Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Start Bar -- Quick Launch Icons & Start Menu problems

Jul 13, 2012 4:42AM PDT

My PC is pretty fast, but the windows start menu is sometimes fast & sometimes slow to display. When fast, the start menu displays instantly. When slow, it can take 5-10 seconds.

I have watched the Windows Task Manager to see what is taking resource when the start button delays -- the delay can happen even when System Idle Process is 99%.

There is another issue on the Start Bar. At startup pf the PC, the number of quick launch icon that are placed in the start-bar varies. It might be 4, it might be 9, or something in between. My quick launch icons all work when they are present.

What might be causing these problems?
XP with Service Pack 3
Stan Hilliard

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
Security programs you are running?
Jul 13, 2012 4:55AM PDT

An example of a security program that can cause intermittent slowdowns would be COMODO firewall, if the Defense + option is enabled. This is because HIPS would be enabled, and this program would be analyzing the processes called when you attempt to run the start button. It also may check with COMODO servers to see if the files are valid and clean whether you are connected to the 'net or not. It would be slower to resolve if not connected.

In other words, real-time scanner activity behind the scenes where you cannot see it may be the cause.

This is only an example.

5-10 seconds is not inordinately slow. One to two minutes is. Or a system freeze or hang is a problem.

Without additional information, only guesses can apply here.

Security programs?

As for the sometimes missing quick launch icons, will leave that to another to answer.

- Collapse -
Answer
Given only these clues? No.
Jul 13, 2012 4:46AM PDT

You'll have to dig into the machine with tools like Process Explore and Hijackthis. But common issues are when apps are on other drives or you opened a word doc from a memory stick and the memory stick is not installed.

Bob

- Collapse -
not new but that could be it
Jul 13, 2012 6:38AM PDT

Thanks
It could be my Lavasoft firewall. It is not new but I have another long-standing problem with total freezeup og the PC when downloading video torrent files with Miro.

What do you think I might do for an alternative firewall while testing that hypothesis?

Stan Hilliard

- Collapse -
Torrent? Sorry, I have to bow out.
Jul 13, 2012 9:34AM PDT

I find torrent users to find the newest bugs and issues. Sorry but I have unsubscribed.

- Collapse -
Out too
Jul 14, 2012 7:26PM PDT

Torrents are known to cause problems on systems. The rationale of using a torrent program is to get files to download more quickly than would be otherwise be the case, but even if the torrent program is known to be clean and not hacked, the internet connections made by that system can be to machines not trustworthy, and these machines can have malware on them, which can then be downloaded to that system.

Not to mention that thousands of connections can be made by a torrent program, not something like only 2 connections I have at present on my system just using my browser at this site.

So also unsubscribing here. Can of worms, and maybe not good ones, at that.

Keep in mind, an IT staff will not allow employees to run a torrent program on their systems if they are any good at what they do.

- Collapse -
Answer
rep Start Bar -- Quick Launch Icons & Start Menu problems
Jul 16, 2012 6:26PM PDT
- Collapse -
Free Stuff can come with Strings Attached....
Jul 17, 2012 11:32AM PDT

See analysis of the two sites below:

http://zulu.zscaler.com/submission/show/a25b74627b44e00349bc915edac1577f-1342515533
http://zulu.zscaler.com/submission/show/812c26802ea87717b3dcdd86ebb05e5b-1342515555
http://urlquery.net/report.php?id=93665
http://www.urlvoid.com/scan/fixwind.blogspot.com/
http://www.ipvoid.com/scan/173.194.35.10

But ipvoid.com websites hosted by IP 173.194.35.10 shows numerous blogspot sites infected.

http://www.urlvoid.com/ip/173.194.35.10/3/ (page 3) other pages as well. Click link for "View Websites Hosted Here" to see.

So, if you are running older versions of java, more likely to get infected just by visiting (drive-by). Even if the solution works, is the web site you are visiting safe?

I wouldn't tell anyone about these two sites unless I checked first.