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Hi, GOG community! I need your help yet again. In the last two weeks I noticed that my PC runs pretty slow most of the time in Windows 7 (500GB HDD). Also, my storage 1000GB HDD is being disconnected or performs really bad when accessing it. Both are old, at least 5 years for each. However, in Linux I haven't see my storage HDD disappear or perform bad.
Performance in games is great, I even did a few benchmarks and everything seemed normal.
So far, a few of my files from the storage HDD have been corrupted: some .txt files and a few pictures.
I already did an Avast, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and Spybot - Search & Destroy check, none of them return anything.

Weird stuff:
- Windows did an update without my permission: KB2999226, also I set it to never update unless I chose to do so.
I checked the update history and I saw that the last two entries were both this update (KB2999226), the first was on 1/14/2016, and the second was on 5/26/2016.
The only thing I remember installing on 5/26/2016 was Chronicle: RuneScape Legends, I noticed when shutting down that windows was finishing some update. Still, this does not explain the first time update, it might have been something else.

Machine specs:
Motherboard - MSI Z97 GAMING 5
CPU - Intel Core i5-4690K @ 3.5GHz
GPU - MSI GTX 770
Power Supply - Super Flower SF-600P14XE(HX)

HDD setup:
250GB HDD Ubuntu 16.04
500GB Windows 7
1000GB Storage space

Thank you for reading, sanfueg.
This question / problem has been solved by Phc7006image
copy-paste from my old post:
Find Victoria 4.46b freeware.
Setup tab -> check Only non-destructive functions
SMART tab -> click Get SMART -> right click -> copy ALL to clipboard -> post here or wherever somebody may help you
Tests -> Start and see how it looks (make sure radio button is set to Ignore first..)
also boot Avira from CD/USB and see what it says.
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sanfueg: Hi, GOG community! I need your help yet again. In the last two weeks I noticed that my PC runs pretty slow most of the time in Windows 7 (500GB HDD). Also, my storage 1000GB HDD is being disconnected or performs really bad when accessing it. Both are old, at least 5 years for each. However, in Linux I haven't see my storage HDD disappear or perform bad.
Performance in games is great, I even did a few benchmarks and everything seemed normal.
So far, a few of my files from the storage HDD have been corrupted: some .txt files and a few pictures.
I already did an Avast, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, and Spybot - Search & Destroy check, none of them return anything.

Weird stuff:
- Windows did an update without my permission: KB2999226, also I set it to never update unless I chose to do so.
I checked the update history and I saw that the last two entries were both this update (KB2999226), the first was on 1/14/2016, and the second was on 5/26/2016.
The only thing I remember installing on 5/26/2016 was Chronicle: RuneScape Legends, I noticed when shutting down that windows was finishing some update. Still, this does not explain the first time update, it might have been something else.

Machine specs:
Motherboard - MSI Z97 GAMING 5
CPU - Intel Core i5-4690K @ 3.5GHz
GPU - MSI GTX 770
Power Supply - Super Flower SF-600P14XE(HX)

HDD setup:
250GB HDD Ubuntu 16.04
500GB Windows 7
1000GB Storage space

Thank you for reading, sanfueg.
Since you have linux installed, let it run smartctl --test=long on all drives.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2999226
Bad news...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2678907/windows-slow-week/page-2.html

The MS KB3146706 update article mentions that this update may cause computers to slow down if you have 3rd party DRM software installed. I thought that this update might be the cause of my Win7 slowdown issues, but it isn't if you don't have any 3rd party DRM software installed.

Instead, the issue appears to be KB2999226 which, once installed, YOU CAN NEVER GET RID OF. KB2999226 INSTALLS TELEMETRY, AND INDEED THE EULA FOR IT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS THIS. The EULA is ONLY PRESENTED if you download the installer, and is NOT PRESENTED WHEN THIS UPDATE IS INSTALLED VIA WINDOWS UPDATE!!! Moreover, once this update is installed, YOU CAN NOT GET RID OF IT even after uninstalling it! If you uninstall KB2999226, then after rebooting you will be presented with an error message for virtually every Windows program (for example, when launching Notepad or when trying to create a system restore point) which states: "The program can't start because api-ms-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix the problem." Virtually EVERYTHING is affected if you uninstall KB2999226!!!

If you download and install either the x86 or x64 versions of the MS Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable (which is what KB2999226 installs), and then uninstall it, then no matter what KB2999226 shows as remaining installed, and a search for "api-ms-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll" under the Windows folder shows multiple instances of api-ms-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll remaining installed under various Windows sub-folders.

Here is what the EULA for the MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO 2015 ADD-ONs, VISUAL STUDIO SHELLS and C++ REDISTRIBUTABLE (KB2999226) states:

"3. DATA. The software may collect information about you and your use of the software, and send that to Microsoft. Microsoft may use this information to provide services and improve our products and services. You may opt-out of many of these scenarios, but not all, as described in the product documentation. There are also some features in the software that may enable you to collect data from users of your applications. If you use these features to enable data collection in your applications, you must comply with applicable law, including providing appropriate notices to users of your applications. You can learn more about data collection and use in the help documentation and the privacy statement at <http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=528096&amp;clcid=0x4...;. Your use of the software operates as your consent to these practices."

THE ABOVE PARAGRAPH DOES NOT EXIST IN ANY PREVIOUS VERSIONS OF THE C++ REDISTRIBUTABLES!

Also NOTE that api-ms-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll, although copied to multiple locations under Windows, DOES NOT GET REGISTERED via REGSVR32. Instead, other dirty tricks are implemented to REQUIRE this dll for virtually anything under Windows to run correctly (including Notepad), if you try to uninstall DB2999226.

So far, I haven't found any way to eradicate this update, except to reinstall Win7 and to hide update KB2999226.

KB2999226 IS ONE OF THE DIRTIEST WINDOWS UPDATES WHICH STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN OF NSA INVOLVEMENT!. You all don't believe me? Then find a way to successfully uninstall and completely eradicate KB2999226 such that the api-ms-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll installed in multiple places on your computer by KB2999226 is eradicated and without causing the following error message:

[program name].exe "The program can't start because api-ms-crt-runtime-l1-1-0.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix the problem."

Oh, and by the way, performing a System Restore to eradicate this update WILL NOT WORK.
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sanfueg: Hi, GOG community! I need your help yet again. In the last two weeks I noticed that my PC runs pretty slow most of the time in Windows 7 (500GB HDD).
your computer now phones home systematically, and uses resources to do so ...
Post edited June 06, 2016 by Phc7006
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Phc7006: Bad news...
This is getting beyond imagination. Let me guess, the only option is to install windows 10..
Luckily I turned windows update completely off more than a year ago, keeping it only for The Witcher 3, as rest of my games work great in Linux.
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mike_cesara: This is getting beyond imagination. Let me guess, the only option is to install windows 10..
Luckily I turned windows update completely off more than a year ago, keeping it only for The Witcher 3, as rest of my games work great in Linux.
Yeah, same here, I turned it off, so that I would only activate it when I want it, which usually means never.
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mike_cesara: This is getting beyond imagination. Let me guess, the only option is to install windows 10..
Luckily I turned windows update completely off more than a year ago, keeping it only for The Witcher 3, as rest of my games work great in Linux.
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sanfueg: Yeah, same here, I turned it off, so that I would only activate it when I want it, which usually means never.
I used to use WSUS for a long time, but for the last year or so no update can be safe..

edit:
I guess it's a format c: time, or even better diskpart, delete partition override : D
Post edited June 06, 2016 by mike_cesara
I recommend this free tool CCLEANER that may help speed up a computer processing.
And a fresh reinstall of the OS from time to time, if no programs helps.
Post edited June 06, 2016 by koima57
Thank you all for the many great responses, it seems I'm gonna have to reinstall Windows 7 again...and this time I will be more vigilant regarding what Steam games install.
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Phc7006: Bad news...
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mike_cesara: This is getting beyond imagination. Let me guess, the only option is to install windows 10..
Luckily I turned windows update completely off more than a year ago, keeping it only for The Witcher 3, as rest of my games work great in Linux.
So did I after managing to get rid from the wondows10 malware.... but as you say, this is getting beyond imagination.

I seem to remember that at some point in time XP too started to behave weirdly, prompting some people to upgrade to 7...
Post edited June 06, 2016 by Phc7006
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mike_cesara: This is getting beyond imagination. Let me guess, the only option is to install windows 10..
Luckily I turned windows update completely off more than a year ago, keeping it only for The Witcher 3, as rest of my games work great in Linux.
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Phc7006: So did I after managing to get rid from the wondows10 malware.... but as you say, this is getting beyond imagination.

I seem to remember that at some point in time XP too started to behave weirdly, prompting some people to upgrade to 7...
That wouldn't be a surprise, would it?
I used XP automatic updates only for a short time, before SP1 I think, so I didn't experience anything like that : )
Microsoft, what's your next evil move? Weaponizing Xenomorphs? I just got so paranoid (or perhaps rather: reasonably cautious?), I turned off automatic updates on my XP machine.
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Phc7006: Bad news...

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2678907/windows-slow-week/page-2.html

The MS KB3146706 update article mentions that this update may cause computers to slow down if you have 3rd party DRM software installed. I thought that this update might be the cause of my Win7 slowdown issues, but it isn't if you don't have any 3rd party DRM software installed.
I just did a fresh reinstall and update of Windows 7 - I DO have the 3146706 update - is there an issue with this one? Should I remove it? I seem to have avoided the other one but is there any reason I should worry about 314...
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Ixamyakxim: I just did a fresh reinstall and update of Windows 7 - I DO have the 3146706 update - is there an issue with this one? Should I remove it? I seem to have avoided the other one but is there any reason I should worry about 314...
According to the Great MSatan themselves, this update addresses a vulnerability with their Object Linking and Embedding function.

Known issues in this security update, again accordng to MSatan
• After you install this security update on a Windows 7 SP1-based system, you may experience any of the following problems: •The system slows down
•You cannot access folders under the Documents and Settings folder.
• You cannot modify permissions on the Security tab in a the Properties dialog box
• You may receive a disk write failure error message
This problem may occur when certain third-party DRM software is installed.

Note however that a quick research would tend to show reported issues are concentrated on Chinese / Asian users.