Creating Restore Point and Monthly Patches now take a long time

[debodun]

When I get a notification about the monthly patches I always download and install them, but it takes what seems to me an extraordinarily long time to create a restore point, download and install. It doesn't seem to matter whether is 2 or 12 items to install, I know my system will be at it for at least 40 minutes. Is that normal? If it's any help - these are my system specs:

OS – Windows 7 – 64 bit, SP1
CPU – Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 @ 1.86 GHz
RAM – 3 GB Dual Channel DDR2 @ 3.32 MHz
Motherboard – HP 0A60h XU1 processor
Graphics – Intel Q965/Q963 Express chipset
HD – 977GB Samsung HD 103 SI ATA


This is a desktop I bought "reconditioned" from a local computer fix-it store about 5 years ago and whatever came with it is how it is now. I have not installed anything other than "official" Microsoft updates.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello debodun yes mate 40 minutes is certainly a long time depending on the size of those downloads of course.
Your system however is probably slow because of the CPU clock speed and amount of RAM you have installed -have you considered upping the RAM to say 4GB??

It could also be that you are running a lot of processes normally too so check in the Task Manager to see what is running because whatever you load at boot is using up RAM. see pic oh and scroll down that listing.

 

[debodun]

Here's a screen shot of my Task Manager:

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hmm not much out of the ordinary there that I can see the firefox chews up a far bit of RAM but most browsers to em at least do that.

Now from the specs I mentioned the clock speed of the CPU and the RAM do you know what the speed of that RAM is not that I think it is that slowing down the machine but because it is an older type of RAM (DDR2)

I am thinking maybe upping that to 4GB and a higher speed RAM stick (there are three speeds it can be) or better still 2x2GB sticks because it then uses both the RAM channels. The speed of your RAM can be found using this Speccy - Free Download - Piriform < in the first summary screen see pic

Now before I go rambling on further can you look to see if the motherboard in your machine is like the one in the attached pic. I ask because if it is then there are quite a few things that can be changed on the board to make it really much quicker than it is now.

But I do digress a bit before anything else can you run these please
SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker
Disk Check < if necessary include the /f switch and if this does not make any improvement then just run this switch instead /r in the command line as per Option2
Run these in safe mode and the sfc often best run for two to three runs – you can leave out the /r switch in ckdsk if you feel it not necessary

if no fix then these

SUPERAntiSpyware | Remove Malware | Remove Spyware - AntiMalware, AntiSpyware, AntiAdware!
Malwarebytes | Malwarebytes Premium
AdwCleaner Download
ADW download from bleeping computer delete any rubbish found with the malware scans
(NB If you are running Kaspersky as the main AV then it might need disabling it when trying ADW because it does not like it at times)

 

[Layback Bear]

Folks with these system spec's it doesn't take much to bring the system to it's knees.

System Manufacturer/Model Number custom built
OS Windows 7 Ultimate x64
CPU 1.86 GHz Intrel Core 2
Memory 3 GB

Jack

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yep Jack and Sky Ranch if the board is the one I Googled up it can support a decent Pentium and PC2-5300 RAM, and I would think a SSD would make the world of difference too.

Thing is it is the OP's choice and budget of course.

 

[debodun]

Some of the suggestions I am not comfortable with doing. I don't even know how to open the tower. I have MalwareBytes. I had SuperAntiSpyware at one time but was I was finding it was deleting important things, so I uninstalled it. I DO appreciate your advice, though. Thank you.

Here's what Speccy indicated:

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok I see it is a pity you are not happy to open the case because now I am thinking if the case has never been opened in five years it is probably chock full of dust and crud.
Just so that you know the case is accessible by unscrewing the two screws at the rear of the left hand side panel and then just sliding that panel backwards and it should just life away and unless there any fans in that side you don't have to do anything else. What you would see is the motherboard with all the components seated on it.
I have attached a couple of pics so that you can see what it is like and one that shows how mucky it can get and that is a mild case of crud. Just know that they are only for example and not exactly what is in your case. If you do decide to have a look best if you unplug from the mains supply and hold the on button for a few seconds first until you are comfortable with doing this.

So my suggestions of the Pentium (or maybe the E6700) CPU – the RAM is the fastest the board will support - is probably out shame because it is not a bad board even though it is probably of some vintage. I say that because my tester desktop is an older machine with DDR2 although I have to say I have a reasonably good CPU in it plus other stuff.

The SuperAntiSpyware I use all the time on a regular basis not that it finds much malware more that it clears the rubbish Adware out but it is your choice of course.

As an afterthought I also have to agree with Sky Rancher on the number of updates you are getting.

Now have you run those scans I linked a few posts back yet??

 

[debodun]

My computer looks nothing like the photo.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

My computer looks nothing like the photo.

I take it you did see inside then? If so can you send a pic - the pic I sent was really just to give you an example and show where the side panel fixings were

 

[debodun]

This is what my computer tower looks like, but I have no idea if the innards are original equipment since I bought it as a refurb from an electronics "fix-it" shop. They probably just used the case to put the components in.

I looked on Angie's List for this shop and it didn't get a very good rating. Here what one customer said about them:

They built a new Gateway computer for me in 2013. Since then I have had repeated problems with an error message "If this software was not purchased for corporate or institutional use it may be counterfeit...using counterfeit software exposes your computer to increased security risks including viruses...change product key."
This has happened several times since I purchased my computer. When I asked about it, I was told by the owner that they purchase the software and install it under what they term a "blanket license."

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok have got an idea of what you have now and there would be a way of opening the machine either top or bottom - otherwise how would they be able to service it or replace parts. The grill at the front I am going to guess is the air intake for cooling and if you have a really bright light - one of those cheap little multi LED torches is ideal - then look in there and see what if any dust and crud is stuck there you may be able to see the fan but never having to have worked on one of these I am not sure.

Now whoever built this machine would have put an OEM copy on the device (I very much doubt it was a retail one unless you specified that) and there should be a sticker on the bottom indicating at least what OS you have. If that machine was built in 2013 it might be likely the OS was 8 or 8.1. If it was 7 then it should have a code on the sticker. I personally always am concerned about refurbished machines as that term can be just about anything - as you say they could have just taken any case and put in whatever they thought enough or it could have been as simple as changing a GPU or sound card (examples) and doing some general tidying up. Having said all that the case may be somewhat older than a 2013 model machine. An idea to do is to go to that store and ask just what they did put in the machine components and software.

So just while I am thinking of it have a good look at the bottom and see what stickers there are attached to the case and let us know what they are I am attaching a pic of what those two system stickers would look like and the 8 sticker could possibly be the same as the 7 sticker.

The blurb that you say another customer quoted is simply ( I am fairly sure) all about keeping the Windows updates to date because quite a lot of them are security patches for software either system files or Microsoft security features.

Look I am really sorry this is dragging things out but sooner or later we shall get to what the problem is.

 

[torchwood]

Have you run the MS
disk clean-up.

If not run it, use both options.

If you have never run it then AFTER, it will perform a secondary clean up when you shutdown and restart could take up to 30mins.

note also check the max size of your restore option.

Roy

 

[debodun]

note also check the max size of your restore option.

How do I do that?

 

[torchwood]

Hi There,
go

control panel .. system ..system protection ..configure .. adjust using slider.

Roy

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Are these the "stickers" you wanted to see? I noticed one of them says "Vista" on it, but I have Windows 7 - 64 bit as the OS.

BTW - why was a computer with 2 MB RAM adequate 5 years ago not now? What's changes? I'm an old lady that doesn't know much about technical issues or troubleshooting.

Yes well that is the very original install someone has put an OEM on your machine but has not put the sticker on the bottom of the machine. Oh and when you send pics of the sticker you need to obliterate the code somehow as someone could possibly use it for illegal purposes

The RAM well because the systems are now more involved than ever and programs you add will use up the RAM real quick so usually it is recommended that 3GB minimum is used preferably 4GB especially for a 64bit system as you have there now.

How did you go with Roy's advice the system protection and disk cleanup??

 

[torchwood]

Hi Deb,
as your specs are the bare minimum, have a read of this tutorial.
Optimize Windows 7
(click on the blue link for actual instructions)

Roy

 

[debodun]

I was looking around for some info on this issue I'm having and found this article:
Important Changes for Windows Updates Coming in February 2017 | Norton Community

Of course the February patches were withdrawn and promised this month. With the patch updates due this coming week, maybe there will be a "fix" for the problem, if I've interpreted the article correctly. I just hope MS has repaired the problem with their patches that made them hold up the Feb updates.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello again now you mention Norton do you have that AV installed?? I ask because I am not a great fan of it and if it were me I would change it to something better.

Now we both have mentioned the specs are minimal for the machine and the OS you are running I would at least up the ante to 4GB of RAM that tutorial Roy linked is extremely good too this is what I wrote up in advance to using that tutorial - no offence Roy.
Just a little something that will make your machine a little faster and more efficient is this Optimize Windows 7
It is my bible when installing an OS on my machines and also when I am fixing friends and family machines too.
Now if you go through it slowly you will find lots of tweaks and they are all really thoroughly done by the authour Brink a fellow who is in my mind brilliant and if you need to ask questions he is just the most obliging person around.
The other thing is that you may lose some of the "bling" such as transparency (you don't have to I find it unnecessary) and all the tweaks are reversible.
If you do get stuck just post back in that tutorial and you will get help. Another bonus using this tutorial is that it helps you find your way around your machine and Windows 7!
Just one tip I would say you start with is do this Registry - Backup and Restore do this and it will save you a lot of grief if you are ever doing things in the registry and even if you don't it is a good back up to have if your system ever gets corrupted.
(pretyped to save time)

 

[debodun]

I DO NOT have Norton installed. My AV is MS Security Essentials.