To start, I have tried another forum, and done just about everything with them over the past 5 days.
My Problem is......When I open and close programs on my system (Win98SE, IE6, 56K Modem, 256 MB, on a AMD Duron Processor 656Mhz) I will click on an icon, or program, and it will hesitate to react, then will open slowly, and in sections. The same is also when closing the programs. I have ran my Defrag, Optimizer (both on Win98, and my Norton systems), ran Norton Antivirus (nothing), Housecall online scan (nothing), my "Ad-aware 6", my "Spybot", downloaded "CWShredder", and from the results I only found 3 spyware/adware problems and removed them (2 were new. SHAgent was not. That one is repetitive, but now completely gone from my system....due to finding it on "Panda Activescan" online scan. They found NO viruses, but found 16 spyware/adware problems. Since they do not disinfect these problems, I went in to my system and Deleted them all manually, except 2 problems, which only read "Windows Registry", on both, which I would have to say is very nonspecific, so I had to leave those. Anyway, no viruses, and spyware/adware is pretty much cleaned up. I even downloaded a free registry cleaner "Easy Cleaner", and cleaned my registry of invalid entries. I have done a Cleanboot, checked my Startup programs (ok), tried a Safe boot (which seems to be without the problem), but has its obvious problem (cannot run on that all the time). I have also ran a check on my System Monitor, to see what it says......some other things I tried, but cannot think of right off hand.
Anyway....My system now seems to be running better, and faster, but..... ......Still I have the same problem with the reaction time on clicking on programs, from them opening to closing very slowly, and in sections, rather than all-at-once closing (like they should). Also, a couple other things I noticed, when I moved some Icons on my Desktop, they Also would take time to move, and leave like a black trace or shadow behind, then it would disappear....they too were reacting very slowly ! The second, is when I am loading programs, it effects other programs already loaded (ie. music will skip, Desktop Icons will flicker in and out, windows will pause....and sometimes, if I have a few things going on, my computer will freeze up, as if the Memory had all been used up, or something).
I also have gone into SYSEDIT, and maximized my memory use through Vcache..........nothing is working for me.
It's not a major problem (YET), but these kinda things usually end up that way, if ignored.
One site pretty much gave up, and told me to dump my system, and reinstall.....that to me is just a cop out way of not dealing with it. I CANNOT dump my system ! It is far too much work, and utterly a pain, because I'll have to save everything, and something always gets lost in the shuffle.
Does this seem like maybe a Desktop problem...or Memory Problem ? Internet seems to fine, except sometimes Windows opening and closing slowly as well. Most of the time it seems like I have problems is when I have to open up programs, and close them. Can someone Help me to resolve this Problem please ?? .......Snake420.

Ok Snake..you win the prize for longest post to date! Welcome to PCHF.

This problem sounds like one of 2 things to me:

1) Corrupt & ageing Windows 98 installation
2) Hardware (possible lack of memory or failure of memory...(?)

If you have properly configured your Windows virtual memory for maximum effect you should have followed this procedure:

1. Right-click the My Computer icon on the desktop, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
2. Click the Performance tab.
3. Click Virtual Memory.
4. Click to select "Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings (recommended)."
5. Click OK, and then click Close.
6. When you are prompted to restart the computer, click Yes.

One other thing to do, although it doesn't come without risks, is to carry out a "repair" install of your Windows 98 installation. This is to simply use a bootable floppy disk. At the C: prompt type setup - then continue to overwrite your existing Windows install. Not deleting anything, merely replacing anything that has become corrupt since the original clean install.

The "black trace" you report that is left behind when you move icons could be due to your graphics card drivers being old or even wrong. Use this utility to post your hardware specs please: http://www.pchelpforum.com/forum/ind...pic,225.0.html

Thanks Hengis,
"Let Windows manage my virtual memory settings (recommended)" has already been set on my system.
I'm going to hold off on the repair install for now, until you take a look at my System Profile reading. Here are the results :

To be honest the only way to fix the problem 100% is the pain stacking task of formatting and reloading.(I know it is the "wimp" way out, but its a quick solution)
You could always get another hard drive and load windows up on there and leave the current drive in as a slave and then you can access your work from it.

I noticed in your Belarc log that you are running quite a lot of memory intensive programs on your system, for example:

Panicware, Inc. - Pop-Up Stopper
Norton
Macromedia software

When you boot your machine into safemode does it work 100% (besides the colors), does the opening of folders and moving of icons work alright?

While you are in safemode delete your TEMP files and Temporary internet files, also go into Add/Remove Programs and get rid of anything that you dont need or use.

Once back into your normal windows, try disable Norton and any other programs that are running in your taskbar and test to see if that helps.
If you have the norton CD then it might be worth uninstalling norton, restarting machine, checking how it works. If no difference then re-install norton.

I checked again in Safe Mode, and evrything seems to run perfectly good in Safe, just not outside of it. Unfortunately I have closed all my startup programs, and the problem still persists. I cannot uninstall my Norton, as I do not have the disc. My friend installed it for me last year, but I have disabled it, and nothing.
I'm thinking probably the only way to fix this would be to reinstall Windows, but I am worried if I install over top of Windows, it may cause more problems, but I don't want to start from scratch either..too much to lose, and cannot get another drive.....What a dilemma.
Why would everything be fine in Safe Mode ? Must be something devouring my memory or something...BUT, I ran a Memory Test, and it all reads good.??
I'm completely stumped !! Any fresh ideas ?

Everything would be fine in safemode because safemode only loads the basics that it needs in order for windows to run. No drivers and only the basic Windows Registry


I used to have these same problems with 98, and whenever the system has been working for a long time e.g. 1 year , it would start running very slowly. The more programs you install and then uninstall seems to take its affect. Its as though it keeps all the registry entries. Thats my theory anyway.

Re-installing on top of your version of windows wouldn't cause any problems but I don't think it would make too much difference. You can give it a shot, better than doing a complete re-install.

Take a look at this page and see if it helps
http://www.eastserve.com/opencms/ope...owrunning.html

Also try this
click Start / Run / type command and press enter. In the MS-DOS window type cd\ to get to C:\> then type "ren autoexec.bat autoexec.ch" and "ren config.sys config.ch". This will rename your autoexec.bat and config.sys and help make sure memory is being optimized through Windows.