keyboard help

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Rick Christopherson

Senior Member
Forgive me, but I didn't read the whole thread. The biggest slowdown with a computer is because every piece of software you own thinks they are top priority in your life, and they all have constant automatic updates. These searches for updates wouldn't be a problem if it was just one or two, but they are constant from all of your software.

If you shut down most of your automatic updates, you would be amazed how much faster your system responds.

What is really irritating is that some of these software companies make it almost impossible to change thier automatic update procedure or schedule. You have to dig hard. Some of them are so hidden that you have to disable them in the "services" part of your OS.

The most ridiculous offender is tax saftware, because it will keep doing updates even though you finished your taxes last year. Why would you need automatic updates for a program you will never use again?
 

jumper

Senior Member
Forgive me, but I didn't read the whole thread. The biggest slowdown with a computer is because every piece of software you own thinks they are top priority in your life, and they all have constant automatic updates. These searches for updates wouldn't be a problem if it was just one or two, but they are constant from all of your software.

If you shut down most of your automatic updates, you would be amazed how much faster your system responds.

What is really irritating is that some of these software companies make it almost impossible to change thier automatic update procedure or schedule. You have to dig hard. Some of them are so hidden that you have to disable them in the "services" part of your OS.

The most ridiculous offender is tax saftware, because it will keep doing updates even though you finished your taxes last year. Why would you need automatic updates for a program you will never use again?

Thanks. I have piles of software and I wonder if that is what has been dogging my 'puter. I will check it out.
 

mivey

Senior Member
If you shut down most of your automatic updates, you would be amazed how much faster your system responds.
Thanks. That may be a problem but I would think that would clear up if I disconnect the internet, which I have tried. I usually select for the manual update option, no reporting, etc.

I will have to do some more snooping but as you can imagine it is very time consuming because the running processes have goofy names and I have to look most of them up.
 

Rick Christopherson

Senior Member
Thanks. That may be a problem but I would think that would clear up if I disconnect the internet, which I have tried. I usually select for the manual update option, no reporting, etc.
I'm not sure, but disconnecting the internet might actually make it worse. If the updater program doesn't find the internet, it may hang your system up while it keeps trying before it times out and gives up.

I haven't researched how or why, but every once in a while I will discover that automatic updates have somehow been turned back on. I usually don't discover this until something stops working, and I discover that some piece of software updated without my permission.
 

mivey

Senior Member
I'm not sure, but disconnecting the internet might actually make it worse. If the updater program doesn't find the internet, it may hang your system up while it keeps trying before it times out and gives up.

I haven't researched how or why, but every once in a while I will discover that automatic updates have somehow been turned back on. I usually don't discover this until something stops working, and I discover that some piece of software updated without my permission.
Maybe I need to go back to McAfee. It used to tell me whenever something was trying to access the internet.
 

brad9m

Member
Location
Alpharetta, GA
Don't go back to McAfee!!! This website used to be called Gizmo's Top 46 freeware utilities, but it has expanded to hundreds.

http://www.techsupportalert.com

This is my go to for FREE software. TDSS killer mentioned earlier is in this list. Last I checked the top free anti-virus apps were Avira and Avast. You can also get Comodo Firewall, MalwareBytes malware remover, and hundreds of others. You do not have to register, buy anything, etc. It is just a list that gets updated regularly of all the free apps out there. They rank them by performance, so usually you can go with the editor's picks.

If you think you have a virus, you need to check out HijackThis. It will show you what processes are running in the background and enables you to remove them pretty easy.

And Comodo Firewall will tell you when anything is trying to access the internet.
 

mivey

Senior Member
Thanks brad but I already made the leap. I blocked a bunch of stuff like Google Toolbar, software updaters, etc. and I seem to be in better shape. I hate the new McAfee interface though as it is cumbersome and has a small window.
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
Thanks brad but I already made the leap. I blocked a bunch of stuff like Google Toolbar, software updaters, etc. and I seem to be in better shape. I hate the new McAfee interface though as it is cumbersome and has a small window.

McAfee will also "eat your lunch" on memory and space, it is a hog!
 

hurk27

Senior Member
I myself do not depend upon just one scanner for total protection.

While Trend Micro Titanium is my main scanner (only because it can be set to fort Knox lock my computer from many web sites I don't want it to go)

But that it also has a nice feature for e-mail where it scans my e-mail before it gets to my in-box (still use outlook express) it also blocks any link in a e-mail or web site that is listed as bad.

The only thing I don't like is that this year it didn't include a fire wall, so Zone Alarm is back in, which Steve Gibson GRC.com helped create great guy one of the biggest security guru's I know.

For backup I use a combination of dormant scanners ( like in ones I don't have running all the time)

Malware Anti-Bites is the first one I scan with if trend doesn't find anything

Ad Aware by Lava Soft is my next scan, Steve Gibson had a scanner but since Lava Soft had Ad Aware out and he checked out he backed off in developing his own and offered his research to them to use as he liked the product.

Kaspersky is my last one I have, and I also use their root kit killer (TDSS killer) as it is second to none for root kits.

Also I am a member of Malware University which has Malware Removal forum that anyone who has a virus can get help with finding it and removing it, they will teach you how to do it and they will give you the tools, it can be tedious as it is in a forum format and like here you have to wait for the responses, but it is a great site that people are helping combat the threats we have on the internet, they are also the ones who developed Malware Anti bites, it is also where I learned how to use the program "Combo Fix" again just don't find this program on the internet and run it without knowing how to use it, this program is very powerful and can cause much damage in the wrong hands, it can wipe system files and you will have to rebuild them if you don't follow your instructor.

Malware Removal has rules, because of liability they will not help you fix a computer if it is used in the course of a business, if it is a work station on a work network, or if you do not have admin permission on that computer, they will not waste their time if their scans show you are using any peer to peer programs as this is number one reason many get infected, but if it is just a personal computer and you need help it is free (donations accepted) and they will walk you through on how to find and remove almost every kind of virus/malware out there, but the most important thing is to read the rules and instructions and follow the persons instructions helping you to the letter do not jump ahead even if you think you already know what to do.

I have used them to help me fix many of my friends computers, and since I know a few of the mods on there one of them helped me find the root kit I had a few weeks back but because of the forums rules he had to help me through e-mails as this computer is also the one I use for my B&W Electric company.

I think those guys on there are great as they do it just to help people without even getting paid anything, there is still some good people in this world, I have the same feelings for the people of Mike Holt as I have learned so much from here, and I think it is great that we share our knowledge with those who are just getting into our field, over the years I have run into so many who think they know something but wont share it with anyone, and that is sad, teaching has its rewards, and when you have helped someone there is no other feeling like it when you give some of it back.

Pass your knowledge on, as it is better to leave it behind then try to take it with you when your gone.
 
Last edited:

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I myself do not depend upon just one scanner for total protection.

While Trend Micro Titanium is my main scanner (only because it can be set to fort Knox lock my computer from many web sites I don't want it to go)

But that it also has a nice feature for e-mail where it scans my e-mail before it gets to my in-box (still use outlook express) it also blocks any link in a e-mail or web site that is listed as bad.

The only thing I don't like is that this year it didn't include a fire wall, so Zone Alarm is back in, which Steve Gibson GRC.com helped create great guy one of the biggest security guru's I know.

For backup I use a combination of dormant scanners ( like in ones I don't have running all the time)

Malware Anti-Bites is the first one I scan with if trend doesn't find anything

Ad Aware by Lava Soft is my next scan, Steve Gibson had a scanner but since Lava Soft had Ad Aware out and he checked out he backed off in developing his own and offered his research to them to use as he liked the product.

Kaspersky is my last one I have, and I also use their root kit killer (TDSS killer) as it is second to none for root kits.

Also I am a member of Malware University which has Malware Removal forum that anyone who has a virus can get help with finding it and removing it, they will teach you how to do it and they will give you the tools, it can be tedious as it is in a forum format and like here you have to wait for the responses, but it is a great site that people are helping combat the threats we have on the internet, they are also the ones who developed Malware Anti bites, it is also where I learned how to use the program "Combo Fix" again just don't find this program on the internet and run it without knowing how to use it, this program is very powerful and can cause much damage in the wrong hands, it can wipe system files and you will have to rebuild them if you don't follow your instructor.

Malware Removal has rules, because of liability they will not help you fix a computer if it is used in the course of a business, if it is a work station on a work network, or if you do not have admin permission on that computer, they will not waste their time if their scans show you are using any peer to peer programs as this is number one reason many get infected, but if it is just a personal computer and you need help it is free (donations accepted) and they will walk you through on how to find and remove almost every kind of virus/malware out there, but the most important thing is to read the rules and instructions and follow the persons instructions helping you to the letter do not jump ahead even if you think you already know what to do.

I have used them to help me fix many of my friends computers, and since I know a few of the mods on there one of them helped me find the root kit I had a few weeks back but because of the forums rules he had to help me through e-mails as this computer is also the one I use for my B&W Electric company.

I think those guys on there are great as they do it just to help people without even getting paid anything, there is still some good people in this world, I have the same feelings for the people of Mike Holt as I have learned so much from here, and I think it is great that we share our knowledge with those who are just getting into our field, over the years I have run into so many who think they know something but wont share it with anyone, and that is sad, teaching has its rewards, and when you have helped someone there is no other feeling like it when you give some of it back.

Pass your knowledge on, as it is better to leave it behind then try to take it with you when your gone.

Using all that stuff, how do you ever have time to do anything on your computer except making sure it is secured?:lol:
 

mivey

Senior Member
I myself do not depend upon just one scanner for total protection...

The only thing I don't like is that this year it didn't include a fire wall, so Zone Alarm is back in, which Steve Gibson GRC.com helped create great guy one of the biggest security guru's I know.
...
Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like you have had issues to deal with before. I have tried GRC's SpinRight and port scanner and it is quality stuff.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like you have had issues to deal with before. I have tried GRC's SpinRight and port scanner and it is quality stuff.

Not so much as me but the many friends computers, (or should I say newly acquired friends when they found out I worked on computers)

I have known Steve since about 1993 when I was building some 286-486 based computers still running 3.0 or 3.1, with a few running WFW 3.11 predecessor to NT actually there was a 3.1 WFW also , he helped me get rid of a hacker who put a back door in some of my computers.

Over the years I have changed software as they made changes, McAfee was by choice the best out for virus scanners back in the Windows 95 and 98 days, and Microsoft actually installed it as Win virus scanner back in the 3.1 and 3.11 days, I think even 95 came with it, but over the years they tried to trim down their resources from hogging the mem by deleting older virus sig's they thought would not be used anymore but it came back to bite them at a later date as many hacks did start re-writing older code and using these to get around the newer virus scanners, Norton was the first to fall from this, as 1 in 4 computers I got in to repair had Norton on them and they were infected by older virus's brought back to life, McAfee was second to start failing from this, which I use McAfee exclusively for a long time, but about 2001 I had switched to Trend Micro and found it does a much better job of not being a resource hog and was getting these older virus others gave up on, but over time even Trend can miss a few so that is why when my computer starts acting strange I have more then one to rely on but I keep the others shut down because of conflicts running more then one scanner.
 

mivey

Senior Member
Over the years I have changed software as they made changes, McAfee was by choice the best out for virus scanners back in the Windows 95 and 98 days
...
but about 2001 I had switched to Trend Micro and found it does a much better job of not being a resource hog and was getting these older virus others gave up on, but over time even Trend can miss a few so that is why when my computer starts acting strange I have more then one to rely on but I keep the others shut down because of conflicts running more then one scanner.
I used to keep up with this stuff back in the day and is why I jumped back to McAfee. I do not keep up anymore as I just don't feel like allocating the time. But I will be glad to make use of your experience. Thanks.
 

MAK

Senior Member
I had something similar to your keyboard problem (latency) but it was a process that would "peg" the cpu out. I booted into safe mode and saw no latency or crazy cpu usage. Then rebooted into windows and downloaded process explorer. Ran that and found the program that was causing mayhem (HP network printer software:happysad:). Here is a link to process explorer. It helps sometimes.

http://download.cnet.com/Process-Explorer/3000-2094_4-10223605.html
 
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