computer is running slow

[DaiShan]

I was having some problems yesterday with counter-strike lagging even though I had a 60 ping and 85fps, so I decided to reformat (was time anyways) I saved some important files, and did a clean install of win 98 se, I have everything installed, but now it is running slow, it takes longer than usual to open up things in "my computer" and on the internet it takes like 1 min to load a page (I have dsl and on my other comps the same sites take less than 10 seconds to load completely)
SPECS:
abit kt7a with v4.37 4 in 1's
tbird 1.2ghz @ 1.2ghz
visiontek gf2 ultra 64 meg
hercules GTXP
seagate cheetah 10krpm 18gb (for windows, and programs)
maxtor 45gb 7200 rpm (for data storage)
a 50x cd-rom
and a 10X8X32 cd-rw
Linksys wireless LAN
I am running windows 98 se.

I have the windows patch for amd processors, and the usb filter patch, anyone have any ideas on what the problem is? (I just finished a defragment on drive c:\) I tried unplugging my maxtor drive to see if that was holding me back, but it wasn't.

 

[minendo]

Any chance you have a program running that is suffering a memory leak?

 

[DaiShan]

I only have drivers running for my devices (video, and wireless network card) and sys mem is at 90% I think this hard drive might be dying, not sure though, yesterday before I reformatted I started getting windows protection faults before it would get to windows, it took like 3 times to even get in, and even then I had suffered some file loss (some drivers were just plain gone) I know that corruption of data can be a sign that the hard drive is dying...I have run scandisk and it hasn't turned anything up yet..hope this thing dies quickly I only have like 2 more months on warranty.

 

[minendo]

<< I have run scandisk and it hasn't turned anything up yet..hope this thing dies quickly I only have like 2 more months on warranty. >>


Why don't you call the company and tell them that the drive is on its way out and see if they will allow an RMA? When my Maxtor drive started to go the just let me RMA it.

 

[Pundit]

DaiShan, I had something similar happen to me. It turned out it was a bad memory module. Have you tried checking yours?

 

[DaiShan]

just checked RAM with a known working 256 mb pc-133 from crucial, problem persists, which leads me to 1 last question, what are some known causes for windows protection faults? (was getting them quite frequently the day the original problems began to manifest, causing me to reformat, is it the same thing as when data corrupts (hdd is developing bad sectors and could be on the way out?)

 

[DaiShan]

ok this time on windows install it took an extrmely long time after format to run the setup wizzard, it locked up once, and got through it the second time, but upon the first reboot I got a BSOD regarding a fatal exception cased at 0c then some other numbers (if you think it is relevant I will post, but I really only have a small question) do you think it is the hard drive or the RAM, I did test with a fresh stick, and was having the same speed problem in windows, but the BSOD on setup makes me wonder....