System resources leaking away

A few days ago I asked about the low system resources on my
five-year-old Windows 98 Dell desktop. Some procedures were given for
me to do some diagnostics but they're complicated and I haven't had the
time to do them. Meanwhile the problem has clarified. Basically, when
I turn the computer on or restart, and if I have no major applications
on, but just the background utilities (including things like Zone Alarm,
internet connection, Icon Corral, and stuff like that), I have 64%
resources free. But over the course of a day, that percentage keeps
dropping. Right now, for example, the computer has been on for about 24
hours, and the system resources (with no major applications open) is at
51%.

So something is making system resources get less and less while the
computer is on.

I wish there was some way of figuring this what's causing this without
having to turn off one utility after another and see what happens over
the period of many hours for each one.

Larry

Larry
As far as I'm concerned, you're describing a perfectly normal
operation. When you reboot, assuming just you have managed your
startup operation, your system resources are in the 70% range, and
they gradually decrease as you use your computer.

"Larry" wrote in message
...
A few days ago I asked about the low system resources on my
five-year-old Windows 98 Dell desktop. Some procedures were given
for
me to do some diagnostics but they're complicated and I haven't had
the
time to do them. Meanwhile the problem has clarified. Basically,
when
I turn the computer on or restart, and if I have no major
applications
on, but just the background utilities (including things like Zone
Alarm,
internet connection, Icon Corral, and stuff like that), I have 64%
resources free. But over the course of a day, that percentage keeps
dropping. Right now, for example, the computer has been on for
about 24
hours, and the system resources (with no major applications open) is
at
51%.

So something is making system resources get less and less while the
computer is on.

I wish there was some way of figuring this what's causing this
without
having to turn off one utility after another and see what happens
over
the period of many hours for each one.

Larry

I've been using ZoneAlarm for several years, both the free and "Pro"
versions, and have not noticed any obnoxious behavior from the software. So,
if you were going to suspect some of your background utilities, I'd put ZA
last on the list of culprits.

Unfortunately, the only way you're going to have to experiment by shutting
off one thing at a time until you find your problem. And, you should
reconsider whether you truly need some of your utilities. For instance, if
you need Icon Corral, it's probably because you're annoyed by the number of
icons in the system tray. Why *are* there so many? How many? Is it really
worth running a utility for such a lightweight purpose?

"Larry" wrote in message
...
A few days ago I asked about the low system resources on my
five-year-old Windows 98 Dell desktop. Some procedures were given for
me to do some diagnostics but they're complicated and I haven't had the
time to do them. Meanwhile the problem has clarified. Basically, when
I turn the computer on or restart, and if I have no major applications
on, but just the background utilities (including things like Zone Alarm,
internet connection, Icon Corral, and stuff like that), I have 64%
resources free. But over the course of a day, that percentage keeps
dropping. Right now, for example, the computer has been on for about 24
hours, and the system resources (with no major applications open) is at
51%.

So something is making system resources get less and less while the
computer is on.

I wish there was some way of figuring this what's causing this without
having to turn off one utility after another and see what happens over
the period of many hours for each one.

Larry

Larry wrote:
A few days ago I asked about the low system resources on my
five-year-old Windows 98 Dell desktop. Some procedures were given for
me to do some diagnostics but they're complicated and I haven't had the
time to do them. Meanwhile the problem has clarified. Basically, when
I turn the computer on or restart, and if I have no major applications
on, but just the background utilities (including things like Zone Alarm,
internet connection, Icon Corral, and stuff like that), I have 64%
resources free. But over the course of a day, that percentage keeps
dropping. Right now, for example, the computer has been on for about 24
hours, and the system resources (with no major applications open) is at
51%.

So something is making system resources get less and less while the
computer is on.

I wish there was some way of figuring this what's causing this without
having to turn off one utility after another and see what happens over
the period of many hours for each one.

Larry





Hi,
There really isn't a faster way to figure out what is causing the drain
on resources. Disabling them from startup or uninstalling them is the
best way, albeit slow.

Surely there must be some programs you have running that don't need to
be. My experience tells me that very few programs actually need to load
at startup. Disabling them at startup doesn't mean the program won't
work; take MS Office for example- all of the applications work just fine
without loading at startup.

Icon Corral seems to ba a fairly worthless program to me. It claims to
move the "clutter of minimized applications from your taskbar to your
system tray"; just what is that supposed to do for you? I don't get it.

When my 98 system starts up, I have 16 processes (not programs) running.
Those include truly essential Windows processes, firewall, AV, battery
back-up utility, optical mouse software, and 1 purely optional program
that I could disable if it were a problem. Other 98 systems I take care
of have approximately the same or less than that, depending on if
they're in a network or if they have a Lexmark printer with its numerous
startup entries. (Although, through trial and error I have figured out
which ones to turn off and still have a functional printer, but there
are still too many, especially for a printer of all things.)

I wish there was a way to plug in a gadget that just tells you which
one(s) is (are) the culprit(s), but there isn't, at least not yet.

It seems that Gary Terhune went over this with you in detail already, so
your choices are clear: disable or uninstall some applications or just
let them eat up your resources as they please.

mm

Doug Kanter wrote:
snip
For instance, if
you need Icon Corral, it's probably because you're annoyed by the number of
icons in the system tray. Why *are* there so many? How many? Is it really
worth running a utility for such a lightweight purpose?
/snip

Hi,

I was curious as to what Icon Corral does so I looked it up; it does
just the opposite of what you would think. Here's their pitch:

"If a herd of programs always seems to be grazing in your Taskbar, round
them up with Icon Corral. This program steers your minimized programs
into the system tray rather than the Taskbar itself."

I think you were being way too kind when you said it has a "lightweight
purpose".

mm

Yeah, Gary gave me those procedures to follow, but I was hoping for a
simpler answer. I hope Gary doesn't think I'm ungrateful. :-)

BTW, why is everyone so sure that my little utilities, like Icon Corral,
are causing the problem? I've been using Icon Corral (and all my other
regular utilities) for several years but I've only had this Resources
drain in the last few weeks.

Larry

"Mostly Me (MM)" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
snip
For instance, if
you need Icon Corral, it's probably because you're annoyed by the number
of
icons in the system tray. Why *are* there so many? How many? Is it
really
worth running a utility for such a lightweight purpose?
/snip

Hi,

I was curious as to what Icon Corral does so I looked it up; it does
just the opposite of what you would think. Here's their pitch:

"If a herd of programs always seems to be grazing in your Taskbar, round
them up with Icon Corral. This program steers your minimized programs
into the system tray rather than the Taskbar itself."

I think you were being way too kind when you said it has a "lightweight
purpose".

mm



Whatever it does, it's using resources, like everything else in Windows.
Shut off desktop themes. Eliminate wallpaper & replace with just a
background color. Uninstall fonts that you never use. Be brutal about
eliminating utilities that provide nothing but cuteness. Don't use 3rd party
screensavers - stick with the ones which come with Windows. If you run big
apps all day, LEAVE them running - don't shut them down and restart them a
million times. Even the well-written ones don't return all their resources
to the system at shutdown.

"Larry" wrote in message
...


Yeah, Gary gave me those procedures to follow, but I was hoping for a
simpler answer. I hope Gary doesn't think I'm ungrateful. :-)

BTW, why is everyone so sure that my little utilities, like Icon Corral,
are causing the problem? I've been using Icon Corral (and all my other
regular utilities) for several years but I've only had this Resources
drain in the last few weeks.

Larry



1) Have you made ANY changes to your system? This includes new hardware, new
drivers, new software, ANYTHING.

2) Did you upgrade any existing programs?

3) What NAME BRAND of antivirus software do you use, and when is the last
time you paid actual money for another year's subscription?

4) When's the last time you did a full system scan of ALL FILES?

5) When's the last time you checked your system with anti-spyware software,
like AdAware and Spybot?

Larry wrote:
Yeah, Gary gave me those procedures to follow, but I was hoping for a
simpler answer. I hope Gary doesn't think I'm ungrateful. :-)

BTW, why is everyone so sure that my little utilities, like Icon Corral,
are causing the problem? I've been using Icon Corral (and all my other
regular utilities) for several years but I've only had this Resources
drain in the last few weeks.

Larry



Hi,

I'm fairly certain that Gary understands your desire to find a different
method, but I don't know if he considers that to be ungrateful.

I'm not certain it's one of your utilities causing the problem, but the
only way to be certain is to go through the laborious process of
elimination. Unless, as the other poster suggested, you can link the
resource drain to a change to your system, hardware, programs, etc. to
include updating products already installed. I know some programs
auto-update when you connect to the web, or at least try to, so it might
not have even been an obvious change to you. Perhaps you ran an
anti-spyware/adware program that removed something? Just firing off
possibilities.

Well, keep us posted on what you find.

mm

24 hours? TURN IT OFF, & go to sleep! Opening/closing apps for 24 hours
will sap resources, because it is a rare app that will return them all
when closed. Windows may then try to get them, but apparently also does
fail. So, do as Kanter said, & keep an app open until you are truly done
with it.

Which one is at 51%, User or GDI? (System is always set at the lower of
the two; it is not a separate thing.) I do know my GDI went up
considerably after one Monitor died & was replaced with a smaller.

HOWEVER, 51% still available after 24 hours is not terribly alarming!
Surely, you must turn it off & sleep sometime!


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Larry" wrote in message
...
| A few days ago I asked about the low system resources on my
| five-year-old Windows 98 Dell desktop. Some procedures were given for
| me to do some diagnostics but they're complicated and I haven't had
the
| time to do them. Meanwhile the problem has clarified. Basically,
when
| I turn the computer on or restart, and if I have no major applications
| on, but just the background utilities (including things like Zone
Alarm,
| internet connection, Icon Corral, and stuff like that), I have 64%
| resources free. But over the course of a day, that percentage keeps
| dropping. Right now, for example, the computer has been on for about
24
| hours, and the system resources (with no major applications open) is
at
| 51%.
|
| So something is making system resources get less and less while the
| computer is on.
|
| I wish there was some way of figuring this what's causing this without
| having to turn off one utility after another and see what happens over
| the period of many hours for each one.
|
| Larry
|
|
|
|