[SOLVED] I need some help with a slow system

[xscrewygirlx]

I have an Alienware Aurora R7 desktop with an Intel i7-8700 and 16 GB of 2666 DDR4 Memory and an NVidia GTX 1070 video card. I also have Windows 10. The computer can usually play games and operate without any issues, but for the last month, something has been causing the machine to become so slow. It isn't just playing games, it's when I use a browser, sites will slowly pop up. When I use a media player, it tends to stutter. When I use Word or Open Office, the files will load up extremely slowly. I update the system regularly and it auto-optimizes. I do antivirus scans once a week. My internet speed is 1GB DL. I just don't understand what could be happening with it. It used to run things just fine, but now it's become unbearable.

Is there anyone who can suggest some steps to take for some troubleshooting and possibly help me clean up my system? Are there certain programs that are a no-no that totally slow down machines or make them vulnerable? Is it possible that I might have a virus and my antivirus missed it? Do I just need to purchase more RAM?

My knowledge of computers is somewhat adequate. I am self-taught, but my knowledge is not very current. I know basic components (Motherboard, RAM, CPU, Cooling, Power Supply, Video Card, Peripherals), basic functions (control panel, msconfig, dxdiag, regedit, bios), and a very small amount of programming (C++, Java). I only ask that whoever is gracious enough to assist me please be patient. I have some issues with remembering details. If I forget to mention something, I do apologize in advance.

 

[xscrewygirlx]

Oh, excuse me, I meant the "Details" section.

Task Manager details

Ignore the Team Viewer. That is me from my laptop.

 

[xscrewygirlx]

Please go into task manager and click on the services tab and sort by highest memory usage and post the picture here the same way you did before.

Instead of restarting the PC try signing out of your windows user account and then back in. Does this refresh the memory leak or is the RAM usage still at 80%+? As others have said get rid of AVG. There is no need for it anymore. Malwarebytes is one of the best scanners, if not the best if you suspect you have a virus. Windows Defender is actually pretty good at keeping you safe.

If you do end up wanting a "reset" because the offending software/driver with the memory leak is too hard to track down then please do a clean install of Win 10. Do not use the actual "reset" through Windows itself, as this can cause issues.

I did try signing out and back in. It did not refresh the memory leak. Removing AVG to see if that helps. It will take a couple of days to determine if it worked. I am doing one thing at a time in order to narrow down the list of causes. I want to know what is causing this.

 

[mdd1963]

That websites are opening by themselves is a clear indication of some sort of malware, but, who knows the extent of it's impact, or, how many visitors might be onboard by now.

You could fight trying to find out if this is malware, run scans Hoping* it is now gone, or, back up your needed files, make a fresh WIn10 installation USB flash drive, and perform a full /fresh install. (Installing to an SSD normally takes a full 4-5 minutes these days; at the stage where you choose your installation destination drive, you may delete your existing partitions.

Be sure to gather your assorted mainboard drivers (chipset/LAN/sound, etc.), and install them after the install, as default provided WIn10 drivers are rarely the best. Additionally, install assorted WIn10 updates afterward...

 

[xscrewygirlx]

Well, everyone, it appears the problem has been solved with one simple scan of Malwarebytes. It identified a file from an old program (which I don't use anymore) as malware. It wasn't installed, but it was sitting in the downloads of my PC. Once I quarantined it with Malwarebytes, the problem vanished. Thank you for all your help.

FYI, the file was BitTorrent.exe.