PC question

[drewmitch44]

Im running Windows XP Pro. when my PC is at idle I can hear the HDD running a lot. If im not doing anything is should just not run at all. I thought that maybee some program is doing something on the net but even after i disable the network connection it still does it. I have all the updates from windows and all that good stuff. I have tried running MSCONFIG and disabled all the startup programs and still nothing. When i used to work for a tech support place we had something called the 90% fix for windows 98. It was msconfig startup and browser mem size, memory allocation and things like that. I just feel like my HDD is running for no reason. I mean i know its doing something but is there any advice you guys have in freeing up recources and keeping programs/processes that are not needed to run in the background? the taskbar is almost empty on my pc. Thanks for any advice!!!!

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

Run the Task Manager. See what processes are using CPU cycles besides the Task Manager itself. That will point you to possible processes running.

Is it all the time or just for a short while after using it? How much memory (just wondering if some background processes are paging in and out) after you've closed applications.

How long has this system been running since the OS was installed

 

[PierBridge]

Re: PC question




I have a couple of machines that do this... you'll be fine.

 

[Plainsman]

Re: PC question

IF you have disabled most startup items in msconfig, there's not much else you can do. Have you run a anti-spyware program? You can also delete everything in c:\windows\prefetch and see if that helps.

 

[dolluper]

Re: PC question

You a server and you don't know it......grc .com test it

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: PC question

grc.com??? It is not a site. And the drive still goes if the the network connection is disabled. And i use spyware doctor. I bought a year and the antivirus with it. Its a good program and updates when i say so. any other sudgestions?

 

[ThumbPkr]

Re: PC question

Here is the link to Gibsons website.Don't overlook it,there is much to learn here and many free utilities.
I bought SpinRite years ago and it is one of the best recovery tools to be had in my opinion.Ron G
http://www.grc.com/intro.htm

 

[MikDee]

Re: PC question

Are you talking about the noise heard from an automatic anti-virus scan running independently in the background? mine does that quite frequently.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

grc.com??? It is not a site. And the drive still goes if the the network connection is disabled. And i use spyware doctor. I bought a year and the antivirus with it. Its a good program and updates when i say so. any other sudgestions?

drew, as I mentioned earlier, Run the Task Manager. See what processes are using CPU cycles besides the Task Manager itself. That will point you to possible processes running. You can then google them and see what they are if not apparent. Post the results. As someone else mentioned, it could be your Anti-virus program, or any number of things.

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: PC question

I can close down my virus prog and i still hear it. I have up the task manager right now. I think you are telling me to go to the processes tab at the top, correct? When im in there there is a LOT of things in the processes tab. I have tried shutting down stuff in there one time. I did and once i restarted they were all right back there. I do not have a lot of programs installed on the PC. I have went to the Add/Remove programs and got rid of anything that is not in use. I have recently installed this OS and im not sure why this is happening. I really do not want to f-disk, format, and reinstall XP. I will not really lose anything cause i have everything saved on DVD data as far as documents. But its such a pain in the *** going through the whole process. Like i said i have task MGR up and in the processes tab there is a lot of things in there that i have no idea what they are. svchost.exe is there a lot of times in a row. What is that? Is this where you are talking about NelsonQ?? Thanks!!!!

 

[MikDee]

Re: PC question

I can close down my virus prog and i still hear it. I have up the task manager right now. I think you are telling me to go to the processes tab at the top, correct? When im in there there is a LOT of things in the processes tab. I have tried shutting down stuff in there one time. I did and once i restarted they were all right back there. I do not have a lot of programs installed on the PC. I have went to the Add/Remove programs and got rid of anything that is not in use. I have recently installed this OS and im not sure why this is happening. I really do not want to f-disk, format, and reinstall XP. I will not really lose anything cause i have everything saved on DVD data as far as documents. But its such a pain in the *** going through the whole process. Like i said i have task MGR up and in the processes tab there is a lot of things in there that i have no idea what they are. svchost.exe is there a lot of times in a row. What is that? Is this where you are talking about NelsonQ?? Thanks!!!!

The only way I know to get into task manager, is to hit CTRL/ALT/DEL, I don't know if there is another method? then I see the processes, and wonder what they are myself as well? and what ones if any, I can shut down, and possibly permanently?

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

I can close down my virus prog and i still hear it. I have up the task manager right now. I think you are telling me to go to the processes tab at the top, correct? When im in there there is a LOT of things in the processes tab. I have tried shutting down stuff in there one time. I did and once i restarted they were all right back there. I do not have a lot of programs installed on the PC. I have went to the Add/Remove programs and got rid of anything that is not in use. I have recently installed this OS and im not sure why this is happening. I really do not want to f-disk, format, and reinstall XP. I will not really lose anything cause i have everything saved on DVD data as far as documents. But its such a pain in the *** going through the whole process. Like i said i have task MGR up and in the processes tab there is a lot of things in there that i have no idea what they are. svchost.exe is there a lot of times in a row. What is that? Is this where you are talking about NelsonQ?? Thanks!!!!

Yes, click on the Processes Tab. Then, click on the heading CPU twice to sort downwards. Notice that the CPU values are sorted and the processes using the most CPU will be ordered at the top. This will change if processes are running.

SVCHOST.exe is an executable shell for lack of a better description. Some applications make calls to libraries. In order to access them, they need to be accessed via the SVCHOST service.

If you reboot your system with nothing running at startup, and multiple instances of SVCHOST are running (and using CPU cycles) that leads me to believe you've either got background processes running that you've not disabled, or, potentially a virus (many viruses tend to launch this way, using default windows libraries via SVCHOST to mask what is going on.)

Can you grab a screen shot of the task manager and post it. Perhaps I can help you decipher it for you.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

The only way I know to get into task manager, is to hit CTRL/ALT/DEL, I don't know if there is another method? then I see the processes, and wonder what they are myself as well? and what ones if any, I can shut down, and possibly permanently?

If you right click on the taskbar and select Task Manager it'll get you there as well.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

Drew, also click on the Performance tab in Task Manager. How much physical memory do you have?

You mentioned you just installed XP. If it has low amounts of physical memory (256 or 512Mb) I suspect your disk activity could be contributed to by excessive paging (swapping memory to disk and vice versa to allow the operating system to run) without sufficient memory.

Lastly, consider running Ad-Aware to look for other types of background processes (such as adware/malware, etc)

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: PC question

Here is the screen shot you asked for i think! Thanks im tired of hearing my Hdd Screaming and im not even gameing or anything im just sitting watching TV or sleeping. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

Here is the screen shot you asked for i think! Thanks im tired of hearing my Hdd Screaming and im not even gameing or anything im just sitting watching TV or sleeping. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

Drew

Can you post a larger picture (post on photobucket with a link to it) I tried to zoom in but can't read it well.

Also, can you tell me the amount of memory in your system?

 

[MikDee]

Re: PC question

If you right click on the taskbar and select Task Manager it'll get you there as well.

Thanks Nelson I'm following along here trying to learn more as well, because my puter seems dead slow at times. Is there a way to allow more memory usage when using certain programs, or tasks? I have a Compaq (HP) AMD 3500 Athlon 64 with 1gig of memory, and a 250gig HD

 

[cbavier]

Re: PC question

Here is the screen shot you asked for i think! Thanks im tired of hearing my Hdd Screaming and im not even gameing or anything im just sitting watching TV or sleeping. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a thought nobody mentioned yet. It may not be your hard drive your hearing at all. How long has it been since you cleaned your vents and fans. It could be a fan bearing going bad Just a thought and my two cents worth.
Also if the Hard Drive is failing. It will make a noise before it finally dies.

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

Thanks Nelson I'm following along here trying to learn more as well, because my puter seems dead slow at times. Is there a way to allow more memory usage when using certain programs, or tasks? I have a Compaq (HP) AMD 3500 Athlon 64 with 1gig of memory, and a 250gig HD

MikDee, best investment you can make is adding an additional 1Gb of memory to your computer.

It should be fairly inexpensive to buy more memory for that system (assuming it's around 2 years old) Get the model # from the PC and check on Kingston's Website

It will tell you what type of memory you need (such as PC-3200, etc) and then you can go to your local electronics store and buy it. (Note you may need to replace the 1Gb of memory to add the additional 1Gb, depending on what they've installed in it and the configuration of that motherboard)

 

[NelsonQ]

Re: PC question

MikDee, also if you buy more memory, don't waste your $$$ on buying more than a total of 3GB for your system. XP has no ability to address and use more than 3GB of memory but I think 2Gb total is really all you'll need.