Hard Drive Spins When it Shouldn't

[Bruce]

Hi,

I've got an XPHome machine, 2.4 MHz, 512MB RAM, and 60 GB hard drive. I
keep the drive clean (defragged, etc.), continuously run a virus
scanner, and I use AdAware to clean spyware. The XP supplied firewall
is always on.

Here's my 'problem'. This one's got me stumpped.

I have been running the current version of AOL Instant Messenger for
many months. Recently, the IM message window began to move jerkily as I
drag it across the screen. I can see it trail as I move it. In
addition, when I drag it around, the hard drive spins. I can hear the
drive, and the drive light goes on whenever I move the message window.
(The buddy list, however, moves smoothly when I drag it across the
screen and the hard drive doesn't spin.)

This never happened before, nor does it occur on my other machines. All
other windows, i.e IE, OE, etc., move smoothly, too. This happens only
with my IM message window on this machine.

I suppose that most window movements occur in ram, but why does the IM
message window now seem to be accessing the hard drive when it is moved?

I uninstalled and reinstalled IM, scanned for viruses, and deleted any
spyware, but this didn't help. I also did a restore to a point when the IM
message window was acting correctly.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Bruce

 

[JAD]

do you add and delete many files? have you defragged lately
have you cleared any LOG files that the messenger software may create?

 

[Andrew Z Carpenter]

Try having a look with Diskmon or Filemon from www.sysinternals.com

 

[Bruce]

Try having a look with Diskmon or Filemon from www.sysinternals.com

Andrew,

I loaded up filemon.exe from sysinternals. I then dragged my IM message
window across the screen and saw that immdiately thereafter, McAfee
ViruScan Online did a read/write to the hard drive

First I move the IM message window:

7:45:16 PM aim.exe:1932 IRP_MJ_SET_INFORMATION C:\Documents and
Settings\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Length: 8192
7:45:16 PM aim.exe:1932 IRP_MJ_SET_INFORMATION C:\Documents and
Settings\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Length: 8192

Then McAfee does this:

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_SET_INFORMATION C:\Documents
and Settings\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Length: 12288

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_WRITE C:\Documents and Settings
\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Offset: 0 Length: 512

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_FLUSH_BUFFERS C:\Documents and
Settings\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_WRITE* C:\$LogFile SUCCESS
Offset: 51556352 Length: 4096

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_WRITE* C:\$LogFile SUCCESS
Offset: 12288 Length: 4096

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_WRITE C:\Documents and Settings
\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Offset: 512 Length: 1536

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_WRITE C:\Documents and Settings
\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Offset: 2048 Length: 4096

7:45:16 PM mcvsftsn.exe:220 IRP_MJ_WRITE C:\Documents and Settings
\DEFAULT\ntuser.dat.LOG SUCCESS Offset: 6144 Length: 4096

I can't interpret this, so I disabled McAfee, but the same thing occurred
when I moved the IM message window. This has me double stumpped.

Next, I uninstalled McAfee, and the the problem was gone. That is, the
IM message window moved smoothly as before. I reinstalled McAfee, and
the problem came back. Oh, well. This is something I'll just have to
live with, I guess.

Thanks for the referral to filemon.

Sincerley,
Bruce

 

[JAD]

or dump Messafee and try something else freeware AVG is good