Need Computer Help (vanity)

6/9/06 | Lucky9teen

[Lucky9teen]

I've got a problem with my home computer and I was wondering if someone could help me?

My system is: AMD Anthlon Processor 1.24GHz, 384MB of RAM Windows XP Prof with SP2 Cox Cable (ISP)

Everything was working fine until about a week ago. And it only happens when I start a browser (Internet Explorer and Firefox), but my system will hang and lock up while web pages load and it takes forever for them to load up, worse than if I had dial up.

My curser will also disappear for a while and if I try to toggle between other applications, everything just bogs way down and it takes forever to get to the other application. Once the browser is open, it is fine, but as soon as I browse to other pages, it takes forever to load them and bogs my computer down. Without a browser open, my other applications run fine and are not slow at all.

Solutions I have tried to no avail:

Restoring my computer to a month ago, Installing IE 7 Beta 2, to see if that would fix anything, and no it didn't I installed Firefox to see if it was IE and Firefox did it too Ran MS Anti-Spyware, LavaSoft Ad AwareSE and Spybot and removed all that they found, and it still has the problem.

I have Grisoft AVG (free edition) Anti-Virus and have done scans to find any virus and nothing was found.

WTF? It's at the point I feel like formatting my drive and reinstalling windows, but I feel that's kind of drastic and don't want to go that far unless I have to.

[Lucky9teen]

I know that some of you are very knowledgable on this kind of thing, so I hope you could offer some help.

Thank you, Lucky9teen

[Niteranger68]

What kind of virus/spyware/adware programs are you running and have you scanned with then since this happened? Also, do you use a file cleaner like Window Washer or CCleaner?

[Teflonic]

Try to isolate your connection hardware (nic, hub, router)with a second computer if you have one so you can troubleshoot each to see if that is causing your problem. Just watching the little activity lights could give you a clue if it's hardware related.

[Landru]

Try one of these places:

http://www.techguy.org/?

http://www.geekstogo.com/

http://www.thetechboard.com/

...no charge. {g}

[red-dawg]

You are running out of memory. 384 mb isn't enough.

[conservativewasp]

Anti-virus and firewall software will do this. More RAM might fix it, we had to remove our firewall and anti-virus software from an older system. I've heard of this happening on newer/faster boxes also. Remove them, reboot, see if problem is solved, try another vendors solution.

[ShadowAce]

Tech Supoprt Ping

[Turbopilot]

More memory always helps, but since this problem started suddenly I think it's more likely malicious software that's infected your machine.

Had you installed any software, especially anything like a game, screensaver, or music downloaded from a file-sharing service, around the time the problem started?

There is a tool called HijackThis that is particularly efficient at finding malware, but it needs its results interpreted by someone who knows what to look for. It can be downloaded from this link. If you'd like to see whether you may have something malicious lurking on your system, you can download this tool to your computer, unzip and run it, select "Do a system scan and save a logfile", and FRmail me the contents of the logfile (which will pop up in a Notepad window).

[TheOracleAtLilac]

Start > run & type in msconfig

Go to startup tab

what's listed other than AV, firewall, anti spy & Cox ?

[Lucky9teen]

I have scanned with Spybot, Microsoft Defender, MS Anti-Spyware and LavaSoft Ad Aware SE and removed all the files they found. But still have the problem.

I have used CCleaner before, but not lately. I'll try that and Window Washer. Thanx

[Lucky9teen]

I don't have a second computer to try the testing you suggesting.

However, all the lights on my cable modem are lit up and working properly, as they should. I even opened up a command prompt and released and renewed my ip to see if that helped, but it didn't change anything.

[Lucky9teen]

You are running out of memory. 384 mb isn't enough

Could you tell me, how I can tell what memory and how much I am able to put into my computer?

[Niteranger68]

Another good program for finding registry related bugs is RegSeeker.

http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

You might also want to clear/defrag/rebuild your virtual memory. It's much easier than it sounds. Let me know if you need instructions.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Download and run a free utility called "HiJackThis!".

Then take the output and post it to any one of dozens of forums or websites populated by folks who can scan through to detect registry entries or Browser Helper Objects (BHOs) that do not belong.

HJT can then be used to delete the offending nasties...if found.

[Lucky9teen]

You might also want to clear/defrag/rebuild your virtual memory. It's much easier than it sounds. Let me know if you need instructions.

I'm game...bring it on

[Niteranger68]

clear/defrag/rebuild your virtual memory

Right-click (RC) on My Computer. Left-click (LC) "Properties". LC "Advance Tab". LC "Performance Options". LC "Change". Change "Initial Size" to 0. Change "Maximum Size" to 0. LC "Set. Reboot. Run Defrag on the hard drive with the OS. When finished, repeat the initial instructions, but change "Initial Size" & "Maximum Size" to about 1.5x your RAM. LC "Set". Reboot. Now you have a fresh page file (V-mem).

[Lucky9teen]

change "Initial Size" & "Maximum Size" to about 1.5x your RAM. When you say 1.5x RAM, can you elaborate? My RAM is 384MB, so what would that be for me?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Check your motherboard manufacturing website for specs on your board....open the box and look at the memory slots,....two or three?

[red-dawg]

If your system is needing to use virtual memory then you are in fact running out of real memory.
Virtual memory is the system using disk space on your hard drive to accomplish tasks because it is out of memory,
and the hard drive is the slowest part of your computer.

If you need to add memory to your system, you will have to shut it down and pull the cover off and look for
available slots on the motherboard. You will also need to "match" the type of memory your system already has installed.
If you have never done this before I would advise taking it to a pc shop.

[Niteranger68]

RAM is 384MB, so what would that be for me?

576 MB