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Sounds like you have a virus.

Either a virus, or your ISP is packet shaping/QoS filtering you.

Well I scanned, twice and fully system scanned with every program I had. Twice with PC tools AV, twice with Ad Aware, and twice with Spyware Doctor.

The only thing I found were two files, right in the deepest part of my Hard drive.
That was last night. I destroyed them both, and guess what? suddenly everything was fast again!

Back from school today, everything is slow again. Maybe even more. im scanning again as Im writing this.

I already tried not using the firewall and it makes no difference, and Im not hooked up to a router, its a straight Pc-modem connection.

I guess that WILL be the better option. However I have never done such thing, so I will need some help.

1) I know Ill have to reinstall XP, if this PC was bought from a manufacturer, supposedly some CD's came with it, that help you re-install XP after reformatting. Right? I have some CD's around, came with the PC, so just checking.

2) What is the most recommended method for backing up info to put it back in the re-formatted drive? Ive got a 30gb iPod, so its basically a small Hard drive, I can use that for backup right? the important stuff is not that much. If not (or if you recommend getting one anyway), could you recommend a good portable HD?

3) When getting all the backed up stuff on the new HD, Its just basically Copy-pasta right?

4 and last) I am guessing (Pretty sure the answer is yes) I will have to re-install the Modem, in order to be able to use the intratubes right? so probably I should call my ISP and tell them to send someone over? since they think its real fun to not give you any CD's for your modem, and having to call them whenever you need to re-install.

Thanks beforehand and thanks for the advice already given.

Yep, cable, so youre saying it will work instantly? Awwzum! I will put some pictures/.txt's of the settings in the iPod backup, just in case.

I just checked, and the important stuff ( not even the REALLY important stuff, I can even fit crap that is just out of lazyness to reinstall) fits in my iPod, and I still have 5 gigs If I find something else to fit.

Also its wierd because I did find recovery disks, I remember the Pc had me make them with some blank DvD-R's that came with the Pc. BUT I also happened to notice that I have another drive besides C:/, its D:/ and it contains all teh stuff that is on the CD's so I guess its a backup-backup from the installation Cd's.

Thanks, Ill be doing this today-tomorrow and will post results, atm posting from school (my informatics teacher is real stupid)

Such a stunning argument.

Care to elaborate? Because I have seen plenty of cases where this is true, especially on the lower-cost "high speed" ISPs.

First, learn how to quote please, it makes reading your posts a lot easier.


Second, I didn't say I've seen cases of traffic shaping specifically for WoW or any other MMO. But I have seen cases of shaping happening, admitted to by the corporation, and it's not like IEEE classifies MMOs as being required to be in the sensitive traffic category; it wouldn't be hard for some router to be configured to deem the burst traffic of an online game to be low-priority or undesired, particularly for a school network. Hell, my own office has a QoS filter that was misconfigured when it was first installed, and I know this sounds crazy, but everything except HTTP traffic slowed to a crawl as a result.

I'm naming possibilities, not factual occurrences. Now unless you can give me a concrete reason why it's not a possible occurrence (Hint: Lack of precedent doesn't count, because ISPs are getting more restrictive by the day, and we're talking about a school network to boot as giggles has indicated), I'm going to ask you to be a little more open minded.


Third, I'm not sure I care for your tone. This isn't "Smasharoo's tech forum", so unless you can show my why my information is actually wrong as I said above, I have as much right to be here and offer my opinion as you do.

Edit: I misread the school comments by giggles, so that doesn't appear to apply in this case, but it still stands for the overall subject of network performance that any (well maintained) school network is bound to be more restrictive than your average personal ISP, and is more prone to such interferences.


Edited, Apr 3rd 2008 12:18pm by Norellicus

I'm challenging this statement here. Why is it unrelated? Not too long ago WoW had an issue where some portion of the US couldn't login because one of the Qwest core routers that passes the traffic from that area to Blizzard's servers had a bad route in it. It only lasted about 8 hours, but there was nothing the people affected could do but twiddle their thumbs. (I realize this is dubious since I have no source information, but I remember it plain as day. You can take my word for it or not, I have no reason to ******** you.) Are you telling me the central networks are infallible and the problem can only exist on Giggles' end?

As for my lack of helpful responses, Bijiont had already posted exactly where I would have started, and we hadn't heard the results from that yet, so thus my initial post was simply to contribute to the brain trust with possible cause so it could be methodically eliminated down the line.

And I could be as vitriolic (or worse) than you are, if I wanted to; but like you said, it would be a waste of time for the both of us, so I choose to remain civil, even in the lack of a calm response.

I still haven't seen you take strides to eliminate that possibility though. :(

(Could still do with some quote tags. The emboldened replies really don't stand out enough, I keep thinking you're repeating my words to mock me, not respond to the phrase.)

Edited, Apr 3rd 2008 12:41pm by Norellicus

Lets see if he's still having the problem after flattening and reinstalling windows. If so, I'm much more open to worrying if it's his ISP. As it stands, assuming it's either his ISP or him, there's nothing he can do to fix it if it's his ISP, and he can't establish to them that it's on their end even were he to try.

After doing this, if that's the case (which I find pretty unlikely, but we'll see) then we can worry about it.

How's that for a compromise?

Actually he can. . .

Comcast comes to mind as they have done some very nasty filtering and also packet shaping of certain port ranges such as p2p and others. I have inside knowledge of what ISPs can and will do to "improve performance" when in actuality they are filtering traffic to cap people from torrenting among other things.

A lot of ISPs are getting nailed with various other issues as well related to cap/shaping/filtering and all around altering internet traffic.

I also agree with Nor, by posting smash you offer nothing to contribute in most cases and bash others for "trying" to help. Then when something is said as another possible solution you dismiss it immediately without a reason why.

Just my 2 cents as you have done this to me may times, and frankly it's getting old.

Your right because it's not as if most of it isn't already public knowledge with Comcast being in and out of the court system with various blocking and Throttling methods which they normally rely "no comment" to and settle.

Your right I am embarrassing myself by speaking to a sock such as yourself, go build your bridge in another forum.

Someone is obviously ignorant about their existence in the internet domain, because it's not like people can control what you do or anything much like the real world, right?

I am done, pretty sure I will get troll raped for it but honestly I don't care.



@OP Hope the format went well and make sure to update those drivers :)

It always can be a pain redoing a computer to get everything back the way you like it. Best of luck to you.


Also if it still not better, check with your ISP to have your modem re-initialized as well. Some companies will have the modems setup in such a way they have to push the package to you again which is normally a firmware update of sorts.

Well, those programs commonly miss many viruses and spyware, I worked as a computer tech for a long time, and have seen those miss so many its not even funny.

The best programs I've seen for detection are Norton Internet Security (although it's a horrible resources hog, and is very ******* and Webroot Spysweeper with Antivirus. I've been really impressed by Webroot on their newer versions. There are still things they miss, but it'll catch almost all of the things out there.

Formatting is a sure fire way to get rid of everything, and if that works for you, great. You saved a lot of time scanning and removing. Just be careful that you don't have an infected file on your iPod and transfer it back to your computer.

I would highly recommend getting some type of protection after you re-install. You can find Spysweeper with Antivirus for about $40 and it includes a 3-user license.