XP problem?

[JustMee]

Hello again people...

As you can probably tell from my recent posts, I am new to XP (I am
not at all new to computers, or Windows, just to XP)..

I have previously noted, My install of XP home is only about 10 days
old, and has always been protected by AV, Spybot, Adaware, Firewall
and all the available MS critical update "hotfix" patches.

Scans by Spybot S&D, Adaware, and My AV all show no signs of
infection.

Since day one, I have always noted a rather annoying behavour/problem
in XP, which today is rapidly becoming a major headache..

I do a great deal of data manipulation, moving files between folders,
etc.. This causes me to open a great many folders in the process..

It seems that if I open over a certain number of folders, (let's say
10 folders for now.. I am not sure of the precise number), I seem to
hit some sort of a "glass ceiling", and I cannot open more folders...
Further, even if I close open folders, I cannot open any other
folders, nor can I open the task manager (I just get a sound played),
and a great many basic operations become unavailable (dissappear, or
do not function) in the open folder menus...

The open items/folders do not seem to freeze at all during this
problem, but I can highlight other unopen items/folders/applications,
but cannot open/launch/run them (So it does not look like a video
freeze, or screen repaint failure problem).

This problem only seems to clear by rebooting the computer... I have
been trying to organize files this morning, and so this problem keeps
happening.. It is getting more than annoying now..

I have plenty of HD space (100's of Gigabytes free) and Dynamic RAM
(1Gigabyte).

For example, at the moment, the task manager shows 32 processes, cpu
usage between 0-4%, and physical memory usage at 143 MB.. This is
with 1 folder open, 1 IE window open, and my newreader open (forte
agent).

I have the latest, MS labs "approved" drivers for my video card and
sound card installed.

I cannot understand why this problem is happening, nor what to do to
fix it.

I hope I explained this clearly.

JM

 

[Mike]

You need to look at the way you move files.. only two open windows are
necessary..

 

[Big Mac]

I do a great deal of data manipulation, moving files between folders,
etc.. This causes me to open a great many folders in the process..

It seems that if I open over a certain number of folders, (let's say
10 folders for now.. I am not sure of the precise number), I seem to
hit some sort of a "glass ceiling", and I cannot open more folders...
Further, even if I close open folders, I cannot open any other
folders, nor can I open the task manager (I just get a sound played),
and a great many basic operations become unavailable (dissappear, or

I am curious to see a knowledgeable answer. When you say "open more
folders", you mean each in it's own window, right? I've just got to
say, and this is just a guess, but it seems to me that having as many
as 10 Windows open at one time might be contributing here. That's an
awful lot.

Big Mac

 

[JustMee]

Yes in a new window.. No, 10 is not really many at all.. I have had 20
to 30 windows open at a time under Win9x without any notable strain,
and that was with relatively little dynamic ram.. This machine should
*not* behave in this manner.

 

[JustMee]

In any case, an intelligent, knowledgeable, informed answer would
really be appreciated.. The problem is unabated, and if anything seems
to be getting worse.. Whenever I work with any real amount of windows
open, I seem to encounter this very irritating problem, and the only
cure for it seems to be reboot, and try again... but then, the problem
just happens again, no matter how careful I am.. (It now seems to be
happening with only 3 or 4 windows open)...


This problem effectively makes this computer unusable.


JM (completely disgusted with XP)