Windows 10 problem

[Another Sign In site]

After 3 years, my Windows 10 has gotten weird.

1) If I try to play an audio file, it takes 3 minutes for Windows Media Player to open. 

2) If I open my chess game, it takes 2 minutes to open.

3) If I try to download a photo from the internet or send a photo to an internet site, it takes 2 - 3 minutes for Windows to open the dialogue box of where to save/send the file to/from.

I have the latest version of Windows. No viruses or malware. I've cleared the cache on Chrome. I've run CCleaner. I've cleaned the registry. I'm using a Samsung M.2 SSD hard drive and it's only 1/3  full. I'm only using a small amount of my 16gb ram. 

I did an in place reinstall of Win10 (where programs or files are not affected) and that fixed the problem for about 2 months but now the problem is back again. I really do not want to do a complete reinstall of Win10 from scratch. 

Any thoughts on how to fix this problem? 

[nukecad]

What capacity is your SSD?

The fact that it was fine following a reinstall of Win 10 and then slows down over time suggests that system junk is building up.
(Junk that CCleaner can't touch).

Try running the built in Windows Disk Cleanup with 'Clean up system files' selected, before you clean take a look at the results to see what is taking up the space.
Run it at least one a month or whenever you notice a slowdown.

As your internet also seems to be slow I'd use a speed checker such as ookla to check your internet speed.
https://www.speedtest.net/

[trium]

If i may :-)

i have a similar thing with w8.1 from time to time...

in my case help a real newstart. 

with w8 and newer micosoft have with shutdown only a 'softstart' started. but the operation system needet from time to time a real newstart for some arrangements with the system- files.

perhaps it would help also for your w10? :-)

[Another Sign In site]

4 hours ago, nukecad said:

What capacity is your SSD?

The fact that it was fine following a reinstall of Win 10 and then slows down over time suggests that system junk is building up.
(Junk that CCleaner can't touch).

Try running the built in Windows Disk Cleanup with 'Clean up system files' selected, before you clean take a look at the results to see what is taking up the space.
Run it at least one a month or whenever you notice a slowdown.

As your internet also seems to be slow I'd use a speed checker such as ookla to check your internet speed.
https://www.speedtest.net/

1) The capacity of my SSD is 500gb; only 1/3 is being used. 

2) The in place reinstall which "fixed" the problem, went back to its evil ways after just 2 months when the original install didn't have any problems for 3 years. So there's no way junk is building up in just 2 months.

3) I'd previously run the Disk Cleanup as well and a few times just over the last 2 months. I just ran it again now and it only cleaned up 9 GB of junk.

4) Internet speed is fine. I'm getting 121 mbps download and 33 upload.

[hazelnut]

I would also suggest (like Trium did) a RESTART of your machine (just in case you haven't done one for quite a while) As you know on Win 10 a Restart is different to a shut down.

You say you have the latest version of Windows, what is your build number please?

When you try to open something have your TaskManager window already open and waiting so you can see what processes may be holding it up.

What is the anti-virus you are using by the way?

[Another Sign In site]

2 minutes ago, hazelnut said:

I would also suggest (like Trium did) a RESTART of your machine (just in case you haven't done one for quite a while) As you know on Win 10 a Restart is different to a shut down.

You say you have the latest version of Windows, what is your build number please?

When you try to open something have your TaskManager window already open and waiting so you can see what processes may be holding it up.

What is the anti-virus you are using by the way?

1) Win10 Version 20H2. I have Win10 Pro by the way with bitlocker. My C drive is not encrypted but I have a 2nd internal harddrive E that is encrypted and has been for the last 3 years when I built the computer. 

2) I shut my computer down at least once a day when I'm done using it. I rarely do a restart but will try that. I'm glad you were able to decipher what Trium said because I couldn't understand what he typed. 

3) I have opened task manager when the problem arises and see nothing stressing out the system at all. I might be using 1/3 of the ram perhaps. But next time I'll have task manager opened ahead of time; that's a good idea. 

4) Anti virus - I used to use Avast but after talking to a computer repair guy he said to ditch it. Windows is 99% of Avast and Avast just weighs the computer down with extra stuff and can cause a few other problems, so I took it off. 

[nukecad]

I was just typing the same as Hazelnut, plus another couple of questions:

Do you have many 'Live tiles' on your Start menu?
I'm meaning things that show video/animation, or update information such as news or weather apps?

Do you have much starting with Windows or Scheuled Tasks?
CCleaner's Tools>Starup will show you lists of what is enabled. (Health Check's 'Speed' can remove some surplufluous ones for you).

 

[Another Sign In site]

1 minute ago, nukecad said:

I was just typing the same as Hazelnut, plus another couple of questions:

Do you have many 'Live tiles' on your Start menu?
I'm meaning things that show video/animation, or update information such as news or weather apps?

Do you have much starting with Windows or Scheuled Tasks?
CCleaner's Tools>Starup will show you lists of what is enabled. (Health Check's 'Speed' can remove some surplufluous ones for you).

 

1) No "Live tiles" at all on start menu

2) I keep startup very clean but there are things running on startup. My WONDERFUL Fujitsu s1500 scanner is one, monitor calibration is two, speakers, stuff like that. But not Word or Excel or anything like that. As to scheduled tasks, that is a good question. Are you familiar with Driver Booster and do you like it? There are 3 of their stuff running; their scheduler, SkipUAC, and Update. Driver Booster looks for and updates programs and drivers needing updating. Driver Booster is by Iobit and then I see later 4 of those running; Software Updater Scheduler, SkipUAC, SU_AutoUpdate, and Uninstaller_SkipUac. I don't know why there are 3 under Driver Booster and 4 under Iobit. That could be a problem.

[nukecad]

Mmm, it could well be those background tasks that are building up caches, etc. and slowing things down if they are not cleaning themselves.

CCleaner (or Disk Cleanup) won't be able to clean them while they are running in the background.

A restart may well clean them up.

If you have multiple instance of the same thing running at the same time then it could be fighting against itself?

Obviously it's not our place to say what you should have running on your machine, but do you realy need them all?
(I only have 2 enabled in Startup, and 3 in Scheduled tasks).

I'm not sure what all those you list are but (my view):
Windows Update will take care of any driver updates needed.
Software Updaters are marginal use - do you need to update softwares that are on your machine but that you don't use often? Anything you do use often should prompt you itself when there is an update available or at least have a 'check for updates' button.
Skip_UACs are only useful for apps that you open regularly, if you are not opening them that often then what's an extra click or two?

If you want to cut them down then I suggest you start by using AdwCleaner from Malwarebytes.
It's designed to remove unwanted/uneeded bloat, stuff that came bundled from the machines manufacturer, stuff you've downloaded, and even some of the Microsoft bloat.
After scanning (it's very fast) it gives you a list of what it found so you can chose whether to keep it or junk it.
Take a look for yourself: https://www.malwarebytes.com/adwcleaner/

[trium]

here a description from windows online help from my w8.1 to the topic fastboot (called from me as softstart)

german original:

Quote

"Schnellstart" ist in Windows standardmäßig aktiviert. Dies ist eine Einstellung, mit der der PC nach dem Herunterfahren schneller gestartet werden kann. Dabei werden von Windows beim Herunterfahren Systeminformationen in einer Datei gespeichert. Beim erneuten Starten des PCs werden diese Systeminfos von Windows dazu verwendet, den PC fortzusetzen, anstatt einen Neustart durchzuführen.

english:

Quote

"Quick Start" is enabled by default in Windows. This is a setting that will help the PC start up faster after shutting down. Windows saves system information in a file when it shuts down. When the PC is restarted, this system information is used by Windows to continue the PC instead of restarting.

that means errors increases over the time - described by you with some problems in your first post (and also be me with my experiences on my pc with similar problems)

i cant find the problem - also not with the task manager - no exceptional cpu-load, no unusual hdd-load, but the slow reaction with all kind of actions.

only a restart solve this kind of problem on my w8.1.

 

perhaps incorrect shortcuts accumulate over time that "shutdown" does not cleared. perhaps driver problems.

but the restart brings the settings on default as it should work.

 

what is "driver booster"? for what is this good?

be careful when using driver update software. use only driver from the manufacturer...

 

[hazelnut]

Re your things running at start up...

Do you drive a car? Do you keep it on and running in your driveway in case you need it, or do you only turn the engine on when you want to use your car?

I my view the only thing needed to be running at start up is your anti-virus.

Please do a restart on your machine (as you say you haven't do so yet)

To see your Windows build number  press the start flag and immediately type winver (no need to put it in a search box, windows does it all automatically)

[Andavari]

"Possibly hardware related" which could be anything from the drive the OS is installed on, the RAM, etc.

1. Might help to run the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool that's built into Windows:
Note: If it finds any errors you'll need to then test each stick of RAM individually (i.e.; one stick at a time installed in the computer) to find out exactly which is the faulty stick.
* In Cortana/Search type in: Memory
* Select from the list: Diagnose your computer's memory

2. Might also be useful to download and install Samsung Magician. It's their free SSD drive management software which will allow to see what the remaining health/life of your Samsung SSD is and if it has any problems. Just make sure it supports your particular Samsung SSD before downloading and installing it:
https://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/download/tools/

3. Might also help to run ChkDsk /f on all internally installed disk drives. Here's the usage of it via Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) which is more useful since it will list corrected errors in the command window:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/chkdsk