My Computer Is So Low On Virtual Memory That...

“This damn computer has been giving me problems for a while now. I keep getting a window saying the computer is low on virtual memory and it is increasing it so it'll work. Work, my butt!!! I can't even click on Favorites without the computer booting me off the internet. Can't play CDs without problems. I can't even get into my Email because most of the page refuses to come up. I haven't been able to "Enhance" and alter my dig photos, but at least it'll let me download them.

I checked for virus' and Norton is update. Cleaned up the disk (many times), defragmented the disk, and shut down as many programs that run when I startup as possible but to no avail.

I believe its the damn Windows XP because when I get into where it shows the programs that are running, it appears that there's copies of programs running, one even seemed to be listed 5 times, and a few program that I know nothing about seem to demand a buttload of space. What really ticks me off is that XP won't let me deleate/turn off some of these programs to even see if they are the problem...they keep popping back up as if the computer won't let me run my computer MY OWN WAY.

Anybody got any suggestions?”

“10 pound sledge hammer dude. Sorry, I know even less about puters.”

“You didn't load the new AOL CD did you?

Go visit komando.com”

“When my computer does that it is because my sons have started up MSN messenger, yahoo, icq, kazaa and who knows what else.”

“check out the "defeating spyware" thread. Maybe try to load and run "Spybot S&D" (search and destroy).

I have probs like that sometimes and once I run the spyware cleaners it clears up.”

“Good advice, roam.”

“What's wrong with the AOL 9.0?”

“AOL 9.0 loads a ton of hidden programs. It tries to take over your computer.”

“eeewwww. Then I will not install it. Thanks”

“AOL is internet for babies! Get a cable modem and make a big fish on your wall out of all those CDs that they mail out.”

“Do what Roam said it works wonders. I have 2 different types I use.”

“i have to second (or third?) what roam around said. Check for spy programs but also check for viruses.”

“Sounds to me like you need to remove some programs from your startup file so they don't load automatically anymore. I'm not familiar with how that's done in XP but that komando.com website that has already been suggested does have good instructions on how to do that with the various operating systems, including XP. It also has other tech support that might help.

I'd give that a try.”

“Go to 'Control Panel', select 'Other Control Panel Options', click on 'System', select the 'Advanced' tab, select 'Settings' in the 'Performance' section, click the 'Advanced' tab.

Under 'Virtual Memory', you'll see an indication of your total paging file size for all drives. Click 'Change' and check "Custom Size'. For the lower limit, your RAM + page file should equal about 500MB (400 if you have 128 MB Ram, 250 if you have 256 -minimum 100MB). Assuming you have a decently sized hard drive, set the upper limit to about 700 or 800MB.”

“this link really helped me out some when i had that problem:

Problems With Windows XP and compatible AOL programs”

“Is this a brand new computer or did you just buy XP and install it on an old computer? I have noticed that XP has a lot of bells and whistles that need a lot of processing speed. I would get the spybot, and go to the minimum of what is needed for start up.

As a safty measure, make sure you know or have saved a good profile in case something happens and you need to reboot to a profile before whatever accident happened.

I had a XP and a 2000 at the same time. I found the XP was buggy. Mostly with the video driver, but there were a lot of things that were unexplained. Typical Microsoft, launch a new operating system that is not compatiable with everything else. Make them catch up. ( actually I like that attitude, but that is beside the point. )”

“Finally got things back up...so far.

I checked the Virtual Memory as Violin suggested, and here are the stats...
192Mb Initial Size
384Mb Max Size

2Mb Minimum
190Mb Recommended
380Mb Currently Allocated

I doubt if I could raise the upper limit to 700Mb or above. lol
Got Ad-ware and removed a ton of hidden crap but things still are pretty slow, better albeit, but still rather slow.

And XP won't let me remove programs that automatically run on startup, I'll remove them but somehow they pop back up like XP won't let me close them. Ugh!”

“Try this link for information on how to stop all that crap from staring up, and on what is crap...you do need some of it.

Oh yeah, like others have said, AOL SUCKS.”

“I use a great little program for start up control, it's not available anymore, but it's the best of all the ones I tried...If ya want it let me know and I'll send it to ya. It's called PC Forrest Startman. The others work ok as well, but this one keeps stuff from trying to reload even after you shut it down.”

“Ad Aware helps, but to get really decent results, you should also run Spybot Search and Destroy. It will get stuff that AdAware ignores and vice versa.

That spyware stuff is Complete BS and should be illegal somehow. These aresholes are writing stuff to your hard drive without permission or knowledge. And it's detrimental! IF thats not an invasion, I don't know what is.”

“Buddur -

yep, my main computer crashed last week. So, I know your pain. My hard drive crashed and took out some XP files with it. Lost all files on the C:\ partition and it sent me adrift for what may as well be for a lifetime.

Still in recovery, but the damage goes deep. Even with this backup drive it's still tough to put it all back together.”

“defrag!!!!! :)”

“Go to pcpitstop.com and they'll give you a complete and free diagnostic. They'll tell you what potentially malicious programs are running in your background and how to set your browser for better security etc. Takes about 5-10 minutes.”

“Why don't you try changing the upper limit? What size is your hard drive?”

“you computer acts like a big red X???????”

“Got AdWare and SpyBot, and the damn comp was and still is chirping like a cage full of birds.

Thanks for the extra bits of advice. Gonna shower now, then come back to see what else I can do to this poor thing.”

“When you say "chirping like a cage full of birds" do you mean your computer is actually making noises?

If so, don't shut down and back up every bit of data you have on the machine NOW.

You'll find good rebates on large hard drives in this week's circulars.”

“The noise is the normal gear-like noise the computer makes, it's just that it keeps grinding like something is running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running running etc. etc. etc. so on and so forth on down the line.”

“Ctrl + Alt + Delete”

“BUY MORE RAM!!!!!



8)”

“Scorchy is evil!!!”

“I had alot of those symtoms before my HD crashed likewise I have heard nothing but horror stories about XP.

My pops as it on his along with a bunch of other crap, it is the slowest thing I've seen since 386MHZ.

What are these 3 things running "Rnaap,stimon,cmmpu"”

“XP is no horror story. I love it.”

“Things are pretty quiet around here. No apparent glitches either... yet!”

“If you are running XP, you should have AT LEAST 256mb RAM. Many new systems are being sold with XP and 128mb, they generate low memory errors straight from the box. I held out for quite a while before upgrading from Win98SE to XP Pro. I like it, very stable.”

“RNAPP = Remote Network Access Application
(Dial up networking used to access the Internet)

Still Image Monitor (Stimon.exe) is a tool that is installed by Windows Millennium Edition (Me) and Windows 98 when a Universal Serial Bus (USB) scanning device is successfully enumerated. Stimon.exe is configured to start automatically during the Windows startup process, and is loaded from the following registry key:
HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run



Process File: cmmpu or cmmpu.exe
Description: Background task that works as a MIDI emulator for the integrated sound chip by C-Media based on the CMI-8330 chip set found in cheap motherboards”