Physical memory usage 87% No progs running!! 1

[elgordo1960]

According to ASUS Probe.. Is this normal? My system is AthlonXP 2100+... 256MB DDR... PC2100... Win ME...

If I connect to the 'net, Memory usage goes up to 99%. I know 256MB is not a lot but I just wondered if this was acceptable behaviour!
Ta, Gordon.

 

[haemphyst]

Welcome to Windows (M)any (E)rrors! Does it behave this way in safe mode? What is your hardware complement? What drivers are you using (latest versions)?

Otherwise, that sounds like a virus to me. Have you installed a GOOD anti-virus? And by "good", I mean pretty much anything you PAID for - they don't GIVE AWAY what people want...

Go to

http://www.pandasoftware.com

and run their online virus check. It is not as good as actually buying the software and having it installed and updated, but this could give some insight.

e-mail me at ddraper at igalaxy dot net

 

[garebo]

ok, the very same thing just happened to me. I found it to be some sort of virus or malware. Norton did NOT catch them but an online scan at computerassociates did:

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

They found 6 items.
I also had to disable system restore and also ran adaware, spybot,stinger, microsoft antispyware, hijack this.
After doing all that a few times i am now ok.
Im not saying this is your problem, but it could be, and the way to check if it is is do a ctrl-alt-del to get to task manager and keep it running, then go onto the net and do your thing. If iexplorer or explorer starts running at 90% and task mgr says cpu at 100% and it stays at 100% then you know the reason, and yes it will freeze up this way.
If it doesnt stay at 100%, if task mgr fluctuates a lot, up and down, then probably its something else.
All the while my updated Norton 2005 said all was well!



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[garebo]

Also, all the online virus scanners wouldnt even start to work for me, the only one was computerassociates.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[alex304]

Do an msconfig from the run. (not sure if it works with ME). But this will show you what you have running at the startup. uncheck anything you think you don't need...if you need it. If you find you need it later...just add the check mark back in. This should free up your system resources at the startup. I usually start in the low 90's. Programs don't usually free up memory when you close them, so by the end of the day...system resources are usually in the low 80's.

 

[elgordo1960]

alex304 so what you're saying is that it's normal for my RAM usage to be at around 80% with no progs running?? By the way I have everything I can disabled at startup. I have Panda Antivirus which detects no viruses and adaware to get rid of spyware.I do get the error "System dangerously low on resources" quite often. I used to be able to run Logic 5.2 with loads of tracks and effects without any problems but not anymore.

 

[alex304]

Not at at first...80% is pretty low at a fresh reboot. But if you haven't rebooted all day...80% would be normal. If you have all non-critical programs disabled at the startup...it could be as the other guys suggested...a virus. I am not familiar with Panda...I use Nortons. I usually update and the run the virus scan in safe mode. Others prefer McAffee...but I have had problems running McAffee in safe-mode. Also make sure that windows is able to control your virtual memory...and that it is not set manually.

 

[garebo]

The test is to open task mgr and then go on the net to your home page and do nothing. If your cpu usage remains from 90 to 100% when you are doing nothing, then you likely have to do what i suggested. I dont even think you have to go on the net but something seems to be a trigger and im not quite sure what it is.



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[elgordo1960]

garebo I'm confused, is Task Manager the list of running programs when I ctrl/alt/del if so then I cant do anything when this is open. Also how do I check CPU usage??

 

[garebo]

I'm confused too, lol.
Just press ctrl alt delete all at the same time and task manager will come up. The go to processes and see what processes are running. At the very bottom it shows "cpu usage"
See what it says now and then go to your internet home page and get on the net. Then see what "cpu usage" says.
If it stays around 100% all the time then your problem is the same as i had and i can help you fix it. If not, then its another problem.



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[elgordo1960]

ctrl alt delete brings up "Close Programs" box which lists running process and 3 options at the bottom "end task" "shut down" or "cancel" always has done, it's the same as with Win98SE

 

[elgordo1960]

Task manager only applies to NT 4.0 and later OS I think!

 

[garebo]

Sorry, i didnt see that you were on win me, my mistake.
With win xp, its different, more info and more control in win xp.

However, what i found was that on my computer, it turned out to be a trojan, name of the trojan is: download.trojan.

In win xp, it amounted to a file in:
C:\docs and settings\administrator\local settings\temp
and the name of the file in temp was: arc0001.tmp

I imagine for you to check all you would have to do is search for arc0001.tmp on your c drive and if you dont have it then the prob is something else.


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[elgordo1960]

Nope don't have that file, I've done a few virus checks and it seems to be clean!

 

[garebo]

YOu could start here, its an online scan but not just for virus, also for trojans and others, so i suggest giving it a shot, can take a while to work but it will.

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx

Since i dont know much about win me, we need to make sure we are both talking about the same thing as per your computer usage. However, i do think you are right, usage is too high when you are doing nothing. Does it fluctuate high and low or just stay high?
What command are you using or what prog to get to see your usage?




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[elgordo1960]

Hi I did actually scan @ ca.com...virus free!!
The Memory usage is around 80% nothing runningand in the high 90s if I use any programmes. I am monitoring usage with ASUS Probe!

 

[garebo]

I think your prob is different from mine as mine was indeed a trojan and constantly switching from 90% to 100% and often right at 100%, with explorer taking up 90% constantly.

Still i cant help thinking some file on your system is calling a server as your usage goes up when on the net, just like mine did. But sometimes mine would do so without being on the net as well. Still, its the kind of malware that seeks and calls at certain times.

Ok, heres a plan, google for "hijack this", which is a "no install prog", it runs from where it is when you click on it. Tell it to save a log file and you can post the results.
First, though, read the FAQ right here about "hijack this".
I will try and find it, its here somewhere in FAQ.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

Go to spychecker and get free copy of "hijack this"

http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html

then post on "hijack this" forum.

http://www.hijackthis.de/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=10&guestlanguageid=4

Now they ask you to do AV check and other things first, before you post your log, so read up a bit on that. And here are some more links as well. "hijack this" is a great prog.

http://tomcoyote.com/hjt/

http://www.tek-tips.com/faqs.cfm?pid=760&fid=4849

http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=2&sid=d71c295eb8960a8268ed73f219df0529

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[elgordo1960]

Ta, I'll get on to that right away!!

 

[elgordo1960]

Ran Trojan Hunter and found 1 Trojan. Cleaned it and now I'm running on 60% Memory usage idle and 70% connected to net! A significant improvement!!