USB and Memory problem

[bpablo]

MotherBoard: ASUS A7A266
Processor Athlon Tbird 1.33 GHz
RAM: 256 MB PC133
Video Card: Matrox Millenium

This is my strange problem. About two weeks ago. I noticed my resources started were getting depleted. I'd have almost nothing run and about 30% memory usage within a half an hour I'd be up 90% without turning on a single problem. I decided to try update the BIOS, there was no change. So reformated the and installed ME (was running 98SE). The memory problem was still there. Then I noticed that the USB wasn't working any more. In fact the Device manager doesnt show it even being there. USB is enable in the BIOS. What I don't know is if it stop working after the BIOS upgrade because I didn't use it that often. Also during that time I was in the process of moving so of course I cant find my backup of my old BIOS. In any case the resource problem still exsist and I really not sure what direction to take. Since every thing was wiped out my guess is hardware, but it not like I have spares of each component lying around.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Theslowone]

Have you tried to put the settings back to defualt in the bios?
This sounds like a very strange problem. What programs do you normally run on your computer? and what icons are beside your clock when you first boot up?

 

[bpablo]

The only program that I have there is alarmZone, HotSync (for my palm), and my instant messengers. But I have turned all those off and it doesnt correct the resource problem.

 

[Theslowone]

Do you notice a performance hit when it drops so much?

Games slow down, songs or movies seems sluggish?

 

[bpablo]

Very much so, applications open very slowly. I have to restart the computer. Even if I turn off everything running in the background, my resource dont return. So if I play a game I get to play it for maybe a half hour, burn maybe one CD at half the speed. This problem started only a couple a weeks ago. Figured it could be a program I was running so I reformatted the drive and even with on ME on it the same problem was occuring.