Recent start-up issues...

g3b · Oct 6, 2009, 06:42 PM

Hello guys, my parents just started having start-up issues with their pc. It is athlon 3000xp, windows xp service pk 3, 1gig of ram & a x1650 pro ati agp 512 mb card. Problem- The computer boots up and it takes almost 10-15min. to be usable. I get low virtual memory messages & the windows task mgr. goes crazy I try once or twice to bring it up & I get 10-15 in the task mgr. application when it finally comes up. Services.exe has approx 2,036,000K in Virtual memory size. That is when I finally get the task mgr. open, then page file settles down to around 350. I have run malaware bytes, spybot, antivira & online armor so do not think it is a spyware issue. Have also ran hd tune & everything seems to be fine? Oh the harddrive is 80 gig / 60gig full. One more thing when using Mydefrag to optimize & defrag I get this message --- Memory full while running MyDefrag in function 'TreeNewNode' in source!\Tree.cpp' on Line 48.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
g3b

MitchRapp · Oct 9, 2009, 03:50 PM

sorry to say this, but you may have to just scrap it and start fresh with a new install.
That is, unless you know your way around a computer and can get the hard drive out, plug it via USB (using a USB docking station or an enclosure) and then cleaning up temp files, scanning for viruses AGAIN (deep scan) and eliminating the fragmentation as well....

IvanV · Oct 9, 2009, 09:44 PM

Unless you get lucky with System Restore or uninstalling recently added software, I'm with pipeman, backup data, format the drive and perform a clean install. Apart from giving you a spot clean system, it may well turn out less time consuming than discovering where the problem lies and solving it.

**kris23** · Oct 9, 2009, 11:11 PM

reformatting time man...... back up anything to a new hard drive and give that system the complete clean out.......
it needs it...

g3b · Oct 11, 2009, 04:45 AM

Thanks guys, will give it a go...
g3b

MitchRapp · Oct 13, 2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IvanV

Unless you get lucky with System Restore or uninstalling recently added software, I'm with pipeman, backup data, format the drive and perform a clean install. Apart from giving you a spot clean system, it may well turn out less time consuming than discovering where the problem lies and solving it.

pipeman haha ... nice one :P
is there a way to change my nickname btw? that damn name... I chose it as my first hotmail account 15 years ago....

IvanV · Oct 13, 2009, 07:22 PM

Sorry, mate.

Takaharu · Oct 13, 2009, 07:46 PM

Just as one last thing to try before reformatting, I'd recommend running through Yamicsoft XP Manager and - this is the key thing to try - get a can of compressed air and blast the dust out of the case.
Often computers get left alone for years without a good clean out. Fans don't much like dust so you're not unlikely to get a performance decrease due to over-clogging quantities of dust.
It's not guaranteed and it won't speed up your PC a hundred fold but it's worth trying before a reformat.

Also, you might want to consider upgrading one or two components; an Athlon 3000 isn't what you might call the cream of the crop, even for running XP. It works and works well, no question, but crank that up to a slightly more modern, second-hand processor and you'll see a good difference without breaking the bank. Old hard drives can also slow you down quite substantially - a fast dual-core processor with high-speed DDR2 can't compensate for an old hard drive.

SeraphicSorcerer · Oct 15, 2009, 09:45 AM

That and the mechanical bearings on the hard drive could no longer be fluid/worn etc leading to a decrease in access performance. I've seen functioning hard drives that just get slower but no data loss. Especially the one that don't use double fluid cemeric bearings or whatever they call em.

Oct 6, 2009, 06:42 PM	#1
g3b DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 17 Rep Power: 0	Recent start-up issues... Hello guys, my parents just started having start-up issues with their pc. It is athlon 3000xp, windows xp service pk 3, 1gig of ram & a x1650 pro ati agp 512 mb card. Problem- The computer boots up and it takes almost 10-15min. to be usable. I get low virtual memory messages & the windows task mgr. goes crazy I try once or twice to bring it up & I get 10-15 in the task mgr. application when it finally comes up. Services.exe has approx 2,036,000K in Virtual memory size. That is when I finally get the task mgr. open, then page file settles down to around 350. I have run malaware bytes, spybot, antivira & online armor so do not think it is a spyware issue. Have also ran hd tune & everything seems to be fine? Oh the harddrive is 80 gig / 60gig full. One more thing when using Mydefrag to optimize & defrag I get this message --- Memory full while running MyDefrag in function 'TreeNewNode' in source!\Tree.cpp' on Line 48. Any thoughts would be appreciated. g3b

Oct 9, 2009, 03:50 PM	#2
MitchRapp a.k.a. pepiman Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 911 Rep Power: 35 System Specs	Re: Recent start-up issues... sorry to say this, but you may have to just scrap it and start fresh with a new install. That is, unless you know your way around a computer and can get the hard drive out, plug it via USB (using a USB docking station or an enclosure) and then cleaning up temp files, scanning for viruses AGAIN (deep scan) and eliminating the fragmentation as well....

Oct 9, 2009, 09:44 PM	#3
IvanV DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,152 Rep Power: 65 System Specs	Re: Recent start-up issues... Unless you get lucky with System Restore or uninstalling recently added software, I'm with pipeman, backup data, format the drive and perform a clean install. Apart from giving you a spot clean system, it may well turn out less time consuming than discovering where the problem lies and solving it. __________________ Feed the porkers and don't touch the buttons!

Oct 9, 2009, 11:11 PM	#4
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 5,316 Rep Power: 64 System Specs	Re: Recent start-up issues... reformatting time man...... back up anything to a new hard drive and give that system the complete clean out....... it needs it... __________________ Driverheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (9/4/09) New i5 systems with more to come! Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Oct 11, 2009, 04:45 AM	#5
g3b DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 17 Rep Power: 0	Re: Recent start-up issues... Thanks guys, will give it a go... g3b

Oct 13, 2009, 07:22 PM	#7
IvanV DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 3,152 Rep Power: 65 System Specs	Re: Recent start-up issues... Sorry, mate. __________________ Feed the porkers and don't touch the buttons!

Oct 13, 2009, 07:46 PM	#8
Takaharu I can fart in 7 languages Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: England, UK Posts: 108 Rep Power: 5 System Specs	Re: Recent start-up issues... Just as one last thing to try before reformatting, I'd recommend running through Yamicsoft XP Manager and - this is the key thing to try - get a can of compressed air and blast the dust out of the case. Often computers get left alone for years without a good clean out. Fans don't much like dust so you're not unlikely to get a performance decrease due to over-clogging quantities of dust. It's not guaranteed and it won't speed up your PC a hundred fold but it's worth trying before a reformat. Also, you might want to consider upgrading one or two components; an Athlon 3000 isn't what you might call the cream of the crop, even for running XP. It works and works well, no question, but crank that up to a slightly more modern, second-hand processor and you'll see a good difference without breaking the bank. Old hard drives can also slow you down quite substantially - a fast dual-core processor with high-speed DDR2 can't compensate for an old hard drive. __________________ I don't get paid to know the answer, therefore I'm far more likely to give you a straight and honest answer.

Oct 15, 2009, 09:45 AM	#9
SeraphicSorcerer Driverheaven's Sorcerer Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 1,151 Rep Power: 75 System Specs	Re: Recent start-up issues... That and the mechanical bearings on the hard drive could no longer be fluid/worn etc leading to a decrease in access performance. I've seen functioning hard drives that just get slower but no data loss. Especially the one that don't use double fluid cemeric bearings or whatever they call em. __________________