XP SP3 running 3MB broadband very slow

[Alan One]

Got answers?  I have questions... I have a dual boot system:

OS Name	Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

Version	5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600

OS Manufacturer	Microsoft Corporation

System Name	ROOM1

System Manufacturer	BIOSTAR Group

System Model	P4M900-M7 FE

System Type	X86-based PC

Processor	x86 Family 6 Model 15 Stepping 13 GenuineIntel ~1099 Mhz

BIOS Version/Date	Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 11/7/2007

SMBIOS Version	2.4

Windows Directory	C:WINDOWS

System Directory	C:WINDOWSsystem32

Boot Device	DeviceHarddiskVolume2

Locale	United States

Hardware Abstraction Layer	Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"

Time Zone	Eastern Standard Time

Total Physical Memory	2,048.00 MB

Available Physical Memory	1.03 GB

Total Virtual Memory	2.00 GB

Available Virtual Memory	1.96 GB

Page File Space	3.60 GB

Page File	D:pagefile.sys

Linux Kubuntu 9.0

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Download Connection is:: 1328 Kbps about 1.3 Mbps (tested with 1536 kB)

Download Speed is:: 162 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Main)

Test Time:: 2009/09/22 - 3:26pm 

Bottom Line:: 23X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 6.32 sec 

Tested from a 1536 kB file and took 9.474 seconds to complete

Download Diagnosis:: May need help : running at only 62.52 % of your hosts average (speednetllc.com) 

D-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-VPJT0ZIXL

User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Konqueror/4.2; Linux) KHTML/4.2.2 (like Gecko) [!]


:::.. Upload Stats ..:::

Upload Connection is:: 258 Kbps about 0.3 Mbps (tested with 579 kB)

Upload Speed is:: 31 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Main)

Test Time:: 2009/09/22 - 3:29pm 

Bottom Line:: 4X faster than 56K 1MB Upload in 33.03 sec 

Tested from a 579 kB file and took 18.409 seconds to complete

Upload Diagnosis:: 90% + Okay : running at 97.36 % of your hosts average (speednetllc.com) 

U-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-6UZBML72O

User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; Konqueror/4.2; Linux) KHTML/4.2.2 (like Gecko) [!]

XP Safe Mode with Networking

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Download Connection is:: 497 Kbps about 0.5 Mbps (tested with 507 kB)

Download Speed is:: 61 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Main)

Test Time:: 2009/09/22 - 3:12pm 

Bottom Line:: 9X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 16.79 sec 

Tested from a 507 kB file and took 8.361 seconds to complete

Download Diagnosis:: May need help : running at only 23.39 % of your hosts average (speednetllc.com) 

D-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-LAHXVSBRQ

User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.14) Gecko/2009082707 Firefox/3.0.14 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729) [!]


:::.. Upload Stats ..:::

Upload Connection is:: 254 Kbps about 0.3 Mbps (tested with 579 kB)

Upload Speed is:: 31 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Main)

Test Time:: 2009/09/22 - 3:14pm 

Bottom Line:: 4X faster than 56K 1MB Upload in 33.03 sec 

Tested from a 579 kB file and took 18.64 seconds to complete

Upload Diagnosis:: 90% + Okay : running at 95.85 % of your hosts average (speednetllc.com) 

U-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-PRA1FLE9X

User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.14) Gecko/2009082707 Firefox/3.0.14 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729) [!]

XP SP3 running normal admin mode

:::.. Download Stats ..:::

Download Connection is:: 472 Kbps about 0.5 Mbps (tested with 507 kB)

Download Speed is:: 58 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Main)

Test Time:: 2009/09/22 - 3:35pm 

Bottom Line:: 8X faster than 56K 1MB Download in 17.66 sec 

Tested from a 507 kB file and took 8.793 seconds to complete

Download Diagnosis:: May need help : running at only 22.22 % of your hosts average (speednetllc.com) 

D-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-8KIBXR0Q3

User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.14) Gecko/2009082707 Firefox/3.0.14 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729) [!]


:::.. Upload Stats ..:::

Upload Connection is:: 257 Kbps about 0.3 Mbps (tested with 579 kB)

Upload Speed is:: 31 kB/s

Tested From:: https://testmy.net/ (Main)

Test Time:: 2009/09/22 - 3:35pm 

Bottom Line:: 4X faster than 56K 1MB Upload in 33.03 sec 

Tested from a 579 kB file and took 18.454 seconds to complete

Upload Diagnosis:: 90% + Okay : running at 96.98 % of your hosts average (speednetllc.com) 

U-Validation Link:: https://testmy.net/stats/id-ROS15XMP9

User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9.0.14) Gecko/2009082707 Firefox/3.0.14 (.NET CLR 3.5.30729) [!]

I am currently looking for any malware on my system. The Linux scan shows there is something software related to this issue.

Thank you

[mudmanc4]

Not so good of test scores are they.  I don't know that you are aware that testmy.net will convert the test results into a banner for you, or you could just copy and paste the test results to the field, no need to put it into the code brackets, but hey it's cool

So what are you supposed to be getting as far as bandwidth ?

[Alan One]

...

So what are you supposed to be getting as far as bandwidth ?

About 2500 Kbps, the Linux (yesterday) got a much higher score 2966/404 Kbps, today the weather is having some effect on my wireless signal.  I am only running 3 out of 5 bars, but I finished ALL the malware scans and found nothing but cookies.  Recently I installed new usb hardware but I eliminated that by uninstalling it.  I was thinking my ISP had some kind of usage cap but using the Linux OS proves that wrong.  So now I am looking into the TCP/IP settings.  Here is info on my settings:

[mudmanc4]

I think user "tommie gorman" has at least the same type of connection, maybe he will see this thread and give you a few of his tricks.

[tommie gorman]

I think user "tommie gorman" has at least the same type of connection, maybe he will see this thread and give you a few of his tricks.

I have been here a few already, but not sure what type of connection or relation I am looking for yet. If that is EVDO, it goes that slow at times. Morning or late at night mine rocks. I use the TCP Optimizer also. Other than that I just always keep mine clean daily, not weekly. 

And I am not promised nowhere near 3 megs. Up to 2100 or something like that. No guarantees.

[Alan One]

Thanks Tommie, but it's not a matter of it being time of day or what 'they' promised.  If you check it out I did the Linux (using the same hardware) above at 3:26pm  then the normal XP test at 3:35pm on 09/22.  Speed wasn't much an issue until recently.  I thought I had picked up some malware or trojan worm. 

As for my ISP, I have a small tower up on the shelf that picks up a wireless signal off the county building roughly 2 miles away.  It has 5 green LEDs that even with 3 lit I still get a good high speed connection.  In fair weather I run 3 to 5, but it was raining yesterday and it dropped to 1 or 2.  The wireless ISP not the issue.  Something on this system has changed in the software settings I just ran another 3MB test and took a screen shot of my Task Manager attached to this post.

You will notice the percentage of usage never jumps much above the 1% mark like it is being throttled by something.  I have also monitored my downloads and found them running at only 10 to 15 KBps. Which is roughly 5 to 10% of normal speed.  I guess about the only thing I haven't tried is a system restore back to last week.  I hate to do that, it feels like such a cheat and never answers the real problem.

[tommie gorman]

Or maybe try this?

http://filehippo.com/download_asquared/

It helped someone recently in much the same way. Use the lighter cleaner version of it at first, its very thorough. It removed some 'nasty' links even for me once. But it sure worked well. I use the full strength now, but make sure of all that it is removing, instead of just go. But if your not worried, just delete it all. 

I hope that helps.

[Alan One]

Thanks again, but that was one of the first I tried.  I used:

Avira - Which is my normal all time scanner and guard

Spybot - found nothing new

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - found nothing

Ad-Aware 2007 - Found nothing

X-Ray PC - I removed some old entries I though was gone. (punkbuster)

Then I downloaded and ran:

Avast, A Square, and AVG Anti-Virus

Nothing found so I am looking at the past week of any software installs.  Unfortunately with 2 teens who love to download games and crap... well you get the idea.  The only thing I added was some USB hardware which I have confirmed is not an issue.  I might not have to go back the whole week just the last 4 days or so.

Thanks if I figure out the culprit I will let you know.  This speed really sucks like I am running on dial up.

[tommie gorman]

I did not see super antispyware in there?

http://filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/

[Alan One]

Well I pretty much have gave up on the idea this is spyware.  I "tested" your theory about network peaks last night.  I found a sizable torrent to download and ran it before going to bed.  It started out at 10 to 12 Kbps and when I woke up I checked the speed logs and found that it did peak up to 67 Kbps between 2 and 4 am.  I have to pay my ISP next week so I will ask them if they are somehow responsable for my Linux OS performing better than the Windows XP  OS.  I ran the program CommView on my network card:

Line#          Known use

1                My kids playing Guild Wars on the LAN

2                Subnet Mask

3 and 4        DNS Service

5                IANA

6                Magic Jack - my VoIP

7 on down    My ISP

I have monitored it for unknown processes using my system and have found none.  I am beginning to think my ISP is messing with me.  The boys say the games seem to be playing at a normal speed again without lags but when I do a speed test here or elsewhere I get ziltch unless I am running in Linux OS.  There is no audio problems with the VoIP and it remains inactive until I place or receive a call.  Everyone is happy but I am still looking at something odd going on with the download speeds.

[tommie gorman]

Do you have instant messagener going? I know, shot in the dark. 

[zalternate]

When I was on a wireless ISP, they had a system 'glitch'. Well they called it an email problem.

So at the same time, i was testing out using a Dlink Ethernet card, instead of the port on the motherboard. The card went off of the set speeds and exceeded the system maximum user speeds, by a bunch. Meanwhile the motherboard port was at the same speed limit of the package.

The 'glitch' disappeared in a couple of days.

[Alan One]

Do you have instant messagener going? I know, shot in the dark. 

No that is one of the first things I remove when I install my OS. 

When I was on a wireless ISP, they had a system 'glitch'. Well they called it an email problem.

So at the same time, i was testing out using a Dlink Ethernet card, instead of the port on the motherboard. The card went off of the set speeds and exceeded the system maximum user speeds, by a bunch. Meanwhile the motherboard port was at the same speed limit of the package.

The 'glitch' disappeared in a couple of days.

I am hoping this is not a bad card issue since that is the mobo Ethernet card I use for the internet. The LAN card is a PCI Linksys NC100 (which I could deal with) but the mobo was put in new in Feb of this year. I have ran into a lot of MCS* in my lifetime so it would not surprise me to find out that the Linux drivers for the board are better than the XP.  I will look into that next.

*MCS is my own custom acronym for Mysterious Computer Sh*t - feel free to add it to your library.

[mudmanc4]

I've noticed as a rule , Linux runs smooth, more so then windows , and if configured properly , then almost always will do better on the net. My thoughts are that there's not all that "jazz" running in Linux os's for the most part ,as there is in windows. might not have anything to do with  your original question , none the less, my thoughts .

[Alan One]

I've noticed as a rule , Linux runs smooth, more so then windows , and if configured properly , then almost always will do better on the net. My thoughts are that there's not all that "jazz" running in Linux os's for the most part ,as there is in windows. might not have anything to do with  your original question , none the less, my thoughts .

Yep, if it wasn't for all the software, I'd probably dump Windows all together.

This is my latest test with Linux.

[ninjageek]

I've noticed as a rule , Linux runs smooth, more so then windows , and if configured properly , then almost always will do better on the net. My thoughts are that there's not all that "jazz" running in Linux os's for the most part ,as there is in windows. might not have anything to do with  your original question , none the less, my thoughts .

Mud I think I am about the only one that has nothing but horrid results with Linux .Tried Ubuntu and Few other flavors. I find Xp more well  behaved. But I will say generally speaking I think if your not a gamer and Just wanna surf then For Sure use Linux. Myself I am a gamer and I really like messing with OS and trying different things. Keep a Clean copy of Xp with updates backed up with norton ghost.  I have said to others, Try Advanced System Care from iolo bit, Its free and really does make a difference.

[mudmanc4]

Mud I think I am about the only one that has nothing but horrid results with Linux .Tried Ubuntu and Few other flavors. I find Xp more well  behaved. But I will say generally speaking I think if your not a gamer and Just wanna surf then For Sure use Linux. Myself I am a gamer and I really like messing with OS and trying different things. Keep a Clean copy of Xp with updates backed up with norton ghost.  I have said to others, Try Advanced System Care from iolo bit, Its free and really does make a difference.

Have you tried centos ? Swimmer turned me on to it a couple years ago. Nothing compares to it, if I were to say that it is the more professional or most serious linux os , i wouldnt be exaggerating. Check it out. That , or debian.

[Alan One]

Mud I think I am about the only one that has nothing but horrid results with Linux .Tried Ubuntu and Few other flavors. I find Xp more well  behaved. But I will say generally speaking I think if your not a gamer and Just wanna surf then For Sure use Linux. Myself I am a gamer and I really like messing with OS and trying different things. Keep a Clean copy of Xp with updates backed up with norton ghost.  I have said to others, Try Advanced System Care from iolo bit, Its free and really does make a difference.

Before my XP started creeping, I downloaded and burned the ISO of Linux Kubuntu (Ubuntu with K Desktop Enviro). Then I did the "under windows" install.  Which worked out pretty well, I know some say the very best way is to do the full install on a partition, but I mainly use Linux as a backup OS (such as now) for a rainy day. There are a few drawbacks; it doesn't have a driver for my SATA drive or graphics adapter.  So I can't access my SATA and I am stuck in 800x600 mode.  I imagine if I chose to I could find them but like I said it is only a backdoor to the internet should something like this occur.  I plan on finding out what is going on with the XP and correcting it.  I have used XP for the passed 10 years but if Linux could operated all my XP software I would toss Windows out in a second.  But that's not going to happen.

Here is what I tried so far:

Virus Scans (all of them) found no malware or virus present.

Webpages load slow and scans show me running at 3 to 5% of normal speed.

I did a restore to date 3 weeks ago and nothing changed so I set it back.

I pulled all the hardware nothing changed.  

I beefed up the firewall without effect.

I took down the firewall and still no change.

I ran in Safe Mode with networking and nothing changed.

The only real "difference" is the IP address XP uses and Linux;

Linux reports xxxxxxxx

XP reports xxxxxxx

So I am wondering if my ISP is to blame?  Maybe they are capping my speed on one and not the other?

  I snipped out your IP man, you don't want some dork getting any strange idea's.

[zalternate]

 I snipped out your IP man, you don't want some dork getting any strange idea's.

Well he needs someone to test out his Firewall.    

Maybe one of the forum speed tweaks might help?

[mudmanc4]

Well he needs someone to test out his Firewall.   

oh sorry , i didn't see that in there .......

[ninjageek]

Few Ideas for ya to fix xpl

Try advanced system care. Iolo bit dot com free works goodl

Try Hijack this. If your unsure how to use it I can help. Hijackthis.de will read the files.

Back up what you can. If nothing else reinstall Windows.

Backup Xp with Ghost or Acrons. I prefer Ghost.

I have a cheep 250 external harddrive I got from wall mart for 70 bucks will fit in my front pocket hooks up usb. Its a Segate. GREAT for backing suff up.

If it were Me. I would Try advanced system care, Run Hijackthis through it. See if that helps. If neither one helped. Back up what I could and do a reinstall.

[Alan One]

@mudmanc4 and zalternate, while I can appreciate your respect for my privacy.  I don't believe there are many secrets left in this world today.  And the last place I would keep anything of great value or a big secret is on a PC linked 24/7 to the internet. I practice safe surfing and have a LAN in my home.  I also have 2 teenagers who think they can keep secrets from me on my own network.    So out of respect to your forum, I will not disclose the first part of the IP for any reference.

I rebooted my network on a static IP of xxx.xx.210.88, and this seems to be running much better.  Not the 2000+ Kbps that Linux was getting but 1500+ Kbps.  I added a 24 hour monitor on CommView and logged the packet flow. I found that a single high range port keeps getting hit from the outside by various servers.  I thought this to be spiders and search engines knocking on my system door.  But all from the same port number?  I looked and I cannot find any program that uses the port number.  I am not concerned much since it is only incoming and not outgoing traffic.

I also took notice there was a lot of traffic being used by the system and svchost.exe, which is services, so I will be looking into what services are running.

@ninjageek Thanks for the software link I have highjackthis and just downloaded Advanced System Care. But as for backing up the system it is done twice a week to the LAN and I have temporally suspended the action for this station until I can figure things out.

[mudmanc4]

We only do that because sometimes people just get funky and see an IP, then have fun scanning for open ports, sounds like you have that covered 

Maybe check into where the multiples of "svchost.exe" is, I know there needed by several system processes or whatever, but there has also been many reports of virus's and whatnot masquerading as svchost.exe, if I remember right, look for the ones in all caps, and pay attention to where it's location is.

[zalternate]

Some forums even put the posters IP's on their posts.  But it's the script kiddies who like to play anyways.  

Then again I have a router firewall(ignores outside pings) and then I have a software firewall on each machine to control both directions of traffic.

Occasionally when I get an email from my mum, I can check to see if the firewall is still working properly.  I set the machine up and hardly need to service it. Only once or twice did my sisters kids screw things up. About 7 pieces of crapware from a quick Kazaa install/uninstall by one kid, and him 'adjusting' settings in the firewall for WOW.  But when I could just go to the leftover Kazza folder for the evidence of the kids wrecking things.

When I was on dialup, I'd occasionally log into a IP that was just used for filesharing by someone. So I'd get about 30 or 40 incoming hits before traffic dies off.   I always find it a pain when I get an IP that is constantly being hit with nuisance traffic.

-------------------------------

So did you use the Linux IP for the XP OS to get the better speeds?  

[mudmanc4]

Occasionally when I get an email from my mum, I can check to see if the firewall is still working properly.  I set the machine up and hardly need to service it. Only once or twice did my sisters kids screw things up. About 7 pieces of crapware from a quick Kazaa install/uninstall by one kid, and him 'adjusting' settings in the firewall for WOW.  But when I could just go to the leftover Kazza folder for the evidence of the kids wrecking things.

  I dunno why that made me laugh so hard, probably because i remember doing that myself  !