BleepingComputer.com: Computer continues to run with low performance

1.) Since the birth of this computer, the computer would now and again freeze or randomly restart itself

- happened only when watching YouTube videos or other flash products
- began to think this may be video card related

2.) Over time, I have installed a lot of software, some of it questionable using keygens and .reg files to remove trials

- performace began to slow and freeze ups were more frequent
- ran some scans, but proved ineffective so i took in my computer to have it tested
- pc guys found a number of trojans etc. and found nothing wrong with the hardware (including video card)
- i brought my computer home and played with it for awhile, after a couple hours i made it freeze up again followed my random restarts
- i dealt with this until finally it got so bad that now i cannot run any programs without huge delays and freeze ups (no errors)

3.) Drastic measures (seemed like overheating or faulty cards mixed with reg errors and system issues)

- replaced video card and added a directional fan to the computer
- in safe mode ran (AVG, StopZilla and Commodo)
- found hundreds of registry errors which I then fixed
- reboot and computer is still slow as ever. programs not working
- ran chkdsk to view system files (all in tact and no bad sectors)

4.) Not sure what to do now! Help please!!!

Computer specs:

- Self-built
- ASUS M3N78 PRO Motherboard
- 8 gigs of RAM obviously only running half of that with Windows XP 32-bit
- 750 gig hard drive with plenty of space remaining
- Went from Sparkle GeForce 9400GT to a Raedon HD 4350 Catalyst

Major programs being affected

- Acid Pro 7.0
- Games! NWN 2 (runs sloppily and music will sometimes repeat itself)
- IE and Fire Fox

1. Did you remove all traces of nVidia drivers and software before you installed ones for the ATI card?

2. Does the new GFX card reach high temperatures? Is is getting enough power (what PSU?)?

3. Have you tried removing unwanted/temporary files? Uninstalling programs that you don't use? Performing a hard disk defragmentation?

Clean install.

Doing that will allow you to determine whether you have hardware issues which need to be examined.

From what you've posted, it could be any combination or number of things...including malware as a contributor.

Louis

1.) I did not try and remove nVidia drivers no. Perhaps I will try that. The new one is nice and cool. Video looks good, but could be still affecting the games.

2.) I fret a clean install because of the amount of plug-ins I have installed for music programs. Still, I feel this might be my only option. I neglected to mention this has happened more than once. I had done a clean reinstall not more than a few months back when I was having similar symptoms with shutting down. However, I installed a lot of the same programs and figured they may have had something to do with it.

3. Have you tried removing unwanted/temporary files? Uninstalling programs that you don't use? Performing a hard disk defragmentation?


- Removed all temporary files
- Uninstalled programs I don't use
- Defrag says its not needed, but I did it anyway. Computer froze...

Hmmm, I can only suggest a clean install now.
You'll have to backup everything you need and reinstall them again.
Make sure you have all the necessary drivers for WinXP.

And avoid installing potentially harmful software, next time round.
Carry out a virus/malware scan if you decide to install them.

FWIW: Since this scenario seems to have happened before...I suggest that you consider changing something...about your use of the system. One of those things you need to change...involves making exact backups of your operational system, even if you care nothing about data files.

Louis

If I understand correctly you defraged and your computer stopped. A corrupted H/D and or a over heating problem can and has caused this kind of problem. Can your system go through a complete anti-virus, malware, spyware scan? If so it's probably not ether one of the above.