Please Help....Computer Problems!

reply to post by nineix


You've been awesome help in this thread. You are like the software guru, and I am like the hardware tech. Once Stealthy rules out the cooling issues I am adamant about, you can have the remote assistance, as that will be maddingly slow due to the system lag.

We do have a solid clue now, 2.78gb usable out of four. Seven is a memory glutton, and depriving that beast of memory is just asking for trouble. Where'd that 1.3gb of RAM go? Points to overheating, and memory loss, a hardware issue. Any OS doesn't lose memory unless the hardware fails. That system should have two 2gb chips in it, so the uneven loss doesn't work out to be a single chip failing. If she said 2gb reported, I'd say "bingo", chip failure and problem solved. That'd describe the lag. So, we still have a mystery on our hands......

reply to post by Druid42


Going to look at the fan today....asap, so I'll post later to let you know....

reply to post by StealthyKat


K, thanks. I'll be looking for the updated info.

reply to post by Druid42


Druuuuuuid!!! Thank you!!! (BIG virtual hug)

I cleaned the fan, did some of the things suggested by others, and HURRAY....back to normal! The fan was vey dirty (even though I dust constantly). It was FULL of dust.

Thank you to ALL who helped. I am in your debt if any of you have a problem I can help you with....you guys are the best! (BIG virtual hug to all the rest of you who took your valuable time to help as well)

reply to post by StealthyKat


I'm very happy to hear that your compy is working happier now.

For future reference, should anything else happen, please ignore anyone telling you to format, especially if that's the only option they're really giving. Format should be the very very very last thing tried, and even then, not necessarily so because through following a logical path of troubleshooting, hardware and software issues can all be examined and rectified without ever the need for format.

To help your system in performing quicker, I recommend looking at some tweak Win 7 sites.
Here's one such site

Any site requiring you to download and install software where said software is supposed to speed up your system is a bit suspicious since installing software, especially if the software remains active all the time, takes up system resources and actually slows the system.

Anyway, g'luck!

reply to post by nineix


Thanks nine....I took advanced system care off for just that reason. They seem to "help" to a point....then want you to upgrade. I am suspicious that they might be trying to make you think it's something much worse than it really is...to sell their software. You have helped so much.....thanks for your time and patience!

reply to post by StealthyKat


Amazing how an overheating problem can lead to all sorts of mayhem, aye? Glad I could help, but from your OP, you gave me enough to troubleshoot the most likely cause.

Windoze 7 is pretty robust, so re-formatting, like nine says, is ALWAYS a last resort. Good to see you caught the problem before component failure, but that's the nature of computers. They will act up before they die completely.

Anyhoo, open it up and dust it out every six months, and you'll find your puter gives you years of reliable service.

Back to posting on ATS you go. See you around!

Adios amigo!

Diagnosis is key. A quick www.webroot.com... scan can help pinpoint potential problems and get your machine(s) running as they should.

This tool will help identify hardware, installed apps and OS issues that may be slowing your computer down. Great resource.

reply to post by Druid42

Man, you are right about Windows 7 being a memory hog. Yesterday I serviced an Acer Laptop running 7, had 4 Gb of RAM. The thing still was having memory allocation problems. I discovered it had a lot of un-necessary programs in the start up scripting. Office, Java update, Intel System monitor? Dolby Audio, an online games suite.....none of it needed to start with Windows and stay in memory all the time. I finally got it running pretty good for the guy, he sure seemed happy with it.

reply to post by nineix

Actually, a full low level erase (full write of zeros in a random pattern) is the way to overwrite the HDD, all a format does is create a partition and arrange folders. It doesn't really destroy anything, it is still on the drive, just like everything you have deleted.

I use Ultimate Boot CD, and Hiren's All in One Bootable CD for these tasks. Every Factory HDD tool you can think of, BIOS tools, wiping tools, partition editors, bad sector repair, etc. I have saved many thought to be bad hard drives with these tools.