System resources

[PreciousAngel]

How can I free up some of my system resources? Right now my computer says it is running with 65% resources free. Is that normal. My dad thinks it is supposed to be at about 80%. If this is true, then what can I do to free things up? Any suggestions?

[Melodi]

65% percent isn't too bad, but there may be spyware using resources. Have you run any programs such as Adaware or Spybot? Also you may want to run an Hijack This to see what else may be using up resources.
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,22262,00.asp make sure you run any updates they may offer
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ download the free adaware update that and run it.

[PreciousAngel]

Thanks...I downloaded and ran them both and now my resources are up to 75%! They found about 25 things running on my computer that shouldn't have been! Everything is better now.

[Chanter]

"Right now my computer says it is running with 65% resources free."
Yes, but what is "right now?" What does it say immediately after bootup?
65% would be too low. But after a half-day of normal useage, 65% is quite good. There is no way to answer your question given the info we have.

[Chanter]

Everything is better, but not necessarily good. 75% right after bootup? Fair. Not so good. Tell us what it is right after bootup.

[Melodi]

Morning Angel. go to this link http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html to half way down the page to 'official dowloads' there you will find hijack this. When you click on the link a dialog box will come up, click 'open' and it will open hijack this for you, then you can run a 'scan', then save log. If you need help posting the log, let us know. That will help us know what else might be hogging resources.

[PreciousAngel]

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 3:25:30 PM, on 5/4/2004
Platform: Windows ME (Win9x 4.90.3000)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DEVLDR16.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SSDPSRV.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT HARDWARE\MOUSE\POINT32.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\DELL\RESOLUTION ASSISTANT\COMMON\BIN\RXMON9X.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\DELL\RESOLUTION ASSISTANT\MOTIVEASSISTANT\BIN\MAD.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT HARDWARE\KEYBOARD\SPEEDKEY.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\CREATIVE\SBLIVE\AUDIOHQ\AHQTB.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADAPTEC\DIRECTCD\DIRECTCD.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MOTIVE\MOTMON.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NORTON ANTIVIRUS\NAVAPW32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RESTORE\STMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\REAL\REALPLAYER\REALPLAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\LOADQM.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MSN MESSENGER\MSNMSGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\MICROSOFT SHARED\WORKS SHARED\WKCALREM.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MICROSOFT OFFICE\OFFICE\OSA.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\FSSCRCTL.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\CONTENT.IE5\CDARSH2Z\HIJACKTHIS[1].EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.dell.com/search/index.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://web.icq.com/today/0,,463-124,00.html?icquin=109548839&icqsl=1156&icqc=124
F1 - win.ini: run=hpfsched
O2 - BHO: mwsBar BHO - {07B18EA1-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH\BAR\1.BIN\MWSBAR.DLL
O2 - BHO: MyWebSearch Search Assistant BHO - {00A6FAF1-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH\SRCHASTT\1.BIN\MWSSRCAS.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O3 - Toolbar: My &Web Search - {07B18EA9-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH\BAR\1.BIN\MWSBAR.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCHealth] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\Support\PCHSchd.exe -s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [POINTER] point32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RxMon] C:\Program Files\Dell\Resolution Assistant\Common\bin\RxMon9x.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [madexe] C:\Program Files\Dell\Resolution Assistant\MotiveAssistant\bin\mad.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft IntelliType Pro] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Hardware\Keyboard\speedkey.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Speed racer] C:\Program Files\Creative\PlayCenter\CTSRReg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AudioHQ] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive\AudioHQ\AHQTB.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] C:\WINDOWS\Updreg.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adaptec DirectCD] C:\PROGRA~1\ADAPTEC\DIRECTCD\DIRECTCD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MotiveMonitor] C:\Program Files\Motive\motmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Norton Auto-Protect] C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NAVAPW32.EXE /LOADQUIET
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RealTray] C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\RealPlay.exe SYSTEMBOOTHIDEPLAYER
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [webHancer Survey Companion] "C:\Program Files\webHancer\Programs\whSurvey.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [devldr16.exe] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\devldr16.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SSDPSRV] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\ssdpsrv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [*StateMgr] C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MoneyAgent] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\System\Money Express.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
O4 - Startup: Office Startup.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA.EXE
O4 - Startup: Screen Saver Control.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\FSScrCtl.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Search - http://bar.mywebsearch.com/menusearch.html?p=ZNxdm37031
O9 - Extra button: Real.com (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Dell Home (HKCU)
O12 - Plugin for .mov: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O12 - Plugin for .mid: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O12 - Plugin for .wav: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\npqtplugin.dll
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.dellnet.com/
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/ansi/iuctl.CAB?37864.489375
O16 - DPF: {AE1C01E3-0283-11D3-9B3F-00C04F8EF466} (HeartbeatCtl Class) - http://fdl.msn.com/zone/datafiles/heartbeat.cab
O16 - DPF: {1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} - http://ak.imgfarm.com/images/nocache/funwebproducts/ei/SmileyCentralInitialSetup1.0.0.8.cab
O16 - DPF: {33564D57-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} - http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/6/E/F6E491A6-77E1-4E20-9F5F-94901338C922/wmv9VCM.CAB

[PreciousAngel]

I shut down the computer and restarted and went immediately to resources and it said 73%. I guess maybe that's not so good. I posted the Hijack log, hopefully it will help.

[Chanter]

Well, PreciousAngel, you've got a LOT of stuff running that doesn't need to run. Things like LoadQm can be deleted completely. And RealAudio and MSN Messenger are programs which can be started from the start menu when they are needed.
Stmgr.exe is needed for System Restore, and AHQTB is probably your audio control panel, but other than Systray there really is nothing there that is necessary to run Win ME. And all those Works and Office things starting up when you boot the computer are resource hogs. Can't you simply start the programs you need from Start Menu when you need them?
Try unchecking everything in msconfig except the 3 things I indicated above (just to experiment), and then add things back you might need if something doesn't work right. It'll also give you the opportunity to see how well your computer will run with 90% resources at bootup. ;)

[PreciousAngel]

Thank you. I did what u suggested and now I have 89% resources free at bootup!

[Chanter]

Now that's more like it.
Good job.

[Mobo]

Rescan and put a check next to each of these then close all browser windows and click "fix checked"

O2 - BHO: mwsBar BHO - {07B18EA1-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH\BAR\1.BIN\MWSBAR.DLL

O2 - BHO: MyWebSearch Search Assistant BHO - {00A6FAF1-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH\SRCHASTT\1.BIN\MWSSRCAS.DLL

O3 - Toolbar: My &Web Search - {07B18EA9-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH\BAR\1.BIN\MWSBAR.DLL

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [webHancer Survey Companion] "C:\Program Files\webHancer\Programs\whSurvey.exe"



then reboot into safe mode and delete:
C:\PROGRAM FILES\MYWEBSEARCH
C:\Program Files\webHancer

[PreciousAngel]

I did what u suggested and system resources are now at 91% at bootup! I am impressed. Thanks!

[Mobo]

Your welcome

[donkeykong]

How do you go about checking your resources. It sounds like I'm having a similar problem.

[PreciousAngel]

In order to check how much of your system resources are free, you need to go into your start menu and open up your control panel. From there, you click on "system" and then go to the tab that says "performance". It should tell you what your resources are.