What's eating my RAM?

What's fleecing my RAM?

G'Day Dreamers...

Something is eating up my RAM.

What programs might it be?

For now i have...

Pentium 4 (512RAM)

black ice*

steganos 5

ispeed (accelerator between PC and Service provider to open pagers quiker (works great)

tune up utilities

Norton NIS on trial period

Pentium 3 (512 RAM)

Sygate personal Firewall*

steganos 5

ispeed

no AV

tune up

* Replacing with Sygate Firewall pro 5.5 soon on both PCs.

It's frustrating to be told 'not enuff memory to close a window' etc.

Do you think it's these that are chewing up the memory??

 

Go to Task Manager (ctrl + shift + exc) and go to Processes. Which server / app is taking up the most?

 

Is the memory being eaten up on both machines? Or just one?
The problem is that several of the apps you've posted above can be memory hogs. Software firewalls and antivirus programs are well known to do so. I don't know about this 'ispeed' app, it could be sucking up all kinds of resources. Also, you may have some sort of adware or something in the background. You should download 'HijackThis' from the Handy Tools section, and post the log it generates from both machines into this thread.

 

Go to Task Manager (ctrl + shift + exc) and go to Processes. Which server / app is taking up the most?

oh-oh...

PC jargon...

+exc??? :?

Also...

I'll down/load hijack this and post soon.:thumbs

 

G'Day Dreamers...

Here's the log for the P3...

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 10:59:09 م, on 13/03/04
Platform: Windows 98 SE (Win9x 4.10.2222A)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MDM.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ROXIO\GOBACK\GBPOLL.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\INTERNAT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\IPRIMUS ISPEED\PROPELAC.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\PANASO~1\PANASO~1\KX7WSWPD.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\BTZ7.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\A.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\ROXIO\GOBACK\GBTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\FREE DOWNLOADS ACCELERATOR\FDAAGENT.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\123 BULK EMAIL DIRECT SENDER 2003\XMAILER.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\NOTEPAD.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PSTORES.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\INTERNET EXPLORER\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYGATE\SPF\SMC.EXE
C:\SABRAGENERAL\PROGRAM DOWNLOADS\COMPUTER PROTECTIONS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://best-search.cc/search.php?v=6&aff=2672163
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://best-search.cc/index.php?v=6&aff=2672163
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=PopupKiller:8100
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = local
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page_bak = http://www.yahoo.com/
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {863D63F6-1493-4DEF-A5E8-374109E0B8B7} - C:\WINDOWS\AHV3J5H.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {98DE779A-2364-4293-AB71-2B97C61C4640} - C:\PROGRA~1\FREEDO~1\FDAHLP99.DLL
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {0E1230F8-EA50-42A9-983C-D22ABC2EED3B} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O3 - Toolbar: FDA Bar - {9595C62C-76C6-49A6-9BDA-3253DD7A34FF} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\FREE DOWNLOADS ACCELERATOR\FDABAR99.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [internat.exe] internat.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Propel Accelerator] C:\PROGRAM FILES\IPRIMUS ISPEED\PROPELAC.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Panasonic KX-P7100] C:\PROGRA~1\PANASO~1\PANASO~1\KX7WSWPD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [xMdi22] C:\WINDOWS\bTZ7.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RunDLL] rundll32.exe "C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLOADED PROGRAM FILES\BRIDGE.DLL",Load
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [systray] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\A.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SmcService] C:\PROGRA~1\SYGATE\SPF\SMC.EXE -startgui
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Machine Debug Manager] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MDM.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [GoBack Polling Service] C:\Program Files\Roxio\GoBack\GBPoll.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SmcService] C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYGATE\SPF\SMC.EXE
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SIA5] "C:\PROGRAM FILES\STEGANOS INTERNET ANONYM 5\SIA5.EXE" /booting
O4 - Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE
O4 - Startup: GoBack.lnk = C:\Program Files\Roxio\GoBack\GBTray.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with IDA - C:\Program Files\IDA\idaie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download ALL with IDA - C:\Program Files\IDA\idaieall.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download using Download &Express - C:\AHMADGENERAL\Add_Url.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with Free Downloads Accelerator - C:\Program Files\Free Downloads Accelerator\fdaie.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Refresh Pa&ge with Full Quality - C:\Program Files\iPrimus iSpeed\pac-page.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Allow pop-ups from this site - C:\Program Files\iPrimus iSpeed\pac-addwl.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Refresh Pi&cture with Full Quality - C:\Program Files\iPrimus iSpeed\pac-image.html
O9 - Extra button: Internet Download Accelerator (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Internet Download Accelerator (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .pdf: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\nppdf32.dll
O16 - DPF: {2B323CD9-50E3-11D3-9466-00A0C9700498} (Yahoo! Audio Conferencing) - http://us.chat1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/chat/applet/v45/yacscom.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chat - http://us.chat1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/chat/applet/c381/chat.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {AD7FAFB0-16D6-40C3-AF27-585D6E6453FD} - http://dload.ipbill.com/del/loader.cab
O16 - DPF: {C2FCEF52-ACE9-11D3-BEBD-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec RuFSI Registry Information Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedContent/common/bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {0E5F0222-96B9-11D3-8997-00104BD12D94} (PCPitstop Utility) - http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB
O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) - http://security.symantec.com/SSC/SharedContent/vc/bin/AvSniff.cab
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/as5/asinst.cab

Maybe the memory is being eaten up by...

ispeed surfing accelerator...

or firewall...all those logs and things??

but i got 512RAM??

One thing...

When i ask TuneUp about the memory it said at the time of last memory crisis that i had something like 287mb free???

Odd huh??

Or is the 'TuneUp' B/S??

 

Well...I see you have a lot of stuff. The Bulk Mailing software, and Free Download Accelerator sound a lot like spyware. You might want to run AdAware and see if it cleans up any spyware laying around on your machine. Spyware apps are generally poorly written and can sometimes cause problems. Also, I see you have Roxio software 'GoBack' running as well. I'm tempted to believe that the GoBack software may be causing massive memory spikes every once in awhile. It may be setting a restore point for itself, and this would require loads of memory.
How often does your memory get used up or used excessively? How long does it last?

Oh, btw. About the TuneUp app. No doubt it was counting your page file as part of your memory. Your page file can be about 200 odd megabytes. So thats why it may report you having that much memory even though Task Manager says its all used up.

 

ok...

Both machines are losing memory.

Mailing software is only used on P3.

ispeed accelerator is on both...its from my service provider...not a download from the net thing. Could be responsible.

Only put Go-Back on P3 yesterday...not on P4. So its innocent??

Memory seems to happen when bulk mail but...

the P4 is innocent and its been having this problem too.

Accelerator and Sygate Pro Firewall & Steganos 5 are the common programs that are suspicious. Though i don't think it's steganos (ip scrambler).

Or...

something else like a virus etc??

...And Memory drama lasts until i reach for the reset button.

 

Well you could uninstall one, and observe the behavior. I would do this on the machine thats not directly connected to the net. Also, you don't need to run steganos or the firewall on the internal machine. Via the wonder of DHCP your internal machine isn't routable from the outside world. So your IP address isn't viewable so the ip scrambler isn't applicable and since its not externally routable the firewall really isn't saving you from anything.

 

Also uninstall Tune-Up Utilities and throw that crap in the garbage.
It caused so many problems with all my computers. Use msconfig to disable any unwanted startup items.

 

G'day Dreamers...

just going off main subject...

""Also uninstall Tune-Up Utilities and throw that crap in the garbage""

do we need a tool like this??

i know some stuff is in system tools but defragmenter and scan disk take a day to run...

Are there programs worth getting??

...Apart from a firewall ad aware spybot??

 

Make sure you have an up-to-date virus scanner running at all times. I also recommend you run AdAware once in awhile, and if your machine has a high risk of getting junk installed on it by others or yourself, you should run the spyware blocked thats on the Handy Tools page. If you run XP disk defragment is done invisibily in the back ground all the time.