Memory loss ME

[Susan]

Hello - I have an Intel (r) family 6 model 7 processor,
Windows ME, 128 ram, and DSL. All programs & browser
windows run slow and freeze up so that not even ctrl-alt-
del works and I have to manually turn it off.

I ran a systems mechanic and it shows my memory at zero
and when I recover I only get about 48. The performance
area on properties on My Computer says I have 69%
resources available. The Swapfile was really high (I have
no idea if this matters). Here is what I have tried so
far:

Ran three (1 internet) virus scans, shut down everything
on startup except Explore & Systray, ran scan disk and
defrag. I seems a bit better for now - between 28 and 45
on the memory chart. The Swapfile is about a third of
what it was before.

Is this normal for ME? Is there something else I should
do to improve it more or at least make sure it stays where
it is?

Thank you so much
Susan

[Noel Paton]

If you want free memory - take it out and hang it on the wall!
Memory is designed to be used, and ME does a pretty efficient job of it.
69% resources free is pretty good - especially in a system running an AV.
The size of the swapfile will vary with the programs loaded - but is
unlikely to be less than 100MB at any time. DO NOT attempt to limit it in
any way.

You may have a virus/spyware hijack

download the Stinger from here and run it to make sure that A-V-disabling
viruses are not present on your PC
http://download.nai.com/products/mcafee-avert/stinger.exe

- update your virus scanner and run a full system scan of all files.

Reboot to Safe Mode and run CWShredder - to remove variants of the
CoolWebSearch hijacker.
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html

Use CWShredder, the removal tool:
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip
http://www.merijn.org/files/CWShredder.exe
http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads/tools/CWShredder.exe
http://www.zerosrealm.com/downloads/CWShredder.zip

download AdAware from www.lavasoftusa.com, install, update, and run it to
remove spyware, adware,
and other such nasties from your system.


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Susan" > wrote in message
...
> Hello - I have an Intel (r) family 6 model 7 processor,
> Windows ME, 128 ram, and DSL. All programs & browser
> windows run slow and freeze up so that not even ctrl-alt-
> del works and I have to manually turn it off.
>
> I ran a systems mechanic and it shows my memory at zero
> and when I recover I only get about 48. The performance
> area on properties on My Computer says I have 69%
> resources available. The Swapfile was really high (I have
> no idea if this matters). Here is what I have tried so
> far:
>
> Ran three (1 internet) virus scans, shut down everything
> on startup except Explore & Systray, ran scan disk and
> defrag. I seems a bit better for now - between 28 and 45
> on the memory chart. The Swapfile is about a third of
> what it was before.
>
> Is this normal for ME? Is there something else I should
> do to improve it more or at least make sure it stays where
> it is?
>
> Thank you so much
> Susan
>
>

[Susan]

I have no idea what the wall comment means? My programs
have suddenly started going slow or freezing up. I just
want them to work normally. I don't have games or
graphics, nor have I added anything that would account for
the memory being sucked up. I have tried everything you
said and more and I do not have any hijacks. Is there
someplace I can see what is taking what amount of memory
so I can identify the program?? Is my processor/memory in
need of repair?

Nothing has helped - it still says I have 69% resources
but only 1 mb of memory available.
Thank you
Susan


>-----Original Message-----
>If you want free memory - take it out and hang it on the
wall!
>Memory is designed to be used, and ME does a pretty
efficient job of it.
>69% resources free is pretty good - especially in a
system running an AV.
>The size of the swapfile will vary with the programs
loaded - but is
>unlikely to be less than 100MB at any time. DO NOT
attempt to limit it in
>any way.
>
>You may have a virus/spyware hijack
>
>download the Stinger from here and run it to make sure
that A-V-disabling
>viruses are not present on your PC
>http://download.nai.com/products/mcafee-avert/stinger.exe
>
>- update your virus scanner and run a full system scan of
all files.
>
>Reboot to Safe Mode and run CWShredder - to remove
variants of the
>CoolWebSearch hijacker.
>http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html
>
>Use CWShredder, the removal tool:
>http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip
>http://www.merijn.org/files/CWShredder.exe
>http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads/tools/CWShredder.exe
>http://www.zerosrealm.com/downloads/CWShredder.zip
>
>download AdAware from www.lavasoftusa.com, install,
update, and run it to
>remove spyware, adware,
>and other such nasties from your system.
>
>
>--
>Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)
>
>Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
>http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
>http://tinyurl.com/6oztj
>
>Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post
messages to NG's
>
>"Susan" > wrote in
message
...
>> Hello - I have an Intel (r) family 6 model 7 processor,
>> Windows ME, 128 ram, and DSL. All programs & browser
>> windows run slow and freeze up so that not even ctrl-
alt-
>> del works and I have to manually turn it off.
>>
>> I ran a systems mechanic and it shows my memory at zero
>> and when I recover I only get about 48. The performance
>> area on properties on My Computer says I have 69%
>> resources available. The Swapfile was really high (I
have
>> no idea if this matters). Here is what I have tried so
>> far:
>>
>> Ran three (1 internet) virus scans, shut down everything
>> on startup except Explore & Systray, ran scan disk and
>> defrag. I seems a bit better for now - between 28 and
45
>> on the memory chart. The Swapfile is about a third of
>> what it was before.
>>
>> Is this normal for ME? Is there something else I should
>> do to improve it more or at least make sure it stays
where
>> it is?
>>
>> Thank you so much
>> Susan
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>

[Mike M]

As Noel has already told you, unused memory is wasted memory and Win Me
has an excellent memory manager which will find a use for every byte of
RAM you throw at it. So FORGET about "free" memory or "unused" memory,
that's not your problem. There is one thing though that you can do that
Noel has already suggested you do and that is get rid of Norton System
Doctor. It is using scarce resources and doing NOTHING to help the
situation all the more so as you seem not to understand what it is telling
you. 69% free resources isn't bad and there is nothing, repeat nothing,
wrong with having just 1MB of memory "unused".
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Susan > wrote:

> I have no idea what the wall comment means? My programs
> have suddenly started going slow or freezing up. I just
> want them to work normally. I don't have games or
> graphics, nor have I added anything that would account for
> the memory being sucked up. I have tried everything you
> said and more and I do not have any hijacks. Is there
> someplace I can see what is taking what amount of memory
> so I can identify the program?? Is my processor/memory in
> need of repair?
>
> Nothing has helped - it still says I have 69% resources
> but only 1 mb of memory available.

[Susan]

I don't have Norton. Why would my programs and internet
slow down and then freeze up - that is my problem. It was
suggested to me that this was due to not having enough
memory, but if you are saying the memory is not the
problem then what is? It started doing it about a month
ago. This is why many people thought it was a virus but I
have run every program there is and there is no virus.
Sometimes I open one program and then the very next window
I open freezes it and nothing will unfreeze it except to
turn it off. That or everything goes at a snails pace.

Susan


>-----Original Message-----
>As Noel has already told you, unused memory is wasted
memory and Win Me
>has an excellent memory manager which will find a use for
every byte of
>RAM you throw at it. So FORGET about "free" memory
or "unused" memory,
>that's not your problem. There is one thing though that
you can do that
>Noel has already suggested you do and that is get rid of
Norton System
>Doctor. It is using scarce resources and doing NOTHING
to help the
>situation all the more so as you seem not to understand
what it is telling
>you. 69% free resources isn't bad and there is nothing,
repeat nothing,
>wrong with having just 1MB of memory "unused".
>--
>Mike Maltby MS-MVP

>
>
>Susan > wrote:
>
>> I have no idea what the wall comment means? My programs
>> have suddenly started going slow or freezing up. I just
>> want them to work normally. I don't have games or
>> graphics, nor have I added anything that would account
for
>> the memory being sucked up. I have tried everything you
>> said and more and I do not have any hijacks. Is there
>> someplace I can see what is taking what amount of memory
>> so I can identify the program?? Is my processor/memory
in
>> need of repair?
>>
>> Nothing has helped - it still says I have 69% resources
>> but only 1 mb of memory available.
>
>.
>

[Mike M]

Viruses are just one type of malware. You also need to check for trojans
and parasites. Apologies for my comment about Norton System Doctor, I
misread you reference to System Mechanic but my suggestion remains much
the same changing the word Doctor for Mechanic.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Susan > wrote:

> I don't have Norton. Why would my programs and internet
> slow down and then freeze up - that is my problem. It was
> suggested to me that this was due to not having enough
> memory, but if you are saying the memory is not the
> problem then what is? It started doing it about a month
> ago. This is why many people thought it was a virus but I
> have run every program there is and there is no virus.
> Sometimes I open one program and then the very next window
> I open freezes it and nothing will unfreeze it except to
> turn it off. That or everything goes at a snails pace.

[Susan]

You can make fun of any software you like, I don't have a
favorite. I have used three different trojan find
programs and did all the stuff Noel said to do on that
subject. So if it's a trojan it's a new one.

Any other ideas?


>-----Original Message-----
>Viruses are just one type of malware. You also need to
check for trojans
>and parasites. Apologies for my comment about Norton
System Doctor, I
>misread you reference to System Mechanic but my
suggestion remains much
>the same changing the word Doctor for Mechanic.
>--
>Mike Maltby MS-MVP

>
>
>Susan > wrote:
>
>> I don't have Norton. Why would my programs and internet
>> slow down and then freeze up - that is my problem. It
was
>> suggested to me that this was due to not having enough
>> memory, but if you are saying the memory is not the
>> problem then what is? It started doing it about a month
>> ago. This is why many people thought it was a virus
but I
>> have run every program there is and there is no virus.
>> Sometimes I open one program and then the very next
window
>> I open freezes it and nothing will unfreeze it except to
>> turn it off. That or everything goes at a snails pace.
>
>.
>

[Mike M]

Make fun of software? I haven't a clue what you might be referring all I
was saying is that neither System Doctor nor System Mechanic are going to
help you. Given your comment I feel it better to keep my ideas to myself
and let someone else help you.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Susan > wrote:

> You can make fun of any software you like, I don't have a
> favorite. I have used three different trojan find
> programs and did all the stuff Noel said to do on that
> subject. So if it's a trojan it's a new one.
>
> Any other ideas?

[Linda Lou]

Hi Susan;
You could have to many programs starting up at boot.
Go to start/run/msconfig/STARTUP and UNCHECK programs
ONLY... like Realplayer/realplayertray?office/etc...get my
drift? (Do not uncheck system files)
Click APPLY and OK and REBOOT.
When it reboots, a system configuration utility box will
come up saying you are in SELECTIVE STARTUP...Just click
OK and leave it that way!!
If you don't , all the programs you unchecked will reload
and you'll have the same problem.
They will still be available in start/programs to open
when you need them.
Sometimes MEMORY just fails: test it for free at the URL's
below:
ALSO>>>try this: http://www.simmtester.com/
or this: http://www.crucial.com/
You might want to consider adding more memory to your
computer.
Crucial.com will advise you about the best simm or dram
memory to buy for your computer!!
I hope this helped!
I had to tweak Win ME and my system resources are at about
48% right now...I am getting ready to buy additional
memory myself!
>-----Original Message-----
>Hello - I have an Intel (r) family 6 model 7 processor,
>Windows ME, 128 ram, and DSL. All programs & browser
>windows run slow and freeze up so that not even ctrl-alt-
>del works and I have to manually turn it off.
>
>I ran a systems mechanic and it shows my memory at zero
>and when I recover I only get about 48. The performance
>area on properties on My Computer says I have 69%
>resources available. The Swapfile was really high (I
have
>no idea if this matters). Here is what I have tried so
>far:
>
>Ran three (1 internet) virus scans, shut down everything
>on startup except Explore & Systray, ran scan disk and
>defrag. I seems a bit better for now - between 28 and 45
>on the memory chart. The Swapfile is about a third of
>what it was before.
>
>Is this normal for ME? Is there something else I should
>do to improve it more or at least make sure it stays
where
>it is?
>
>Thank you so much
>Susan
>
>
>.
>

[Noel Paton]

Linda Lou
Adding more memory will NOT help you with any System Resource problems - and
anyone who tells you otherwise has no idea what they're talking about.

If you've unchecked items in MSCONFIG, then fine - but how do you know that
you've unchecked the RIGHT ones?? - have you researched each entry??

look here for instructions on how to clean up your startup axis, preventing
unnecessary programs loading
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php

MSCONFIG is intended as a troubleshooting tool - NOT for long-term
corrections to the system, and you should always prevent programs from
loading at boot either by uninstalling them, using their own Preference
settings, or by proper procedures, rather than by 'hacking' the system in
this way, if at all possible.

From the content of your post, it's evident that you've attempted none of
the 'proper' procedures (including Anti-Virus and anti-Spyware programs and
scanning) - and I would suggest that if you did so, you may well find that
your System Resources would suddenly
return to a more realistic number!!

HTH

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2004, Win9x)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm
http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Linda Lou" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Susan;
> You could have to many programs starting up at boot.
> Go to start/run/msconfig/STARTUP and UNCHECK programs
> ONLY... like Realplayer/realplayertray?office/etc...get my
> drift? (Do not uncheck system files)
> Click APPLY and OK and REBOOT.
> When it reboots, a system configuration utility box will
> come up saying you are in SELECTIVE STARTUP...Just click
> OK and leave it that way!!
> If you don't , all the programs you unchecked will reload
> and you'll have the same problem.
> They will still be available in start/programs to open
> when you need them.
> Sometimes MEMORY just fails: test it for free at the URL's
> below:
> ALSO>>>try this: http://www.simmtester.com/
> or this: http://www.crucial.com/
> You might want to consider adding more memory to your
> computer.
> Crucial.com will advise you about the best simm or dram
> memory to buy for your computer!!
> I hope this helped!
> I had to tweak Win ME and my system resources are at about
> 48% right now...I am getting ready to buy additional
> memory myself!
>>-----Original Message-----
>>Hello - I have an Intel (r) family 6 model 7 processor,
>>Windows ME, 128 ram, and DSL. All programs & browser
>>windows run slow and freeze up so that not even ctrl-alt-
>>del works and I have to manually turn it off.
>>
>>I ran a systems mechanic and it shows my memory at zero
>>and when I recover I only get about 48. The performance
>>area on properties on My Computer says I have 69%
>>resources available. The Swapfile was really high (I
> have
>>no idea if this matters). Here is what I have tried so
>>far:
>>
>>Ran three (1 internet) virus scans, shut down everything
>>on startup except Explore & Systray, ran scan disk and
>>defrag. I seems a bit better for now - between 28 and 45
>>on the memory chart. The Swapfile is about a third of
>>what it was before.
>>
>>Is this normal for ME? Is there something else I should
>>do to improve it more or at least make sure it stays
> where
>>it is?
>>
>>Thank you so much
>>Susan
>>
>>
>>.
>>