Browser Lag, Excessive HD Access

I'm using a Dell XPS M170 laptop with 2 GHz processor and 2GB RAM, and WinXp Sp 2. I'm using NOD32 v 2.7 with the latest definitions.

I'm getting 3 to 4 seconds of lag before I can do anything on a Web page in Firefox 2.04. Scrolling down a page, sliding the scroll bar, typing text in Web forms (such as this), selecting a bookmark, anything at all. I've noticed that hard drive access seems to accompany this, and from what I can tell it must be either AMON or IMON scanning files on the fly.

I've reset Winsock, but that wasn't the answer. I've also set my apps to Higher Compatibility mode in IMON/Setup/HTTP, but that didn't fix it, either. I've been using NOD32 for a few days now and thought it must be a configuration problem, but I've been through the FAQ and tried various tweaks, bu the problem remains. I experimented with IE 7, which I don't normally use, and it was not affected by this lag issue. I also checked for background apps and processes that might be using excessive CPU or RAM, but didn't find any. This problem definitely coincided with my installation of NOD32.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

I would check:

1. cleanup the disk - use a tool like cCleaner (ccleaner.com) - I recommend changing the default settings to NOT clear your cookies if you use sites with remembered password etc - although that's your call...
2. if using IE - reduce the cache size - microsoft seems to think that 10% of your disk is a good figure - that's VERY large - I run 50-100Mb on my machines - inside IE, Tools Menu, Internet Options - then in IE 7, it's the on the first (General Tab) - Browsing history - Settings - reduce to a MUCH smaller number.
3. defrag your disk


Laptop HDs tend to be slower, and accessing the cache with many, many thousands of temporary files is my guess - that'll slow down any on-access scanner.

Let us know how you go with these suggestions.

 

If its only in Firefox, try saving your bookmarks, deleting the profile and creating a new one. This usually works for me when I run into problems(not often).

 

Also with CCleaner you can add cookies to keep in the Options, Cookies & it will clean your cookies out but keep the 1's you select in the options cookies, cookies to keep & its 1 of the best free programs I have found for doing this.

 

Re: Browser Lag, Excessive HD Access - ESET: Axe IMON

In fact I did run CCleaner yesterday prior to posting, with little effect, and the version of DiskKeeper I have automatically defrags in the background and during idle CPU cycles. I also sent my problem in to ESET, and got an interesting response - they recommended I disable IMON. I asked why, and what effect this would have on my AV protection, and got this response:

"In 1992, when NOD32 was introduced, very few programs operated at the Winsock level. Today, in addition to Google and Microsoft, 100's of other developers are creating software in this manner. That would be fine, except for the fact that any app that operates here needs the top spot in the stack, and only one program can have it. The next version of NOD32 will be sans IMON. It's being totally eliminated from the program for this very reason.

"IMON was just the first layer of defense, a supplement. The strengths of NOD32 are AMON, which scans every file that performs an action, as it performs that action and the advanced heuristics which is stopping 90%+ of all new threats, before a definition is even written.

"By quitting IMON now, you'll not only resolve this issue, but you'll also lose no coverage. AMON will be protecting your computer."

Disabling IMON partially helped, but I'm still getting lag in Firefox, so I'm going to try deleting my profile as has been suggested here and see if that clears the problem up for good, as it's an irritating problem. I feel it has to be something with my system that's causing this to happen, otherwise this lag is so annoying that if everyone had it there would be widespread dissatisfaction with the product, and that's just not the case.

 

I'm using Firefox and Nod32 without problems. Have you updated any of your add-ons recently? Maybe one of your add-ons is causing the issue, it doesn't seem a problem of Nod32. Deactivate all of your add-ons and check if the problem persists.

Let us know how it goes.

 

This turned out to be some sort of conflict between NOD32 and the new version of Webroot's Spy Sweeper, version 5.5. Once I disabled SpySweeper's real-time scanning, my system came up to speed again. I hadn't read about any conflicts between these two apps previously - in fact I'd seen a number of statements saying that people were running these two simultaneously without any problems - so this new version of SS is the culprit. Even re-enabling IMON has no impact on my system.

Problem solved!

 

Great to hear that! Thanks for the update.

 

Was this straightforward spysweeper, or spysweeper + AV?

 

It's the plain flavor of Spy Sweeper, without the anti-virus portion.