Here I am back again, this time trying to rescue my wife's Dell all-in-one Windows 7 Home Premium Computer from the scrap heap... It will work fine and at speed for about 2 hours then it slows down to the point of being un-usable..Started last week doing this. I restart it and it works fime for same period of time. Did a system restore to an earlier date with no luck.. I looked at the task manager to see what was going on and the RAM was maxed out.. Two applications that are shown in task manager / applications window when the RAM is full are DSD_3396 and OSD and are always running but I have no idea what they are?? These applications aren't there when the system is running fine. Do you think they are the problem? Do you think that if I do the free upgrade to windows 10,the problem will go away as I don't want her to lose everything (yes I do have a backup but it would be a pain to restore them to a new computer). Just looking for thoughts as I have run out of ideas.. Thanks

I think you have a worm/virus or what ever you want to call it. Unless and until you get rid of it first nothing is going to help you.

Google DSD (Dell System Detect) and read all about it.

You need to download Malwarebytes, Panda antivirus, and Avast---all free. Make sure they are all updated and run them. I would run all 3 and then re-run all 3.You have a nasty bug of some kind.After you do that, go to the control panel and check the list of installed programs. Google the names of those you are not familiar with , and un-install them.Then de-fragment the hard drive.I use Avast & Malwarebytes, am very careful about where I click, and generally don't have any problems.

MalwareBytes is very good but get to Windows 10 as soon as possible. You'll then have Windows Defender.

cmb wrote:MalwareBytes is very good but get to Windows 10 as soon as possible. You'll then have Windows Defender.Is Windows Defender better than Malwarebytes?

Windows 7 computer has me stumped.. | Good Sam Community

TurnThePage
Explorer
Oct 26, 2015
strollin wrote:
BillyW wrote:
I'm with the group that suspects a hardware issue. A bad capacitor can cause similar behavior. The heatsink goop can get hard, crumble and fall out from between the heatsink and the cpu. The heatsink fins could be clogged enough that it takes a little while to overheat. Lots of other scenarios. Fans, etc.

One think I haven't heard mentioned is isolating the computer from the internet. With no internet connection, it's doubtful that malware is bogging it down.

Once malware gets onto a computer, it doesn't need an internet connection to cause problems.
To slow down the system like that, what do you think it's doing?
Heisenberg
Explorer
Oct 23, 2015
hard drive
strollin
Explorer
Oct 22, 2015
BillyW wrote:
I'm with the group that suspects a hardware issue. A bad capacitor can cause similar behavior. The heatsink goop can get hard, crumble and fall out from between the heatsink and the cpu. The heatsink fins could be clogged enough that it takes a little while to overheat. Lots of other scenarios. Fans, etc.

One think I haven't heard mentioned is isolating the computer from the internet. With no internet connection, it's doubtful that malware is bogging it down.

Once malware gets onto a computer, it doesn't need an internet connection to cause problems.
TurnThePage
Explorer
Oct 22, 2015
I'm with the group that suspects a hardware issue. A bad capacitor can cause similar behavior. The heatsink goop can get hard, crumble and fall out from between the heatsink and the cpu. The heatsink fins could be clogged enough that it takes a little while to overheat. Lots of other scenarios. Fans, etc.

One think I haven't heard mentioned is isolating the computer from the internet. With no internet connection, it's doubtful that malware is bogging it down.
DD716TED
Explorer
Oct 22, 2015
I want to thank all who responded to my post... I have tried everything that most of you suggested and I still have / had a computer that works fine for about 2 to 4 hours and then just does what it wants no matter what.. As a last resort I totally reinstalled Win 7 and thought I had it solved but eventually it started doing the same thing again and ended up with the dreaded blue screen of death..UGH! It just has to be some king of component or hd failure (not heat).. Enough time / effort spent on trying to keep the thing alive and reliable so I bought the DW a new computer.. Now all I have to do is get all of her programs and personal items into it and she should be happy ?????. Thanks again for all of the time you spent to make suggestions to help me. I learned so much from them..
SCR
Explorer
Oct 22, 2015
It's easy enough to determine if it's a heat issue. Download free Speecy and check the temperatures. Be sure to un-check any additional software offered.
enblethen
Nomad
Oct 21, 2015
Several different approaches have been thrown out. I would suggest starting with the easy things first.
Use can of compressed air to blow out the air intakes and fan area.
Disk clean up and defrag
Download and run Malwarebytes and Spybot
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2015
Just throwing this out there- I wonder about the bios and cmos battery.
strollin
Explorer
Oct 21, 2015
4X4Dodger wrote:
I think the heat argument suffers from the same lapse of logic that the virus argument does. The timing.

It would not take 2 hours for the system to overheat. If in fact airflow is restricted and the components covered in dust and cat hair overheating would occur much sooner than 2 hours.

Having said that I think most of the suggestions are good ones including doing a clean install of win 7 assuming you have the original disc.

Not necessarily. It would depend on how restricted the airflow is. If airflow is restricted by 30%, it would take longer for temps to rise to a critical level than if airflow was restricted 100%.
4X4Dodger
Explorer II
Oct 21, 2015
I think the heat argument suffers from the same lapse of logic that the virus argument does. The timing.

It would not take 2 hours for the system to overheat. If in fact airflow is restricted and the components covered in dust and cat hair overheating would occur much sooner than 2 hours.

Having said that I think most of the suggestions are good ones including doing a clean install of win 7 assuming you have the original disc.

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