. When I try to close it says Access Denied. Edit: According to a google search it's part of Comodo.

flux.exe: It's a program to change the brightness/tint of your screen for day/night use.

KeyScrambler: it encrypts text input

PokerTracker/Stars are not recent, i use them daily. In terms of AV/etc I use KeyScrambler, Comodo and Zemana AntiKeyLogger. Not sure about "risky programs", but hopefully none!

 

[Bubbaleone]

Open System Configuration (msconfig) and uncheck everything under the Startup tab that doesn't need to run when you logon. Under the Services tab check "Hide all Microsoft sevices' and uncheck all. Close msconfig, reboot and see if the lag is gone. If it is, then start renabling one startup and service item at a time until the lag occurs again. That will be the offending service or process.

Edit: Each time you enable a process or service you'll need to reboot to see the effect.


.

 

[postmortemIA]

holy sh* I have 54 processes right now. And even that is a lot.

Btw if you hold down Alt before you do print screen, it will print only top window

these unit* executables are running as SYSTEM user, you can tell from the task manager - user name is not listed

 

[PascalT]

OK I disabled all the non-MS services and all non-essential startup programs (The antikeylogger I cannot disable it keeps enabling itself - I've had it installed for months w/o issues). I opened Chrome and just dragged the task manager around the screen and it was laggy.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is the CPU fan spinning?

 

[PascalT]

yes it is

 

[PascalT]

I managed to get the processes down to 26 and still when I reboot the task manager lags around and my cpu goes up to 30% usage, with basically nothing running. Next I'll go in the bios and reset everything.

edit: still no improvement

 

[Bubbaleone]

At this point, given that no visible processes are causing the resource drain, I'd suggest first running ComboFix followed by Kaspersky's TDSSKiller (be sure to click "Change parameters", check mark everything, reboot and then run the app). A rootkit running on the system isn't visible (even to many reputable AVs) due to the way they hook the Windows API and, depending on the flavor, they can play havoc with system resources among many other things.

 

[Matt1970]

My first guess would be some spyware/malware. Bubba suggested running ComboFix followed by Kaspersky's TDSSKiller and I would add Malwarebytes, super anti-spyware. My second guess would be a corrupted driver, possibly video. You could have some corrupted windows files as well. Open a elevated command prompt and type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

 

[Virgorising]

At this point, given that no visible processes are causing the resource drain, I'd suggest first running ComboFix followed by Kaspersky's TDSSKiller (be sure to click "Change parameters", check mark everything, reboot and then run the app). A rootkit running on the system isn't visible (even to many reputable AVs) due to the way they hook the Windows API and, depending on the flavor, they can play havoc with system resources among many other things.

I ditto! Feels like an infection to me. And by the by, Keylogger is entirely ineffectual.

 

[Virgorising]

My first guess would be some spyware/malware. Bubba suggested running ComboFix followed by Kaspersky's TDSSKiller and I would add Malwarebytes, super anti-spyware. My second guess would be a corrupted driver, possibly video. You could have some corrupted windows files as well. Open a elevated command prompt and type sfc /scannow and press Enter.

Absolutely ditto the first part!!! Tho I would never have thought of the corrupted driver, so I just learned sumthin.

 

[zCypher]

Did you already test safe mode? Are you seeing any hard drive activity during the lag times?

 

[lakedude]

You might re-seat all the connections inside your box. Stuff like SATA cables, RAM, CPU, Video Card, etc.

Also your thermal paste might have pumped out over the years so you might want to have a tube handy.

I've got an old XP system that wigs out every once in a while but after giggling all the connections it is good for another 6 months to a year...

Finally in order to help determine if you have a hardware or software problem you might try booting a live CD version of Linux like Puppy or FatDog64. If Linux seems to work fine but Windows does not you have a problem with your HD, OS or you have a virus.

If both Linux and Window are both messing up you have a hardware issue.

 

[denis280]

At this point, given that no visible processes are causing the resource drain, I'd suggest first running ComboFix followed by Kaspersky's TDSSKiller (be sure to click "Change parameters", check mark everything, reboot and then run the app). A rootkit running on the system isn't visible (even to many reputable AVs) due to the way they hook the Windows API and, depending on the flavor, they can play havoc with system resources among many other things.

I Second Bubba on this.

 

[PascalT]

Thanks for all the replies. I am running all the scans suggested above and will check on the connections after this.

Additionally, I am noticing that the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver is sapping 25% of my cpu usage at idle. I had forgotten to click "Show Process from all Users" in the task manager and didn't notice before. Should I remove it? A google search yielded some "yes" and some "no". I do not use RAID.

 

[PascalT]

TDSSKiller found 1 threat:

service start: Auto (0x2)
c:\programfiles(x86)\common files\akamai/netsession_win_ca0e279.dll

Malwarebytes found:

Files Detected: 1
C:\Users\Pascal\Downloads\XBCDv107.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert.NSIS) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.


Windows files scans yielded 0 errors.

ComboFix found nothing.

 

[PascalT]

Checked my connections, reset bios to Optimized defaults, uninstalled IRST and still the system is slow. I'm close to just reformatting and being done with it but I'd rather not do that.

Any other ideas?

 

[Charlie98]

Thanks for all the replies. I am running all the scans suggested above and will check on the connections after this.

Additionally, I am noticing that the Intel Rapid Storage Technology driver is sapping 25% of my cpu usage at idle. I had forgotten to click "Show Process from all Users" in the task manager and didn't notice before. Should I remove it? A google search yielded some "yes" and some "no". I do not use RAID.

You can uninstall Intel RST and see... if it doesn't affect it, you can reinstall it, or not.

 

[PascalT]

The CPU usage on idle did go down but the window lag/system clunkiness is still there.

- Uninstalled COMODO - no change
- Lowered resolution and bit depth to 16 - no change
- Uninstalled Antikeylogger - no change
- Rebooted in Safe mode and even there the windows lag around the screen

Starting to think this might be a hardware problem since services/processes/malware don't seem to be the culprits. But what could it be? Aside from changing the thermal paste on my cpu... This system has been running smoothly for close to 5 years now.

 

[Matt1970]

The CPU usage on idle did go down but the window lag/system clunkiness is still there.

- Uninstalled COMODO - no change
- Lowered resolution and bit depth to 16 - no change
- Uninstalled Antikeylogger - no change
- Rebooted in Safe mode and even there the windows lag around the screen

Starting to think this might be a hardware problem since services/processes/malware don't seem to be the culprits. But what could it be? Aside from changing the thermal paste on my cpu... This system has been running smoothly for close to 5 years now.

I would suspect a bad stick of ram. Can you take one or the other out and try it?

 

[PascalT]

Tried removing both and still the same. I'm sitting idle with 1% cpu usage and I just drag the task manager around and it spikes to 51%.

- Updated my nvidia drivers to the latest version.