very low memory

[Wiley]

My computer has been running slowly, so I used a utility (Comcast Desktop
Doctor) to check its health. It said that only 9% of my 512MB of memory was
available. I purchased a Registry Sweep download and ran it. The available
memory jumped to 23%. The next day, though, it was back down to 12%. I went
into MSCONFIG and turned off some of the programs that were loading at
Start-Up. This morning, my available memory was down to 8%. Now it's reading
16%. Clearly, its jumping all over the place. With 512MB of memory
installed, shouldn't my available memory be a lot higher than 8 to 20%? I'm
running Trend Micro PC-cillin with a nightly scan, so I don't believe I'm
infected. What should my next step be?

 

[DL]

Scan for malaware
MS Defender, SpyBot and Adaware use all three

 

[Malke]

My computer has been running slowly, so I used a utility (Comcast
Desktop Doctor) to check its health. It said that only 9% of my 512MB
of memory was available. I purchased a Registry Sweep download and ran
it. The available memory jumped to 23%. The next day, though, it was
back down to 12%. I went into MSCONFIG and turned off some of the
programs that were loading at Start-Up. This morning, my available
memory was down to 8%. Now it's reading 16%. Clearly, its jumping all
over the place. With 512MB of memory installed, shouldn't my available
memory be a lot higher than 8 to 20%? I'm running Trend Micro
PC-cillin with a nightly scan, so I don't believe I'm infected. What
should my next step be?

The very last things I would have done would be to run a Comcast utility
and buy a registry cleaner. No, not even the last things - I would
*never* have done that.

The very first things I would have done would be to scan for malware and
viruses. PC-cillin is not one of my favorite antiviruses, but if the
subscription is current and the version is recent it will do. It will
not, however, catch non-viral malware.

Start troubleshooting by going through these general malware removal
steps systematically -
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Include scanning with either Sysclean or Multi_AV, plus Ewido. Do all
prep/finishing work and follow instructions to do all scans in Safe
Mode.

Once you know the machine is really clean, if you are still having
problems do clean-boot troubleshooting:

Clean boot in Windows XP - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

Clean-boot advanced troubleshooting in Windows XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP -
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310560

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a professional
computer repair shop (not your local version of BigStoreUSA).

Malke

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My computer has been running slowly, so I used a utility (Comcast
Desktop Doctor) to check its health. It said that only 9% of my 512MB
of memory was available.

Good! Wanting to minimize the amount of memory Windows uses is a
counterproductive desire. Windows is designed to use all, or nearly all, of
your memory, all the time, and that's good not bad. Free memory is wasted
memory. You paid for it all and shouldn't want to see any of it wasted.

Windows works hard to find a use for all the memory you have all the time.
For example if your apps don't need some of it, it will use that part for
caching, then give it back when your apps later need it. In this way Windows
keeps all your memory working for you all the time.

I purchased a Registry Sweep download and
ran it.

Ugh! You're playing with fire. I always recommend against the routine use
of registry cleaners. Routine cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is
dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use a registry cleaner.
Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning
software try to convince you of, having unused registry
entries doesn't really hurt you.

The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously
removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may
have.

The available memory jumped to 23%. The next day, though, it
was back down to 12%. I went into MSCONFIG and turned off some of the
programs that were loading at Start-Up. This morning, my available
memory was down to 8%. Now it's reading 16%. Clearly, its jumping all
over the place. With 512MB of memory installed, shouldn't my
available memory be a lot higher than 8 to 20%?

No it shouldn't. See above.

I'm running Trend
Micro PC-cillin with a nightly scan, so I don't believe I'm infected.
What should my next step be?

Look elsewhere for your slowdown problems. You talk about an anti-virus
program, but you say nothing about anti-spyware. Perhaps the most common
cause of a slowdown these days is spyware. Go to
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware and follow
the instructions there.

 

[Dave B.]

I'll second Ken's reply, unused RAM is wasted RAM, and stay away from
registry cleaners!

 

[Pop`]

My computer has been running slowly, so I used a utility (Comcast
Desktop Doctor) to check its health. It said that only 9% of my 512MB
of memory was available. I purchased a Registry Sweep download and
ran it. The available memory jumped to 23%. The next day, though, it
was back down to 12%. I went into MSCONFIG and turned off some of the
programs that were loading at Start-Up. This morning, my available
memory was down to 8%. Now it's reading 16%. Clearly, its jumping all
over the place. With 512MB of memory installed, shouldn't my
available memory be a lot higher than 8 to 20%? I'm running Trend
Micro PC-cillin with a nightly scan, so I don't believe I'm infected.
What should my next step be?

Contrary to much of the advice given so far, the RAM memory figures you have
are normal. Windows intentionally uses as much memory as possible in order
to have as much info at hand as possible for whatever you might want to do
next. It looks at what has been done and tries to guess what might be next,
sort of, and loads that into memory. It's part of the speed of XP (when
it's there<g>).
The 9% "available", wherever you get that from, is a serious misnomer.
As soon as more memory is needed, XP will either already have it ready, or
will grab it off the drive as it needs it, replacing some of the "in case"
memory already there. So the free memory numbers do and will stay low.

In other words, RAM memory is most likely not the reason for it being slow.
The advice to scan for malware is OK, and useful, but at this point it's
also not known that it's the problem - it's sort of a shot-gun approach to
the problem.

For more targetted help, post more information. Quantify what "slow" means.
How slow IS slow? What is working slow? What's not slow? Any programs
that don't run? Any error messages at any time? processor, drive space
free, etc etc etc.?

Pop`

 

[Phil Weldon]

'Pop`' wrote:
| Contrary to much of the advice given so far,
_____

Do you actually READ previous replies before posting? The replies which
included

'DL': "scan for malware"

'Malke': "The very first things I would have done would be to scan for
malware and
viruses."

'Ken Blake': "Wanting to minimize the amount of memory Windows uses is a
counterproductive desire."

'Dave B.': "I'll second Ken's reply, unused RAM is wasted RAM, and stay
away from
registry cleaners!"

NONE of these replies are contrary to your statement "RAM memory figures you
have are normal."

Phil Weldon


| Contrary to much of the advice given so far, the RAM memory figures you
have
| are normal. Windows intentionally uses as much memory as possible in
order
| to have as much info at hand as possible for whatever you might want to do
| next. It looks at what has been done and tries to guess what might be
next,
| sort of, and loads that into memory. It's part of the speed of XP (when
| it's there<g>).
| The 9% "available", wherever you get that from, is a serious misnomer.
| As soon as more memory is needed, XP will either already have it ready, or
| will grab it off the drive as it needs it, replacing some of the "in case"
| memory already there. So the free memory numbers do and will stay low.
|
| In other words, RAM memory is most likely not the reason for it being
slow.
| The advice to scan for malware is OK, and useful, but at this point it's
| also not known that it's the problem - it's sort of a shot-gun approach to
| the problem.
|
| For more targetted help, post more information. Quantify what "slow"
means.
| How slow IS slow? What is working slow? What's not slow? Any programs
| that don't run? Any error messages at any time? processor, drive space
| free, etc etc etc.?
|
| Pop`
|
|

 

[Guest]

Well, there are two places to start.
1) go to Start > Run > type in DCOMCNFG

Click on Componet Services > Computers > My Computer

Right Click on My Computer and go to properties

Select the tab "Default Properties" (This is the important part)
It should be check marked "Enable Distributed Com on this computer
Default Authenication Level should be "Connect"
Default Impersonation Level should be "Identity"

Next click on the tab "COM Security"

Click 1st Edit Default button
You should see Self and System

Click on 2nd Edit default button
You should see Administrators, Interactive and System

If all that is OK go to the next step

Check under the event log under Application and System, see if there are any
events since that last reboot that has a red X, read them and see if you can
figure out what is causing the problem. Sometimes it will tell you what needs
to be fixed.

 

[Phil Weldon]

'To Old To ..." wrote, in part:
| Well, there are two places to start.
| 1) go to Start > Run > type in DCOMCNFG
_____

What thread did you mean to post in?

Phil Weldon

| Well, there are two places to start.
| 1) go to Start > Run > type in DCOMCNFG
|
| Click on Componet Services > Computers > My Computer
|
| Right Click on My Computer and go to properties
|
| Select the tab "Default Properties" (This is the important part)
| It should be check marked "Enable Distributed Com on this computer
| Default Authenication Level should be "Connect"
| Default Impersonation Level should be "Identity"
|
| Next click on the tab "COM Security"
|
| Click 1st Edit Default button
| You should see Self and System
|
| Click on 2nd Edit default button
| You should see Administrators, Interactive and System
|
| If all that is OK go to the next step
|
| Check under the event log under Application and System, see if there are
any
| events since that last reboot that has a red X, read them and see if you
can
| figure out what is causing the problem. Sometimes it will tell you what
needs
| to be fixed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| "Phil Weldon" wrote:
|
| > 'Pop`' wrote:
| > | Contrary to much of the advice given so far,
| > _____
| >
| > Do you actually READ previous replies before posting? The replies which
| > included
| >
| > 'DL': "scan for malware"
| >
| > 'Malke': "The very first things I would have done would be to scan for
| > malware and
| > viruses."
| >
| > 'Ken Blake': "Wanting to minimize the amount of memory Windows uses is
a
| > counterproductive desire."
| >
| > 'Dave B.': "I'll second Ken's reply, unused RAM is wasted RAM, and stay
| > away from
| > registry cleaners!"
| >
| > NONE of these replies are contrary to your statement "RAM memory figures
you
| > have are normal."
| >
| > Phil Weldon
| >
| >
| > | > | Contrary to much of the advice given so far, the RAM memory figures
you
| > have
| > | are normal. Windows intentionally uses as much memory as possible in
| > order
| > | to have as much info at hand as possible for whatever you might want
to do
| > | next. It looks at what has been done and tries to guess what might be
| > next,
| > | sort of, and loads that into memory. It's part of the speed of XP
(when
| > | it's there<g>).
| > | The 9% "available", wherever you get that from, is a serious
misnomer.
| > | As soon as more memory is needed, XP will either already have it
ready, or
| > | will grab it off the drive as it needs it, replacing some of the "in
case"
| > | memory already there. So the free memory numbers do and will stay low.
| > |
| > | In other words, RAM memory is most likely not the reason for it being
| > slow.
| > | The advice to scan for malware is OK, and useful, but at this point
it's
| > | also not known that it's the problem - it's sort of a shot-gun
approach to
| > | the problem.
| > |
| > | For more targetted help, post more information. Quantify what "slow"
| > means.
| > | How slow IS slow? What is working slow? What's not slow? Any
programs
| > | that don't run? Any error messages at any time? processor, drive
space
| > | free, etc etc etc.?
| > |
| > | Pop`
| > |
| > |
| >
| >
| >