Problem with virtual memory

[tami3_3]

I decided to start a new topic on this instead of continuing with the last one. Its kinda of similar, but different. In thinking about installing WindowsME, I spent some time reading up on it a bit. And one thing they say that is important is making sure everything is fine with your system now. That also took me to looking at back issues of Fred Langa's newsletters about virtual memory. And I find that I cannot set my own virtual memory. Every time I reboot it comes back to letting Windows do it. According to Fred, if my computer is doing this, something is wrong with Windows and he suggests backing up your data and to start over with a fresh copy of Windows so it will be properly installed. Do this mean reformatting? I really do not want to do that as everything is running fine accept for losing my system resources more than I believe I should be. I'm going to be installing more RAM tomorrow, and I realize, as Ironside said, that won't necessarily fix that, but what I'm wondering is, would it still be okay to go ahead and upgrade to WindowsME even with this problem? I hope this doesn't sound too mixed up. I've tried to explain it the best I know how. I don't even know if I titled this subject right. Sorry...if someone could please help with this it would greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tami

[This message has been edited by tami3_3 (edited 29 November 2000).]

[ironside]

ok your on the right track, your going to install a upgrade on your 98 still its a new OS even though you had 98 on it, your 98 setting will all change to windows ME setting
but I got to warn you, On most upgrades there is always problems I always recommend full installs even using upgrade as long as you got a qualifying product your in good shape your old 98 will do the job for you just run set up on formatted hard drive and at some point it will ask for a qualifying product
stick your 98 disk in and it will look for the folder win9x and thats it, its still a full install.
so if you decide to go ahead with your upgrade over your old 98 and it starts running bad back up what you need to save and format.
sorry I couldnt give you any better news.

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Moderator on the CTH Med&Dev General Discussion Board

[Junky]

Yes, ironside is correct. Just a comment to add. This is just something I'd do, you can think it over. I'd go ahead and do the Windows ME upgrade over the top of win98 and see if it all works out OK. Nothing to lose. If it doesn't work, format and wipe the hard drive clean and do as ironside says by doing a full install of windows me. As was also said, save all your important stuff first...including your IE5 Favorites folder.

I probably did to much repeating here.

[ironside]

nope it never ever hurt to make sure your right junky I apprecate the back up thanks

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Moderator on the CTH Med&Dev General Discussion Board

[mike]

Hi Tami,
If you change your Virtual Mem settings and press "OK" do you get the warning message/box "Confirm Virtual Memory Settings"

Do a FIND in explorer for DRIVE C and type in :
Win386.swp

When it is found.....right-click on it and select "Properties"
Under "Attributes" see if the "READ only" box is checked.
If it is checked......clear it.
Then repeat your Virtual Memory settings...click OK and restart.

For System Resources problems.....Use MSCONFIG to find out which program is the Resource hog.
In MSCONFIG--Start UP tab.....uncheck all the installed software that you have installed....including Antivirus.
In the Msconfig--General tab clear the "Process Config.sys and Process Autoexec.bat " boxes.
Restart and you should have a 90% plus Resource reading.
Add back a program (or two) at a time to see which one hogs the most.
It may be your antivirus......it could be realplayer...who knows.
Programs ,when loading, think they are doing you a favour, by loading all the bells and whistles associated with that program.
This unfortunately fills the extremely limited
Resource settings in registry.
No amount of added Ram will change this Resource hogging by a particular program.
Added Ram is , in my opinion, the best thing to get anything up and running, but it does not stop a prog hogging Resources......you can do that... via disabling a prog in MSCONFIG and adding shortcuts to the desktop, to progs that hog resources.....so you can start them when you want and close them.....although closing a program doesn`t necessarily mean that Resources will be released back.
Alternative less resource hogging programs are available.

Cheers

[tami3_3]

Sorry to take so long getting back.....it's that busy (Xmas) time of year!

Ok Ironside and Junky.....I'm going to go ahead with the upgrade (it went on sale today $40 cheaper..yippee) but I have one small question. Ironside, when you mentioned about it asking for a qualifying product? I assume your talking about the Windows 98 cd, right? I don't have one...I have what I got when I bought the computer...its recovery and diagnostic cd. Do you mean I should put that in? The problem with that is, in order to use it you have to put it in then turn your computer off, then back on and it gives you only two options.....reformat or run the diagnostics. Could you explain what I should do about that.

Hi Mike....I do get a box that comes up and tells you that you've chosen to not let Windows manage your settings, and you have to click ok. But nothing that says anything like 'confirm virtual settings.' And I went to where you said and that box was already cleared. I've used MSCONFIG to close everything but ZoneAlarm and my antivirus on startup. When I boot up I have about 87% or 89% resources, which I don't mind. That isn't really the problem...it's that my resources go down so fast after that. I know that isn't a problem unless your computer starts acting funny, but it seems to me, after only being on for a few hours, going down to 19% resources free, is a bit too much. And it isn't like I am using some big resource hogging program....normally i'm just surfing. Maybe I'm being a bit to paranoid here, I don't know.

I truly appreciate all of you taking the time to help me with this. Most of my friends are about as computer illiterate as I am. By the way, I got the RAM (256MB) installed last night.

And Junky....you can never do to much repeating......I would of totally forgot about backing up my favorites!!!

Thanks,

Tami




[This message has been edited by tami3_3 (edited 01 December 2000).]

[Junky]

Hi again. Hope ironside doesn't mind that I jump in here. http://www.cybertechhelp.com/ubb/smile.gif

Windows upgrade such as win98se can be installed all by itself without installing a full version of windows first.

Lets say the hard drive has been formated and has nothing on it. You can start windows98se with the setup.exe just like you would with a full version. It has everything that the full version has and goes through the installation just like the full verion. But...somewhere at the beginning of the installation it will ask for verification that you own a full version of Windows. This can be win95 or win98, and I'm not real sure, but I think it will take win3.1 too as verification.

If you are installing from the CD drive you'll need to take out the win98se upgrade disk and put in the win3.1, win95 or win98 full version for the verification. Then the installation will ask you to put the win98se CD back in so it can finish the installation.

The verification will also accept floppies of windows. If you use floppies, it will most likely ask for 2 or 3 floppy disks to verify.

If you can, and have more than one partition on the hard drive, copy the windows98se folders from the CD to a directory on D or E drive and install from there. This way you'll never need to us the CD again when windows needs files for any new installation of hardware or programs. But save the CD in a safe place.

If you install from the CD drive, make sure that you have a win98 floppy boot disk available if the hard drive has been formated. Boot from the win98 boot disk floppy and choose the option with CD drivers. Then once booted change to the CD drive and find the windows98 directory and type in setup.exe and hit enter. Remember to have a full version of windows handy for verification.

As for the Recovery Disk working for verification, you'll need to look on the disk to see if it has the "cab" files that holds all the installation files for windows. It may do the job for verification, I'm not sure. Maybe someone that has used it for such can answer you.

Good luck and let us know how things are going or how things went.

[tami3_3]

Well I've just been informed that I can't go buy the WindowsME cd because it's Christmas time and I can't buy anything for myself. I just can't believe it. So I guess I won't be able to do anything til after Christmas. Geesh! But I've printed all your posts out and will keep them handy. I'll post back, but I guess not til after Christmas. But thanks so much for all your help.

I don't know how I can go months and months with no problems with my computer and bang...now I have one right after another. I'm over to hardware to post a question about my modem driver.

Thanks again,
Tami

[Junky]

Hang in there tami, Santa may get ya something much better. http://www.cybertechhelp.com/ubb/smile.gif Until then...Merry Christmas.

[ironside]

yes tami3_3
Christmas will be over before you know it and then back to business.
hope you get all you want for christmas
irons

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Moderator on the CTH Med&Dev General Discussion Board