My computer's memory usage is EXTREMELY HIGH!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

[GregzTheKitten]

Hello, recently my computer's performance has been declining at a very fast rate. When I say performance, I mean that when I try to watch videos on the web, they wont buffer and fail to load. If I want to play a video game, the lag will be horrific, my frames per second would be verging on 1-4!!! Which is extremely sticky! Whenever I try to browse the web, when I click on a link, it either wont respond, will come up with a message saying "INTERNET EXPLORER CAN NOT FIND THIS PAGE" or simply take a long time to load.

I tried to find what was causing my CPU and memory usage to be so high... and then I found a very serious error.



WHEN MY COMPUTER HAS NOTHING GOING ON, MY SYSTEM MEMORY IS AT 150k PLUS!!! As I write this message to you now, my System memory is at 130k and internet explorer is at 140k!!!!!!! My cpu usage is keeps changing from 30% to 80%+ in random patterns!

Another strange thing is, all my other applications running are on 2k+ or something to that effect... when my friend's computer has most of his applications under 500? What's going on there?

I have no idea how to fix this, I have used countless scanners claiming to clear everything damaging the computer, but in the end charges you obscene amounts of money to get the 'FULL VERSION' etc.

Can someone help me solve my memory usage problem, so I can continue to watch videos, play games and browse the internet without waiting 30 seconds for anything to respond? Thanks for reading!

[Wrench97]

Lets see a screen shot of the performance tab of Task Manager.

[GregzTheKitten]

I'll try!

[GregzTheKitten]

Okay, here I have a picture of my task manager when I'm trying to play a game on my computers reccomended settings! This is the same result when I play on minimal detail!

(please click on the links so you can see the pictures)

This is what its normally like when i try to play a game.bmp

As you can see in that picture, my FRAMES PER SECOND are displayed in the top right corner in RED writing. Along with some other bits of info. As you can see it's only on 5! And it's red because it's so low! It is extremely sticky and I can barely play the game at all. And also see how high my cpu usage is... when the only thing running is that game!

Here is a similar picture:


This is what it's normally like when trying to play a game.bmp

Now can you see my problem? :(

[Wrench97]

I see 1.06 gig out of 2g in use not overly unusual for XP with a game running, the CPU at 68% is though, what are the system specs?

Check the Temps(CPU, System, Hard Drive) with a program like HwMonitor

[GregzTheKitten]

I have no idea how to get to the "System specs" I'm not very good with computers. Can you tell me what I need to do? :/ sorry about that.

[Wrench97]

What brand and model PC?

[GregzTheKitten]

Uhh.. the computer is over 5 years old now... umm we got it from PC world so... I'm not sure about the brand at all, and the model? I honestly don't know. I'm really sorry to be so useless with the information you need :/ maybe it's something to do with my RAM or something? :(

[GregzTheKitten]

WAIT, I'VE INSTALLED HWMONITER and here is a picture of the results I was given.

HwMoniter results.bmp

Does this help?

[GregzTheKitten]

HERE ARE MY SYSTEM SPECS!!!

My system specs.bmp

[Wrench97]

Interesting no temp readings for the CPU or motherboard.

Run Speccy System Information when it's done go to File/Publish that will send your system info to their server and give you a like to post here so we can retrieve it.

[GregzTheKitten]

So do I click on "Operating system" and send you a snapshot? Because I can't find any "System Information" buttons o_o

[GregzTheKitten]

Never mind... I published it and here are my results.

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/q...aO8pa5KeCQF6H2

[Wrench97]

In the specy File menu select Publish.


Another way to get the temps is to shut down, restart the PC when you see the first logo screen on start up start tapping the Del key, to enter the Bios, in the Bios menu select PC health status(use the arrow keys to move around), record the temps and voltages listed and post them.

[Rich-M]

You mentioned you used a lot of programs you paid for. Can you tell us what they were?
What have you used to scan for malware and virus?

[GregzTheKitten]

Where did I say that? The only programms I use normally are things like FL studio to make music, internet explorer for the web and Runescape for a game, plus some others downloaded off steam. And yes I did pay for these.

I have scanned my PC with AVG, UNIblue RegistryBooster and that's about it.

[Rich-M]

Originally Posted by GregzTheKitten

Where did I say that? The only programms I use normally are things like FL studio to make music, internet explorer for the web and Runescape for a game, plus some others downloaded off steam. And yes I did pay for these.

I have scanned my PC with AVG, UNIblue RegistryBooster and that's about it.

Right here is where you said that:
"I have no idea how to fix this, I have used countless scanners claiming to clear everything damaging the computer, but in the end charges you obscene amounts of money to get the 'FULL VERSION' etc."

And Uniblue Registry cleaner alone is enough to explain the problem so if you used anything else that's a reg cleaner or not, I'm afraid your only solution is reinstall Windows with a clean install. The damage a registry cleaner does, cannot be repaired without a clean install I am afraid. If only more people realized a registry never needs cleaning and the only thing that can happen from doing so, is to destroy it!

miekiemoes' Blog: Registry Cleaners and System Tweaking Tools

Why I don’t use registry cleaners | Ed Bott

[Wrench97]

You have a lot of startup processes running, try closing some you don't need like
Google updater,
hpswp_clipbook.exe (HP smart web printing clip book),
hpqtra08.exe(HP printer tray icon),
hpqste08.exe(HP digital image tray icon),
hpqbam08.exe(HP Cue alert process)
ipodservice.exe,
ituneshelper.exe,
mmonitor.exe(Olympus camera monitor),
rbmonitor.exe(Uniblue Registry Monitor uninstall completely unneeded program),
skype.exe(it's using 65 meg of ram if you are not using it shut it down), applemobiledeviceservice.exe.

The more start up process you have running on an older PC the slower it will run, if you are not currently using the service shut it down.:)

You are running a Pentium 4 661 which should run @ 3.6 Ghz yours is currently running @ 2.4ghz, it may just be Intel speed step which slows the cpu down when the power is not needed to conserve power and reduce heat, or it could be the CPU is running warm and slowing itself down to reduce heat(hence the reason I'm trying to find temps).
Did you check the bios readings?

[GregzTheKitten]

Thank you very much for your replies! Rich, I'm sorry I didn't notice that earlier, I was in a rush you see so I didn't study my messages to see where I said that, thanks for clearing that up, and I will have Uniblue and all scanners that I've downloaded deleted immidiately. And thank you very much wrench, I shall begin the shutting down of all those programms you listed. Thank you again!

[Wrench97]

Have you checked the Bios for a CPU temp reading ?