Virtual Memory Problems

[vegasgal]

I posted in the wrong area, so here I am again and hope this time the HiJack Log will be attached.
I keep getting a popup saying Windows virtual memory is low and that it will be fixed. So I go and check it out and nothing has changed, so I changed it to the recommended amount.
I use Firefox and it keeps crashing, it was crashing before I changed the memory. So now I thought I'd use IE and it closes on me.
I have no idea what is going on and thought maybe you could help me?

Thanks,
Vegasgal

[jholland1964]

One reason for your memory problems is you have an excessive number of programs running at start up and therefore running all the time in the back ground.
All of these programs are auto starting and therefore running in the background consuming a huge amount of system resources. NONE of these need to auto start or run all the time. All can be started manually WHEN NEEDED.
AdaptecDirectCD
Microsoft Works Update Detection
MimBoot
QuickTime Task
MediaFace Integration
NBKeyScan
NeroFilterCheck
ISTray
SunJavaUpdateSched
My Web Search Bar
MyWebSearch Email Plugin
Corel Photo Downloader
MoneyAgent
BgMonitor_
Pando
Yahoo! Pager

You also show malware on the computer, mywebsearch is a known malware program.
You need to get this off the computer immediately. To do so do the following:
First, uninstall the My Web Search option from Add/Remove Programs

1) Click on Start, Settings, Control Panel

2) Double click on Add/Remove Programs

3) Find "My Web Search" in the list of installed programs and click on Change/Remove to uninstall it. You may also want to uninstall any of the following items associated with FunWebProducts.

* My Web Search (Smiley Central or FWP product as applicable)
* My Way Speedbar (Smiley Central or other FWP as applicable)
* My Way Speedbar (AOL and Yahoo Messengers) (beta users only)
* My Way Speedbar (Outlook, Outlook Express, and IncrediMail)
* Search Assistant - My Way
4) Reboot your Computer and run HijackThis and place a checkmark next to the following entries;
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {00A6FAF6-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\SrchAstt\1.bin\MWSSRCAS.DLL
O2 - BHO: MyWebSearch Search Assistant BHO - {00A6FAF1-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\SrchAstt\1.bin\MWSSRCAS.DLL
O2 - BHO: mwsBar BHO - {07B18EA1-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\bar\1.bin\MWSBAR.DLL

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [My Web Search Bar] rundll32 C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\MWSBAR.DLL,S
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MyWebSearch Email Plugin] C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\mwsoemon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MyWebSearch Email Plugin] C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\mwsoemon.exe (yes there are two of these showing put a check mark in both)
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Search - http://edits.mywebsearch.com/toolbaredits/menusearch.jhtml?p=ZNfox000
Once you have placed those check marks then click the Fix Checked button.
Exit HJT.
6) Next, open My Computer, Drive C, and double-click on the Program Files folder

7) Right-click and delete the folders for:

*FunWebProducts
* MyWebSearch

Once you have done all of the above, reboot the computer. Run a new HJT scan. Post that new log and also tell me the following;

Give me some info on the computer itself;
Hard drive size and remaining space.
How much RAM is installed.
Exactly what settings do you have for Virtual Memory?

[vegasgal]

As I stated before I am double posting in this forum and was wondering how I can remove my original thread in: Windows NT/2000/XP/2003 ?

How can I change all the programs on the list from auto start? I'm clueless.

On the list of items you wanted me to put a checkmark on and then Fix Checked button on HJT, I could only find 08. I did find both folders on C Drive and removed them.

My Computer:
Size: 76.3 GB
Free Space: 53.8 GB
RAM: 768
Virtual Memory Set At: 600-768

Attaching the new HJT log

Thanks,
Vegasgal

[Laser]

Why not let Windows handle the virtual memory?

Go to Control Panel>System>Advanced tab>under Performance, click Settings>Advanced tab>under Virtual Memory, click Change>select System Managed Size and click Set>click OK and Restart the computer when prompted to do so.

If you wish to keep the Custom virtual memory settings, set the Min to 768 and Max to 1536.

[jholland1964]

The reason all items I noted were not in the latest HJT log is because you uninstalled them, that is what is supposed to happen.
Now for memory and hard drive size;
You stated the RAM at 768...I am assuming this is 768MB, not very much.
You don't have enough RAM installed really for the computer to run quickly. Usually running out of virtual memory means that you are running to many programs at the same time for your system or one of them is attempting to use too much memory. I think that TOO many programs running at once and your small amount of RAM are the main reasons for your problems.

I would recommend that you purchase additional RAM which is not very expensive and easy to install. Go to Crucial and their page will do a scan of your computer and give recommendations for how much additional RAM you can install. Their prices are very reasonable.

The operating system tracks the programs running and how much memory is needed to run each one. Some take more than others. If you are working with photos, videos, music or a large word document that will take more memory than others so the operating system ends up taking from one running program and giving it to another. If you have too many running or too many large programs running then this will slow things down because the os will have to keep swapping the memory back and forth. Plus remember the operating system uses memory itself, typically XP needs 128MB to run and that is the minimal recommended amount which, in reality is barely enough. Take that 128MB from what you have installed and you probably only have about 640MB to work with everything else.
You also have your virtual memory size set too low. The default and recommended size of this file is 1.5 times the amount of physical memory. So yours should be set at 1152MB not 768.
I also don't know what type of video card you have in the machine but it also uses some of the RAM usually, which lessens the amount you have available for other uses.

To control auto starts I would recommend that you download and install CodeStuff Starter
Now, yes, you can do this using msconfig, though I was taught this should be used for troubleshooting only but it can be used. But I am recommending CodeStuff Starter for several reasons, it is EASY and Free, AND you also have the ability with this one program to control programs in Startup, Programs which start as Services AND also see processes running on the computer, like the task manager will show you. So you can do it all with one program at the same time. Download the program and save it to the desktop.
In my post above I gave a list of things that were auto starting which were not necessary and can easily be run manually when you need them. When these programs auto start they are running, even if you are not using them so you are using valuable resources needed to run a particular program you may be using at the time.
Here again are those, plus a few more and an explanation of each, auto starts which you can stop from running at start up when you use CodeStuff by just first clicking the Start up Tab and removing the checkmark next to the program, closing the program and then rebooting the computer.

PRONoMgr.exe>>>System Tray icon for Intel PRO series ethernet adapters giving access to the diagnostic features, not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to.. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources.
IgfxTray>>>Quick access to the control panel via a System Tray icon for graphics based upon the Intel chipsets. not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to.. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources.
AdaptecDirectCD>>>DirectCD primarily allows you to drag and drop files onto a suitably formatted CD-RW disc. not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to.. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources
Microsoft Works Update Detection>>>Checks for updates to MS Works
MimBoot>>>Starts Musicmatch Jukebox at bootup - can be started manually
QuickTime Task>>>System Tray access to Apple's "Quick Time" viewer from version 5 onwards, not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to.
MediaFace Integration>>> Neato™ cd label design software, not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to.. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources.
ISUSPM Startup>>>InstallShield Update Service Scheduler. Automatically searches for and performs any updates to the software, not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources.
ISUSScheduler>>>InstallShield Update Service Scheduler. Automatically searches for and performs any updates to the software, not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources.
NBKeyScan>>> part of Nero 8 BackItUp utility, a specialized part of versions of BackItUp optimized to function with external drives that support a one-step-backup type function.
NeroFilterCheck>>>Associated with "Nero Burning Rom" CD writing software. Checks for driver issues but not required for the running of the computer.
ISTray>>>Related to Spyware_Doctor from PC Tools
SunJavaUpdateSched>>>SunJava update scheduler. Can be run manually
Corel Photo Downloader>>>Related to Corel Photo Album. Not required to start automatically as you can run it when you need to. It is advised that you disable this program so that it does not take up necessary resources.
MoneyAgent>>>Part of MS Money. Available via Start -> Programs
BgMonitor_>>>related to Nero Home CD burning software.
Pando>>>allows you to send large media files to specific recipients.
Yahoo! Pager>>>Yahoo! Messenger allows you to send instant messages. Available via Start -> Programs
WinZip Quick Pick.lnk>>>Pick taskbar icon that gives you instant access to WinZip and recently used ZIP files.
Here are the services you can disable using the Services Tab in CodeStuff:
PrismXL>>>The PrismXL service lets the Client deploy Tasks on a target computer regardless of the current user.s permissions.
ProtexisLicensing>>>Part of the Protexis copy protection and license management software. This will typically be installed by other software that uses this to protect itself from being illegally copied.
LiveShare P2P Server 9>>>This will use a lot of resources PLUS with the two files noted above it appears you are doing P2P file sharing. Even though with those above you are at least attempting to "stay legal" and not take copywrited material this still is a risky thing to do, many times you end up sharing a lot more than you bargained for. I would really "rethink" this activity.
Take the checkmarks out of all of the above with CodeStuff Starter. Close the program and reboot the computer.
Also remember, all of the items noted above can be run manually when you need them BUT remember to Close them when you are finished using them so that the memory is released back into the system. Don't let something you are no longer using keep running because even if you are not working with it if it is open then it is using memory. So close them down when you are finished.
Judy

[vegasgal]

Hi Judy,
I ordered 2-1GB of RAM, we'll see how that works out. Just finished downloading the CodeStuff Starter and will proceed with that. How can I find out what size my video card is? I did go in and change my vitual memory to 1152MB but I still get the popup.
Thanks,
Vegasgal

[vegasgal]

Judy,
I need help with the CodeStuff Starter. I was able to to all the ones on the Start Up Tab, but not sure how to do the ones on the Services Tab?

Thanks,
Vegasgal

[jholland1964]

The list is in alphabetical order. Double click on the item you want and I would suggest that you stop the service if it is running and then change the start up to manual.
After you have done all that then reboot the computer.
Judy

[vegasgal]

Hi Judy,
I was able to do that just fine. I guess this problem is solved and I want to thank you so much for all your help.

Thank You,
Vegasgal

[jholland1964]

Just keep us posted ok? We want to know how your new RAM works. Happy to help.
Judy

[vegasgal]

Judy,
I will let you know when I've installed the new RAM.
I was able to find out about my video card, its a Intel 82845G - they don't make them anymore. I can remember when I purchased this pc the guy told me it only had 64MB and that I would need to bump it up. I do not have a clue on this one, I'll go poking around when I have the case open.
Thanks Again,
Vegasgal