You might want to uninstall Avast first. Defragging an NTFS drive takes a long time, especially when it has a lot of space used. Avast may also interfere with the process and slow it down more.
I use malwarebytes. The free version seems to work pretty well. I had Avast for a while and it missed things that the free version of malwarebytes would catch. I have also used Kaspersky’s root kit scan and removal program. Another thing I have had cause problems is if the cooling fan has stopped working or even dust bunnies clogging up the cooling vanes. I have used compressed air to blow out the buildup on the cooling vanes. It is best to do that with the computer shut down so the fan isn’t running.
www.malwarebytes.com
Ha, I was just going to suggest that. Only I uninstall it after scanning. Earlier versions were less intrusive than the current one.I use malwarebytes. The free version seems to work pretty well. I had Avast for a while and it missed things that the free version of malwarebytes would catch. I have also used Kaspersky’s root kit scan and removal program. Another thing I have had cause problems is if the cooling fan has stopped working or even dust bunnies clogging up the cooling vanes. I have used compressed air to blow out the buildup on the cooling vanes. It is best to do that with the computer shut down so the fan isn’t running.
Here are links to the software I referenced.
Download Malware Removal 2023 | Free Antivirus Scan & Virus Protection Tool
Looking for free antivirus to remove malware? Download the latest version of Malwarebytes 2023 for free for your computer or mobile device. Remove unwanted malware like viruses, ransomware, spyware & more.
Download Free TDSSKiller - Rootkit Removal | Kaspersky Lab US
TDSSKiller is a FREE rootkit removal tool that can quickly detect and remove rootkits (programs that can hide the presence of malware in your system). Download now!usa.kaspersky.com
I use malwarebytes. The free version seems to work pretty well. I had Avast for a while and it missed things that the free version of malwarebytes would catch. I have also used Kaspersky’s root kit scan and removal program. Another thing I have had cause problems is if the cooling fan has stopped working or even dust bunnies clogging up the cooling vanes. I have used compressed air to blow out the buildup on the cooling vanes. It is best to do that with the computer shut down so the fan isn’t running.
Here are links to the software I referenced.
Download Malware Removal 2023 | Free Antivirus Scan & Virus Protection Tool
Looking for free antivirus to remove malware? Download the latest version of Malwarebytes 2023 for free for your computer or mobile device. Remove unwanted malware like viruses, ransomware, spyware & more.
Download Free TDSSKiller - Rootkit Removal | Kaspersky Lab US
TDSSKiller is a FREE rootkit removal tool that can quickly detect and remove rootkits (programs that can hide the presence of malware in your system). Download now!usa.kaspersky.com
If you hit ctrl-alt-delete(all three keys at once) you can open the task manager. That will show you the processes running on your computer. In the ‘processes’ tab, if you click on the column that says ‘memory’, it will arrange the processes in order of most memory used to least memory used. If anything looks suspicious and is using a high amount of memory, that could point you towards what is bogging things down. Right below ‘processes’ on the left hand side of the ‘task manager’ window there is a line that says ‘performance’. If you click on that, it will show you the percentage of the CPU, memory, disk(your hard drive), WiFi and GPU(graphic card) being used. Right under where it says Memory, you will see how much memory your computer has(the number to the right of the ‘/‘. Back in the ‘processes’ window, you can right click on specific tasks and choose ‘end task’ to stop that program from running. You could play around with that to see if things speed up when specific tasks are terminated.
This article explains a bit of what I was saying about heat inside your computer.
HP Notebook PCs - Reduce heat inside the laptop to prevent overheating in Windows | HP® Customer Support
When temperatures inside the computer rise above 35º C (95º F), the risk of damage to important internal components from overheating increases.support.hp.com
I had a laptop that had a virus and it wouldn’t let me access sites with virus scanning software. 
Can you try to download Microsoft’s malicious software removal tool? This is a link. 
Very cool, crash. That workaround didn’t occur to me.
Yes I did mean to say Malwarebytes Sorry. It looks like I might have a virus.I hope you meant malwarebytes.
If you get the same network issue error, it is likely your computer is infected.
If so, do you have a friend that could download it to a memory stick or SD card? You may have to download the software then execute the file and choose the memory stick or SD card as the destination.
Thank you CrashMagnet but I'm done fooling around with it I'm bring it in for a check out.
I'm thinking Avast locked your network when you uninstalled. Avast sets up a proxy network connection then uses that for internet addresses. These antivirus packages are notorious for failing to uninstall cleanly.
McAfee is insidious that way.
It's pure extortion. Lots of stories around of people reinstalling McAfee to get their internet back. I didn't think Avast would stoop that low, though.
Well, John McAfee wasn’t known for his scruples. Neither is Bill Gates who ships out every install of Windows with McAfee preinstalled…
