Dumb PC Question

[the86d]

Unplug the drive as the main. Plug in another drive as the main, install Windows (if you need to use the key on the side of the machine, and a CD/DVD of the correct version someone you know might have), do all Windows updates, install Anti-Virus (even on of the free ones Like Avast free is what I use), install MalwareBytes, then plug in the old drive (with the rig off) and scan old drive with the AV, and MalwareBytes, copy data, prosper, and be happy.

You could alternatively boot to a Knoppix CD/DVD to copy data to a new drive, zero the old drive then run Linux (on the old drive), or reinstall Windows on the old drive from scratch (or if it has way to do a restore to factory, do that). I'd unplug the new data-drive 1st to make sure you don't accidentally kill your backup data via an install of an OS...

[NytWolf]

This may be a dumb question, but I notice that my eMachines Celeron desktop often slows down and stops my internet access while there are no programs running. I have Comcast wireless and will sometimes have to wait 3-5 minutes to open a new browser page even though I have a good signal. Meanwhile, I can hear the CPU grinding away on something even though all I have is a page like Calguns open with minimal active ads, etc.

I open Task Manager to confirm no other apps or processes are running, and I do frequent Malware and spyware scans which almost never reveal anything.

I guess my question is whether this is normal. It does not seem like any of my other PCs ever did this.

You shouldn't be able to "hear the CPU" working. Your hard drive, maybe? How much free space does your hard drive have left? Also, as someone already asked, when is the last time you defragmented the drive? It sounds like the best place to start is to put in your image CD/DVD and let it reformat your drive back to factory spec. Of course, back up your data before doing this.

[stilly]

"eMachines" and "Celeron."

Sorry to be blunt, but those are your first two problems right there.

You've got a bottom of the barrel processor in a machine made by a bottom of the barrel manufacturer.

Oh certainly +1 for that. CELERON? Ewwwww. I don't even care for centrino anymore... Like driving a Ford Ecoboost with no boost...
Computers-desktops should be at LEAST quadcore now and laptops should at least be dual core. At least for what I do and like to play with.

NO CELERONS or SEMPERONS should be used unless oBaMa gave them to you, and even then they should be drilled out and worn on a necklace...

OP:
Although this IS true and you SHOULD upgrade (said the guy running xp sp3 on a socket 939 amd athlon x2 4200...) (oh I crack me up some times!), I think in the meantime you should also consider running a program called COMBOFIX found here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/combofix/

If you bring up your task manager and you see that a program named SVCHOST.EXE is running your CPU 100% then you should right click it and stop that process, close out that process or tree and see what happens. IF that is the case in your case, then you should run COMBOFIX and that will most likely solve your problem.

I say most likely because someone once reccoed it to ME and I ran it on TWO computers so far and it has worked for both of them. It is like chiropactic work on the PC in some weird way it realigns the cpu threads and (j/k) it seems to replace a few possible buggy files with proper ones that prevent such things from happening.

AND of course, AFTER running combofix, it is NEVER a bad idea to run malware bytes and spybot S&D...

[Jimi Jah]

RAM. Full it up, max it out. That fixed up a couple of PC's here.

[the86d]

Blow off the blanket of dust from the CPU grills (under the fan?), check the RAM via this burnable ISO: http://www.memtest.org/download/5.01...+-5.01.iso.zip
(Obtained here: http://www.memtest.org/ )

[RobertMW]

Meanwhile, I can hear the CPU grinding away on something even though all I have is a page like Calguns open with minimal active ads, etc.

Whoa.... You can hear electricity?

In all seriousness, that is not your CPU grinding away, it makes no noise whatsoever. That sound is your Hard Disk working overtime. It is probably reading/writing from the overflow cache, which is REALLY slow (in computer times), which is why it may be taking a long time to do simple things. Defrag HD will help, getting a new bigger HD will help, More RAM so that the computer doesn't have to load cache data onto your HD will help. Offloading non program data (photos, videos, documents etc.) to an external HD will free up some space for more efficient HD use.

[Gio]

Some internet suppliers prefer you use certain browsers too. Sounds like your HDD is about to take a crap though. You can clear out your cookies and also do a disk clean, not defrag or try to defrag it and see what it says.