pagefile usage

Forums › Desktop computing › pagefile usage

FoxyP

8 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

Topic # 13034 19-Apr-2007 05:12

Hello can anyone tell me why my pagefile useage is always over 500mb showing in task manager graph. My laptop is generally slow and suffers from regular freezing and using "let windows choose what is best for my computer"
Programs I am always using are:- trillian or msn messengers, pop peeper, freeramxp pro, macaffee antivirus, notesholder.cleancache3 (set to running at windows boot up emptying my temp files inc. IE dat files)
(my own created homepage in IE explorer with animated gifs as default)
I am using broadband and system is amd athlon 64 proc 3200, xp home, 512 ram, nvidia graphics card, service pack2,
I have used adaware removal and only download accelerator shows up as a PUP.
Any ideas how to either manage my pagefile better or slimdown my running processes? sorry but I don't know how to export a list of my running processes to include.

Help please FoxyP

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
61794 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 12443

Administrator

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

Reply # 67647 19-Apr-2007 06:51

FoxyP: Hello can anyone tell me why my pagefile useage is always over 500mb showing in task manager graph. My laptop is generally slow and suffers from regular freezing and using "let windows choose what is best for my computer"
Programs I am always using are:- trillian or msn messengers, pop peeper, freeramxp pro, macaffee antivirus, notesholder.cleancache3 (set to running at windows boot up emptying my temp files inc. IE dat files)
(my own created homepage in IE explorer with animated gifs as default)
I am using broadband and system is amd athlon 64 proc 3200, xp home, 512 ram, nvidia graphics card, service pack2,
I have used adaware removal and only download accelerator shows up as a PUP.
Any ideas how to either manage my pagefile better or slimdown my running processes? sorry but I don't know how to export a list of my running processes to include.

Help please FoxyP

Welcome to Geekzone... I don't think the problem is the use of the pagefile. The pagefile feature is there to actually help usage of computers with lower memory than needed.

I would investigate how much memory is available on your system. A RAM upgrade would be a way to easily reduce pagefile usage. A non-costly way of reducing the pagefile usage is having less programs open at the same time, uninstall programs you don't need, reduce the number of icons in the system tray, check and manage what programs are running automatically when you start your computer.

Backblaze cloud backup (personal and business) | Geekzone broadband switch | Amazon (Geekzone aff) | MightyApe (Geekzone aff) |

My technology disclosure | Business Transformation | Enterprise Content Management | Customer Relationship Management | Sharesies investment fund

FoxyP

8 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 67652 19-Apr-2007 07:21

thanks
I am on the case now using codestuff starter for editing. I have 60 processes runningof which 7 seem the same "svchost.exe" SYSTEM and LOCAL SERVICE. these i think are linked to internet connection and router. As you said, I have many icons in my system tray like Qtime starter,D accelerator,bluetooth plus a multitude that i have hidden when not in use using the properties dialog box.(under Past items) which I have many that have come as program installs and did not go when uninstalled. Maybe this contributes to the problem?

Thanks again FoxyP

NZtechfreak

4649 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 470

Trusted

Reply # 67654 19-Apr-2007 07:43

FoxyP: thanks
I am on the case now using codestuff starter for editing. I have 60 processes runningof which 7 seem the same "svchost.exe" SYSTEM and LOCAL SERVICE. these i think are linked to internet connection and router. As you said, I have many icons in my system tray like Qtime starter,D accelerator,bluetooth plus a multitude that i have hidden when not in use using the properties dialog box.(under Past items) which I have many that have come as program installs and did not go when uninstalled. Maybe this contributes to the problem?

Thanks again FoxyP

Most computers have multiple instances of svchost.exe running, thats normal. My initial thoughts would be A) 60 processes is waaaay too many, mine has about 30-35 running at any one time, B) considering the slow running and all those programs, how is your registry?, and C) 60 processes makes me think you have malware/adware/spyware/viruses of some kind going on which would also account for the slow running.

Since you don't appear to be a super-techhead I'd suggest using Ace Utilities (AU) to sort out the first two likely problems. Its registry cleaner is super safe (establishes restore points in case anything bad does happen, been using it for over 2 years now and never had to make use of a restore), and it has a start-up manager. The start-up manager will show you everything that is set to run each time you startup your PC, and you can right click on any of them to select a google-search option that will tell you whether they are required for startup. If they aren't you can deactivate them from AU with a simple mouse-click (I say simple, because sometimes it can be a serious pain to remove them manually).

I remember the first time I ran a registry clean on AU, my computer went from slow to running like it was brand new. It was a very memorable learning experience for me - I was like Doh! So thats why I should be cleaning my registry!

In regards to your system security: I'd recommend Kaspersky Anti-virus. In my experience its much better than McCaffey and Norton (my god, Norton is basically malware). Its much less intrusive, much less system hungry, and offers better protection to boot. A friend got it after I recommended it to him, he was amazed when it found more than 70 viruses on his computer - he had been running Norton and McCaffey together during the period in which the viruses were acquired! You should also be using Adaware (or similar), and a decent firewall like Zonelabs (not the horrid dreck that Microsoft bundles in Windows).

EDIT: BTW, you can get a 30 day trial version of AU, so this needn't be a costly exercise.

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

FoxyP

8 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 67661 19-Apr-2007 08:13

Again thanks for the quick response. I do use adaware but it is not good for trojens or worms etc which mostly come via free programs. My macaffee is much better than the origonal norton AV which hogs resources and was a pain to remove.
I will look for the software you suggested and the linking o processes for info is brilliant. I thought it was m home page throwing up problems. only intended for my personal use http://www.fastadds.com/foxyp.htm as I make websites locally on a small scale along with real-estate and need email and messaging open most of the time.
I did free up some hard drive space by using an external hard drive and have 9GB free on a 40GB laptop. so enough space for defragging etc. so I must restrict my processes.
TIPS for YOU Trillian I use for multi-accounts messaging contact accross the common providers, MSN,YAHOO,AIM,jabber and ICQ. a very neat application. and pop peeper too for multi email account checking.
Oh well off now to do some streamlining.

thanks again

NZtechfreak

4649 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 470

Trusted

Reply # 67743 19-Apr-2007 15:41

Oh, one word of caution since you're asking about a laptop - some processes which are not needed for startup are still needed for the laptop to run effectively. For example, the process that controls the touchpad etc. So make sure to actually read what the processes are for before blithely switching them off because they are not required for startup.

FoxyP:
TIPS for YOU Trillian I use for multi-accounts messaging contact accross the common providers, MSN,YAHOO,AIM,jabber and ICQ. a very neat application. and pop peeper too for multi email account checking.
Oh well off now to do some streamlining.

thanks again

Thanks for that, I'd heard of Trillian, but not really bothered to see what all the fuss was about. Will now have to check it out.

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

dblancer

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

Reply # 68324 24-Apr-2007 15:34

NZtechfreak: Oh, one word of caution since you're asking about a laptop - some processes which are not needed for startup are still needed for the laptop to run effectively. For example, the process that controls the touchpad etc. So make sure to actually read what the processes are for before blithely switching them off because they are not required for startup.

It does pay to go thru and identify what processes are doing what
I once had a PC shown to me that had no less than 72 processes running at idle!

It turned out it was clogged up with already install rubbishware as i call it.
things like Toshiba CD watcher, some image service, something waiting to see if bluetooth comes up etc...
you might find things starting that ask about registering programs/games or updates adobe...

If you want look at a image or see the contents of a disk you will know in your own mind.
All these processes sitting there "waiting" for you to do it is awful!

There are some excellent process identify websites that can assist you in what things are running...

Bung

2600 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 364

Reply # 68325 24-Apr-2007 16:08

Post from a thread on 2CPU.com

" Processes whose functions are not being used take NO CPU time.

Processes whose functions are not being used do not take permanent allocations of memory. If something else needs some of the RAM the OS has allocated to them, the RAM will be reclaimed by the OS."

paradoxsm

3000 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Reply # 68332 24-Apr-2007 17:11

This new "dud" pc of mine, athlon64 always uses at leat 1.5GB, running 1GB or ram too, It's very very unreliable and even stripping out windows uneeded components did not cure it's ills.

ALmost no software is installed, it's all in virtual layers (Altiris SVS) unaffecting the actual system so I cannot figure out what might be wrong.

FoxyP

8 posts

Wannabe Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 68356 24-Apr-2007 21:14

Ok well we ahere again.
Tried the ace utilities program and I really messed up. Got my start and taskbar all locked up on the very bottom of screen with no way of seeing anything. Only way was to open additional toolbars and these covered up what was on taskbar.
So threw in the towel again, fortunatly i got an external harddrive now so it was a simple case of transferring all my most needed settings and mail accounts to there.
This is my 4th time now since relocating in Turkey that this as happened. Mainly from Trojens which after a search and nothing found tended to just leave the situation until soon after all things seem to go slowly and start freezing. I must resist those little free programs that are proffered from dubious websites.
Thanks all, Now off to reload all my software again.
PS a tip for you all. get KEYWALLET for all your passwords and logins etc. I managed to keep mine intact so no guesswork when emails from forums come in and you cannot seem to remember how to login.

Take care FoxyP