BleepingComputer.com: Slow Laptop - Win XP SP 3, Sound Studders

I posted about this in the "am I infected? what do i do?" forum to attack from that angle, but I'm beginning to think it's more of a resource issue. About a month ago, my computer began making a 'studdering' sound from its internal hardware. The computer would then freeze and the blue screen of death would appear. I downloaded and ran Kaspersky Virus Scan and that seemed to get rid of that issue. However, ever since, my laptop began running EXTREMELY slow. When I run anything with audio, a video or audio file, independent of whether its local on the harddrive or streamed from youtube, the sound studders uncontrollably for the first minute or so. After the first minute or so, the sound problems tend to resolve until the file changes or another location is streamed. It happens with system sounds as well as audio files.

I have my computer HD partitioned with Windows XP Home on half and Ubunutu linux on the other. The sound was working fine on the linux side until I downloaded the plugins for youtube. Now the sound does it on both side.

I know it's not a hardware issue, because the issue resolves. But it's very irritating for the first few minutes and when it studders the entire computer sometimes begins to freeze.

Since downloading Kaspersky (I have since uninstalled) there has been a general slowness to the laptop.

Steps I've taken:

I've run a series of virus scans from regular mode, not safe mode.

I've tried changing windows to 16 bit color with classic menus to save resources, no fix.

I've tried using DriverMax to update the drivers for my Realtek HD Audio Controller, no fix.

I'm talking to a global moderator in the previously mentioned forum to approach it from the virus/malware angle.

I want to find out what's leaking my resources.

Thanks!!!

P.S.

I also get an invalid Boot.ini message when loading windows.

Hey Guys,

anyone have any idea?

If you have an open thread in any of the malware forums...you should not be posting in another forum and possibly taking suggestions from those who do not deal with malware removal/effects.

This will allow proper resolution of possible malware issues in the most efficient manner.

Once the prospect of such is resolved one way or the other, that would be the time to pursue issues which are known not to involve malware.

Louis