Installed AT&T Any Connection Plan ? That
is what that particular file name maps to.
Maybe when that software installed, it adds
a Startup item or something ? This program
may have been associated with keeping an AT&T
email address, while using some other kind of
high speed Internet service.
C:\Program Files\AT&T\ACP\programs\wnpca.exe
Depending on how entwined that software is, with
the rest of the system operation, you should be
careful before trying to uninstall it. You may
know more about this software, than other people
do. The comments here, would make me a bit
timid before attacking that file. Use your
best judgment.
http://forums.techguy.org/windows-nt-2000-xp/222769-wnpca.html
*******
To test a system for memory problems, you can start
with a stand alone memory testing program. This
one, for example, runs from a floppy or a CD.
There is no OS present, while the test runs, so
most of the memory in the computer is tested.
But it isn't the best test, for finding slight
problems with memory. Microsoft even offers their
own kind of memory tester, which works on the same
principles. I run the first test for two full passes,
before pressing the escape key, to reboot the computer
to the hard drive. (Remove the floppy or CD, so
memtest won't be booted a second time.)
http://www.memtest.org/
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
If a test like that is clean, the next test
is a stress tester program, that runs while
you're in WinXP. Prime95 runs an execution
thread per processor core. It does a math
calculation with a known answer, which is
how the program can determine there is
something wrong with CPU/Northbridge/RAM.
It is not a diagnostic like "replace RAM
stick #2" - it just reports there was an
error, and leaves it to the user to figure
out why the error occurred. I find the test
is a sensitive one.
http://majorgeeks.com/Prime95_d4363.html
Unpack the program and run the executable.
It will prompt you the first time, whether
you are using the program just for stress
testing ("torture test"). That is the test
you want to run. It will run for hours and
hours. I'm generally happy, if no errors are
reported in a period of four hours. Then
I select "stop" and then "exit" from the
menu, to unload the program and free up
the RAM. The program has a "custom" option,
where you can decrease the amount of memory
the program will be testing, leaving enough
memory to continue working while the test
runs. For example, I've run Prime95, while
typing like I'm doing right now.
Memory can go bad, just sitting there. I had
some good quality RAM which ran for two years,
and then one day, an entire memory chip on the
module died. It tied the computer in knots.
It took some shifting around of RAM modules
and testing, before I could figure it all out.
So memory can fail, even after it has behaved
nicely for a period of time. Science tells
us, that memory does not wear out, so what
can I say
*******
The above considers the mechanical workings
of the memory, and whether it is healthy or not.
There are other reasons a computer can freeze,
and if the memory module(s) aren't bad, then
it can be quite difficult to sort out a
bad driver or whatever. The Event Viewer,
is intended to show serious errors when they
occur, but a freeze frequently doesn't leave
a calling card. The Task Manager (control-alt-delete)
is another place to look for hints.
There are technical means, for finding freezes.
In electronics labs, they have equipment like
logic analysers, that can watch the detailed
operations of the processor, and take tiny snapshots
in time. Even with test equipment, tracing down
a root cause, may take up to a couple of weeks,
to prepare a test case that reliably repeats
the problem. But at least you have a "microscope"
to look at stuff with in the lab. At home, you don't
have anything to use.
Paul
