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computer very slow

  • 21 October 2013
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My computer is very slow and sluggish. I did a system analysis a couple of weeks ago and it was a 93. I just did another one today and it is now 88. It says "an active process has a possible handle leak (QLBCTRL.exe) How do I fix this issue? I could also use any other tips on making my computer to work a little faster. 
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Best answer by Rakanisheu Retired 8 November 2013, 15:53

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Userlevel 7
Hi Beca
 
Welcome to the Community.  Sorry to hear of your issue.
 
May I ask which version of WSA you are using?  Also, what has given you the determination on QlbCtrl.exe?  
 
The reason I ask is because as far as I know The process known belongs to HP Quick Launch Buttons, and is apparently a legitimate part of HP software.  Having said that it has been reported that some malware camouflages itself as QlbCtrl.exe, particularly when located in the c:windows or c:windowssystem32 folder.  From what I understand it should normally be located in a subfolder of "C:Program Files" related to HP Software.
 
Therefore, you should check the QlbCtrl.exe process on your PC to see if it is a threat.  You can do that by locating it and once you have found the folder it resides in right clicking on it and selecting "Scan with Webroot".  WSA shuld scan the .exe and give you a report as to whether this is a threat or not.
 
BTW, from what I understand this .exe, even when legitimate, has been reported as a resource hog.  However, not being an expert in HP software I cannot offer any advice as how to prevent it from running or what the consequences would be for your PC operation if your were to.  All I can recommend, if it is not a threat, is that you contact HP Support and report this to them...as they may have a patch to resolve the leak.
 
HTH?
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 7
Badge +6
If you have HP products make sure you run "HP Update" in the Start Menu! This solves common issues. You can also check online for your model, see if it says anything about a troubleshooter available to install.
 
<Mandatory post complaining that HP printer software is some of the worst stuff available on Windows. The stuff is BAD and anyone who's worked in IT for more than 6 months will have horror stories. I have talked with someone in the HP server division, they're ashamed of it, and one of Microsoft's own top Windows experts has publicly lambasted HP for their terrible programming.
 
tl;dr Super Mario is actually a game about capitalism's impact on Russia's southeast agrarian communities and the destruction of family structures in the face of western agribusiness multinationals with their then only theorized abilities to manufacture plant species into vastly superior lineages unavailable to those unable to "license" the seeds as understood by western patent systems, backed by the United State's control over multinational trade agreements with allies such as Japan>
Thank you . I will check into this. I really hope I can fix the issue.
Thank you . I will run hp updates to see if that helps. I appreciate everyone's comments. :-) 
Userlevel 7
Come back and let us know how you have got on with HP Update. 😃
Most computers actually run slow because of a hidden part of your system, which is constantly being used by Windows. This part of your PC is called the "registry" and is the central database for Windows, which stores everything from your latest emails to your desktop wallpaper. It's one of the most important parts of Windows and can easily make your PC run slow.The more corrupt registry files your computer has, the more it struggles to read them.The files which makes it run slower and slower. *Mod: Please see Rakanisheu's comment for a useful description of the Windows registry*
Userlevel 7
I am sorry but that information about the registry is incorrect. Registry cleaners do not make any significant improvement on the speed of your PC.The Windows registry does not contain your wallpapers or emails (it may point to the programs that open them however). 
 
The amount of these so called system speed up programs that are junkware is beyond belief.The Windows registry is a database which is quite large and I am not sure what you mean by "Corrupt" registry files, if the windows registry is corrupt your PC wont boot at all.  It is not advised to go tweaking or altering the registry unless you really know what you are doing as one wrong entry can cause Windows not to boot at all.
 
Improving Windows speed:
 
1) Uninstall unwanted programs
2) Run a disk cleanup (windows/WSA/Ccleaner etc)
3) Run a disk defrag
4) Reduce the number of running programs
5) Make sure your not primary disk isnt full
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +6
Take it from someone who works on Windows for a living and has had to spend hours at a time in the registry: The most crazy messed up systems I've ever seen have had "registry cleaners" run on them regularly. There is no other class of program that can compromise the integrity of a system more ably than these things. They are worse than malware. Malware has specific intent and you know the general idea of what they're doing. Registry clears just carpet bomb where they feel like it. You can't repair the crazy stupid things they do.
 
There are rare, rare edge cases where the competently designed ones can help, but in general they are snake oil designed to find as many fake problems as possible to take your money. The more fake problems they find, the more willing people are to pay money, the more stuff they break, the more your system screws up, the more you think you need a registry cleaner.
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +7
explanoit just spoke truth   Kudo .
Userlevel 1
My pc isn't running fast but was worse a few days ago. I tried running Disk cleanup but it stopped when about 10% though. I used defragmenter and that made a large difference but I still can't use the disk cleanup. Any ideas?
Userlevel 7
Hi Oldhenwife
 
Welcome to the Community Forums...:D :p
 
Have heard of that sort of issue with Disk Cleanup (if you Google 'Window Disk Cleanup won't finish you will find article after article reporting this, and in most case the resoilution is not simple).  Personally, I have never used Disk Cleanup after the time I found it had removed somthings that I wanted to keep and I could find no way of preventing their removal in future.
 
If you are dead set about using a disk cleaner then there are a number of good alternatives out there as freeware, and I would recommend you look on www.techsupportalert.com as they have recommendations and are IMHO a trustworthy site.
 
One is pops up often in the Community Forums is CCleaner & I use SlimCleaner.
 
Having said that I would always recommed being careful with any such utilities and making sure that you have a recent image of your disk or at least of your precious data, before undertaking any such cleaning.
 
Hope that helps?
 
Regards, Baldrick
Userlevel 1
Thank you for that comprehensive reply. I only posted because someone suggested running Disk Cleanup!
 
Ever since I've had a computer - many years - I've used Disk cleanup as amatter of course, before that I ran Scandisk. This latest reluctance for it to run is my first experience of such belligerence 🙂
Userlevel 7
Hi Oldhenwife
 
No problem at all.  Always happy to try to help (if I think that I know what I am talking about...;))
 
Let us know how you get on.
 
The Community Forums are here so that users can help each other and share in the warm, fuzzy feeling that running WSA engenders. :D
 
Regards
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 7
Badge +3
Just to further confirm Baldrick's (Sir :D) solution that the issue with disk cleanup is likely to be temporary files: The Disk Cleanup tool stops responding
Cheers :D
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
My pc isn't running fast but was worse a few days ago. I tried running Disk cleanup but it stopped when about 10% though. I used defragmenter and that made a large difference but I still can't use the disk cleanup. Any ideas
In the last couple of months I know that Microsoft added to Disk Cleanup the ability to clean old unneeded Windows Update files and that could take more time.
 
Daniel
Userlevel 1
In the last couple of months I know that Microsoft added to Disk Cleanup the ability to clean old unneeded Windows Update files and that could take more time.
 
Yes, Daniel, but I've left DC running all morning with nothing happening. I've just accepted that it's not going to do more.
 
As long as Defragmenter works I don't mind so much, las time I ran it - the other day - there werevery, very many defragmented files. They were sorted and the pc worked better. Far better. I hadn't run it for months, I've been distracted by lots of Life!
 
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
I assume you have WSA-Complete and if you do you have System Optimizer have a look here and set it up first then run the Optimizer: Setup: http://www.webroot.com/En_US/SecureAnywhere/PC/WSA_PC_Help.htm#C9_SystemOptimizer/CH9c_ChangingSystemOptimizerSettings.htm and how to run: http://www.webroot.com/En_US/SecureAnywhere/PC/WSA_PC_Help.htm#C9_SystemOptimizer/CH9a_RunningSystemOptimizer.htm
 
HTH,
 
Daniel 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
In the last couple of months I know that Microsoft added to Disk Cleanup the ability to clean old unneeded Windows Update files and that could take more time.
 
Yes, Daniel, but I've left DC running all morning with nothing happening. I've just accepted that it's not going to do more.
 
As long as Defragmenter works I don't mind so much, las time I ran it - the other day - there werevery, very many defragmented files. They were sorted and the pc worked better. Far better. I hadn't run it for months, I've been distracted by lots of Life!
 
If you have Win 7 or Win 8 or 8.1 you have that feature "Disk Cleanup the ability to clean old unneeded Windows Update files" but it does take along time to clean up if it was never done before so it's up to you to cancel or just leave for another 6 to 8 hours since you say your system is slow but if you have XP or Vista I would just stop the Disk Cleanup and use the Webroot System Optmizer.

 
Daniel

 



 

Userlevel 1
By the way, Baldrick, I forgot to thank you for your welcome. Thank you.
 
One thing which puzzles me, which I didn't know about until today, is that I thought I downloaded WR from the web a few weeks ago - and paid for it - and assumed that it was working. Since I don't know what's going on 'down below' I just assumed that everything was working well.
 
Today's post (I'm in UK) brought a Webroot disk. Had I not downloaded from the web after all? So I put the disk in the coffee cup holder and ran it, nothing seemed to change.
 
What's the point in having the disk as well as the web download? And do I need to run the disk in Spouse's pc too? I think his pc was covered by my first dealings with WR.
 
Sometimes I feel like a novice, despite having used various computers since 1989. No 1 grandson is an ex IT supporter and now a web designer but he's never heard of WR so I seem to be reliant on you lot across there (I assume you're all in USA).
 
Thank you again, I'm glad I came.
 
 
Userlevel 1
Thank you for that, Daniel. My pc runs on XP Pro.
 
I've searched but can't find matching menus for those which you show. How do I get to them, plase?
 
 
Userlevel 1
So why has the disk been sent?
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
(I assume you're all in USA).
 
Thank you again, I'm glad I came.
 
 
We are from all over the world myself I live in Ontario Canada. https://community.webroot.com/t5/Non-Techie/What-city-do-you-live-in-near/td-p/61921#.UofQ-eIZlOc
 
Daniel
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
So why has the disk been sent?
Well again I assume you got a Boxed version hence the Disk. But if you use the Disk to do a clean install WSA it always looks for the Latest Version which is now v8.0.4.24 and installs that version so if you want to do a clean reinstall ever the link I provided is the best way just make sure you have a copy of you keycode and if you do a clean reinstall do a Reboot in between.
 
HTH,
 
Daniel 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
@ wrote:
Thank you for that, Daniel. My pc runs on XP Pro.
 
I've searched but can't find matching menus for those which you show. How do I get to them, plase?
 
 
Sorry I forgot to answer this one I don't believe XP or Vista got the update to be able to, so there is no need to look for it. Also besides using System Optimizer you can use CCleaner as we are not supposed to post links to things like that just do a search for it a download the Free version and again set it up the way you want it's a very good Cleaner to add with WSA's System Optimizer.
 
HTH,
 
Daniel
Userlevel 7
Badge +7
CCleaner is good advice.

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