Slow Laptop

[Sophia]

Hi guys,

We have a HP Probook 450 G2 with Windows 10, only bought within the last 2 years, but it's become quite slow especially on startup. We haven't downloaded lots of programs etc on it, it says the C: disk has 329/450GB free. I also ran CCleaner to clean up files (only perhaps 100-150MB of files were cleaned up anyway, so not a huge amount at all), fixed any registry issues, and looked at startup programs, trying to disable any I thought was unnecessary (though there weren't that many to begin with, I'll attach a screenshot of the programs that are currently enabled on startup).

Also tried running Malware Bytes, which didn't find anything.

Any other ideas of what we can do to speed things up? I know cheaper laptops such as this do slow down over time but it is still fairly new and has been used for work only. It therefore has only been used very lightly, e.g. running Quickbooks for invoices etc, making quotes, sending emails, downloading word docs and scans etc, though as I said these don't take up much space. Can't think of what else we could do to stop it from being so slow!

Thanks if you can help! Let me know if you need any more info.

 

[Norton]

I'm no expert, but, I do see a problem. You have McAffee and AVG antivirus programs both running. The are resource hogs and will definitely slow your PC down. In Programs and Feature uninstall both of them and run Windows Defender. I think you will see a huge difference. If you insist that you must have (not both) McAffee or AVG the deletion can be easily undone. Windows Defender or Avira are both excellent antivirus programs.

 

[JW09I4]

Simply stating AVG and McAfee are the issue is inaccurate, as what exactly are you basing that advice off of... that they're simply installed? That's bad advice/help to give anyone, especially yourself, let alone anyone else.

Troubleshooting slow performance is generally tedious and time consuming, especially if the user doesn't know where to begin. Just some general information:

• Task Manager should not be relied upon for managing startup programs/services... instead, use a 3rd party program specifically geared to manage startup programs/services.
  • NirSoft and SysInternals both offer sysadmin programs to do so.
    • While I utilize both suites of software, I also prefer Yamicsoft's Windows 10 Manager as it not only allows ease of use customization of multiple facets of Windows, specifically to programs and services, I like how it separates user installed services from Microsoft's in two separate categories in Service Manager (making it extremely convenient).
      • Windows 10 Manger comes with a 20 day free trial of the full version, and if you don't want to buy it, you can simply use it to customize Windows 10, then uninstall it when done, as it does not revert any changes made upon uninstall or when the trial ends.
  • All programs / 3rd party Services not needed at startup should be disabled
    • i.e. CyrberLink, QuickBooks, Intuit, ScanToPC, etc. (unless you want those specific programs opening on the desktop at startup)
  
  
• You're also going to want to do the following:
  1. Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Administrative Tools\Disk Cleanup >> Clean up system files
     
     
  2. If not using an SSD, run SysInternals' Contig to defrag the HDD (the Windows Defrag program does not offer the advanced functionality of Contig (CLI based) / Power Defragmenter (Contig's GUI)
     • Upgrade to a M.2 SSD if using a mechanical HDD, which will provide an immediate, extremely noticeable performance improvement due to IOPS.
       • I personally recommend Samsung's 850 Evo Series due to it's RAPID technology, of which utilizes a portion of RAM for file transfers at the raw bit level. This allows for an enormous file transfer boost when copying large files due to RAM's ~2.5GB/s transfer rate
         • i.e. I can copy a 4GB iso in <2 seconds from/to the SSD with RAPID enabled (it can only be enabled on one SSD, even if using multiple 850 EVOs)
     
     
  3. Run the following CLI programs from an admin PowerShell terminal:
     1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup
     2. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
        • Reboot PC
     3. SFC /ScanNow
        • If anything was fixed, Reboot PC

 

[davehc]

Many Avg users are having the entry in the startup tab. It is a bug.Norton refers correctly to a possible problem with your anti virus programs.
Personally, I also would see no useful purpose in running two such at the same time. It is well known that they can conflict and create problems.
However. AVG seem unable to solve the problem error, as seen in your clip. This is what I discovered from a third party source, which did, from subsequent posts, solve the problem.:


1. Hold the windows key+R and bring up the run dialog box and type in "regedit" and hit enter

2. Navigate to this registry key location:

"hkey_local_machine\software\wow6432node\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run"

3. Right click on the right side of the panel and go to New->String value and that will create a new string value that you can rename to "AVG" for example.

4. Double click your new string value and under where it says "value data" type in the dialog box the location of avgui.exe. The default location should be:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\Av\avgui.exe"

5. That's it! You're done.

I would echo, again, Norton*s advice. Try running with, in the first instance, only the Windows Defender, and work along from there.

 

[JW09I4]

One can run multiple Antivirus programs, provided each has excluded the other's quarantine folder from being scanned. Specific to this use case, there's zero benefit to running both McAffee and AVG, however it's unlikely both being installed are the cause of the slow performance in this user's environment. If anything, @Sophia running the registry cleaner is far more likely to be of issue than having McAffee and AVG installed.

 

[Patricia Shannon]

Have you ever run defrag? It can make a BIG difference.

Hi guys,

 

[Bif]

One can run multiple Antivirus programs, provided each has excluded the other's quarantine folder from being scanned. Specific to this use case, there's zero benefit to running both McAffee and AVG, however it's unlikely both being installed are the cause of the slow performance in this user's environment. If anything, @Sophia running the registry cleaner is far more likely to be of issue than having McAffee and AVG installed.

Microsoft says this...and just about everyone else on the matter of running more than one antivirus on a PC.

https://blogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2014/08/05/can-i-run-more-than-one-antivirus-program/

And,

https://www.maketecheasier.com/multiple-antivirus-programs-on-one-pc/

 

[davehc]

Tks, bif. Informative links.

 

[Norton]

"Unfortunately, the concept of “the more the merrier” doesn’t work so well with antivirus!
Thanks! Bif

https://blogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2014/08/05/can-i-run-more-than-one-antivirus-program/

 

[Trouble]

Couldn't agree more.
Actually I agree with Norton. Uninstall all of them and get back to Defender and Windows Firewall.
That will allow you to simply assess the impact on system resources and performance when and if you decide to reinstall one or the other
Then Clean boot the system
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/929135/how-to-perform-a-clean-boot-in-windows

Easily done, easily undone.
Basically you're just disabling all the Startup Items and All non-Microsoft services.
Be sure to check the box to hide Microsoft Services, as you don't want to accidentally disable any of those.

That will allow you to assess any impact from third party programs, services / processes.

Have you ever run defrag? It can make a BIG difference.

A good suggestion for a mechanical spinner. I would suggest multiple manual defrags with a restart between. Defragging an SSD is not going to show much if any performance improvements.

 

[JW09I4]

@Bif @Norton @Trouble Perhaps any one of you could point me to where I stated the more the merrier or that one should run multiple AVs?

• What I stated, and I'll quote myself since it appears all three failed to read, was accurate and that one can, not should, but can run more than one provided each excludes the other from scanning the other's directories:
  • #3
    • "Simply stating AVG and McAffee are the issue is inaccurate, as what exactly are you basing that advice off of... that they're simply installed?"
      • It is, and was, inaccurate to state having both AVG and McAffee installed is the cause, as there's not enough information to extrapolate such a conclusion.
    
    
  • #5
    • "One can run multiple Antivirus programs, provided each has excluded the other's quarantine folder from being scanned."
      • This is exactly what was mentioned as the problem with running more than one AV at a time
        • Can I run more than one antivirus program?
          • "...they might even identify each other as a virus, which could lead to file corruption or other conflicts and errors that make your antivirus protection less effective—or not effective at all."
        • Why You Shouldn’t Install Multiple Antivirus Programs on One PC
          • "...Fighting Over Files"
          • "...Accusing One Another"
    • "Specific to this use case, there's zero benefit to running both McAffee and AVG, however it's unlikely both being installed are the cause of the slow performance in this user's environment."
      • There are use cases were running more than one AV program will be required, however @Sophia's is not one of them.
        • For example, businesses utilizing Sophos that deploy Endpoint Security & Control on laptops employees also use for personal use, to ensure Application Control & Web Filtering in line with the policies set forth by the UTM, will require a secondary AV since SESC is subpar as an AV program.
          
          While it is phenomenal at deploying the web filtering and application control policies set forth by the UTM, it's horrendous as a standalone AV (IIRC, SESC has an AV recognition score somewhere in the high 70s to low 80's... horrendous for an AV program).

...Defragging an SSD is not going to show much if any performance improvements.

An SSD should never be defragged, as it will degrade the performance and lifetime of the SSD... SSDs should be trimmed, but never defragged, and one should ensure prior to running a Defrag program on an SSD that it supports TRIM, as well as determine if it auto recognizes SSDs or whether a specific option needs to be set for TRIM. Windows 10's builtin Defrag auto recognizes SSDs and will only perform a TRIM and not a defrag.

 

[Norton]

JW0194 You why are you so contradictory? This is a great Windows 10 help (the best) forum, with volunteers who devote their time to help others from their own knowledge and experience.
Slow down, take your time to Read the posts before jumping in with both feet.

 

[JW09I4]

JW0194 You why are you so contradictory?

Exactly what was I contradictory on?

 

[Norton]

Stop this nonsense. I will cease to have further discussions with you.

 

[JW09I4]

Stop this nonsense. I will cease to have further discussions with you.

LOL I ask you to explain what you accused me of, and that's your response?

Your non-response says it all... I didn't contradict myself, and furthermore, I broke down what I said piece by piece to demonstrate how neither of you three bothered to read what I actually wrote. Facts matter and accurate information matters.

Instead of just admitting you either misread or misunderstood what I wrote, you instead choose this route? **scratches head**

 

[Bif]

Dealing with the chronically difficult is like trying mow the lawn with scissors..

 

[JW09I4]

Dealing with the chronically difficult is like trying mow the lawn with scissors..

And yet you also can't answer the simple question posed to you. Facts and accurate information matters.

 

[Trouble]

Dealing with the chronically difficult is like trying mow the lawn with scissors..

Herding Cats?
Everyone is entitled to their opinion but not their own facts.
Facts are facts.
Fact the OP's computer is running slow.
Fact the most likely cause (although certainly not the only one) is third party software, as a custom clean install on the same system would likely show different behavior, with only the OS present on the system drive.
Fact.... I won't even bother with your observations regarding Defrag as no body suggested using any third party software and the native product handles SSDs and Spinners just fine.

Sort of Fact.... I have no idea what the OP's specs are on his 450 G2 but assuming they are not terrible then the problem is going to likely be HP bloatware (software that was installed from the factory that nobody ever uses) OR it being loaded up with other third party software which some folk can't seem to resist installing.
That's not to say that it couldn't be a Windows Update, relentlessly trying and failing to install that is bogging down system resources and busying up the hard disk.
Checking Update History should reveal if that is what is going on
AND
Resource Monitor -> Disk Tab ->
Expanding Processes with Disk Activity and below that the "Disk Activity" section might show more info possibly.

 

[JW09I4]

Fact.... I won't even bother with your observations regarding Defrag as no body suggested using any third party software and the native product handles SSDs and Spinners just fine.

Do most just refuse to read, as you still fail to do so, thereby missing the context of what was being stated. So here again I'll quote myself due to your refusal:

• #3
  • You're also going to want to do the following:
    1. If not using an SSD, run SysInternals' Contig to defrag the HDD (the Windows Defrag program does not offer the advanced functionality of Contig (CLI based) / Power Defragmenter (Contig's GUI)
  
  Of which ties into:
  
  
• #11

  ...Defragging an SSD is not going to show much if any performance improvements.

  • An SSD should never be defragged, as it will degrade the performance and lifetime of the SSD... SSDs should be trimmed, but never defragged, and one should ensure prior to running a Defrag program on an SSD that it supports TRIM, as well as determine if it auto recognizes SSDs or whether a specific option needs to be set for TRIM. Windows 10's builtin Defrag auto recognizes SSDs and will only perform a TRIM and not a defrag.

With an HDD, Contiq/Power Defragementer should be used over the default defragmenter in Windows because it allows defragging of areas the default defragger is not capable of defragmenting, such as:

• \$Mft
• \$LogFile
• \$Volume
• \$AttrDef
• \$Bitmap
• \$Boot
• \$BadClus
• \$Secure
• \$UpCase
• \$Extend

Contiq is apart of the sysadmin toolkit, Windows SysInternals.

• Power Defragmenter used to be able to be downloaded from SysInternals' old site, prior to being moved to the new Microsoft's Doc's site, however TechSpot hosts the program and can be downloaded from TechSpot here

 

[Trouble]

Yep.... cut me off a slice of that.
Sounds like just the tool that the average everyday user, whos' computer is running slow, would want and need for his woes