Windows 10: PC is almost completely unusable today, is this MS recent bug fix???

--- Does this mean you are running the Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview?
--- Please run winver and let us know what version you are running.

EDIT: It appears you have an Intel CPU, whether or not it's affected by the Meltdown and/or Spectre I don't know.
----- In fact we can't tell whether or not those are involved in the issues of your computer yet.

Consider these Intel diagnostics tools
Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool
Download Intel® Processor Diagnostic Tool

Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors (I suspect you might want to check this one first)
Legacy Intel Core™ Processors Product Specifications

Another edit: (I have use this procedure)
How to check if your pc is protected against Meltdown & Spectre
How to Check if Your PC or Phone Is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre

 

Probably have to do a fresh install, the reset, who knows how long it might take. I will let it run till the evening. The wife will have to back up any word files she has on it. Might even need to boot liveusb ubuntu, it may be too slow to even view the files.and copy them.

 

Funnily enough i had the exact same thing happened to be about an hour ago. My PC was working perfect this morning. Went away for the day, came back about 9 hours later, and it was taking ages to load anything up be it Windows Explorer, Firefox etc. I managed to restart and touch wood everything seems fine now. No errors in RH or anything either.

 

I think the reset PC failed to reset. It was going round and round on the reset screen for over an hour, left it alone. When I came back it was like nothing happened. Saw no messages, nothing.

So I rebooted, and all the installed apps are still there, and still slow as hell.

This OS is one messed up os.

 

Since your original concern was the possibility of those 2 programs affecting your computer
I would go into Safe Mode with Networking check whether or not your PC is protected against Meltdown and Spectre
It's an easy test to run.
--- If it doesn't run in Safe Mode with Networking it's another dead end.

If it reports ok, run your internet security program. And probably a 2nd opinion program such as Malwarebytes Premium 14-day free trial period as it includes checking for root-kits: regardless of what that article says I don't see that it won't run for you unless we find out for sure.

With that said, I agree doing a fresh install as recommended. However I've read various opinions on doing a fresh install on an infected computer: some opinions say no problem, some say don't do that especially if there's a concern about a root-kit issue. In my case I make sure infections are cleaned out before doing a fresh install.

If you don't want to do a fresh install, troubleshooting in a logical direction will need to continued and in my mind running the Windows Troubleshooter is a good start. I know you said it won't run, but after the above ideas it'll be time to start over again.

At the same time, we need to know your make/model & system specs please.

 

Trying to install malwarebytes, it barely got to the creating desktop link at the end, and has hung there for over 5 mins. I could not download it, had to use a different PC

PC is a Dell Optiplexx 755 SFF (small form factor) with an E6550 CPU
4gb ram I think, I upgraded the cpu, ram and hard drive last year.

 

Malwarebytes is running, it found 2 malware, both called Riskware.extension.NFCS, one is a reg key, the other a file.
Malwarebytes is not finished yet.

and found 4 PUP.

 

MB found 14 malwares, but even after quarantine, it is running like crud, so will just reinstall the os.
Here is what it found

Code: Malwarebyteswww.malwarebytes.com-Log Details-Scan Date: 2/13/18Scan Time: 4:46 AMLog File: bab0e364-10a2-11e8-980e-001ec971201a.jsonAdministrator: Yes-Software Information-Version: 3.3.1.2183Components Version: 1.0.262Update Package Version: 1.0.3930License: Trial-System Information-OS: Windows 10 (Build 16299.192)CPU: x64File System: NTFSUser: BOAT2PC\trish-Scan Summary-Scan Type: Threat ScanResult: CompletedObjects Scanned: 325378Threats Detected: 14Threats Quarantined: 14Time Elapsed: 39 min, 23 sec-Scan Options-Memory: EnabledStartup: EnabledFilesystem: EnabledArchives: EnabledRootkits: DisabledHeuristics: EnabledPUP: DetectPUM: Detect-Scan Details-Process: 0(No malicious items detected)Module: 0(No malicious items detected)Registry Key: 1RiskWare.Extension.NFCS, HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432NODE\GOOGLE\CHROME\EXTENSIONS\iinglghmhcgdgjjlafobajghjamdchik, Quarantined, [8088], [419391],1.0.3930Registry Value: 0(No malicious items detected)Registry Data: 0(No malicious items detected)Data Stream: 0(No malicious items detected)Folder: 0(No malicious items detected)File: 13PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\LOCAL STORAGE\http_howtosuite.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage, Quarantined, [1390], [443123],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\LOCAL STORAGE\http_howtosuite.dl.tb.ask.com_0.localstorage-journal, Quarantined, [1390], [443123],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\LOCAL STORAGE\http_howtosuite.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage, Quarantined, [1390], [443124],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.MindSpark.Generic, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\LOCAL STORAGE\http_howtosuite.dl.myway.com_0.localstorage-journal, Quarantined, [1390], [443124],1.0.3930RiskWare.Extension.NFCS, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [8088], [419391],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Conduit, C:\USERS\SCOTT\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Data\SyncData.sqlite3, Replaced, [526], [454832],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Conduit, C:\USERS\SCOTT\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [526], [454832],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Spigot, C:\USERS\SCOTT\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Data\SyncData.sqlite3, Replaced, [599], [454814],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Spigot, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Data\SyncData.sqlite3, Replaced, [599], [454814],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Spigot, C:\USERS\SCOTT\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, [599], [454814],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Spigot, C:\USERS\SCOTT\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Sync Data\SyncData.sqlite3, Replaced, [599], [475078],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Spigot, C:\USERS\SCOTT\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Secure Preferences, Replaced, [599], [475078],1.0.3930PUP.Optional.Spigot, C:\USERS\TRISH\APPDATA\LOCAL\GOOGLE\CHROME\USER DATA\Default\Web Data, Replaced, [599], [454814],1.0.3930Physical Sector: 0(No malicious items detected)(end)[/quote]

 

I logged onto microsoft to view info on the device


Edition
Windows 10 Professional

Version
1709

OS Build
10.0.16299.192 (updates available as of 2/12/2018 11:01:20 AM)

Serial #
GCYP3G1

Processor
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E6550 @ 2.33GHz

Graphics card
NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS

System
OSType64BitX64

RAM
6 GB

 

Thank you for all of that information. Since you don't mind, re-installing the OS as has been recommended is a good idea.

One of my favorite methods is
How to Download Official Windows 10 ISO file from Microsoft
Download Windows 10 ISO File help Installation Upgrade Tutorials

Go to another computer with x64 bittedness
Create installation media (USB flash drive, DVD, or ISO file) for another PC.
--- Myself I use a USB flash drive.
Uncheck the "Use the recommended options for this PC".
Select architecture: x64.
--- I have a habit of starting the install not connected to the Internet: connect when instructed to do so.

Naturally if you already have a method you prefer, go for it.

 

I am wondering if the hardware has failed.
It has taken long time just to get to 25% preparing windows files for setup. Taken a little over an hour from booting the DVD install disc to this point.

Does that seem an excessively long time?

 

I usually use a USB rather than a DVD but yes, that does seem a long time. I normally expect about one and a half hours until Windows 10 is fully installed and running.

 

The 'getting files ready for installation' is now at 50%, so it took 47 minutes to go from 25 to 50%.
I popped open the PC and it is not dusty, air flows out the CPU and PSU.

If I can reinstall win10, I will run something like cpuz to check reported bus speeds.

 

Perhaps it's just a slow DVD drive. I'd leave it running and see if it speeds up after the first reboot, when it's finished using the DVD.

 

Found the problem. I unplugged PC. Then I booted Ubuntu LiveUSB, it does not use the hard drive. Everything was super fast.

Ran the Drives test, it shows the drive as FAILED.