Anilrgowda

During the last days, my Windows XP Prof installation shows slowed down keystroke responses in certain applications (e.g. firefox, thunderbird, RDP sessions). Also, window update rates seem to slow down, e.g. the cursor blinks much slower in this firefox text edit field into which I type this very text. While this unresponsiveness makes typing quite annoying, it does not exceed 500-1000ms. In some respect it resembles using a Remote Desktop session over a very slow connection.

That being said, processor load as reported eg. by Task Manager is quite low (0-10%) on my 2.6Ghz PC, little to no harddisk activity, in other words it's not the computer experiencing constant overload. It's just slowed-down typing or window-updating, respectively. Application startup times and stuff like that is normal.

I am wondering about the reason for this, more specifically whether this might be due to some keylogger/backdoor activity in the background? But I couldn't track down anything suspicious. Strange that it only applies to certain apps, while e.g. typing text in notepad is fast as normal.

Any hints? I would really appreciate any help that makes typing and my nightly sleep (backdoor?) comfortable again...

Anilrgowda

I would do several things

1. Download and run hijack this http:\\tomcyote.org/hjt. Post a logfile up here

2. Go to CCleaner.com download and run C cleaner but do not run the registry cleaner. This will clean out temporary files and make the scans faster.

3. GO to the following sites in this order none of these have to be downloaded they are all online scanners.

Pandasoftware and run activescan it is an online virus scanner save a report when it is done scanning.
Panda Software. Protection against viruses, Spyware, Spam and other Internet threats

Trend Micro Housecall
Trend Micro - Free online virus Scan

Bitdefender - WORD OF CAUTION you need to change the default so that it is not selected to automatically delete if it cannot disinfect. some viruses will infect crtitical windows system files and if this option is selected it may delete files it shouldn't even though they are infected. but if this is the case please post the filesnames and location up here
AntiVirus - AntiSpam - Firewall Software, Data Security, Free Protection

Symantec - run their online security scanner for viruses.
Symantec Corp.


Once that is done do the following
Download and run the following programs they can coexist and are free
Ad-Aware @ Lavasoft - The Original Anti-Spyware Company - Lavasoft -Adaware 1.06 Personal Edition this will scan and remove spyware and adware

The home of Spybot-S&D! - SPybot seek and destroy same function as above

ewido - anti-spyware and anti-malware solutions - Ewido anti spyware same as above

CWShredder - Defeat CoolWebSearch - Download CWShredder Free -download coolweb shredder

finally

4. Run Rootkit revealer RootkitRevealer v1.71 see if it finds anything if it does and it is suspicious then post the result here and we can look at it further

Once all this is done you have a clean bill of health and then we can look at optimizing the PC by disbaling unecessary unwated services.