Windows XP Troubleshooting

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Windows XP Troubleshooting

Just got a lend of a computer while my Pismo is in the shop. The computer in question is a Dell Latitude 1ghz PIII laptop running Novell Netware (although it is obviously just being used as a workstation under the admin account). My problem is that every two seconds the cursor jerks, the systems hangs for half a sec, all sound and video playback gets viciously distorted and then back to normal for another two seconds. Repeat ad nauseum.

I'm scarily unfamiliar with windows XP so I don't really know how to remedy this. I've booted in safe mode with networking and login via the netware login panel and all is fine. I presume that it's some arcane process hogging the CPU but... as i've said I really don't know.

The Paging File is set to slightly over the system recommended amount and the computer is completly virus free after a run in with the Blaster viruse. The process run as follows:

taskmgr.exe
wuauclt.exe
IEXPLORE.EXE
MSMSGS.EXE
CTFMON.EXE
NWTRAY.EXE
VPTray.exe
PCTSPK.EXE
EXPLORER.EXE
WM.EXE
WNMP.EXE
TCPSVCS.EXE
Rtvscan.exe
MDM.EXE
DefWatch.exe
Atievxx.exe
ALG.EXE
SPOOLSV.EXE
SVCHOST.EXE (LOCAL SERVICE)
SVCHOST.EXE (NETWORK SERVICE)
SVCHOST.EXE (SYSTEM)
SVCHOST.EXE (SYSTEM)
LSASS.EXE
SERVICES.EXE
WINLOGON.EXE
CSRSS.EXE
SMSS.EXE
System
System Idle Process

CPU Usage jumps from about 10% to 45% every two seconds

Symantec AntiVirus Corporate edition realtime scanning is also turned off.

I'd appreciate any help you could give

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Ad-Aware is what you need

You gots you some spyware/adware, there buddy! I'll bet two shiny nickels on it...

Get Ad-Aware at http://www.lavasoft.de/

There once was a man from Nantuckett
who like to drink beer from a bucket.
One day he fell down,
an' spilt beer on the ground,
and when he saw, he said, "Aw, shucks, that was Guiness."

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Tried that, it found a data-m

Tried that, it found a data-miner from Alexis in the reg-keys and wiped it but no change :(. Any other ideas folks? The computer actually cannot be used for anything besides word processing and internet at the moment because it hangs ever 2 seconds and, without the system CDs, a clean install is kinda out of the question

EDIT
----
This jerkiness of the cursor is evident from the Netware login screen onwards. Even the XP "Welcome" noise is distorted towards the end.

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Sounds like it's either Netwa

Sounds like it's either Netware (unnggh) or could be driver issues. Have you tried running Windows Update?

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Task Manager

Bring up Task Manager (Start->Run..., type 'taskmgr' without quotes). Click on the 'Processes' tab, and then click on 'CPU' to sort the processes by the amount of CPU time they are taking up. See which process keeps jumping to the top. Let us know what it is.

James M. Baker
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Computer Nerd
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System Idel Process taskmgr.

System Idel Process
taskmgr.exe Smile
IEXPLORE.EXE
CTFMON.EXE
VPTray.exe
PCTSPK.EXE
SNMP.EXE
TCPSVCS.EXE
CRSS.EXE

But it jumps a scary amount. System idle Process and IEXPLORE/TASKMGR stay at the top usually followed by CTFMON.
I've tried pretty much ending them one by one but to no avail and the only driver that came up was for the PCTEL modem

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Novell

11 years experience with Novell products tells me that it's Netware. Your idle processes running seem okay, I'd be taking a look at the amount of RAM in the machine tho' (The more you got the nicer XP will play).

As a side note: My office machine runs like the powerful P4 it is now we've stopped using Netware. Sorry I don't have any better suggestions, but my opinions on Netware are like Dr Bob's on AppleTalk...

---
Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defence.

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How do you disable Netware (A

How do you disable Netware (At least temporarily)? (Although I do get the netware login screen when I boot in safe mode with networking and it works fine). 512mbs of physical ram is SURELY enough to run windows XP comfortably?

Thanks for the insights so far folks

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Antivir

Try installing Antivir (www.free-av.com) and see if it comes up with any viruses. In my experience, it catches more viruses than Norton does. And they keep it *very* up to date. It's free, and it works well, so it's worth a try. It may come up with something your other virus software missed.

James M. Baker
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I'm running Symantec AV Corpo

I'm running Symantec AV Corporate edition with the latest updates as of today so I really think that would pick it up if there was anything. And I disabled Real Time scanning to see if that was it and it wasn't

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Try uninstalling it if you can

Seriously. We had a few machines here at work that had Norton Systemworks on them and it was causing all sorts of odd problems. Some similar to your own. I uninstalled Norton, and they worked fine after that. I have lost *all* faith in Symantec at this point. They used to put together good comprehensive non-destructive programs. Now, not so much.

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I use norton prof anti-virus

I use norton prof anti-virus + firewall and I must say that I too have lost faith in Symantic. Its slow, its bloated, it makes this machine really slow...it sucks!

iMac266 (Strawberry), G3 1400 and the G3 IIsi. I want a Tortoise...

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Unfortunately Netware can't b

Unfortunately Netware can't be disabled short of uninstalling it. When you login at the Netware prompt are you ticking the Workstation only option?

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"...running Novell Netware (a

"...running Novell Netware (although it is obviously just being used as a workstation under the admin account)..."

I've gone through all the fairly obvious things already. I don't think re-losing your faith in Windows is possible but by god this is confirming all I've ever thought about Windoze.

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Clean install. Fixed all my

Clean install. Fixed all my windows xp problems...

iMac266 (Strawberry), G3 1400 and the G3 IIsi. I want a Tortoise...

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I don't have the option of a

I don't have the option of a clean install cause of my lack of software CDs. And I'll state again that I booted in safe mode with networking and logged on via netware and all was grand.

Even if I could just get a "safe" mode with full res video and sound support it would be great. Anyway to "disable extensions" ?

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-Defrag the harddrive -Remov

-Defrag the harddrive
-Remove .tmp files
-Clean out temp folders
-Disable indexing
-Disable messanger
-Disable every process not needed in the services control panel
-Check your ram for errors
-Run scan disk
-Set page to default
-Set processes for network machine
-Run tweak utils
-Clean out registry
-Run ace utils
-Run registry mechanic

iMac266 (Strawberry), G3 1400 and the G3 IIsi. I want a Tortoise...

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A couple of things to try. Go

A couple of things to try. Goto Start->Run-> and type msconfig and click OK. Then click on the Startup tab. This lists everything that runs at startup. Uncheck all of them and reboot. If that fixes your problem, recheck them one at a time and see which one causes the problem to reoccur.

Also try Process Explorer. You can get it here http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

The lazy man would rather exert himself than make two trips. -- Slovenian saying

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AHA!!

Ran msconfig, hit the services tab and by process of elimination found that it was the microsoft service "Workstation". I presume it was somehow interfering with the Novell Netware Workstation option but whatever it was I'm glad it's over, it was making using the latopt unbearable. Thanks for all the advice folks Smile

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