Windows errors and system resources
Hey, whats up! This is my first post here, but i been checking out this fourm for a while. Hopefully someone can help me out. I have 2 problems but my first is my dads computer.
I dont mess around with his computer (bc i hate it,too slow) but somehow if i dont dont fix it i get in trouble. This is what happens, after a little while running, errors start poping up about and having to close the program. Once this happens to one program all the other seem to want to follow it and they do the same until the computer stops responding and i have to restart it. This also happens when i connect to the internet, IE/Eudora says it caused and error and having to close. I thought it might be a windows problem but i dont know what it could really be.
Now my other problem, my computer. I just put in some new RAM(512 PC3200)in my mobo(NF7-S) so right now in total i have 785mb of "physical memory" and my HD is still empty(only used 4gb of 40). This is my problem, right now i have open winamp and 2 windows of IE and my system resources are at 66%. If i open anything else it will start to get even more boggy(more than it already is) and i will get a blue screen saying my sys. reso. are too low for norton to continue running. Usally i have to restart after that but that usally happens after i use the computer after 10min on light loads.
Help would be greatly appriciated in these matters. Thanks.
I dont mess around with his computer (bc i hate it,too slow) but somehow if i dont dont fix it i get in trouble. This is what happens, after a little while running, errors start poping up about and having to close the program. Once this happens to one program all the other seem to want to follow it and they do the same until the computer stops responding and i have to restart it. This also happens when i connect to the internet, IE/Eudora says it caused and error and having to close. I thought it might be a windows problem but i dont know what it could really be.
Now my other problem, my computer. I just put in some new RAM(512 PC3200)in my mobo(NF7-S) so right now in total i have 785mb of "physical memory" and my HD is still empty(only used 4gb of 40). This is my problem, right now i have open winamp and 2 windows of IE and my system resources are at 66%. If i open anything else it will start to get even more boggy(more than it already is) and i will get a blue screen saying my sys. reso. are too low for norton to continue running. Usally i have to restart after that but that usally happens after i use the computer after 10min on light loads.
Help would be greatly appriciated in these matters. Thanks.
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Comments
What OS? (W98, XP, etc)
If W98, hit Ctrl + Alt + Del (at the same time). This will bring up the "close program" box. It will show you a list of all running programs. Lots of junk runs hidden on startup - your only hint may be gobs of icons down by the clock.
Assuming it it W98 (or W95), send a list of all the stuff it shows when you follow the above procedure.
Nice to see you posting!
Im running ME (its a POS too). This my entire list of programs running on my comp with 68%:
Short-Media Forms
Winamp
Explorer
Sstray
Atiptaxx
Vptray
Systray
As you can see im not running alot of programs and have taken some out(ex. PTSNOOP) with msconfig, but i still have the problem. Also im running one stick of PC2700 and one of PC3200, would that matter?
My dads computer is running almost the same(a little more) but he dosent have the problem i have(and he only has about 96mb of memory avail. to windows).
For you'rs I might think about a virus or spyware. I see you've got Norton, is it up to date?
Cheers
Crypto
If the Virus scan comes up clean, you might try Spybot or Adaware. Attached is memtest:
I ran the memtest on my dads comp and no errors came up and then i ran both Spybot and Adaware on his comp and took off all the junk it found. I rebooted the comp, but as soon i get to the internet i still get that "explorer caused an error in <unknown>" and it crashes.
On my computer i also ran Spybot and Adaware and deleted all the junk. I tried to create a floppy to run memtest but i counldnt do it because i get a dialog box saying i dont enough memory and that i should close programs, when all i have open is that. So i used the same floppy for my dads on mine but i also got 0 errors(i only let do 7 passes bc that took 4hr).
One thing i noticed is that on his comp it says it has 140k ResvdMem while mine says i have 80k ResvdMem. Is this something i should look into?
thanks.
2) Did your problem start after you added the RAM?
3) On your comp, are you using all three RAM slots? If so, try using just two sticks in the slots that are closest to one another. If that doesn't help, experiment with different combinations of only two slots. If still no good, try using just one stick.
4) I may be wrong, but don't W98 and WinME limit you to 512MB physical RAM? I seem to remember hearing that any more than that and it doesn't make proper use of it, thereby slowing down the computer.
5) Run HijackThis! and send us a copy of what it finds. DON'T delete stuff unless you are absolutely sure you know what you're doing!
1)yes,new definitions since 12/20
2)problem started when i formated my hard drive and put in the new mobo and the ram.
3)Right now im using 2 sticks and they are put in the slots you highlight(or painted,whatever). Im going to try and remove the 256mb stick and then run my comp. Then ill remove my 512mb stick(but keep my 256 in) and see if that do anything.
Find a good trojan checker and see if that helps.
I'll go through the rest of the log and see if there is anything else suspicious.
what is ptsnoop really? I took it off the start up of my comp because i thought i didnt need it.
I also thought i had taken it off my dad comp (the one with the modem problem) but last time i checked it was still there. Ive seen trojan checkers around and i never d/l one but Ill get one as soon as i can, and ill run it to see if it helps.
If you would like, i can post my dad hijack log so you could review it.
Enverex:
I just d/l the file you sugguested but i have to leave so i havent installed it yet.
thanks so far for everyones help.
For my dads comp, i ran hijackthis and i noticed alot of entires regarding a program called "SlipStream" and i noticed he didnt have it running. I removed it in the control panel and rebooted his comp. Guess what, that was it! Now he can connect on the internet without it crashing!
Thanks for the all the help you guys gave me!! Without it i would have been stuck in dead water!!!!
Oh,before i froget, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
thanks agian!
I love this place!
The official solution is to upgrade to XP/2K/NT or use no more than 512MB of RAM.
There are two programs you should have on any computer with internet access:
Spybot Search & Destroy
AVG AntiVirus
Both are free, and both are very good at what they do. You'll have to register to get the serial number for AVG, but it's worth it. Download, install, and update both, and then run them.
Beyond that, ESPECIALLY with Win9x, if it's been more than 6 months since the hard drive was wiped and a clean install was done, it's time to back up your files, format the drive, and reinstall.
Go to the Run prompt and type in msconfig
Now click the bottom right button (should be something like "Advanced" or something") and there should be a "Limit Windows to..." tick box, tick that, and change the value to 512MB and that should fix the problem, though you don't get to use the other 256MB.
Good to have you here, KryLon.
Seriously, I ran 98se for years on my KT7A-Raid rig, and had very few crashes or problems. ME is another story.
We were getting to the point where the next recommendation was going to be Format C: , then consider an OS upgrade. Since MS is pulling the plug on everything pre W2K, the upgrade is inevitable. Hopefully, we bought our man KryLon a little more time.
I'm not satified with my Thrax doll. Can I return it?
Just a thought...