Vanishing hard disk space

  • Thread starter Thread starter JoeSpareBedroom
  • Start date Start date
JoeSpareBedroom said:
I'll keep this in mind. I wonder, though, if any of these utilities would
even be able to run with disk space as low as it was, along with a fair
amount of disk thrashing.
Click to expand...

Sequoiaview has to scan the disk, to build a graphical representation.
So that might compete with something doing thrashing. It seems to be
holding a fair amount of info in memory. The footprint is 32MB after
it finished scanning my C: drive. It releases the memory, if it
scans another partition. After scanning my H: partition, memory
usage dropped to 8MB or so. I tried looking to see if it creates
temporary files, and haven't been able to find any yet.

Paul
 
Per JoeSpareBedroom:
inXP Pro SP2
500 mb of RAM
18 gb hard disk with around 4gb free

Got a warning last night that I was running out of hard disk space. Checked
My Computer & found I was down to around 200 *MEGABYTES*. My first thought
was "That's interesting". Actually, that's not what I thought, but there
might be kids here, so use your imagination.
Click to expand...

I got nailed by this a couple months ago.

#2 daughter calls from 80+ miles away that C: is out of space.

Having drilled it into everybody that they shouldn't ever save
data to C:, I was mystified.

Looking at the PC in person, I found that Windows Automatic
Updates had, over a period of many months, eaten up C: with the
"$NtUninstall...$" files.

After that one, I installed the freebie version of TeamViewer on
everybody's PC so I could take a look without driving to the box.
 
(PeteCresswell) said:
Per JoeSpareBedroom:

I got nailed by this a couple months ago.

#2 daughter calls from 80+ miles away that C: is out of space.

Having drilled it into everybody that they shouldn't ever save
data to C:, I was mystified.

Looking at the PC in person, I found that Windows Automatic
Updates had, over a period of many months, eaten up C: with the
"$NtUninstall...$" files.
Click to expand...


I've moved all of those to a backup CD *and* my external HD, for exactly
this reason.
 
I've moved all of those to a backup CD *and* my external HD, for exactly
this reason.
Click to expand...

What do you know so far in terms of explanations, JoeSpareBedroom?

It is hard to fix something that is not broken though, so play
detective.

What time "last night" did this happen and have you checked the Event
Log for clues (instructions below)? Sounds like you know when if was
okay, then you saw it was broken and then it was okay again. If this
is all the case, then something must have happened.

Too much speculation, not enough information:

To eliminate questions and guessing, please provide additional
information about your system.

Click Start, Run and in the box enter:

msinfo32

Click OK, and when the System Summary info appears, click Edit, Select
All, Copy and then paste
the information back here.

There will be some personal information (like System Name and User
Name), and whatever appears to
be private information to you, just delete it from the pasted
information.

Perform some scans for malicious software, then fix any remaining
issues:

Download, install, update and do a full scan with these free malware
detection programs:

Malwarebytes (MBAM): http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware: (SAS): http://www.superantispyware.com/

They can be uninstalled later if desired.

Look in the Event Viewer for clues around the time of the incident.

Here is a method to post the specific information about individual
events.

To see the Event Viewer logs, click Start, Settings, Control Panel,
Administrative Tools, Event Viewer.

A shortcut to Event Viewer is to click Start, Run and in the box
enter:

%SystemRoot%\system32\eventvwr.msc /s

Click OK to launch the Event Viewer.

The most interesting logs are usually the Application and System.
Some logs may be almost or completely empty.
Not every event is a problem, some are informational messages that
things are working okay and some are warnings.
No event should defy reasonable explanation.

Each event is sorted by Date and Time. Errors will have red Xs,
Warnings will have yellow !s.
Information messages have white is. Not every Error or Warning event
means there is a serious issue.
Some are excusable at startup time when Windows is booting. Try to
find just the events at the date
and time around your problem.

If you double click an event, it will open a Properties windows with
more information. On the right are
black up and down arrow buttons to scroll through the open events. The
third button that looks like
two pages on top of each other is used to copy the event details to
your Windows clipboard.

When you find an interesting event that occurred around the time of
your issue, click the third button
under the up and down arrows to copy the details and then you can
paste the details (right click, Paste
or CTRL-V) the detail text back here for analysis.

To get a fresh start on any Event Viewer log, you can choose to clear
the log (backing up the log is offered),
then reproduce your issue, then look at just the events around the
time of your issue.
 
System summary:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name USERDESKTOP
System Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
System Model MS-7142
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 44 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1599 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 11/9/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name USERDESKTOP\USER
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 91.89 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.03 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
 
From event viewer - applications - see next message for system events.

I believe this was AFTER I restarted the machinel, but not sure.

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 12/29/2009
Time: 7:47:29 PM
User: N/A
Computer: KANTERDESKTOP
Description:
Faulting application msimn.exe, version 6.0.2900.2180, faulting module
directdb.dll, version 6.0.2900.3138, fault address 0x00007641.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 6d 73 69 ure msi
0018: 6d 6e 2e 65 78 65 20 36 mn.exe 6
0020: 2e 30 2e 32 39 30 30 2e .0.2900.
0028: 32 31 38 30 20 69 6e 20 2180 in
0030: 64 69 72 65 63 74 64 62 directdb
0038: 2e 64 6c 6c 20 36 2e 30 .dll 6.0
0040: 2e 32 39 30 30 2e 33 31 .2900.31
0048: 33 38 20 61 74 20 6f 66 38 at of
0050: 66 73 65 74 20 30 30 30 fset 000
0058: 30 37 36 34 31 0d 0a 07641..
 
From the system section - this is interesting - a whole string of the first
warning below, from all day yesterday. Just one incident of the error at the
end of this message. "Interesting", like being carjacked and beaten with a
pipe?

==============================
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Disk
Event Category: None
Event ID: 51
Date: 12/29/2009
Time: 12:25:10 AM
User: N/A
Computer: KANTERDESKTOP
Description:
An error was detected on device \Device\Harddisk1\D during a paging
operation.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 03 00 68 00 01 00 b6 00 ..h...¶.
0008: 00 00 00 00 33 00 04 80 ....3..€
0010: 2d 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 -.......
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 be c0 c1 00 00 00 00 .¾ÀÁ....
0028: 18 ca 62 00 00 00 00 00 .Êb.....
0030: ff ff ff ff 03 00 00 00 ÿÿÿÿ....
0038: 40 00 00 84 02 00 00 00 @..„....
0040: 00 20 0a 12 40 03 20 40 . ..@. @
0048: 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 ........
0050: 00 00 00 00 b0 1a 25 83 ....°.%ƒ
0058: 00 00 00 00 08 10 73 83 ......sƒ
0060: 00 00 00 00 5f e0 60 00 ...._à`.
0068: 28 00 00 60 e0 5f 00 00 (..`à_..
0070: 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0078: 70 00 02 00 00 00 00 0a p.......
0080: 00 00 00 00 04 02 00 00 ........
0088: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
==============================




....and just one of these:
============================
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Ftdisk
Event Category: Disk
Event ID: 57
Date: 12/28/2009
Time: 7:11:11 PM
User: N/A
Computer: KANTERDESKTOP
Description:
The system failed to flush data to the transaction log. Corruption may
occur.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 01 00 be 00 ......¾.
0008: 02 00 00 00 39 00 04 80 ....9..€
0010: 00 00 00 00 0e 00 00 c0 .......À
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
================================
 
JoeSpareBedroom said:
From the system section - this is interesting - a whole string of the
first warning below, from all day yesterday. Just one incident of the
error at the end of this message. "Interesting", like being carjacked
and beaten with a pipe?

==============================
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Disk
Event Category: None
Event ID: 51
Date: 12/29/2009
Time: 12:25:10 AM
User: N/A
Computer: KANTERDESKTOP
Description:
An error was detected on device \Device\Harddisk1\D during a paging
operation.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 03 00 68 00 01 00 b6 00 ..h...¶.
0008: 00 00 00 00 33 00 04 80 ....3..?
0010: 2d 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 -.......
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 be c0 c1 00 00 00 00 .¾ÀÁ....
0028: 18 ca 62 00 00 00 00 00 .Êb.....
0030: ff ff ff ff 03 00 00 00 ÿÿÿÿ....
0038: 40 00 00 84 02 00 00 00 @.."....
0040: 00 20 0a 12 40 03 20 40 . ..@. @
0048: 00 00 00 00 0a 00 00 00 ........
0050: 00 00 00 00 b0 1a 25 83 ....°.%f
0058: 00 00 00 00 08 10 73 83 ......sf
0060: 00 00 00 00 5f e0 60 00 ...._à`.
0068: 28 00 00 60 e0 5f 00 00 (..`à_..
0070: 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0078: 70 00 02 00 00 00 00 0a p.......
0080: 00 00 00 00 04 02 00 00 ........
0088: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
==============================




...and just one of these:
============================
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Ftdisk
Event Category: Disk
Event ID: 57
Date: 12/28/2009
Time: 7:11:11 PM
User: N/A
Computer: KANTERDESKTOP
Description:
The system failed to flush data to the transaction log. Corruption may
occur.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 01 00 be 00 ......¾.
0008: 02 00 00 00 39 00 04 80 ....9..?
0010: 00 00 00 00 0e 00 00 c0 .......À
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
================================
Click to expand...

Is there an external drive connected to your PC by USB?

Perhaps your pagefile is corrupted. Try this:

(from http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php )

In the Virtual Memory settings, set to "No page file," then exit System
Properties, shut down the machine, and reboot. Delete PAGEFILE.SYS (on
each drive, if more than just C:), set the page file up again and reboot
to bring it into use.
 
Is there an external drive connected to your PC by USB?
Click to expand...

Yes - a Seagate FreeAgent external HD.

Perhaps your pagefile is corrupted. Try this:

(from http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php )

In the Virtual Memory settings, set to "No page file," then exit System
Properties, shut down the machine, and reboot. Delete PAGEFILE.SYS (on
each drive, if more than just C:), set the page file up again and reboot
to bring it into use.
Click to expand...


Done (on C drive). No pagefile on the external HD. Eliminated the HD
warnings. Using ouija board to determine if this was related in any way to
the vanishing disk space problem. No answers yet, but there are huge
tentacles beginning to slither out of my heating ducts. Stand by for m

aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
 
If you have sudden changes in free disk space then inevitably the
file(s) are fragmented. These show up in a Disk Defragmenter report even
when they otherwise are often not disclosed in other information
sources.

Open Disk Defragmenter and click on Analyse. Select View Report and
click on Save As and Save. Now find VolumeC.txt in your My Documents
Folder and post a copy.

Another suggestion.Run a full surface scan with HD Tune to check for bad
sectors on the hard drive.

HD Tune only gives information and does not fix any problems.

Download and run it and see what it turns up. You want HD Tune
(freeware) version 2.55 not HD Tune Pro (not Freeware) version 3.00.
http://www.hdtune.com/

Select the Info tabs and place the cursor on the drive under Drive
letter and then double click the two page icon ( copy to Clipboard )
and copy into a further message.

Select the Health tab and then double click the two page icon ( copy to
Clipboard ) and copy into a further message. Make sure you do a full
surface scan with HD Tune.

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Per (PeteCresswell):
Looking at the PC in person, I found that Windows Automatic
Updates had, over a period of many months, eaten up C: with the
"$NtUninstall...$" files.
Click to expand...

Also, the tool I used to zero in on it was "FolderSize For
Windows". Shows the size of each folder in the Explorer
window.
 
System summary:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name USERDESKTOP
System Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
System Model MS-7142
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 44 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1599 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 11/9/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name USERDESKTOP\USER
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 91.89 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.03 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Click to expand...

Well, let's see...

You are behind on a major XP Service Pack (that would be SP3) and your
Paging File Settings have been tampered with - probably by a human.

Neither of these may be the immediate cause of your mysterious issue,
but it is sometimes futile to troubleshoot issues on a system that is
using known outdated software and is not set to the recommended
configurations - unless there is some reasonable explanation?

Do you ever see messages where Windows is increasing the size of your
too small Paging File?

That would cause a large chunk of HDD space to be consumed - but only
temporarily. HDD space disappears and reappears - that was your
observation?

I can't remember if that would put something in the Event Log or not -
I will have to recreate that issue and see...

Did you change the Paging File to be so small to conserve disk space?
What do you think XP is going to do when more Paging File is needed?
It is going to temporarily use the HDD. Better than crashing...

What is your current Virtual Memory situation?

Launch Task Manager, Processes tab and check out the Virtual Memory
usage by enabling that display column:

Click View, Select Columns, check the box that says: Virtual Memory
Size. Expand the width of
the Task Manager box so you can see all the columns.

Click the VM Size column heading once or twice to sort by VM Size
biggest to smallest, top to bottom.
Who's on top and why? If you have Spybot and are running their
Teatimer, that is probably on top (or close), yes?

Perhaps you have resolved some of your Event Viewer messages by
recreating your Paging File.

Why should you upgrade to SP3?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480



..
 
Yeah, sometimes at work I use this.. what I do is goto My Computer, Click
on C: drive and hit the Search button up top. On the left it says "What size
is it?" -- check that off and in there check off Specify size (in KB).
1024kb = 1MB, so if you want to look for files of at least 4MB type in 4096,
10MB = 10240.

Of course you should know what you're deleting when you do so.. for example
I know that I have some music and files I downloaded that I don't need.
Those are safe to get rid of.

I'm definitely not a fan of Zone Alarm or anything like Norton Internet
Security or 360. Windows has a built in firewall and so does the router that
comes with my highspeed internet connection. Those are more than enough.

I used to use AVG free antivirus, but have found Avast is one hundred times
better.
 
Gerry said:
If you have sudden changes in free disk space then inevitably the file(s)
are fragmented. These show up in a Disk Defragmenter report even when they
otherwise are often not disclosed in other information sources.

Open Disk Defragmenter and click on Analyse. Select View Report and
click on Save As and Save. Now find VolumeC.txt in your My Documents
Folder and post a copy.

Another suggestion.Run a full surface scan with HD Tune to check for bad
sectors on the hard drive.

HD Tune only gives information and does not fix any problems.

Download and run it and see what it turns up. You want HD Tune
(freeware) version 2.55 not HD Tune Pro (not Freeware) version 3.00.
http://www.hdtune.com/

Select the Info tabs and place the cursor on the drive under Drive
letter and then double click the two page icon ( copy to Clipboard )
and copy into a further message.

Select the Health tab and then double click the two page icon ( copy to
Clipboard ) and copy into a further message. Make sure you do a full
surface scan with HD Tune.
Click to expand...


Standby for more info. Might not happen until the weekend, but I'm not
leaving this thread unfinished.
 
System summary:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name USERDESKTOP
System Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
System Model MS-7142
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 44 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1599 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 11/9/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name USERDESKTOP\USER
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 91.89 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 1.03 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
Click to expand...

Well, let's see...

You are behind on a major XP Service Pack (that would be SP3) and your
Paging File Settings have been tampered with - probably by a human.

Neither of these may be the immediate cause of your mysterious issue,
but it is sometimes futile to troubleshoot issues on a system that is
using known outdated software and is not set to the recommended
configurations - unless there is some reasonable explanation?

Do you ever see messages where Windows is increasing the size of your
too small Paging File?

That would cause a large chunk of HDD space to be consumed - but only
temporarily. HDD space disappears and reappears - that was your
observation?

I can't remember if that would put something in the Event Log or not -
I will have to recreate that issue and see...

Did you change the Paging File to be so small to conserve disk space?
What do you think XP is going to do when more Paging File is needed?
It is going to temporarily use the HDD. Better than crashing...

What is your current Virtual Memory situation?

Launch Task Manager, Processes tab and check out the Virtual Memory
usage by enabling that display column:

Click View, Select Columns, check the box that says: Virtual Memory
Size. Expand the width of
the Task Manager box so you can see all the columns.

Click the VM Size column heading once or twice to sort by VM Size
biggest to smallest, top to bottom.
Who's on top and why? If you have Spybot and are running their
Teatimer, that is probably on top (or close), yes?

Perhaps you have resolved some of your Event Viewer messages by
recreating your Paging File.

Why should you upgrade to SP3?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480

=====================
Did you change the Paging File to be so small to conserve disk space?
Click to expand...

It has ALWAYS been set to allow the system to manage its size. It's never
been tampered with on this computer.

Who's on top and why?
Click to expand...

Top 4 players and their VM numbers:

ashServ.exe - 34,512K (related to Avast AV)
ashWebsv.exe - 31,900K (related to Avast AV)
IntuitUpdateService.exe - 17,380K
svchost.exe - 15,416K

If you have Spybot and are running their Teatimer, that is probably on top
(or close), yes?
Click to expand...

No. Teatimer is nowhere in the list. It seems Spybot doesn't leave that
program behind. If Spybot has a permanently "resident" version, it's not
here. In any case, the machine's been rebooted several times since Spybot
last ran.
 
Well, let's see...

You are behind on a major XP Service Pack (that would be SP3) and your
Paging File Settings have been tampered with - probably by a human.

Neither of these may be the immediate cause of your mysterious issue,
but it is sometimes futile to troubleshoot issues on a system that is
using known outdated software and is not set to the recommended
configurations - unless there is some reasonable explanation?

Do you ever see messages where Windows is increasing the size of your
too small Paging File?

That would cause a large chunk of HDD space to be consumed - but only
temporarily.  HDD space disappears and reappears - that was your
observation?

I can't remember if that would put something in the Event Log or not -
I will have to recreate that issue and see...

Did you change the Paging File to be so small to conserve disk space?
What do you think XP is going to do when more Paging File is needed?
It is going to temporarily use the HDD.  Better than crashing...

What is your current Virtual Memory situation?

Launch Task Manager, Processes tab and check out the Virtual Memory
usage by enabling that display column:

Click View, Select Columns, check the box that says: Virtual Memory
Size.  Expand the width of
the Task Manager box so you can see all the columns.

Click the VM Size column heading once or twice to sort by VM Size
biggest to smallest, top to bottom.
Who's on top and why?  If you have Spybot and are running their
Teatimer, that is probably on top (or close), yes?

Perhaps you have resolved some of your Event Viewer messages by
recreating your Paging File.

Why should you upgrade to SP3?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480

=====================


It has ALWAYS been set to allow the system to manage its size. It's never
been tampered with on this computer.


Top 4 players and their VM numbers:

ashServ.exe - 34,512K (related to Avast AV)
ashWebsv.exe - 31,900K (related to Avast AV)
IntuitUpdateService.exe - 17,380K
svchost.exe - 15,416K


No. Teatimer is nowhere in the list. It seems Spybot doesn't leave that
program behind. If Spybot has a permanently "resident" version, it's not
here. In any case, the machine's been rebooted several times since Spybot
last ran.
Click to expand...

Your system information says you have 4GB memory, you said in your
first post you have 500MB RAM and the size of the paging file (1.03GB)
in the msinfo32 system information doesn't jive with either if XP is
really managing the Paging File.

It is all contradictory which is why I requested the msinfo32
information to see for myself. Somebody is wrong.

In regard to the Paging File, at first you said you used to fiddle
with it because it was a cute thing to do... then you say you have not
adjusted it and it has ALWAYS been system managed (this is generally
the best choice).

The numbers in the msinfo32 report do not make sense if your system is
configured to let XP manage the Paging File - unless the information
is from two different systems.
 
Well, let's see...

You are behind on a major XP Service Pack (that would be SP3) and your
Paging File Settings have been tampered with - probably by a human.

Neither of these may be the immediate cause of your mysterious issue,
but it is sometimes futile to troubleshoot issues on a system that is
using known outdated software and is not set to the recommended
configurations - unless there is some reasonable explanation?

Do you ever see messages where Windows is increasing the size of your
too small Paging File?

That would cause a large chunk of HDD space to be consumed - but only
temporarily. HDD space disappears and reappears - that was your
observation?

I can't remember if that would put something in the Event Log or not -
I will have to recreate that issue and see...

Did you change the Paging File to be so small to conserve disk space?
What do you think XP is going to do when more Paging File is needed?
It is going to temporarily use the HDD. Better than crashing...

What is your current Virtual Memory situation?

Launch Task Manager, Processes tab and check out the Virtual Memory
usage by enabling that display column:

Click View, Select Columns, check the box that says: Virtual Memory
Size. Expand the width of
the Task Manager box so you can see all the columns.

Click the VM Size column heading once or twice to sort by VM Size
biggest to smallest, top to bottom.
Who's on top and why? If you have Spybot and are running their
Teatimer, that is probably on top (or close), yes?

Perhaps you have resolved some of your Event Viewer messages by
recreating your Paging File.

Why should you upgrade to SP3?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946480

=====================


It has ALWAYS been set to allow the system to manage its size. It's never
been tampered with on this computer.


Top 4 players and their VM numbers:

ashServ.exe - 34,512K (related to Avast AV)
ashWebsv.exe - 31,900K (related to Avast AV)
IntuitUpdateService.exe - 17,380K
svchost.exe - 15,416K


No. Teatimer is nowhere in the list. It seems Spybot doesn't leave that
program behind. If Spybot has a permanently "resident" version, it's not
here. In any case, the machine's been rebooted several times since Spybot
last ran.
Click to expand...

Your system information says you have 4GB memory, you said in your
first post you have 500MB RAM and the size of the paging file (1.03GB)
in the msinfo32 system information doesn't jive with either if XP is
really managing the Paging File.

It is all contradictory which is why I requested the msinfo32
information to see for myself. Somebody is wrong.

In regard to the Paging File, at first you said you used to fiddle
with it because it was a cute thing to do... then you say you have not
adjusted it and it has ALWAYS been system managed (this is generally
the best choice).

The numbers in the msinfo32 report do not make sense if your system is
configured to let XP manage the Paging File - unless the information
is from two different systems.

=============

RAM - 448MB (from right-clicking "My Computer")

"used to fiddle" - but never on this machine. Various sources (including
MVPs here) recommended against it.

The numbers in the msinfo32 report do not make sense ....
Click to expand...

The whole machine doesn't make sense at the moment. Perhaps more will be
revealed after I run hdtune (later). But it's reaching the point where I may
just want to solve this problem by doing what needs to be done to begin
with: Bigger hard disk, clean reinstall. No cloning, since I would likely
just be cloning a mess.
 
JoeSpareBedroom said:
System summary:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name USERDESKTOP
System Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
System Model MS-7142
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 44 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1599 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 11/9/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180
(xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name USERDESKTOP\USER
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 4,096.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 91.89 MB
Click to expand...

Whoa, Nellie!

The above doesn't corroborate what you wrote in your first post:
WinXP Pro SP2
500 mb of RAM
18 gb hard disk with around 4gb free
Click to expand...

Open up the case and tell us the exact RAM configuration you have --
number of modules (and make and model number) and which slots are
occupied. If System Information tells you you have 4GB of physical
memory, but if the General Properties tab of My Computer shows only
448MB (from a later post of yours), you have a *major* discrepancy!

Is it safe to assume your motherboard uses onboard video? 64MB? What is
the make, model, and model number of the PC and/or motherboard?

I'm not sure if this issue is related to your other issue or not. But it
is a big issue either way!
 
Daave said:
Whoa, Nellie!

The above doesn't corroborate what you wrote in your first post:


Open up the case and tell us the exact RAM configuration you have --
Click to expand...


If I could stop the phones from ringing.....

Stay tuned, maybe until the weekend. And check CNN news every so often for a
story about a man murdering a computer with a handgun.
 
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