My computer keeps getting very sluggish

I agree completely . . . I was soooo close until I made that fatal error. It must've been a biggie because even a rollback couldn't fix it.

I'm still considering which os to install, but I've come to the conclusion that I'll definitely need to do a reformat because I want to be able to update all the drivers that are needed to improve my computer parts. That's a full day's work, plus some.

My hdd has 2 partitions . . . the C drive and E drive. Please refresh my memory as to whether or not a reformat will delete the files on the E drive partition. I have a 300G drive and I have about 175G of files on the E Drive/partition. It will save me a lot of time if I don't have to move them to an ext hdd and move them back.

Denise

 

Denise, A format will only format the partition that you choose,(choose C as that has the present operating system on.
It would be prudent to save anything important, but as long as you only format C, it will not touch the other partition- the only thing I don't like is the other partition being E, as my normal setup would usually have the data partition as D, when you only have two partitions, when setting up a hard drive.- if your cd/dvd drive is D, then you should be o.k

 

You're right . . . it's my D drive. My DVD-ROM drive is F. There isn't an E drive.

I've already moved all my files and zipped versions of programs from my C drive to an external hard drive, except for things such as Windows.

This is becoming a habit . . .

I decided to stick with X64 for a while since I know some of its foibles. If it continues to give me problems, I'll reformat it to 32-bit another time.

I was at the Microsoft X64 forum and one of the "gurus" there said that X64 is basically a beta version for Vista X64. I don't know if that's true but it shows that I sure know how to pick 'em. :heli

See ya later! :wave

Denise

 

Its not true.

In a nutshell, XP x64 is based off of Windows 2003.

The problem with 64 bit OSes isnt the OS themselves, but limited compatibility in device drivers and so on. XP x64 was meant to be a consumer OS.

 

Hi! I'm baaack, like a bad cold, lol.

I wound up having to reformat it two times. The first time, I downloaded and installed new CPU, chipset, audio and video drivers, (or I should say that I tried to install the CPU driver (or is it firmware? but since I don't know the difference, it doesn't matter right now). The chipset, audio and video drivers installed easily. I downloaded them without a firewall or anti-virus program running . . . it wasn't installed yet.

When I tried to install the updated CPU driver, I received the normal message that the existing CPU driver needed to be removed first. I removed it and tried to install the CPU driver again. I received the messaged that said, "Cannot Complete the Device Driver Installation Wizard. Error was executed while reading the software to your devices. See the Status column for more details." The Status colum just said "Install Failed."

I had created a Restore Point as soon as I installed my mobo software so I did a System Restore to that point. When I tried to install the CPU driver update again, I received the message that said, "Setup.exe has experienced a problem and must shut down," which left me exactly where I was before I reformatted.

Well, this was no good . . . I had to give it another try. I reformatted again and I decided to install the updated CPU driver before I installed the updated video and audio drivers, but I wasn't sure if I should install the updated chipset driver first. It was 6 of one, 1/2 dozen of the other so I installed the CPU updated driver first. I went into Control Panel, Add or Remove Programs and there was no AMD CPU Driver listed for me to remove. I saw this as a bad, bad omen . . . Damien at large. Well, with fingers crossed and a prayer to heaven, I double clicked on the CPU driver update and IT INSTALLED!!! :celebrate :cloud9 :hyper :clap :guitar :heart

Before I install the chipset, audio and video driver updates, I'll create a restore point.

I have a question though. It appears that the same things that are in the audio and video driver updates are also in the Nvidia - 93.71_forceware_winxp64_english_whql dated 112006. If they're not the same, they come pretty close. In any event, both times that I installed the updated chipset, audio and video drivers and then installed the Nvidia - 93.71_forceware update, I received the long message, "Driver_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR-EQUAL." So I don't know if I should install it. I'm going to install the chipset driver update soon but I'm going to wait to install the audio and video driver updates.

The mobo software included
- Windows NForce Drivers
- Nvidia IDE Software Driver
- VGA 8133XP64
- Nvidia Windows X64 Edition Display Drivers
- Realtek ALC650/655/ALC 850 AC 97 Audio Driver

I received a message from Microsoft that ALC850.exe "has not passed Windows testing" but I chose to installed it.

I'm very happy that I was able to update the CPU driver. My computer now goes "thumety-clack" instead of clackety-clack," like a squeaking door hinge that's been greased.

Does anyone have any thoughts about a possible conflict between the on-board audio and video drivers and Nvidia - 93.71_forceware driver. Should I install either/or but not both?

Denise

 

Adrynalyne, why's that devil riding your back, or are you the devil that's doing the riding?

 

roflmao


Took me a second to realize what you are talking about

OS X (which is BSD) is my primary OS, so that makes me the devil, right?

Regarding the forceware drivers, make sure you arent installing the audio driver in the package, as you are using the realtek drivers. As for the others, use what work best. The latest isnt always the most stable.

 

I just hadda show you my "Certificate of Completing the Device Driver Installtion of my CPU." That green check looks really good!

 

I got to hand it to you Denise, you do not give up! Congrats! Great job, hope everything else works out on 'Damion'.

E

 

Adrynalyne, I don't think I'm going to install the Nvidia - 93.71_forceware driver. I'll install the updated chipset tonight, give my pc a thorough workout for a few days and then add the updated video driver and leave the rest alone, creating Restore Points between the two. I think I've learned to be patient throughout this experience. Thanks for your advice.


Fred, thanks for the congrats . . . We're not going to call this purring kitten Damien any longer. You know the old saying, "Give me the name and I'll play the game?" Well, we don't want that, I certainly don't want that, so from now on it's name is Gideon, like the Bible. :highfive

Denise

 

Ahh, Denise, you know if you rename the computer, your copy of Windows will expire and you will have to send Bill more cash...

Just joking! Best of wishes for Gideon.

E

 

Ok, I have to ask, Fred . . . what does a spinning metal circle with a C inside it mean?

 

Well, it is the copyright symbol. It is also a tribute to a man I have known for years who is no longer with us, Chief Mock. Some might just see it as a stock setting, but it is a sign of remembrance for me. And no, Chief was never here on this site, but I think he would fit in.

If you had met the man, you would understand.

E

 

Well, even though the reformat allowed me to install the new CPU driver and the chipset and video drivers, X64 is still giving me problems. I often can't change the name of a file even though it's not in use. I've rebotted and tried to change the name and I still receive a message that I can't change the name of the file because it's in use. I get this message for many files.

When I have the time, I'll be switching to 32-bit Windows 2000 XP Pro. I gave X64 a lot of chances to work properly but it continues to give me new problems. It's also still very slow when I move or copy a file from one ext hdd to another, or from my C drive to another drive.

We all gave it its best shot and it proved to be incompatible with my hardware/software/I don't know what.

baklogic, you've been terrific. Thanks for all your suggestions and advice. I might be back when I install the 32-bit version of Windows. I'm hoping that it'll be compatible with my hardware/software/I don't know what or, at the very least, minimal small problems.

 

Denise, I see help was there - Fred and Adrenalyne keeping your spirits up.
Did you try to rename the files in safe mode- no networking? As only the essential parts run, in safe mode. Also, you can try start, run -msconfig-, and use selective startup, go to services , tick hide all microsoft services, then click startup tab, and untick antivirus, and other software that you might recognise, before trying renaming the files. Restart and just close the services box- If this is successful, then restart, and when the services box comes up , tick, normal startup.
Thanks to Adrenalyne, Quote " Regarding the forceware drivers, make sure you arent installing the audio driver in the package, as you are using the realtek drivers. As for the others, use what work best. The latest isnt always the most stable." --appeared to be the problem, with the IRQ_LESS_THAN_EQUAL, warning, - conflicting because the drivers were trying to take a specifically reserved, IRQ.
I have had a weekend holliday, so missed your progress until now.
Keep us posted, on Gideon.

 

Hi baklogic . . . I'm glad you had a nice holiday . . . they refresh the soul.

I made sure not to do this. I installed the chipset and audio drivers.

I'm going to try your method for renaming files in a day or two. I'm processing files again and they should be finished by then. If I still can't rename them, I'm going to immediately reformat to Windox 2000 XP Pro 32-bit. X64 has caused me problems for months, no matter what I do and I'm tired of trying to fix it. Maybe something on the mobo got ruined when I installed the SATA card and turned on an external SATA drive, and the PSU fried.

Another new problem . . . sometimes I can't highlight a word/ sentence/paragraph. I don't know if it's the software or the mouse. The mouse is less than a year old but I'm going to be buying a new mouse to see if that helps.

I received the FDD, cable and adapter in the mail and I'll be installing it when my program finish processing also. I'll give it another try in a year or so when drivers, firmware and other updates/patches have been created. I'm very much hoping that the electrical short from the last FDD installation didn't ruin the mobo port for it.

 

BTW, what is the type of cable called when it has a USB 2.0 port on each end? I have a HUB that has an upstream USB 2.0 port that I'll be connecting to a USB 2.0 port on my pc. Both ends need to look the same.

 

'usb male both ends'-- most cables seem to have ends named male, and/or female

 

Thanks

 

I found some information on the net about IRQ_LESS_THAN_EQUAL

One of the instructions said to see if the same IRQ is being used for 2 different programs. I'm not sure but it looks like that might be the case with Realtek and Nvidia both using 22. Is this a possible problem?

 

If you double click on the audio device, or indeed any of those showing, then click resources.
this will show either no conflicts, or if there is a problem.
If there is you can reallocate one to a different number IRQ, from there.

 

I did that and the box said that there are no conflicts. I'm just trying to find something that's causing the slowdown, within the IRQ_LESS_THAN_EQUAL error message. I was hoping that the 2 using 22 might be it and an easy fix would cure it. No such luck

 

No. Since Windows 2000, Windows has been heavily using IRQ sharing. (Note, you only have 15 real IRQs on your machine). As well,a s mentioned above, you cannot reassign IRQs without moving devices in the computer, (which still may not work), or installing a standard HAL, and completely reinstalling windows.

 

You will be better off trying to find the cause of the error by debugging it.

HOW TO: Debug Memory Dumps

Make sure you download the 64 bit Windbg.

 

Thanks Adrenalyne, I was coming back to point Denise to the Microsoft explanation, as I remembered it was more difficult than I inferred.

Denise , when you have time,

SEE THIS FROM MICROSOFT.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314068/en-us

 

At http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/devtools/debugging/install64bit.mspx#EQB

There's a program named

"64-bit Native x64 Beta version 6.7.5.1 [13.1 MB]" and
"64-bit Itanium Beta version 6.7.5.1 [20.2 MB]

but I couldn't find anything named "Windbg." I want to make sure that one of these is the right program.

 

The debugging app is called Windbg. Get the native one

 

Under each Native 64 program link, there aren't any that are named "Windbg," they're all named "dbg_ia" and then the version number.

 

You are reading too much into this. Just get the debugging tools, when you install it, it will make more sense.

http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols/debuggers/dbg_amd64_6.7.05.1.exe

 

It's better to be safe than sorry I learned the the hard way.

Thanks for the link. I'm going have a go at it a little later. I'll let you know the results.

 

I printed out the instructions. I installed dbg_amd64_6.7.05.1. When I opened the program, the blank screen was there. I clicked on File, Symbol File Path and I typed in SVC*c:\symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols. I then clicked OK.

I went to File, Save Workspace and I couldn't my memory dumps. I ran a search for them, including hidden and system folders. I checked for mini, dumps, systemroot, %, and minidumps. I opened my Windows folder and looked inside. The attachment shows the folders that are in my Windows folder.

Where would my memory dumps folder be located?

 

In a folder called minidump

Ok...well, maybe its been turned off.

Go to system properties, advanced, startup and recovery settings, and make sure its set to write minidumps and error reporting is enabled.

 

I found this folder when I searched for *.dmp. It's full path is
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Dr Watson

I couldn't get enough info from the report and stay within the size guidelines for uploads but this piece might tell you something or you might be able to tell me what I should look for.

 

I found this when you said

I didn't change any of the settings.

When I do a search for %SystemRoot%Minidump. it doesn't turn up.

 

It seems odd that the system isnt writing the memory dumps. I guess all we can do is wait for another stop error. Make certain you dont restart the machine until its had time to write a dump.

The Dr. Watson stuff is for debugging application errors. Its debugged the same way, but I dont know enough about it to really give any useful info on it.

 

I never get an Administrative Alert and that box is checked also.

I just reformatted the computer a few days ago. I didn't tell it not to install something or to install something in another location, etc. I know Dr. Watson is a debugging program but I didn't install it, unless it comes with Windows.

Waiting for another stop error isn't a option because it only occurred when I installed the Nvidia update. My computer is extremely slow and almost unusable.

 

Dr Watson is a Windows system 32 application, and comes with the OS.

 

Denise,
I have left you in Adrenalyne's hands, as I did not want to interupt the school of thought.
While trying to follow Adrenalyne,s help, you could look in the management console to see if there are any exclamation errors (Right click My Computer, click manage, click system tools. application.
Double click on any of them to see what might have caused it, and see if it is relevent to Adrenalyne,s help- but follow Adrenalyne's line , to some conclusion.

 

Ok, thanks baklogic

I went into Computer Management and there were a number of Warnings on for 7/24 thru 7/30, after I reformatted. Source was mostley MS Installer but there were a few for UserEnv, a few for WinMgmt, 1 for Windows Product Information, 1 for asp,net 1.1.4322.0, 1 for perflib.

There were also 4 Errors. I've attached 2 of them to this post.

 

- The internet runs fine. It doesn't slow down at all. I can upload attachments here or with my email.
- My computer doesn't slow down when I'm using Microsoft Word, even if I'm opening and closing several documents at a time to pull info from one and put it in another doc.
- When I use programs such as MGI Photo Suite III, my computer isn't slow, nor is is slow if I run K's directory and any number of other programs.

The only things that I'm having a problem with is moving and copying files and doing other things when I'm moving and copying files. It seems as if there isn't enough memory to move a file so that a simple operation, such as changing the name of a file or opening it takes a long time . . . sometimes it doesn't do it at all until the file has be moved or copied to where I wanted to place it. This is my whole problem in a nutshell.

You may not be familiar with the build of this computer . . . it was one in a million. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong, so someone dubbed it Damien, and it lived up to its name.

I ran all the scans for viruses, trojans, etc.

I ran MemTest.

I ran HD Tune.

I ran AutoRuns.

I ran Prime Time Stress Test and a Stability Test.

I eliminated plug-ins, reduced page sizes, defragmened, ran chkdsk and run DiskCleanup every day. My Startup folder has only one item in it . . . Webshots.

I eliminated all programs except Microsoft programs and my computer seems to work very well after I did it but it very quickly went back to running slowly again.

I also did the same with a Clean Boot with the same results, and I never turned on any of the programs that were turned off.

Installing a SATA card and plugging in 2 ext hdds did a lot of damage and I don't know if some of the damage is causing my pc to run slow. It blew my PSU and FDD. I bought a new FDD and floppy cable and it sparked and smoked. I just bought a new FDD and cable and I'm going to try it again. I installed the SATA card, waited a few days, connected an ext SATA hdd to it, waited a day and turned it on but it didn't work. I don't know if the SATA card or the SATA port was damaged.

I have a lot of ext hdds but I have only 4 or 5 on at a time.

 

Looking around microsoft, was not that informative, but the ROBOMX.EXE error led here.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/su...EvtID=1000&EvtSrc=Application Error&LCID=1033
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/328607/en-us

I was wondering if that referred to roboform- do you have roboform?

 

The next one would be explorer playing up- have you checked if there is an update for explorer 7, as it has had a few niggles,

IEXPLORE.EXE VERSION 7 FAULTING MODULEMSHTML.DLL VERSION 7

Trying to resd the inferences, it would seem possible when you were copying/tranferring files, some temporary files were left as 'orphans'.

I will look a bit harder- how are you getting on with Adrenalyne's debugging.

What were the other two errors, or , are they duplicated.

 

Denise, do you use this program- appears related to the robomx.exe. As I see the mx site had problems, for a while. If so you might need to uninstal, and reinstal to clear it.
http://www.winmxworld.com/tutorials/mxc_bot.html
You have reduced the size of your page file, and in doing the copying/backups that you do you will use a lot of memory, so I would suggest that you increase the size of your page file, and see if that helps .

 

I have RoboMx but I only installed it to see what it could do. I then uninstalled it and the zip version is sitting in my "Downloaded exe files" folder. I went through my Downloaded exe Files folder and deleted some programs that I've never used and probably will never use. I was planning on deleting RoboMx after I saw what it was, and I thought I had, but I just did a search and they're still sitting in the folder, unzipped. I just deleted them. I've never had Roboform.

The last time I formatted, 7 to 10 days ago, I updated all of my programs. Microsoft automatically gives me updates (even to programs that I don't have, such as Excel and Access), but I went there and did a scan, but I'm up to date and there were no updates to give me.

I have IE7 and I haven't had a problem with it. Again, when I formatted my pc, I downloaded and installed the latest version.

Adrynalyne said

I don't know if my pc's writing a dump. How do I tell if it is? I don't have the same program as Adrynalyne so I have nothing to watch out for.

 

When I had 32-bit Windows, I used to have several programs that would clean my registry, file fragments, etc, but I can't use them with X64. I purchased PC onPoint Max Registry Cleaner for my 32-bit system and when I installed X64, I contacted them and they sent me the patch for X64. If you remember, I had to format my computer after using each one of the, as the patches didn't work. CCleaner does the same thing. All three delete files that are needed by X64.

Is there a program specifically made for X64 to clean the Registry, file fragments, and all the other things that these programs did?

 

IEXPLORE.EXE VERSION 7 FAULTING MODULEMSHTML.DLL VERSION 7

I read the above as a faulting part of explorer, but cannot find a reference to it - if it only came up once, it was most likely an explorer freeze, or error causing it to shut down, and restart, so, fixed itself.

 

I use Rgistry Repair Pro, but it is not specifically for x64. I cannot find a reference to x64 for one anywhere.It has novice, and advanced options, and backup, which if neede is quick as a flash- preferably before shutdown.
http://www.3bsoftware.com/products/registryrepair.asp

 

I did some digging and came up with this one that's made specifically for x64

http://www.x64registrycleaner.net/x64-tuneup-utilities.htm



This one is also for X64

http://www.warecase.com/xtmhistory.asp

 

Your problem lays with your southbridge chipset.

 

Why do you say that Wizzy? What could be wrong with it?