Question Regarding Used Space and Memory

Windows ME, 80GB hard disk, 256MB RAM.

1. The 'C' folder gives the total used space as 9.5GB in its Properties box but when I total all the bytes given in the Properties boxes of every main plus individual folders it totals only 5.9GB. What might I be overlooking?

2. When it says eg. Size 1.41 GB but Size on disk = 2.28GB Why this difference?

3.Immediately after booting up, 'My Computer' tells me Memory is 256MB System- Resources 68% free (no programs in Windows Startup). This soon falls to 54% after minimal activity. Should I be doing something about this and if so what might that be?

Kind regards,
Pat

 

Pat Alley--Specific to your question #3, you must have a lot of programs automatically starting at boot. Probably most of them are not necessary. You can always start a program when you want to use it. Only things such as Antivirus, Firewall, Systray, Power Load Profile, and Explorer are really needed to start at boot.
Programs start from many places besides StartUp. One of the easiest ways to see (most of) what is starting at boot is Start|Run|type msconfig|OK|Startup tab.
Here is a handy guide to help you decide whether you really want all those programs to start automatically
http://www.windowsstartup.com/wso/search.php
You uncheck the boxes (in that StartUp window) of the programs you no long want to have start automatically.
Having said all that, as long as you do not crash Windows as the day progresses, you really do not have to worry about having too many programs start at boot. However, your PC will run faster with more resources available.

 

Thankyou Jim,
I did as you suggested but apart from four obvious ones the best I can do is take an educated guess as to what to select/deselect so below is a list of them. As you can see LoadPowerProfile was repeated exactly! I would be most obliged if you would cast an expert eye along them and point out, in your opinion, any major errors. All told there are 7 selected and 12 de-selected.

Selected: Scan Registry (Windows/autorun), System Tray (exe), LoadPowerProfile (Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll), Zone LabsClient, AVG_CC (antivirus), Avgserv9.exe, True Vector (Zonelabs.exe)

De-Selected: TaskMonitor (.exe), PCHealth (.exe), VTTimer (.exe.), PV92TRAY (exe), InCD (.exe), LiveUpdate (exe), SchedulingAgent (mstask.exe), StateMgr (exe re-SystemRestore), LoadPowerProfile (Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll), Machine Debug Manager (Windows\SYSTEM\MDM.EXE), Office Startup, Microsoft Office Startup.

Kind regards,
Pat
PS. I tried unsuccessfully to sending a copy "picture" of actual msconfig folders. For future reference is this possible?

 

Pat Alley--Most importantly, have you improved the % resources available at start up?
If yes, then you are on the right trail. (If not, then the possibility of spyware must be considered.)
I do not see any "errors" in the choices you made.
Are these the only processes showing in MSCONFIG?
Here is another reference to help you choose which processes to close.
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startup/list.html
And the Command column in MSCONFIG should help you determine what app the program belongs to.
(It is difficult for me to comment on a few of the processes you list. For example, PV92TRAY is your dialup modem's configuration utility. Do the instructions for that modem say you need that to be on at boot? I guess you will determine that very quickly if the modem does not work!!)
I perhaps would keep TaskMon.exe since you run WinMe and it helps your Defragmenter be more efficient, but others would argue that it is not needed.
TaskScheduler is something I do not use, but of course you must remember that now you must run the tasks manually.
How to include a picture on this board?
Just below the Post Reply window is a section labled Attach Files. You can include images in your message using the file types listed. So create an image (Print Screen|paste into a graphic editor (like MSPaint or Irfanview)|Save As one of the permitted file types|follow the Attach Files procedure).
Good luck!!

 

Another couple of notes:

Liveupdate is your Norton periodic check for virus updates.

Statemgr is the System Restore funtion.

You should leave these selected

1. The 'C' folder gives the total used space as 9.5GB in its Properties box but when I total all the bytes given in the Properties boxes of every main plus individual folders it totals only 5.9GB. What might I be overlooking?

When you are adding up space, use the number size on disk, not size

2. When it says eg. Size 1.41 GB but Size on disk = 2.28GB Why this difference?

Disk is laid out in sectors (512bytes) , and then clusters which comprise "n" sectors. The "n" is dependant on the size of your partition.

When a file is created, it always starts on a cluster boundary.

Thus, if your cluster size were 16k (16,384 bytes), any file from a size of 1 byte up to 16,383 bytes in size, will take up 16,384 bytes on disk.

And, a file that is 16,385 bytes in size will take up 2 clusters, or 32,768 bytes.

 

Pat Alley--

Yes, I missed that. I do not run WinME, to which it is specific.
http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/statemgr/
I think it desireable that you have that run at boot.
However, I think keeping "Liveupdate ", which according to WhitPhil is Norton's periodic check for virus updates, is a matter of taste. I have mine disabled and prefer to go to the Norton NAV virus definition site
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/download/pages/US-N95.html
manually every day. The Liveupdate function is often a week to ten days behind on updates.
But have you achieved any improvements in % resources?

 

Pat Alley--I guess I should not attempt to comment on WinME issues.
It would seem that PCHealth is also something you should have running at boot
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=267952
And some other comments on what should run on WinME.
http://www.pcworld.com/howto/article/0,aid,117824,pg,2,00.asp
Hope you will let us know what effect all this has on your use of resources.

 

Thankyou WelshJim
Your links gave the information for following actions:

Selected:

'AVG_CC' and 'Avgserv9.exe' - Both antivirus
LoadPowerProfile (Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll)- Power Control through Control Panel-2entries
PCHealth (.exe) – Provides System Restore functionality
StateMgr (exe) – Also needed for System Restore
Scan Registry – Scans registry at start-up and makes copies. Useful for corrupted registries.
System Tray – Needed for clock and other items
'Zone LabsClient' and 'True Vector' (Zonelabs.exe)- Firewall protection
PCTVOICE – Link said not needed for startup but if de-selected no dialling tone but still dials up ok!
TaskMonitor –keeps track of rate of usage for defrag (one link said not needed for Startup but PC World link said it is needed). However All links agreed on everything else!

De-selected – Not needed at Startup

InCD (.exe) ?
LiveUpdate (exe) – Mine must be a legacy from old program so de-selected . I now use AVG antivirus.
Machine Debug Manager – Used by development engineers for debugging
Microsoft Office Startup
Office Startup
PV92TRAY (exe) – ISP – try it without and if problem re-Select. No problem in my case!
SchedulingAgent (mstask.exe) – only needed if you use scheduling of Defrag etc
VTTimer (.exe.) ?

Now after boot up initial resources increased from 68% to 77%

www. pacs-portal link gave useful info. To avoid problems with removing Registry entries he permanently works with msconfig in "Selective Startup" mode and hasn't experienced any problems.

Thankyou for info on posting a picture.

Thankyou Whitphil
The 'C' folder and individual folder's 'size on file' do give the same totals. However my deduction from your explanation is that immediately following a defrag session the 'size' and 'size on disc' will be the same since defrag assembles files contiguously. So I did a defrag to find out but there is still the same difference!

Kind regards to both,
Pat

 

Pat Alley --You are welcome. Thanks for posting back. Looks good. And 77% resources at start up is quite acceptable. As mentioned earlier, you only have to start worrying if your resources go under 10% and/or your PC crashes.