Resolved Quirky problems with XP SP3

Hello all

I began a thread three days ago here:

http://www.windowsbbs.com/other-software/84418-java-question.html


I was refered to the malware site here:

http://www.windowsbbs.com/malware-virus-removal/84444-resolved-java-hogging-cpu

Providing these threads to give you a heads up on what has been done so far and for general information. I have a simple machine; Hp Pavilion with 2.5gb processor, 256mb ram, sp3 fully updated. Here are my quirky problems:

1. Lately I've had task manager minimized to tray so whenever the hard drive begins running for whatever reason I can bring up task manager to see the offender. Yesterday when I brought up the task manager no program or service was showing to be running, idle at 99%, but the hard drive was running like mad for close to 2 minutes.

2. I can log on to sites, this one for example, do my business and leave. When I come back I have to log in again. I don't even have to close my browser. I can go to another page and come back and have to log on again. This even occurs when I check the 'remember me' option.

3. Once a day I get the popup from Windows saying that my Virtual Memory minimum is too low and Windows will use a part of the hard drive as memory or something to that effect. Usually happens when I close my browser. Sometimes it will do it when I have too many tabs open.

4. Sometimes when I am logged on for a while and decide to go to another site via bookmark on the links bar of my browser the hard drive will run like mad for a minute when I hover the mouse pointer over the link. I will have to wait for the hard drive to stop before I can click the link. This happens a lot.

5. Just today my folders in C: drive and inside other folders, such as Program Files, have been changed. They now open in full page instead of the normal half page. As of now they seem to be opening properly. Don't know how this happened to begin with.

I'm all out of ideas so I'm here hoping there are some simple solutions to these quirks. *fingers crossed*

Thanks in advance for any help received.

 

Do you have ample free drive space? Dump your Temporary Internet Files. Set the Temp Internet Files cache to 50 megs, that's plenty for most operators. Check your System Restore setting and set to lesser value to conserve space. You need more RAM. Defragged lately?

 

Hi Surferdude2, I have 61.1 gb of free space. How do I dump my
Temporary Internet Files and set its cache to 50 megs? I don't use
System Restore, its turned off, and when I go to defrag it tells me
I don't need to defrag at this time. ?

 

Open Control Panel and double click on Internet Options. Under the General tab you will see Delete Cookies, Delete Files and Settings buttons under Temporary Internet Files. Click Delete Files to delete TIFs and click the Settings button to set the amount of disk space to use for the TIFs.

You definitely need more RAM.

 

Hello Whiskeyman, thanks, I found and did everything per your instructions. I also defraged and rebooted. Getting more ram may be impossible. I've been on a waiting list for over six months now and still have a ways to wait I've been told. Too many Indians and not enough Chiefs.

I still have to re enter my user name and password every time I come to this site, as well as others, and ticking the remember me option has no effect. I never log out, I just go to another site and when I return I have to log in again. On all sites that require a user name and pass. Very much confused about this.

 

Hi PeteC,

Crucial.com seems like they got it pretty well together. I scanned my comp
with their downloadable tool and got satisfactory results. I'm impressed
with how organized and detailed the scan is. I'll give them a try. Thanks
for the link PeteC.

Hi Evan Omo, I did all the steps you suggested. I'm sure they will help.
I haven't been around the internet yet to see how improved it is but I'm
working on it.

7. I've done this step a while back. Can't remember where I found the
suggestion at but I did it.

The only noticable problems I have at the moment is the problem staying
logged in to a site. It seems I automatically log out when I leave the
site and go to another page. And when the computer has been on for a
while I can hover the mouse over a link and the hdd will run continuously
for a full minute at least before allowing me to click the link. Don't
have a clue what is causing this. Otherwise, things seem well.

8. I've updated to IE8 last week.

 

I'm sorry Evan Omo, I been so absorbed in trying suggestions and such I forgot to mention that I'm using Firefox 3.0 instead of IE. I use both but FF is the browser I'm using with the can't stay logged in problem. I haven't tried with IE but I will now.

 

Using IE I logged into this site and signed in. I went to my home page and returned here. I was still logged in. I closed IE, opened it again and navigated to here. I was logged out.

In FF, I'm logged out just by leaving the site. It don't matter what I do in FF, I'll always be logged out once I leave the site. This happens with any site that requires user name and password.

Time for me to go to the browser thread huh?

 

In IE: I disabled all ad-ons. No effect. Same problem. Only had three anyway; java, shockwave, and hp toolbar which was listed under Not Available. The only one enabled now is shockwave. Need it for another site.

Same with FF: Only one add-on. Disabled made no difference.

I hope this quote wasn't taken out of context or misunderstood in any way. You guys have done an excellent job of getting my computer running better, and with the rules being pretty well enforced I just didn't want anyone, especially the newbe here, getting a black mark or anything. I mean, here we are in the xp forum discussing browser problems. Get my drift?

 

Hi Evan,

Yeah, the computer seems to be running really sweet now. Except with both browsers wanting to log out of sites automatically when I leave them.

I tried your suggestion with the Reset Button but that made no difference either. I closed IE after using the reset, reopened and came to this site, logged in and went to another site, came back and had to log in again. Closed IE again and came back here and had to log in again. So I don't know. What gets me is that this problem is with both browsers.

I'll say one thing tho, IE is a lot sweeter than it used to be. I'm trying IE8 out for the first time and it sure is smoothe. It takes longer to load than FF but once its up, its all you can ask from a browser. I like the improved version.

And also thanks to everyone who helped get my computer running smoothly again. If only we could figure out the browser problem I'd have a new computer again.

 

I found the solution to IE, and I assume FF, here:

http://www.windowsbbs.com/internet-explorer/84527-same-problem-ie8-ff3.html

 

When Steve R Jones first mentioned the cookie issue I thought to myself, "That can't be right." I went searching through IE and found out that so much had changed. Apparently Microsoft not only heard the people but gave in to their ( the peoples ) wants. Cookie control is so much easier now. Where was this ten years ago.? . But more than cookies have been improved. IE is more secure and much smoother now, I was really surprised at how much improved IE has become. Hats off to Microsoft!