system resources

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kirsten
  • Start date Start date
K

Kirsten

My daughter likes to play games on MSN. Everytime she
plays the system resources get so low that the computer
freezes up and the only thing that can be done is to turn
it off. I have checked my available resources at start up
and they are at 81%. I have taken everything out of
startup that I can. When I open Internet Explore the
system resources drop to 70%. If I open Outlook Express
at the same time they drop to 64%. When I close Outlook
Express they go back to 71%. However, when I close
Internet Explorer the resources stay at 71% and do not go
back up to 81%. We are constantly having to reboot to get
the system resources back up. Any ideas would be greatly
appreciated. I have 256 MB and 32 bit (right now the
resources are actually at 68%).

TIA,
Kirsten
 
Are you sure that you have closed every instance of IE?

Spy and ad ware sometimes uses very small windows that are almost invisible
so if you can find the task list, I think ctrl alt delete should get you
there you can look for instances of IEXPLORE.EXE and see if there's
something causing IE to hang about when it shouldn't.

Not this is not explorer.exe which is windows explorer but IEXPLORE...

If so then maybe suspect spyware and let us know.

Charlie
 
Kirsten -

Those resource figures are not in anyway disrespectable. Seem quite normal
to me. Many programs, fail to release resources even *after* they are closed
(TSR types in particular - terminate and stay resident) as their need to be
called upon for other possible uses surpasses the requirement to release all
resources. This is particularly the case in W9.x systems as opposed to XP
for instance.

See here for some enlightenment on Resources, memory (RAM), and other
pertinent issues.

http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/resource.htm
http://www.aumha.org/win4/a/memmgmt.htm
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.htm


Also check what programs start and run right from the beginning of Cold
boot.
http://www.aumha.org/a/loads.htm
http://greatis.com/regrun3appdatabase.htm
http://www.windowsstartup.com/wso/search.php
http://www2.whidbey.com/djdenham/Uncheck.htm
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist_a.htm
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php?type=&filter=&count=100&offset=0
http://www.greyknight17.com/startup1.htm
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startup/list.html

As you can readily see, there are many pages on this subject, and most are
quite similar. Some are easier to read and "decipher" than others. For many
of us, these pages are a bible of sorts. There are a few others, but this
should more than do for the moment.

HTH -
 
Yes, I am sure. I know how to do that and I unchecked
everything I could in start up. Right now the only things
showing in the task list are: Internet explorer,
Explorer, Ccapp, Weather, acrotray and systray. This
problem doesn't happen when I use it. It seems to happen
when my daughter and Aunt play the games on MSN! Thanks.
 
YW Kirsten. ;-)

You'll see from the first Resources help page, that your "low resources" are
not necessarily that low after all. FYI: W98se here with 1GB Ram (two 512 MB
sticks), P4 2.0 GHz processor. Sometimes with many programs in operation, or
intensive photo editing, or 12 -15 IE windows open, I'll drop to 15%
Resources. Not that unusual. Problems really begin at the Red Zone, and
worse when RSRCMTR.EXE shows nothing but "grey". Even then, I have managed
to not lose info that was unsaved, if I acted in a timely manner.
 
Back
Top