Windows 10: Brand new Win 10 computer runs slow after setup

I set up a brand new Win 10 computer following what I have learned on Microsoft Support and other
support sites. I worked for about 30 hours (I'm a slow worker) on a long list of settings and program installations. A partial list of the setup steps I took includes: Malwarebytes, AVG, Ccleaner, SuperAntiSpyware,
Spybot, ADW Cleaner, Panda USB Vaccine, VLC Media Player, Firefox, Sumatra PDF, Secunia PSI, Wiz
Mouse, Dropbox, setup an Admin account with a limited account for daily use and browsing, turned off
autoplay, ran Windows update, Wifi hotspots off, show file extensions on, adjusted for best
performance. All went well until at around a certain point both Windows and web browsing slowed down
markedly. A recent restart with updates took 45 minutes.

Unfortunately I failed to keep detailed notes so I don't recall at which step the problem appeared, but
I do recall it appeared gradually. I failed to set restore points during the process. After I completed
all setup, Task Manager Performance CPU usage averaged 60% when the computer was at idle, with
nothing open other than Task Manager. If I clicked on any icon, CPU plateaued at 100%. Looking under
Task Manager Processes, I saw almost all processes stayed at less than 2% CPU usage with brief jumps to no more than 5%. A few AVG processes averaged less than 5%. Two standouts were:
Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation at 17% and System Interrupts at 15%. By comparison, my old
Windows 7 computer at rest with many programs open shows 0% to 5% CPU Usage total.

Attempting to fix this problem, I ran AVG and Malwarebytes scans with no malware found, then
SuperAntispyware and removed the 651 items it found to remove! Then I replaced all anti-virus and anti-malware
programs with Windows Defender, and removed Secunia. After restart CPU usage averaged 20%. Ran
Microsoft Saftey Scanner with no malware found, removed Microsoft One Drive. At this point ALL
startups were removed or disabled. Defrag showed as not needed. After restart CPU usage averaged
12%. Restart in safe mode showed CPU usage average 3%. After normal restart did a "clean boot"
with no improvement. Turned off Win 10 Tips Tricks and Suggestions. Ran SFC scanner twice with no
malware found. Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is down to 5%. (The only audio device is the
built-in speaker, and advice to remove enhancements can't be followed as no enhancements appear in
Device Manager.) System Interrupts process now shows CPU average 2%. Now CPU average usage is
now 12% after a restart, but if idled overnight it rises to 30%. Firefox browsing and Windows are still
slow, although better than as described at the beginning of this post (but that is with many desired
programs and settings removed). Firefox often shows "Firefox is not responding".

I am aware of the option to do a clean re-install of Windows 10, but that is my last resort, as I hope to
avoid re-doing the 30 hours of setup (if I can remember it all!), and the same problem might happen again. Any help to restore this computer to the speed one expects of a brand new computer is appreciated.


Thanks.

:)

 

computer running very slow after installing windows 10

This is a brand new Dell Computer with 8 g ram and 1 T storage, purchased oct 2015 from Staples

no reason to run so slow

My old vista computer is better than this.

my Toshiba laptop did not make and difference when I switched from Win 8.1 to win 10

 

Computer run slow and Start menu not functioning

Brand new computer windows 10-start menu and performance really sluggish-run registry utility tool every day but still slow

windows 10 performance slow- Original Title

 

Hi, unfortunately this is an all too commonly reported problem.

Please see
Creators Update made my brand new laptop very slow. - Windows 10 Forums
for starters. Thanks!

 

I have read many of the links you mentioned and it sounds like Creator's Update may be my problem. If I understand correctly, April 2017 was when it started being installed automatically and that is roughly when my problem started. Is there a way to check and see if it is on my system? If so, can I remove it? Returning my system to normal operating speed is 100 times more important to me than any possible benefits from Creator's.

Thanks.

 

You can analyse which driver is causing the problem using a boot trace, and then use an older version if that's appropriate and that's indeed the cause.

Otherwise if you're beyond the 10 days since upgrading you will have to clean install the previous build - unless you have a disk image you created of your previous build which you can restore.

But the only way you will then not get the Creator's build will be to kill Windows update. (Note- you have the Home edition, so cannot 'Defer feature upgrades' (which is limited to some months) ).

View your Update History to see when updates were applied.

 

Update history on this PC shows: "Feature update to Windows 10, Version 1607 successfully installed on 5/26/17". A click for more info shows that 1607 is "Install the latest update for Windows 10: the Windows 10 Creators Update" About my PC on this PC shows my current version is 1607. Microsoft website says: "After it (Creators update) is installed, your device will be running Windows 10, version 1703". Windows Update on this PC now shows "The Windows 10 Creators update is on it's way. Want to be the first one to get it? Yes, show me how." On this PC, Recovery options/Go back to an earlier build is unavailable as 10 days has passed, and Uninstall updates does not present 1607 for un-installation.

It seems to me that 1607 sets up the Creators update, but I must select 1703 to actually install it, so it appears Creators update is not on this PC as yet. Or is it possible that 1607 installs Creators update, and 1703 only activates it? The installation date of 5/26/17 for 1607 is very roughly when my problem started.

I have a backup on a flash drive that I created on 5/27/17 to back up documents and desktop, but no disk image. Do I have any other option than a system reset? Can you instruct me how to do a boot trace?

 

You installed way too many security programs.

All you need is windows Defender and Malwarebytes

Go back to the Anniversary Update and choose to Defer Feature updates

Settings>Updates and Security>Advanced Options>Defer Feature updates

 

- wvbirdman's using Home (according to the specs)- so no Defer feature upgrades.... (that said, one user who claimed to be on home on reverting to Anniversary found he had that- to his surprise... ) (????)

Sorry, I assumed since you said it was a new PC it was using the Creator's build...

From what you're saying, you are still on the Anniversary build. You haven't upgraded yet.

How do you avoid the predicament you've created whilst doing lots of installation?
1. When your PC is first running Win 10 successfully - e.g. as bought with apparently the Anniversary build installed- you create a disk image using a free- free- program - Macrium Reflect (free) to an external disk.
2. As you install more, update your image - differential image.

That means should you encounter an intractable problem you can restore an image and your PC will be running as it was- and you can have a second attempt.

3. Keep a simple record (as I do) of
- when you create or update your image
list of changes made
- when you create or update your image
list of changes made

This means you can often help yourself to recover without technical help and without panic, frustration or great effort.

So what do you do now? Well, first uninstall all the unnecessary security programs (ones you don't need right now. Start cleaning up.

Then post a screenshot of your task manager with any column of interest - high usage- organised high to low by clicking on the relevant tab.
To post a screenshot use the Insert Image icon to the left of the video icon above your post

Then try a clean boot.
Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 to Troubleshoot Software Conflicts Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
part 1
Then post a screenshot of your task manager with any column of interest - high usage- organised high to low by clicking on the relevant tab.

 

Oh darn, sometimes I forget to check on that *Redface

 

I followed your instructions. I removed all security programs, all that is left is Windows Defender. I restarted, and waited 5 minutes (to give things time to settle down). I took the following shots from Task Manager. I took two shots of Details because it jumps around. The two shots of Performance graph are both at idle at different times with me doing nothing between the two. This reflects how Performance changes significantly as time at idle passes.















I then followed the instructions in the link you included for a clean boot (including selective startup with "load startup items' unchecked,and all non-Microsoft services disabled). After the clean restart, I took a similar set of shots. Performance graph never rose high, so the two Performance shots are one at idle and one right after the activity of taking and saving shots.













Just realized I lost the shot of App History after the clean boot. Let me know if you need it.

Thanks for your help.

 

Thanks. There's no one very obvious thing that stands out immediately from those screenshots.
Defender isn't using resources
RAM usage is ok
Disk usage is low but a wee bit higher than I'd hope in normal mode- ideally 0 when idle, but depending on what's running. It's lower after a clean boot.
Internet activity neglible

Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is an odd one. If you disable 'Hey Cortana' (e.g. Windows key + S, click the settings icon, turn Hey... off you may find that reduces a lot.

Some of your initial issues:

Can you comment on these now in normal mode?

 

Consider using WIndows performance recorder (WPR) in normal startup and in clean boot.
The challenge will be learning how to interpret the results or finding someone to interpret them.



See the link below for installation and customization settings:
To launch use administrative command prompt and type: wprui.exe
Windows performance recorder - Microsoft Community

 

Cortana is apparently built in to Win 10 and can not be disabled, only hidden.

I have returned to normal startup with all services enabled.

Regarding the items in the box above:
1) Windows and browsing speed are much better than initially, but still a bit slow, and I sometimes get "Firefox is not responding"
2) All restarts are now normal duration
3 and 4) CPU performance is now 13% at idle with nothing open but Task manager. A click on any icon causes a jump to between 30 and 100%. If I open a few programs and let it idle, it settles down to between 30 and 60%; then if I just move the mouse, it drops back down to 13%! (For comparison, I checked a very similar model of computer also with Win 10; it idles at a steady 2% with nothing open but Task manager).

I would be grateful for any more help you can provide, but I don't want to put you to a lot of trouble for what may no longer a major problem. Perhaps I should just use it for a week or two and see how it performs.

Thanks.

 

Sorry, you are misreading what I said: Windows Audio Device Graph Isolation is an odd one. If you disable 'Hey Cortana' (e.g. Windows key + S, click the settings icon, turn Hey... off you may find that reduces a lot.

I'll provide pictures for you.









(For what it's worth it is possible to stop Cortana running- probably. E.g.
You can remove Cortana from Windows 10, but it's tricky | PCWorld

But this is not something you should worry about right now- and can cause more trouble than it's worth).

After you have done the above, please try to capture a screenshot of the task manager when this happens- whichever view offers the most useful info.

Repeat after a clean boot, and if still happening, compare Safe Mode.

zbook's suggestion may offer further useful info.