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Archive through March 17, 2008

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: Jan. 2008 ~ Mar. 2008: All Things Technical: The Help Desk: Computer Problems? Ask Here: Archive through March 17, 2008 users admin

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Landileigh
Member

07-29-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 8:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Landileigh a private message Print Post    
it's an easy 5 minute job, but if you are unsure of opening the back of your computer, i'd have someone else do it. get a price quote for adding the RAM and post here, we'll tell you if it is worth looking into doing yourself. btw, you should buy your RAM not from the installer, they charge much more than if you bought it from even Amazon.

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 9:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
I am so glad you're helping here, too, landi!

That 'Crucial' site that Bob had me use was showing a 512 priced at about $30 (each). So $60 . . . that's cheap, right?! I'm not SCARED to do this (if it's easy). And I hate to have to take it in anywhere and have it out of commission for any time, so I'd actually prefer to try it myself. Again, if it's not too hard.

I'll get an alternate cost from Amazon, as you mentioned it has good prices and then get installation quotes from a couple places and share here. Thanks so much, again, landi (and, of course, Bob)!!

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 9:25 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
I was able to print out the great installation guide at 'Crucial' and though it seems a bit scary (regarding the static electricity/grounding issues), I think I could handle that. Getting brave here.

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 9:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Herckleperckle: Your number of 713 MB in the post above is bad and explains why things are so slow when you switch. Your computer only has 256 MB of RAM, but you are running programs that take up 713 MB of RAM. You are using almost triple of what you have. Windows lets you run the extra stuff by "paging" other program out of RAM and saving them to your hard drive. When you changed 382 MB to 556 MB, what you actually did was tell windows it could page out up to 556 MB of your programs to make space for something new.

Programs only run in RAM. When you are logged in, all your programs get moved into RAM. When you switch to Ed's login, all his programs would be out on disk and the delay is Windows moving your programs onto disk and loading Ed's programs into RAM. One they are in RAM, everything will run fine for Ed. Now when you want to switch back to your login, Windows has to repeat the process.

Landileigh is correct that the best solution for your needs is to add 2 x 512 MB of RAM for a total of 1024 MB. This will allow both logins programs to stay in RAM and switching should be fast.

Given the following 2 choices from crucial:



I would go with the DDR PC3200 since it is the same price as the DDR PC2700. You don't need the faster memory, but for the same price faster is better. If you can find DDR PC2700 memory for cheaper, then get that. Your total with shipping would be under $64.


Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 9:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Seattlemom: Your PC has a CMOS battery that keeps track of the time of day while you computer is turned off along along with other system settings that control how your computer boots up. They usually last about 10 years, but could fail sooner.

Have you had any problems with your date/time getting reset when you start up the computer?

The battery is typically a coin cell battery and looks like this:



Replacing this battery is a pain because you have to get into the BIOS and write down all the settings because they will (usually) get lost. Then you have to figure our the model of the battery and find a place to buy it. But first you have to make sure it is removable and not soldered to the motherboard. After replacing it, you will have to reenter all the BIOS settings.

You may want to go into the BIOS and capture all the settings in case your battery is on its own. Post if you want to do that.

Was the computer left off for a long time (like weeks or months) before getting this error message?

The battery gets charged while your computer is on, so leaving it off for several months can lead to a low battery warning. Leave it on for 24 hours and it should charge up fully.


Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 10:12 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua: I think the answer is never turn off your computer!

Last I knew, you have 3 programs running at start up: 2 Norton and MozyHome. Is that correct?

Since the slow boot came back over night, it points at some daily task possibly running at boot time. Once it has run for the day, the next shutdown and startup will be fast.

Both Norton and MozyHome have daily tasks to do.

Norton will check for new virus definition files at least once a day and often at boot time. This checking and downloading could be slowing you down. It also could be running a full scan for the day at boot time and will not run it again for a second boot that day. The next day it would run again.

MozyHome could be looking at your music files to see if anything needs to be backed up. I think you said that this is scheduled to run at 1:00 PM, but maybe it checks to see if a backup was missed after the computer has been off.

Since you had your slow boot for the day, here's what I would do:

1. Shut down and do a cold boot. Should be fast.

2. Later this evening, uncheck MozyHome, shut down and do another cold boot. Should also be fast.

3. Leave the computer running over night.

4. In the morning do a restart instead of a shutdown. This is a warm boot. Post how long it takes.

5. If the warm boot was fast, do a shut down and a cold boot. Post how long it takes.

Isolating the problem will take several days, since there seems to be an overnight component that affects the boot time.

I'm betting on Norton doing something, but MozyHome is an unknown quantity to me.

<...light bulb goes off over head...>

Can you run a manual full virus scan and see how long that takes? If it takes around 40 minutes then that would point at Norton doing a fullscan during the first boot of the day.


Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 11:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Haven't read your whole post yet, Bob. Just wanted to say Mozy backup is scheduled for daily at 1:00 p.m.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 11:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
I'm a little confused by some things in your post. When Jennifer (consultant) was here last scheduled full Norton scan for weekly at 7:00 p.m. Fridays. (IIRC, seems to me that that does take 30 - 45 minutes.) Does it automatically scan daily / at other times?

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 11:53 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
So many people say Norton = bad. Use AVG. Mike DiMichele (WSWN and Save My Butt) says getting rid of Norton and putting AVG on is easy. Yeah, for somebody else. You know me.... Would that be a good idea though?

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Bob, you asked me which OS I will be getting with my computer waaay back the other day. I didn't hit send yet on my order. I have a choice of whatever OS I want, and I think I am just too nervous to go with anything other than XP. Is there any reason I shouldn't stick with XP for the new pc?

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
I would get rid of Norton and install the free AVG. It is easy but takes a couple of reboots. Windows does not like having 2 anti virus programs installed at the same time. You have to uninstall Norton first and reboot. Then install AVG and set when you want it to download new virus definitions and when it should do a full scan. Then reboot to make sure it automatically starts.

What is the exact name and version of the anti virus you are using?

The things in my post are just guesses at what could be causing the delay in getting to windows during the first boot of the morning. Something has to be running once, since subsequent boots are fast. Norton seems to be the best candidate.


Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Naja, I got this computer 'bout 6 - 8 weeks ago. I stayed with XP Pro.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Bob, where do I find out exact name and version? Click what? where? I've been renewing it for a few years.

Still have the box,etc. from when I originially got it. Box and booklet say Norton SystemWorks Antivirus 2004, but disk says 2001. I've renewed every years since.

Now I'm finding another booklet in my drawer that says 2001. I don't know.

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:18 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Naja: I prefer XP, but Vista on a new computer is fine. I selected Vista for our new laptop last year, but I would never go through the headache of upgrading a working XP computer to Vista.

If you feel better with XP, then get it. I find Vista difficult to navigate since many things have been moved or redone. If I used Vista everyday, I'm sure I could find the new way to do things after a few weeks.


Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:21 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
Colordeagua: If you have Norton open, there should be a menu item under the Help menu (usually the last item) that says About Norton or something similar. Click that to get the latest information.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Yeah, I feel better with xp. I think I will stick with it :-) Thanks for your posts :-)

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Norton Antivirus version 15.0.0.58.

Wish all this computer stuff was as user friendly as TiVo.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:39 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
Ooops, one more question Bob. Since you know I am paranoid about cooling now that I had a pc that caught fire, will an extra side fan be of much help, or skip it? It's only 12 dollars more.

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
You can always add a fan if you have heat related issues down the road. I don't think your PC caught fire because the air inside the PC was too hot. If you had an 8800GT video card, I would say add the fan because that card runs hot.

Adding a fan requires 4 screws and plugging it into the power supply. The reason to not add the fan is to keep the noise down. Some systems have so many fans they sound like they are about to take off.


Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 12:52 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Bob2112 a private message Print Post    
.

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:08 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
Bob, I don't know how to thank you properly. Should have come here months ago. This has been plaguing us for so long--and we kept looking at everything for the cause but the obvious, it seems.

You have my heartfelt, sincere thanks! I don't know what many of us would do without such savvy, layman-intelligible--and FREE--help. Mwah!!!

I have a wool rug in the computer room, but my chair rests on one of those large plastic pieces that lets your chair slide around easily. Do you think we should move the hard drive to the outside porch to do the memory installation, or I am being too paranoid about it? (I noticed the installation guide that Crucial makes available on its site mentions wrist thingees to prevent static electricity problems when working on this task. Are they something I should get as a precaution? I do not want to kill this computer.)

Thanks again!

Jimmer
Moderator

08-30-2000

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Jimmer a private message Print Post    
Bob, Once again I have to congratulate you on the great advice and effort you have given in this thread!

I don't think you need to worry to much about static electricity when installing the memory. The manufacturer has to cover themselves by saying that but as long as you don't scuff around on a heavy rug, you should be okay.

Oh and LOL over the fan noise. I've heard some of those.

Naja
Member

06-28-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Naja a private message Print Post    
oh yes, Bob has definitely saved me some worrying about things I didn't know. I am a software wonderperson (In my own eyes), but hardware issues scare the crap out of me. Bob is like a valium..LOL

Herckleperckle
Member

11-20-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 1:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Herckleperckle a private message Print Post    
Thanks so much, Jimmer!

And Bob and landi, I'll be posting here to let you know how we do with installing the memory. I will be ordering what you recommended--from Crucial--today.

LOL, Naja!!



Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, March 17, 2008 - 3:56 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post Send Colordeagua a private message Print Post    
Bob, are you waiting for more info from me?