Re: Web Page Loading Periodically Pauses for 30 - 60 seconds

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

This sounds like spyware/malware/adware running on your computer & possibly a virus or two.

First I'd download Ad-Aware & Spybot - Search & Destroy. The default install should take care of most problems. Also make sure
you Download all the updates for both programs & immunize the computer
with Spybot - Search & Destroy. Also on the immunize screen in Spybot -
Search & Destroy make sure you check the box that says "Enable permanent
blocking of bad addresses in Internet Explorer" as this will cut down on
the spyware from getting into the computer. Also if any components will not remove in normal mode I strongly suggest restarting the computer into safe mode to remove the other components that won't remove in normal mode.

http://www.download.com/3405-8022-5153545.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5 (This is for Ad-Aware)

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html (This is for
Spybot - Search & Destroy)

For information on starting is safe mode you can check out the following Microsoft KB articles.

180902 How to Start a Windows 98-Based Computer in Safe Mode

202485 Description of Safe Boot Mode in Windows 2000

315222 A Description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP

If you have problems getting either of these programs installed I'd recommend using clean boot to disable the spyware & possibly viruses that are preventing it from installing. This also applies the the virus scanning online. Just be careful about disabling any of the Microsoft services as they are needed.

Also these article can be used to help troubleshoot this kind of problem as it might be cause by something running in the background.

181966 System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings

192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98

267288 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows Millennium Edition

272960 Error Messages Occur When Using Msconfig.exe

281965 How to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility with Windows 98

281995 How to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows ME

310353 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

310560 How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

314448 Msconfig.exe Stops Responding if User Is Not an Administrator

316434 HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

One more thing if you do use msconfig you may want to check out the following site as they list a ton of stuff that shows up on the startup tab of msconfig.

http://www.sysinfo.org/startupinfo.html

To check for a virus I recommend using an online virus scanner as the installed anti virus software is the first target of most viruses. Here is a list of 4 different scanners.

Trend Micro's free online anti-virus scanner (I currently can only get this to work in Firefox)
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Panda Software's free online anti-virus scanner
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/

BitDefender Free Online Virus Scan
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/licence.php

Symantec's free online anti-virus scanner
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym

Steve Remington wrote: 
Hello All,

I recently rebuilt my WinXP Pro desktop PC and now find that when browsing web pages I periodically get timed-out connections to web sites. This problem last for a 30 to 60 seconds and then everything returns to normal. I cannot identify any particular pattern to when this occurs.

It is not the web site because when this happens I can try other sites and get the same connection time-out error.

It has nothing to do with location of web site because it happens on both Australian and international sites. Interestingly it can also happen when I try to access web sites on my LAN (e.g. the configuration web pages of my ADSL modem and router).

It is not my LAN or internet connection because if I try connecting to web pages using my laptop response is normal. Also internet connection not overloaded at these times...no other activity on a 1536/256 ADSL connection.

It is not any form of malware causing this because it happens on a newly (i.e. within an hour of rebuild) rebuilt PC...no email downloaded or read, only known safe web sites visited, etc.

It is not anti-virus (not installed yet) nor is it a firewall as it happens with Windows firewall enabled and disabled.

It is not the browser because problem occurs on both Internet Explorer and Firefox.

Also LAN connection stays in tact...I can even ping the site but access the web pages.

It seems that for some reason all HTML traffic to my desktop PC gets temporarily.

I am stumped as to what might be the cause and solution. I would appreciate if the collective wisdom of the group could suggest some possible solutions or some things that I could check to identify and eliminate the problem.

For the record my system is:

- Windows XP Pro SP2 with all patches.
- AMD Athalon XP 1800+
- 1.5GB RAM
- 2 x 80GB 7200RPM 8MB Cache HDD
- 100Mbps LAN
- Intel PRO/100 S Server NIC

If anyone would like to reply directly please remove the .spam from my email address.

Thanks in adavnce to all who reply.

Regards,
Steve



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