Sluggish laptop since a couple of days


  1. Posts : 52
    Windows 10 Pro
       #1

    Sluggish laptop since a couple of days


    In a matter of weeks, both my laptops have become slow. First, my Z20t that became completely unworkable and had to reinstall it. And now my X220T is experiencing similar problems. Not as bad as the Z20t (I'm sure it helps that it has an i5 instead of an m5 CPU), but I can see the start menu lagging and, more annoyingly, when typing in Excel or RStudio, the text shows up with a delay. The whole experience is just sluggish.

    I ended up reinstalling my Z20t and it works as fast as it ever was, but I don't want to do a clean install of my work pc. That will take me much too long.

    I have tried:
    - rebooting, wait for every background process to load and try Excel/RStudio/Edge without anything running
    - checking the task manager (nothing shows any high CPU use, the lagging doesn't seem to be related to high use)

    What could be wrong?
      My Computers


  2. Posts : 5,299
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       #2

    Boot your computer into Safe Mode and if the issue resolves within Safe Mode perform a Clean Boot state.

    How to perform a Clean Boot.

    Warning: Disabling items in Services or Startup may leave your antivirus disabled until the process is ended. For this reason I would suggest that you perform this process off line.

    Press the keys to open Run, then type msconfig in the search box. This will open System Configuration.

    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, you should enter the password or provide confirmation.

    (1) Click/tap on the General tab.

    (2) Click/tap on the Selective startup option.

    (3) Remove the check mark in the Load startup items check box.



    4. Click on the Services tab.

    5. Place a check mark in the Hide all Microsoft services check box, this will remove the Microsoft Services from the list but will still be running.

    6. Click Disable all, this will remove all of the check marks in the Services list.



    7. Click on Apply then OK



    Click on Restart in the window that opens.

    When the computer is restarted it will boot normally.

    If the problem does not continue after the restart please do the following.

    8. Divide the number of these startup services and programs by two and you place checks in the first half of these, then restart the computer.

    9. If the problem doesn't return in those services and programs remove the checks and place checks in the remaining services and programs and restart the computer.

    10. When you find which half the service or program is in go on to the next step.

    11. The half which has the service causing this problem remove half of the checks as you did previously to see which half has this service. Do the same for the programs. Restart the computer.

    12. If it isn't in the first half of these services and programs, do the same with the last half of the services and programs.

    13. Once you have narrowed it down to the last three or four services and programs remove the checks one at a time till you find the service or program at fault.

    Once you have found the service or program post it in your topic. Do not take any action until I suggest the next step.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 52
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks for helping me out.

    I just booted in safe mode, and the problem persists. Still a lagging start menu and lagged typing in RStudio.

    Could it have to do anything with the recent Spectre/Meltdown patches?
      My Computers


  4. Posts : 5,299
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       #4

    Based on initial testing, performance penalties for the patches are expected to range from single to double digits, depending primarily on how much interaction applications/workloads have with the kernel. You can find more details in benchmark studies conducted by Phoronix and Red Hat.

    Windows updates addressing Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities should not cause your issue.

    Please install all available latest device driver updates.

    Please install all Windows updates.

    Use PSI software to update installed applications.



    Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI)


    I would like you to check the system integrity of your Windows OS installation.



    • Please type cmd.exe into Start Menu search box.
    • Please right click cmd.exe and select "Run as administrator".
    • Please type the following command and press the <Enter> key: sfc /scannow (Please note that there is a space between 'sfc" and "/scannow".)
    • It should take about 20 minutes to run, if there are no serious errors.
    • If the System File Checker reports that some errors were fixed, but some remain; please reboot your computer and run the System File Checker from an Administrator Command Prompt, again.
    • If the System File Checker again reports that some errors were fixed, but some remain, please reboot your computer and run it a third time.
    • If "Resource Integrity Violations" (errors) are reported that could not be corrected, or were not corrected after a third SFC run, then please navigate to the folder: C:\Windows\Logs\CBS and copy the file "cbs.log" to your desktop immediately. I am asking you do that because that file is dynamic, so I want to be able to examine a copy that is unchanged from the time that the System File Checker was run.
    • If there are errors that couldn't be corrected, let me know and I will provide you with instructions as to how to upload the file.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 52
    Windows 10 Pro
    Thread Starter
       #5

    FreeBooter! You are my hero!!

    sfc /scannow totally saved my ass!

    It reported corrupted files and repaired them. After a reboot and another sfc to make sure (which told that there were no errors), I am back at original speed!
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 5,299
    Windows 11 Pro 64-bit
       #6

    I'm glad to hear your issue has been resolved, thank you for letting us know that all is now well!
      My Computer


 

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