Strange slow down

Hi everyone.

I'll be to the point and specific as I can with this issue. Let me say its my first day here and my second post after introducing myself so I'll take a blind stab in the dark with this explanation.

I remember running a program called X-Steup Pro (freeware that used to be payware) and two days later I saw windows xp getting a tad sluggish. Programs seemed to use more cpu than before I ran X-Setup Pro. Uninstalling it doesnt reverse the changes I made using this program because it only removes the program itself. I think I might have been bit by a bug. There has been a memory read error once a day or more. Its not showed in event viewer. I cannot reproduce the problem because it seems so random kinda like it pops up when it wants. This doesnt happen 98 percent of the time.

Here is a few error messages in event viewer:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Microsoft Flight Simulator 9.0
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 9/7/2012
Time: 6:43:12 AM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
The description for Event ID ( 1000 ) in Source ( Microsoft Flight Simulator 9.0 ) cannot be found. The local computer may not have the necessary registry information or message DLL files to display messages from a remote computer. You may be able to use the /AUXSOURCE= flag to retrieve this description; see Help and Support for details. The following information is part of the event: fs9.exe, 9.1.0.40901, fs9.exe, 9.1.0.40901, 00041df2.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 66 73 39 ure fs9
0018: 2e 65 78 65 20 39 2e 31 .exe 9.1
0020: 2e 30 2e 34 30 39 30 31 .0.40901
0028: 20 69 6e 20 66 73 39 2e in fs9.
0030: 65 78 65 20 39 2e 31 2e exe 9.1.
0038: 30 2e 34 30 39 30 31 20 0.40901
0040: 61 74 20 6f 66 66 73 65 at offse
0048: 74 20 30 30 30 34 31 64 t 00041d
0050: 66 32 0d 0a f2..


Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 9/8/2012
Time: 1:53:02 AM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
Faulting application paltalk.exe, version 10.2113.5369.0, faulting module unknown, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x03146090.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 70 61 6c ure pal
0018: 74 61 6c 6b 2e 65 78 65 talk.exe
0020: 20 31 30 2e 32 31 31 33 10.2113
0028: 2e 35 33 36 39 2e 30 20 .5369.0
0030: 69 6e 20 75 6e 6b 6e 6f in unkno
0038: 77 6e 20 30 2e 30 2e 30 wn 0.0.0
0040: 2e 30 20 61 74 20 6f 66 .0 at of
0048: 66 73 65 74 20 30 33 31 fset 031
0050: 34 36 30 39 30 0d 0a 46090..

Repeated messages in the last week:
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Tcpip
Event Category: None
Event ID: 4226
Date: 9/9/2012
Time: 6:10:45 AM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
TCP/IP has reached the security limit imposed on the number of concurrent TCP connect attempts.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 01 00 54 00 ......T.
0008: 00 00 00 00 82 10 00 80 ....‚..€
0010: 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........

Repeated Messages:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: W32Time
Event Category: None
Event ID: 29
Date: 9/7/2012
Time: 8:45:52 PM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
The time provider NtpClient is configured to acquire time from one or more time sources, however none of the sources are currently accessible. No attempt to contact a source will be made for 14 minutes. NtpClient has no source of accurate time.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Repeated message
Event Type: Error
Event Source: W32Time
Event Category: None
Event ID: 17
Date: 9/7/2012
Time: 8:45:52 PM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
Time Provider NtpClient: An error occurred during DNS lookup of the manually configured peer 'time.windows.com,0x1'. NtpClient will try the DNS lookup again in 15 minutes. The error was: A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable host. (0x80072751)

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Dhcp
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1002
Date: 9/7/2012
Time: 1:44:20 AM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
The IP address lease 192.168.1.112 for the Network Card with network address 000BCD849C30 has been denied by the DHCP server 192.168.1.1 (The DHCP Server sent a DHCPNACK message).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.


Repeated message:
Event Type: Error
Event Source: Service Control Manager
Event Category: None
Event ID: 7001
Date: 9/3/2012
Time: 8:22:41 PM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
The Computer Browser service depends on the Server service which failed to start because of the following error:
The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

All these started showing up 6 days ago and now daily.

The sluggishness may or may not be related. I do not know. Its seems to almost wanna hang on boot up like 10 seconds of black screen between the Windows XP splash screen and the welcome screen going into desktop.

Will you help me investigate this and find out if it is a nasty critter hiding in the billows that wont be detected by conventional scanner ie...malwarebytes antimalware? I do not run a antivirus because its a old 9 year old laptop and the new stuff needs dual core or hyperthread to run optimum. Mine is 1.4 ghz AMD Athlon XP 1600+ (single core) mobility 512 MB RAM. Compaq EVO N1015V.

Thanks in advanced for your time and volunteering your professional experience to the community.

Hello,this is why we do not recommend using registry cleaners they do more harm than good.

You should be able to use this on that XP system I did. it is free .. •Avira Antivir


I do not feel this is a malwre issue but we will check.


I'd like us to scan your machine with ESET OnlineScan

• Hold down Control and click on the following link to open ESET OnlineScan in a new window.
  ESET OnlineScan
• Click the button.
• For alternate browsers only: (Microsoft Internet Explorer users can skip these steps)
  • Click on to download the ESET Smart Installer. Save it to your desktop.
  • Double click on the icon on your desktop.
• Check
• Click the button.
• Accept any security warnings from your browser.
• Under scan settings, check and check Remove found threats
• Click Advanced settings and select the following:
  • Scan potentially unwanted applications
  • Scan for potentially unsafe applications
  • Enable Anti-Stealth technology
• ESET will then download updates for itself, install itself, and begin scanning your computer. Please be patient as this can take some time.
• When the scan completes, push
• Push , and save the file to your desktop using a unique name, such as ESETScan. Include the contents of this report in your next reply.
• Push the button.
• Push

NOTE: In some instances if no malware is found there will be no log produced.



Now for the errors///

Please run SFC (System File Checker)
Please run System File Checker sfc /scannow... For more information on this tool see How To Use Sfc.exe To Repair System Files

NOTE for Vista/WIN 7 users..The command needs to be run from an Elevated Command Prompt.Click Start, type cmd into the Start/Search box,
right-click cmd.exe in the list above and select 'Run as Administrator'


You will need your operating system CD handy.

Open Windows Task Manager....by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC

Then click File.. then New Task(Run)

In the box that opens type sfc /scannow ......There is a space between c and /

Click OK
Let it run and insert the CD when asked.



EDIT:
Revo Uninstaller is more thorough in deleting programs on your computer than using the Add/Remove option in Windows. Since it is a more powerful tool, please be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

• Please download and install Revo Uninstaller Free
• Double click Revo Uninstaller to run it.
• From the list of programs double click on the listed program to remove it
• When prompted if you want to uninstall click Yes.
• Be sure the Moderate option is selected then click Next.
• The program will run, If prompted again click Yes
• When the built-in uninstaller is finished click on Next
• Once the program has searched for leftovers click Next.
• Check the items in bold only on the list then click Delete. You may have to expand some folders by clicking the "+" mark.
• When prompted click on Yes and then on Next.
• Put a check on any folders that are found and select Delete
• When prompted select Yes then Next
• Once done click Finish.

Hi boopme thanks for your reply. I am running Eset as I type. Will post results if any thanks.

ESET Oline Scanner ran successfully with nothing found.

Windows file protection logs:

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Windows File Protection
Event Category: None
Event ID: 64016
Date: 9/15/2012
Time: 1:48:10 AM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
Windows File Protection file scan was started.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: Windows File Protection
Event Category: None
Event ID: 64017
Date: 9/15/2012
Time: 2:32:42 AM
User: N/A
Computer: HOME-3125DD36FA
Description:
Windows File Protection file scan completed successfully.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Hmmmm nothing indicating if anything was replaced with originals. Don't understand where these infrequent slow downs. No .net frameworks installed. I wont install programs requiring it.

Avira too hefty

System requirements

The system requirements are as follows:

Computer Pentium or later, at least 1 GHz

Operating system

Windows XP, newest SP (32 or 64 bit) or
Windows Vista, newest SP (32 or 64 bit) or
Windows 7, newest SP (32 or 64 bit)

At least 150 MB of free hard disk memory space (more if using quarantine for temporary
storage)

At least 512 MB RAM under Windows XP

At least 1024 MB RAM under Windows Vista, Windows 7

For the program installation: Administrator rights

For all installations: Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher

Internet connection where appropriate (see Installation)

No funds to buy new pc. There' gotta be another solution.

Repost this in the XP forum as Its not looking like malware and they will check other things.

I'd move this but with the old topic start date you'll wind up back a few pages,so a new topic is better,