Explorer lags on P3 500 system

[KingofSnake]

I have Windows 98, installed on this system:

P3 500
15 GB HD
128 MB RAM

For some reason, explorer seems to lag sometimes, and internet explorer does this to. For example, when creating a new folder, You have to right click, go to New, then select new folder. Well, when I click on New, I have to wait for three seconds before the other menu pops up.

Another example: When I start internet explorer, sometimes, it becomes non responsive to the point where it takes around 3 minutes to 30 seconds to load all the buttons. Sometimes, the window never gets fully loaded and I have to CTRL+ALT+DEL it.

Is this normal W98 behavior? Or is something not right?

KingOfSnake - The only sports drink with ice crystals
(and marshmellos!)

 

[hotfusion]

The first thing to look at are the programs running at startup. Too many of these will bog down your system. Go to 'run', type in 'msconfig', click 'OK', then click the top right-hand tab labelled 'startup'. Un-tick everything listed except 'scanregistry' and 'taskmonitor'. Scanreg checks and backs up your registry, while taskmon documents program usage for use during de-frags. You need nothing else. Re-start your computer, then run a defrag on drive 'C'(system tools). Be sure to click settings and tick the top two boxes.Allow it to run its course-depending on the size of your drive, it could take hours! Hope this helps. Andy.

 

[disconockerated]

Cleaning and preventative maintenance

1. Take as much stuff as you can from running in systray. Light off each app and disable them from running in systray.

2. Run msconfig and take checkmarks out of all you don't need running in start-up. Experiment with different apps etc. to see how they affect your free resources.

3. Click on control-alt-delete and highlight an item and end task then look at system resources and it will give you an idea on how much an application is robbing from your resources.

Note: You can right-click my computer and go to properties and click on the performance tab and see what your free system resources are and check as you eliminate some items to see how you are doing!

4. Search your "C" drive for *.tmp, *.~ and *.chk and delete them. You can do this from start\find\files (make sure you have your “C” drive set to be searched)

5. If you are running any Norton stuff (it likes to use resources!) be careful, a very powerful program. (You may want to disable it for this troubleshooting and enable after you clear up your problem or it may be the problem if you are having resource problems).

6. Clear your browser cache!

7. Compact your e-mail folders and empty your deleted folder and send folder.

8. Empty the recycle bin!

9. IMPORTANT! If you see findfast when you hit control-alt-delete then highlight it and end task and get rid of the program per this url:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q158/7/05.asp

Note: It is installed by Microsoft products (Office etc>) and was a bad dream from Microsoft that will cause major resource problems.

9. Run scandisk and defrag!

B. Utilities

1. Run hwinfo /ui (don't forget the space between the o and the /) and this will identify any device or driver problems in red text.

2. IMPORTANT! Do not run this unless you have too! Run SFC (system file checker) be careful and back up and files you may want to restore! This utility can replace files that will cause you to have to reinstall some applications. Caution this file needs to run with care because you may have to load some applications again if you replace certain files.

C. Recommendations:

1. Update your IE5 to either 5.01 or 5.5 if you use these. Note: Reports of bugs in 5.5 are being reported by some.

2. Increasing Your System Performance:
If you have a little extra memory to spare, here's one trick that really helps speed Windows 95\98 along. Changing your File System Performance from Desktop Computer to Network Server (even if you're not on a network) will basically increase the size of the cache that that the operating system uses. Here's how: Right click on "MY COMPUTER" and select "PROPERTIES". Then click on the "PERFORMANCE" tab near the top of the dialog box, and the "FILE SYSTEM" button at the bottom. Change from "DESKTOP COMPUTER" to "NETWORK SERVER", click on "OK", and "OK" again. The changes will take effect the next time you reboot your computer.

Windows 98 Annoyances

http://www.annoyances.org/win98/

System Resources Decrease After Starting and Quitting a Program

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q185/8/32.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0

Computer Speed and Performance Decreases

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q259/1/61.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0

Regards
Disconockerated

 

[KingofSnake]

Wow. Well, I'll try some of this stuff, and tell you if it helps. Thanks hotfusion and Disconockerated...
KingOfSnake - The only sports drink with ice crystals
(and marshmellos!)