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Strange Problem

Kade

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Jan 3, 2007
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Ok This problem has only occured about 5-6 times. What happens is my computer will kinda freeze or really slowdown and ill bring task manager and just one program will be using up about 99% of my cpu its happened with "explorer", "firefox" and "msmsgs" anyone know what to do.
 

Alec§taar

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Processor DualCore AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+ (o/c 2801mhz STABLE (Ketxxx, POGE, Tatty One, ME))
Motherboard ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (PCIe x16, x4, x1)
Cooling PhaseChange Coolermaster CM754/939 (fan/heatsink), Thermalright heatspreaders + fan built on (RAM)
Memory 512mb PC-3200 DDR400 (set DDR-33 for o/c) by Corsair (matched pair, 2x256mb) 200.1/200mhz
Video Card(s) BFG GeForce 7900 GTX OC 512mb GDDR3 ram (o/c manually to 686 core/865 memory) - PhaseChange cooled
Storage Dual "Raptor X" 16mb 10krpm/RAID 0 Promise EX8350 x4 PCIe 128mb & Intel IO chip/CENATEK RocketDrive
Display(s) SONY 19" Trinitron MultiScan 400ps 1600x1200 75hz refresh 32-bit color
Case Antec Super-LanBoy (aluminum baby-tower w/ lower front & upper rear cooling exhaust fans)
Audio Device(s) RealTek AC97 onboard mobo stereo sound (Altec Lansing ACS-45 speakers - 10 yrs. still running!)
Power Supply Antec 500w ATX 2.0 "SmartPower" powersupply
Software Windows Server 2003 SP #1 fully patched, & massively tuned/tweaked to-the-max (plus latest drivers)
Ok This problem has only occured about 5-6 times. What happens is my computer will kinda freeze or really slowdown and ill bring task manager and just one program will be using up about 99% of my cpu its happened with "explorer", "firefox" and "msmsgs" anyone know what to do.

These 2 registry hacks using regedit.exe JUST MIGHT help w/ explorer.exe, IF you're willing to try them both (ONLY IF YOU HAVE A TRUE SMP rig, OR DUAL (or more) CORE CPU):

(I can't see your hardware specs, so I have NO way of knowing IF you have a multi-cpu/multicore setup there, & w/ those? Using more threads CAN help stop 'stalls' like you note to SOME extent @ least!)

==================================================
ADDING ADDITIONAL WORKER THREADS:
==================================================

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Executive]
"AdditionalCriticalWorkerThreads"=dword:00000002
"AdditionalDelayedWorkerThreads"=dword:00000002

==================================================
IMPORTANT:

For the above .reg file excerpt, I would NOT copy it from here into
notepad.exe & save it as a .reg file, & later double-click on the file
in Explorer.exe to merge it (one way of doing it) UNLESS you know
what you're looking it!

This is simply because this forum, like many others tends to put
spaces into strings that are 'too long' (say, past 255 chars or
whatever the limit on this board engine is)...

Do it like the one below, manually, yourself, using regedit.exe
instead!

Add in the two values in the right-hand side pane of regedit.exe
as DWORD values (for a value of 2, hex or decimal won't matter &
will be the SAME), once you reach the path noted above in
regedit.exe's LEFT-HAND side pane!
==================================================

&

==================================================
MAKE EXPLORER SHELL & THE STARTBAR RUN IN DIFF. THREADS:
==================================================

HOW TO DO THIS:

1.) You setup a seperate thread of execution/process for the Desktop/Taskbar and 1 for each instance of explorer by editing the registry here:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

2.) Add a new DWORD value DesktopProcess & make it have a value of 1 (hex & decimal are same here, so does not matter if you enter it as either one) by using regedit.exe edit menu NEW submenu, or rightclick in the right hand side pane of regedit once this key is open & add it there.

3.) Reboot so change takes effect.

==================================================

:)

* Good luck, hope those help w/ Explorer.exe!

APK

P.S.=> As far as FireFox? Maybe using "FireTune" (look it up online, good program, tweaks/tunes FF easily via 2 clicks on its GUI interface, & based on KNOWN performance enhancements for FireFox as well)...

IMPORTANT/AGAIN - if tuning your OS in the manner noted above for performance (the threads one I would do IF you have SMP or DualCore CPU's, but NOT on a singlecore rig) & FireFox does not help?

I'd have to say you have SOME process that is really "pounding" your system, even if briefly, periodically... probably some service, OR trayicon app, on a guess! apk
 
Last edited:

Completely Bonkers

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Feb 6, 2007
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Processor Mysterious Engineering Prototype
Motherboard Intel 865
Cooling Custom block made in workshop
Memory Corsair XMS 2GB
Video Card(s) FireGL X3-256
Display(s) 1600x1200 SyncMaster x 2 = 3200x1200
Software Windows 2003
Nice tips. But do you know of any good utilities that do this also? It's probably much easier for some people to run a toolbox that to manually hack the registry.

I've used the free tool Fresh UI. Once installed, choose Windows Interface / Explorer Interface / Explorer Shell as a Separate Process / and select.

I think this addresses your second tip, but not your first.

Download from http://www.freshdevices.com/downfiles.html
 

Alec§taar

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Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
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Location
Someone who's going to find NewTekie1 and teach hi
Processor DualCore AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+ (o/c 2801mhz STABLE (Ketxxx, POGE, Tatty One, ME))
Motherboard ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (PCIe x16, x4, x1)
Cooling PhaseChange Coolermaster CM754/939 (fan/heatsink), Thermalright heatspreaders + fan built on (RAM)
Memory 512mb PC-3200 DDR400 (set DDR-33 for o/c) by Corsair (matched pair, 2x256mb) 200.1/200mhz
Video Card(s) BFG GeForce 7900 GTX OC 512mb GDDR3 ram (o/c manually to 686 core/865 memory) - PhaseChange cooled
Storage Dual "Raptor X" 16mb 10krpm/RAID 0 Promise EX8350 x4 PCIe 128mb & Intel IO chip/CENATEK RocketDrive
Display(s) SONY 19" Trinitron MultiScan 400ps 1600x1200 75hz refresh 32-bit color
Case Antec Super-LanBoy (aluminum baby-tower w/ lower front & upper rear cooling exhaust fans)
Audio Device(s) RealTek AC97 onboard mobo stereo sound (Altec Lansing ACS-45 speakers - 10 yrs. still running!)
Power Supply Antec 500w ATX 2.0 "SmartPower" powersupply
Software Windows Server 2003 SP #1 fully patched, & massively tuned/tweaked to-the-max (plus latest drivers)
Nice tips.

Thanks, but will they work out for Kade, the initial poster?

I don't know... maybe they will help, maybe not.

Worth a try, because they won't stop the system from running period, & can be edited back to defaults if they do not do the job intended (stop his explorer.exe lags & such - @ least his hassles w/ explorer, but maybe NOT his other apps - hence, why I suggested a program to do the job, for FireFox).

But do you know of any good utilities that do this also? It's probably much easier for some people to run a toolbox that to manually hack the registry.

For the 2nd one, adding Additional Critical or Delayed Worker threads, yea... I wrote one up that automates that, plus several other settings:



I wrote it back in 1997-1998, added more features around 1999/2000, & then it was "done" (all I needed it to do), each tab adds more.

  • Additional Critical and Delayed Worker Threads
  • L2 Cache Level (antiquated nowadays & for a while now in NT-based OS)
  • I/O Caching Adjust
  • Paging of the Executive (kernel portions (Enable/Disable))
  • NTFS DOS legacy 8.3 naming convention (Enable/Disable)
  • NTFS Last Access Date/Time stamp (Enable/Disable)
I've used the free tool Fresh UI. Once installed, choose Windows Interface / Explorer Interface / Explorer Shell as a Separate Process / and select.

I think this addresses your second tip, but not your first.

Download from http://www.freshdevices.com/downfiles.html

Yea, that is a DECENT program!

:)

* I have used it, just to see how much ground it covers, & it's quite a lot... it is, imo, up there w/ the likes of "X-Setup" & others like it, by all means!

APK
 

Kade

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Jan 3, 2007
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guys id like to report on that it hasnt worked and its really starting to get annoying
 

Alec§taar

New Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
4,677 (0.72/day)
Location
Someone who's going to find NewTekie1 and teach hi
Processor DualCore AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+ (o/c 2801mhz STABLE (Ketxxx, POGE, Tatty One, ME))
Motherboard ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (PCIe x16, x4, x1)
Cooling PhaseChange Coolermaster CM754/939 (fan/heatsink), Thermalright heatspreaders + fan built on (RAM)
Memory 512mb PC-3200 DDR400 (set DDR-33 for o/c) by Corsair (matched pair, 2x256mb) 200.1/200mhz
Video Card(s) BFG GeForce 7900 GTX OC 512mb GDDR3 ram (o/c manually to 686 core/865 memory) - PhaseChange cooled
Storage Dual "Raptor X" 16mb 10krpm/RAID 0 Promise EX8350 x4 PCIe 128mb & Intel IO chip/CENATEK RocketDrive
Display(s) SONY 19" Trinitron MultiScan 400ps 1600x1200 75hz refresh 32-bit color
Case Antec Super-LanBoy (aluminum baby-tower w/ lower front & upper rear cooling exhaust fans)
Audio Device(s) RealTek AC97 onboard mobo stereo sound (Altec Lansing ACS-45 speakers - 10 yrs. still running!)
Power Supply Antec 500w ATX 2.0 "SmartPower" powersupply
Software Windows Server 2003 SP #1 fully patched, & massively tuned/tweaked to-the-max (plus latest drivers)
guys id like to report on that it hasnt worked and its really starting to get annoying

WoW... you are persistent man! I would have given up by now, personally, & "NUKED IT FROM ORBIT" (repaving, AFTER backing up my personally created data if need be - IMPORTANT)... & did the system over again. Even if by GHOST images etc. for the sake of speed!

I am truly @ a loss, other than thinking you have a problem of spyware/malware/virus nature possibly... have you run a scan w/ those types of tools?

E.G.-> Tools like NOD32 (best antivirus there is imo now), AdAware/SpyBot (antispyware), OR even rootkit analyzers!

Best ones I know of are (in this last category):

  • RootKit Revealer
  • Sophos AntiRootKit
  • AVG AntiRootkit
  • BitDefender AntiRootkit
  • Rootkit Buster
  • Rootkit Unhooker
  • AntiRootkit
  • GMER
  • Rootkit Hook Analyzer
- all FREE too!

:)

Give those a shot... also, HiJackThis (Edit) is another good one, to see the running processes you have going...

BUT, imo, msconfig can do JUST AS GOOD A JOB, & check what's screwing up on you, when combined with EventVwr.msc really... there, I would pay CLOSE attention to the time/date stamps & errmsgs in the SYSTEM &/or APPLICATION sections, noting problems... taskmgr.exe it seems you ARE using, noting CPU usage.

* Try that... analyze!

APK

P.S.=> It could be as simple as some background process trayicon app you are running that is messed up, or just does NOT 'mesh' w/ your patterns of use & other apps... apk
 
Last edited:

Kade

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Jan 3, 2007
Messages
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thx mate ill give it a go and come back with some feedback
 

Alec§taar

New Member
Joined
May 15, 2006
Messages
4,677 (0.72/day)
Location
Someone who's going to find NewTekie1 and teach hi
Processor DualCore AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+ (o/c 2801mhz STABLE (Ketxxx, POGE, Tatty One, ME))
Motherboard ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (PCIe x16, x4, x1)
Cooling PhaseChange Coolermaster CM754/939 (fan/heatsink), Thermalright heatspreaders + fan built on (RAM)
Memory 512mb PC-3200 DDR400 (set DDR-33 for o/c) by Corsair (matched pair, 2x256mb) 200.1/200mhz
Video Card(s) BFG GeForce 7900 GTX OC 512mb GDDR3 ram (o/c manually to 686 core/865 memory) - PhaseChange cooled
Storage Dual "Raptor X" 16mb 10krpm/RAID 0 Promise EX8350 x4 PCIe 128mb & Intel IO chip/CENATEK RocketDrive
Display(s) SONY 19" Trinitron MultiScan 400ps 1600x1200 75hz refresh 32-bit color
Case Antec Super-LanBoy (aluminum baby-tower w/ lower front & upper rear cooling exhaust fans)
Audio Device(s) RealTek AC97 onboard mobo stereo sound (Altec Lansing ACS-45 speakers - 10 yrs. still running!)
Power Supply Antec 500w ATX 2.0 "SmartPower" powersupply
Software Windows Server 2003 SP #1 fully patched, & massively tuned/tweaked to-the-max (plus latest drivers)
thx mate ill give it a go and come back with some feedback

Good luck, & get us some data from them (the 'HiJackThis' program is good this way, it outputs a file full of data we can use here)...

OR

In lieu of that, just put out what msconfig.exe shows you + Event Viewer data for errors/abends, etc..

HOWEVER, only AFTER you use tools like those shown above (AntiVirus/AntiSpyware/AntiRootkit tools noted above or others like them), in lieu of HiJackThis (Edit))

:)

* We'll TRY to get you outta this & get you straight again, hopefully, by id'ing the 'culprit'...

APK
 
Last edited:

Kade

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Jan 3, 2007
Messages
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here's my Hijack

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 17:38:26, on 11/03/2007
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\jusched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\program files\steam\steam.exe
C:\Program Files\Xfire\xfire.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.bungie.net/
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {206E52E0-D52E-11D4-AD54-0000E86C26F6} - C:\PROGRA~1\FreshDevices\FreshDownload\fdcatch.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "c:\program files\steam\steam.exe" -silent
O4 - Startup: Xfire.lnk = C:\Program Files\Xfire\xfire.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_11\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - %windir%\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe (file missing)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (YInstStarter Class) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: {5D6F45B3-9043-443D-A792-115447494D24} (UnoCtrl Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/EN-US/a-UNO1/GAME_UNO1.cab
O16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) - http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/MessengerStatsClient.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {BE833F39-1E0C-468C-BA70-25AAEE55775E} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/sysreqlab.cab
O18 - Protocol: livecall - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~1\MSNMES~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WB - C:\Program Files\AlienGUIse\fastload.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: WgaLogon - C:\WINDOWS\
O21 - SSODL: WPDShServiceObj - {AAA288BA-9A4C-45B0-95D7-94D524869DB5} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\WPDShServiceObj.dll
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe" /service (file missing)
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
 
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