My computer keeps running out of resources after an hour or two.

[john246]

Hi,

I have had 3 computers now. My first one use to run out of resource quite quick. The second one, which I am still using is 1.4gb and still runs very low in resource rather to quickly. I then have another computer that I have just brought and that also runs out of resources. This new computer is 2.7gb.

I don't know what is causing the problem. I don't know if there is some sort of hardware you need to buy for them so that this stops happening of if it is my windows package that I am using.

I am using MS Office 98.

Do I need to upgrade my software package or is it the hardware.

If I need to upgrade my software will I still receive errors saying your computer is low in resources.

Thanks!

 

[imported_Kensai]

Spyware. Virtual memory settings. Page file settings. Memory capacity.

 

[pibb]

download Freeram XP Pro, its free and keeps lower memory machines running well, ive used it for awhile now and have put it on all older machines I sell off

 

[fuzzynavel]

Originally posted by: pibb
download Freeram XP Pro, its free and keeps lower memory machines running well, ive used it for awhile now and have put it on all older machines I sell off

There is a fair chance that if he is using office '98...(does such a thing exist?) or does he mean windows '98 that freeram XP won't work....since that is for win XP...

Going by the opening post...he isn't too clued up on hardware so he probably has a 2.7Gb?? (GHz maybe) PC with 128MB RAM and shared graphics...who knows!!!

Any chance of some more details about your computers??

What do you mean by "runs out of resources"?? does it get slow....does it hang/BSOD(Blue Screen Of Death)
If it just slows down then some more RAM may be in order....

You could also try scanning for viruses and spyware...... to see what you find...

 

[john246]

OK!

I do know quite a bit about computers, but as I was posting the thread quite quickly, I had write things wrong.

The main computer that I am having problems with is a 1.4 GHz with 128 mb ram. The other computer, which still runs low on resources mainly when using the Internet and IE with about 10 windows open is my main computer. It is a 2.7 GHz with 512 mb ram.

I have installed the FreeRAM XP Pro 1.40 on both computers and it seems to be freeing up my Ram that use to get swallowed up and never returned untill I restarted my machine.

Although this piece of software seems to work. I find that my slower computer when restarted is at about 13% RAM and about 52% LOAD. When I open and run a few programs, which I need running like PHP, MySQL and Apache servers, plus a few windows and a few notpads open my resources become dangerously low.

RAM: 0 - 3% continuously and LOAD: 65-68% continously.

The only thing that I will have to do now is to run this software and also search my computer for things that are being used, which are not needed. For example, things that automatically run when I startup my computer, which doesn't need to be their.

I will also do another spyware scam another day and will also defragment my computer as I have not done that once this year yet.

 

[hsjC]

Check taks manager to see what processes are chewing up ur resources.
Once u know that, maybe try to find if there's any compatibility problems,
both hardware and software.
There should be no way for ur 2.7Ghz computer to act like that. Have u
tried re-installing the whole system?

 

[imported_BikeDude]

Originally posted by: john246
I have installed the FreeRAM XP Pro 1.40 on both computers and it seems to be freeing up my Ram that use to get swallowed up and never returned untill I restarted my machine.

Uninstall FreeRAM (sounds like placebo/snakeoil to me), whip out good ol' Performance Monitor, monitor various memory related items, and finally apply a counter to each process and see if any of them keep on allocating memory. (perfmon can be set to log activity over time, which is perhaps the most useful approach if it takes more than five minutes before the problems manifest themselves)

Now, when you say "out of resource" message, what you're really saying is that you get a "Low on virtual memory" message?

32-bit Windows XP's default desktop heap size is 3MB (covers about 30 instances of IE loaded with a normal webpage), GDI and User handle count is limited to 65536 (each), and each process is allocated a quota of 10000 (by default) GDI and User handles respectively. These resources are limited as you can tell, so when you say "resources" you could be referring to these for all I know. Naturally a leak in any of these static pools will cause issues that aren't resolved by installing more memory (or running third-party snake oil products). Perfmon will let you keep an eye on handle counts.

As for Office98, it installs two suspect components. There's that fastfind thing (look in the startup folder I think) and then there's that horrible Office toolbar. I've never allowed any of them to run on my computers, so for all I know they could be leaking resources like mad. Install autoruns from http://sysinternals.com/ and investigate each and every component that is launched automatically somehow. Starting with those that aren't signed.

YMMV, but not to the extent you're seeing.

 

[fuzzynavel]

"" OK!

I do know quite a bit about computers, but as I was posting the thread quite quickly, I had write things wrong. ""

Sorry about that!! I can only say what I see and got it wrong this time....

What OS is the 1.4GHz running???

if it is win XP then I am not surprised you are having problems.....min spec is 256MB just for windows XP

""Although this piece of software seems to work. I find that my slower computer when restarted is at about 13% RAM and about 52% LOAD. When I open and run a few programs, which I need running like PHP, MySQL and Apache servers, plus a few windows and a few notpads open my resources become dangerously low. ""

I think a RAM upgrade from 512MB would work wonders for you.......you obviously multi task quite a lot and if the computer is constantly swapping from RAM to Virtual RAM on the HD then slowness will follow....or get yourslef up to 2GB and then disable the virtual page file totally.....much speed!

 

[timswim78]

Try this:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com

It is a free online scanner that checks for lots of spyware, malware, viruses and etc. If there is a bad thing on your system, there is a very good chance that this scanner will fidn and correct it.