Win7 works smoothly, then Suddenly slows down.

[Drewseph]

I tried looking for a thread to help my problems, though all of them seemed to also be slow on start up as well, which is unfortunately not consistent with my issues..

My issue is really strange. I have Spy-ware doctor with anti-virus. I have had no problems in the past detecting virus' and fixing them. Searches have come up negative after an encounter with my problem.

When I start my computer its Lightning fast. I love it. Win7 performs solid and not laggy. I click on the start menu and it appears instantly, as with any window I go to. even with a large number of files, it visually loads all the files seamlessly. No waiting to stream in stuff. Programs run without a hitch!

Then suddenly.... at 3:30am-5am (sometime in between)

My computer enters some sort of funk. When I try to click to a new program, I have to wait 15 seconds or more just for the window to appear. When i click on the start menu and bottom tab for ANYTHING I will get no response for sometimes 2 minutes!

When I try to right click on the system icons on the right side, no tab opens for about 10 minutes (not exaggerating)

When I get into my task manager everything says its running smooth. Not crazy CPU usage is there. even my resource monitor shows nothing out of the usual.

When I restart my computer at this point it never shuts down. it will lag on the shutdowns screen forever (I left it on there for 12 hours once and it did not shut down)

At this point I have to manually force a shut down. and on restarting, guess what, EVERYTHING is fine. super fast again, no slow downs..... Until 3:30am-5am.... then next day it slows down again...

I should also note I have tried letting the computer sit in this slowed down state for 12 hours to see if it would get past it. it didn't.

Any help would be great!

My specs:
AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor
8.00 GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series

 

[richc46]

If it is during a set time, someone maybe using your service.
If on wireless are you secure?
Run your antivirus and malwarebytes
Download and run malwarebytes full scan and after update.
I think your computer may be a zombie, being used by others to send out email etc.
Have any scheduled tasks at that time?

During that time, if you are up, run a clean boot, see if it still happens.If it does it is a certainty it is outside influence.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

 

[Drewseph]

I am up at this time, which is why I notice it so darn much. After a reboot at that time it works perfectly smooth, on restart I full scan my computer and the only problems it finds are spy-ware from the few questionable sites I've been too. all low threat stuff. also the computer continues to perform lightning fast. it seems to only slow down at that time.

The computer is not on wireless. and I tend to leave my computer on at all times, thought because of this problem it gets restarted every day

 

[richc46]

I read, a long time ago, that most unwanted activity occurs in the early morning, when you are suppose to be asleep
Test with malwarebytes.

 

[Orbital Shark]

If you could get a snip/image of your Task Manager processes during this time that would come in handy too.

 

[richc46]

or maybe process explorer.

 

[Drewseph]

I'll try to get a screenshot next time it happens. As for it being maleware, Spy ware doctor hasn't found anything. also this computer is new, just 2 weeks. I have not been to any obviously stupid insecure sites. so I'm pretty sure I'm not infected.

can I only use malwarebytes at the time of the activation?

 

[Orbital Shark]

I would follow Rich's advice and download www.malwarebytes.org and see if that yields any results

Not that spy doctor is no good but you may need a second opinion

 

[Drewseph]

I just downloaded malwarebytes, My antivurus is going nuts. saying the installation is manipulating sensitive files on my computer.....

 

[richc46]

Use Microsoft Security Essentials, pretty thorough. You will have to uninstall the other.

You can scan with the free version of MB anytime you want.

 

[Drewseph]

okay I just finished a scan. no infections

 

[richc46]

You ran the full MB scan? It should take at least an hour.

 

[Drewseph]

no I did the quick >_> starting the full

 

[richc46]

The full will give the correct answer.
If it is clean we can try a few more tricks.

 

[Drewseph]

I just finished a scan. the only result is a "trojan" which isn't really a trojan. I'm quite certain of that fact.

 

[richc46]

Just before the the time for the problem, do a clean boot and see if it happnes
How to See Who is Using Your Wireless Internet | eHow.com

Also download process explorer and notice what happnes at the magic hours. More ram being used, or is it just internet slowdown?

 

[Drewseph]

Our router is protected and secure. also its not the internet that is slow. its my actual computer.

The one thing I have noticed actually. Previous persions on my c drive seems to have "date modified" and all of the times listed are around the Zero hour for my problem.

 

[richc46]

Its software, probably the anti virus, Look at task scheduler, what is scheduled for that time?

Its a schedulded maintenance job.

Meant to give you the clean boot link above, sorry about that
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

The clean boot will help, too. Use clean boot at the witching hour.

 

[Drewseph]

What am I looking for in the task scheduler? I don't see anything listed for the times where my slow downs occur.

so you recommend I start in safe mode an hour before the slow downs and see if they happen?

 

[richc46]

No not safe mode
Clean boot , I gave you the link

You are looking for the time in scheduler, if none there then that is not the problem.