In Programs>Accessories>System Information I noticed it lists my computer's Total Physical Memory as 1024.00 MB, but Available Physical Memory as 346.69 MB.

At first I thought a stick of ram wasn't working so I uninstalled a stick. It indicated it had Total Physical Memory 512 MB and Available Physical Memory 22.50 MB (!) so the ram's not bad.

I recently uninstalled a video card and went back to using integrated graphics (128 MB). I switched to a corded infrared mouse. I'm using NAV 2009 antivirus and Online Armor firewall.

How do I track down what the colossal memory hog is?

First places to look at in the Task Manager Program Click Processes then click on the Memory Usage column (the top of the list) then arrange the list from The most to the least If you are doing it Online the Topmost item is "iexplore.exe" = Internet Explorer
If you have a screen saver running this also will be listed at the Top Note the CPU column too the Clues are there what is running at the Top of that list(When you click on it?) Other than the Screen saver or something like the BOINC program. The item at the top of the list
is System Idle Process (user name SYSTEM)
Shout out the Name that you see at the Top of the Tree?

The second Port of call is the Startup list
A lot of this can be Switched off with no Penalty...If you IM people a lot this is a bad hog and If you switch it off at the startup list you lose nothing It still works when you want it. Remember to "exit" the Program when you are finished with it

And Lastly a tweak on the Virtual memory settings often Improves matters

I'm not running a screen saver. I don't use an instant messenger either. I don't have a slew of programs installed either.

At the top of Task Manager Processes is FireFox.

Firefox.exe 103,484k
RTHDCPL.exe 30,084k
explorer.exe 22,016k
ipoint.exe 14,140k

These are the biggest ones. I have WinPatrol (free version). The startup list on it isn't that long. MSmessenger is marked disabled.

I have no idea how to tweak virtual memory settings.

I seem to recall I use to have about 768MB of ram available a few months ago...

RTHDCPL.exe Belongs to Realtek sound Manager
and I wonder Should that be showing that High?
On My computer the same Item is labelled SOUND MAN .exe
and It ticks over @ 4940K and 0% CPU
Needs to be terminated ASAP Need Chris's & Dwights advice
BTW Is SOUNDMAN.EXE on Your list?

We may be able to delete the Driver and Update it with a Later version?
Final question: Is your sound working?

There is no Soundman.exe listed. Yes, my sound works fine.

I'm starting to wonder if there might be some problem with the ram itself... Normally there should be about 768MB available, not 350MB, especially since there are fewer programs installed than before.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Yeah 350MB is a Wrong Number and I agree, you Have a Functional 256 MB stick and a Bit of Ram working on a 2nd stick and 1 totally dead stick
To find the dead stick and the Half working stick, Download and run SIW(does not install) from www.gtopala.com/siw-download.html
As soon as the Information Screen appears
Look down the Left side for Hardware then Memory(click this)
Next in the Big window there are lots of facts
Look for the Slots with No Information these Slots are the Faulty slots
The functioning chip will Have the Line which says
Capacity 256 MBytes
ans Immediatly below it it will say something Like DDR(PC3200)

Write those numbers down also the Makers name
Though if you are going to replace the set or
Upgrade the Memory size Kingston Corsair or Crucial Brands are the best budget buys

And You cannot Mix Brands!Has to be the same Make!
If you are Puzzled where slot 1 is It is the Nearest to the processor and Never Fit them as to Leave a Gap in the slots You will have Problems like you are having Now
Last thing The Security Latches must be engaged on them! You can practice removing and fitting them with your "dead chip"
Ps DO NOT Touch the contact when Fitting and Do "Ground" Yourself before attempting this Job
Static will destroy these Items (and processors) if You have not taken precautions beforehand

There are some ways discussed here (and The NO NO's too)
I use the "Stand on Bare wood floor Touch the Radiator" Method
Carpets... Nylon fiber is a killer! Never even run a computer Tower sitting on a Nylon Pile carpet!

I ran SIW. It shows two sticks of 512 MB ram (1024 MB) of PC3200. It has all the details of both sticks which I suppose means they're working correctly?

Then in system info it shows 894 MB total instead of 1024 MB (probably because of the integrated graphics using 128 MB) and only 363 MB free. I know I use to have at least twice that available which is so puzzling.

Now that is Puzzling!
Only thing I can think of is something has switched off the RAM and the Only places for that are the Registry and the BIOS
I think its One for the computer repair People
But Dwight(The Forum Moderator) may have an Idea I'll alert him to this Topic

Question...If this has started in the Past few weeks? Why not try a System Restore Back to the earliest date on the List?
It is possible a corrupted Program or Update has shut things down or reconfigured things!

See if this page offers any help with this issue:
http://www.pcspecialistonline.com/pc-memory.htm

I hope this is of some help.
Dwight

Download and run HijackThis. When the program completes, post the results here in the thread. We will take a look at it to try to come up with an answer.

what is the operating system ie xp vista ect.

This computer is running XP MCE os. Nothing on the page Dwight suggested rings familiar.

I might try rolling back the registry as I seem to recall checking the system info a few weeks ago and it showed 668 MB. I pulled the video card out so the computer would run cooler this summer and expected the ram to increase by 100 MB or so. Instead it went the other way by half.

I ran Hijack This.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 7:34:23 PM, on 5/27/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16827)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oasrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Motive\McciCMService.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\Engine\16.5.0.134\ccSvcHst.exe
C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oacat.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\mcrdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\Engine\16.5.0.134\ccSvcHst.exe
C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehtray.exe
C:\Program Files\Verizon\McciTrayApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Digital Media Reader\readericon45G.exe
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oaui.exe
C:\Program Files\Visioneer OneTouch\OneTouchMon.exe
C:\Program Files\BillP Studios\WinPatrol\winpatrol.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\ipoint.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\dpupdchk.exe
C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oahlp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://wapp.verizon.net/bookma...tached&bm=ho_central
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Symantec Intrusion Prevention - {6D53EC84-6AAE-4787-AEEE-F4628F01010C} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\Engine\16.5.0.134\IPSBHO.DLL
O2 - BHO: Verizon Broadband Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-8398-26FADCF27386} - C:\PROGRA~1\VERIZO~1\VERIZO~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Verizon Broadband Toolbar - {A057A204-BACC-4D26-8398-26FADCF27386} - C:\PROGRA~1\VERIZO~1\VERIZO~1.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ehTray] C:\WINDOWS\ehome\ehtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Verizon_McciTrayApp] "C:\Program Files\Verizon\McciTrayApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [readericon] C:\Program Files\Digital Media Reader\readericon45G.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Alcmtr] ALCMTR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [@OnlineArmor GUI] "C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oaui.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OneTouch Monitor] C:\Program Files\Visioneer OneTouch\OneTouchMon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinPatrol] C:\Program Files\BillP Studios\WinPatrol\winpatrol.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelliPoint] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\ipoint.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Power2GoExpress] NA
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - Startup: ERUNT AutoBackup.lnk = C:\Program Files\ERUNT\AUTOBACK.EXE
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {01113300-3E00-11D2-8470-0060089874ED} (Support.com Configuration Class) - https://activatemydsl.verizon....rnet%20Installer.cab
O16 - DPF: {DF780F87-FF2B-4DF8-92D0-73DB16A1543A} (PopCapLoader Object) - http://zone.msn.com/bingame/zu.../popcaploader_v6.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{8E9BE750-8D34-489C-AB19-0ABAC6C69B7C}: NameServer = 208.67.222.222,208.67.220.220
O23 - Service: Ati HotKey Poller - ATI Technologies Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
O23 - Service: ATI Smart - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ati2sgag.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: McciCMService - Motive Communications, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Motive\McciCMService.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\Engine\16.5.0.134\ccSvcHst.exe
O23 - Service: Online Armor Helper Service (OAcat) - Tall Emu - C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oacat.exe
O23 - Service: PrismXL - New Boundary Technologies, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS
O23 - Service: Online Armor (SvcOnlineArmor) - Tall Emu - C:\Program Files\Tall Emu\Online Armor\oasrv.exe

--
End of file - 6239 bytes

Well... the log looks clean...

Question
Should Online Armor and Norton A/V be working together?
If there is a clash here then you will get a shutdown of some description One of these is reading a "signature" from the Other

Norton also acts as an Unofficial firewall

Try the workaround on post #5 on this topic with Norton A/V It cured this persons "Problem"
Also Check Norton is completely "Trusted" with Online Armor (Not blocked /Partially blocked)

I saw this posted as a computer magazine tip
Re: Windows Firewall

quote:

...running 2 firewalls at once will drain your PC's Memory the instalation for 3rd party Firewalls sould turn off the Windows Firewall by default

Windows Has this advice

quote:

Why you should only use one firewall.If you have more than one firewall installed on your computer, you should not have both firewalls turned on at the same time. Two firewalls turned on at the same time can cause compatibility problems that result in some programs not working correctly.

To help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats, you should always have one firewall installed and turned on. Windows includes a firewall that is turned on by default. (However, some computer manufacturers and network administrators might turn it off.) If you want to install and run a second firewall, turn off Windows Firewall.

Try turning off the Windows Firewall and Reset the Computer

Then On restarting open the "Security Center" in the Control Panel....Is the Firewall "light" green & ON?
Now recheck your Memory reading. Has it Improved?
Open the Task Manager on the Performance Tab and in the Lower PF usage Box How many green bars are lit? If its showing red Bars ,then there still is an issue
If the green bars are filling the Box then we may be able to get some respite by altering the Virtual Memory setting

If everything is in order the Green bars may be only Half lit(4 or 5?) there is a Number in this Box which is what capacity the Hard drive /RAM setting is (everyones different)
Mine is set @ 1.66 GB. in the long Scrolling window the yellow line denotes the fixed Limit the Virtual drive is set at, it should correspond to the green barred window and No more than Half way up the "Long window" (Mines set at just under Half height)

Norton products are famous for being memory hogs, might want to try disabling Norton for a time and see how much memory is available then. I will no longer use or recommend Norton products because of this reason, along with the fact that I've found viruses on many computers that had Norton AV installed.


chris

In Security Center it indicates Online Armor Firewall is enabled. At the bottom I clicked the Manage Windows Firewall Settings link. It shows Windows firewall is off.

In Windows Task Manager there is no red. Everything is green. Inside the PF Usage box there are 7 bars, 445 MB listed.

The yellow line is about even with the 2nd bar from the bottom of the PF Usage box.

Norton AV 2009 was completely redesigned and is no longer the memory hog it used to be. They fixed just about everything that people complained about.

It does indicate in the Lower box that it is Struggling on the Virtual Drive (Too many bars)and something/s running which you don't Need!
Look again in this Box and Tell Us How many "Processes" are running? (Bottom Left hand Corner)
It will determine our next Move
I suspect we can get away with Editing the Startup list ...But I need that Number first Thanks

Under "Totals" it says:

Handles 10951
Threads 514
Processes 42

That Sounds about the right Number I have either 48 when Looking in via COMODO or 53 via Task Manager

Now Go to
http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm and Download EasyCleaner
use the Link marked files/EClea2_0.exe (2,81mb) (with installer, recommended)
and Familiarise yourself with the Control Panel Layout and I shall be back later to tell you what to do (a few minutes work) Inspect the Startup Button area as that is where we are going to Work on your issue .