Windows 7 Windows Security, can't change settings.

[conundrum]

Hi, just joined the forum to ask for help with a laptop I'm working on. I've researched the problem in a load of forums but nothing seems to work on it, so I'm hoping someone here knows of a solution I've missed. The laptop is an Acer Aspire 5732Z, the specs are:

cpu - T4400
ram - 3.00 GB
OS - Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit, no SP1 yet
the hard drive is about 250gb, with most of that space free, and just 1 visible partition.

It has 2 problems

1) it takes a long time to boot up, it used to be excessively slow in windows but removing Norton 360 seems to have solved that part. I can time it if needed.

2) a lot of the programs on the system are blocked by windows security, causing the orange "These files can't be opened" error message to pop up.

These include gfxUI.exe (the UI for the onboard graphics), the installer for Crap Cleaner, the installer for Service Pack 1, the add new user window, and a load of other files I don't have a list of. There's only 1 account on the system, and it's an admin account. I've tried to use the run as admin option where possible.

Here's what I've done so far to solve it, not necessarily in this order,

reinstalled intel graphics drivers,
no effect

ran a startup repair,
after an hour it hadn't loaded.

uninstalled norton 360,
system speed improved by several hundred times, otherwise no effect, and bootup time still seems as long.

gone into windows firewall and reset all settings to default,
no effect.

tried to change the settings in internet security, set everything low except for my computer, which is locked,
no effect

gone into internet security and clicked set all zones to default
no effect

tried to install SP1 (after failing several times before due to the system being too slow to install it),
security blocked it, then apparently deleted the installer.

tried to make a new user account, to copy the registry settings for the security to overwrite the faulty settings on the main account,
the new user account window was blocked by security.

in a cmd window run as admin, used command
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose
gave a progress report, completed, no effect.

backed up important data, tried to reinstall windows from scratch,
the installer doesn't load, after clicking install now it just starts loading and doesn't stop.

at this point, I thought it must be a hardware issue, so I tried to run some diagnostics from a bootable CD.
It wouldn't read the CD.

That's it so far, I'm not sure what to try next, so any suggestions are much appreciated.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

The hidden restore partition is a copy of Windows installation files and all the drivers etc. used on your computer.

It can probably be accessed by tapping the F11 key during boot, (it depends on the brand of computer) and it will allow you to restore your computer to the original state, just the way it was when you first got it.

The System Reserved is a partition on Windows 7 computers, I believe it stores backup information for things like System Restore so that they aren't save on the C:\ drive. Not quite sure it that's it exactly but it shouldn't be removed.

Mike

 

[conundrum]

Another update on the system... I've disabled the search indexing service, disabled most of the graphical effects, updated windows, installed AVG and updated it, and uninstalled every google product apart from google earth (which won't let me uninstall it). I made those tweaks after finding that google updater and the windows search service were reported in event viewer as causing a delay on bootup.

The laptop hasn't sped up to any noticable degree, and I can't switch on AVG. When I try, I go through the security checks asking if I'm sure I want to trust it, then if I'm really sure, then it just does nothing, AVG is still off, there's no error message, it's like it just forgot all about it. This is the same thing it was doing with norton before I uninstalled it. Every test I run on this system comes back with no errors, but there's something seriously wrong with it and I have no idea what.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Personally I'd remove AVG anyway and use Microsoft Security Essentials, actually that's what I did.
I used AVG for years but I'm having good results with MSE and less drag on my computer.

I'm guessing that most of the people here depend on MSE now.

If you are having problems removing AVG try Revo Uninstaller or check out this removal tool.

Link Removed

AVG can be hard to remove just like Norton and McAfee.

Mike

 

[Drew]

Once again Ted & I are on the same wavelength...

1. Get rid of AVG & use MSE
2. > cmd, Run as Admin, type sfc /scannow
3. > cmd, Run as Admin, type chkdsk /r/f
4. Run Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.org

Regards,
Drew

 

[conundrum]

Thanks again for the replies,
I've tried all 4 stages suggested by Drew, plus a scan in MSE,
no errors detected, but the system still takes 4 minutes, 40 seconds from power button to login screen.

I noticed when I put it into safe mode it spends a while on classpnp.sys,
Some research suggested resetting the bios to default might help, but that didn't solve it either.

 

[Drew]

Ok, in that case use msconfig & look for unwanted or unneeded things running during Start Up that can be disabled.

Drew

 

[conundrum]

I've just booted it with almost all of the services and programs on startup disabled, it's now taking 4 minutes 10 seconds to reach the login prompt.

 

[Drew]

Ok, well, that's just nuts! IF, you are sure there is no malware & no corruption anywhere, no junk & nothing unwanted or unnecessary running then, I would really consider looking @ hardware issues. No way clean, healthy, unbloated software (OS) should take anywhere near that long, of course. Does it run slowly after it is going?

Drew

 

[conundrum]

It seems variable, it runs fine a lot of the time but then sometimes there's a delay. Also the hard drive activity keeps maxing out for short bursts (only a few seconds at most) but I can't find out what's causing it. Last time I checked, there were no processes listed as using the hard drive while it was happening. The bar showing the number of hard errors in the memory reaches 100, but the memory passed the windows diagnostic. I was just about to uninstall all the drivers and try to reinstall them, but I don't have the origonal disks and I'm not sure if I'll be able to find them online.

 

[conundrum]

I think I might have narrowed it down to 1 file, CLASSPNP.SYS . When I boot into safe mode, that's the only file that has a large delay. I'm going to check the Windows 7 disks for that file, then try reinstalling the drivers, I'll post back with the results.

Edit - no success. I couldn't find the file on the windows 7 disk, and the only drivers I found online were older than the ones already on the laptop, Since I can't reinstall if anything goes wrong I didn't want to risk changing anything that could stop windows from booting. I ran the windows memory diagnostic a couple of times but there was no result.

I've had the laptop for a while now, most of it's problems are fixed and I don't know anything else I can do with it, so I think I'll just have to give it back as it is. Thanks again to everyone for the advice, I hope this thread can help other people with similar problems.