I need HELP!
 

Ok, yall, I need some technical expertise. I just got RoadRunner installed the other day, and while the internet does move faster, the overall speed of my computer is slow. I've gotten rid of unnecessary files, and tried to clean up my harddrive. Well, before I went to sleep last night, I turned the Defragmenter on, to let it work over night. Well, I wake up this morning and it's not done! ZERO% completed! I noticed that it would get 1% or 2% done, and then start over at zero. Now, I ran another program that did that last night, I want to say it was a Disk Clean-Up. The error that I got said that it kept starting over b/c I had a program open that was running it, or some mess, I don't know. I didn't get the same error with the Defragmenter, but it seems like it was doing the same thing. And also, you know how when you defragment, you can look at the details and see all the colored little boxes? Well, my detail screen was blank, no little colored boxes.

Please help me!! I want this to move as fast as possible, and I don't feel like I'm getting that, lol. I'm off to work, please post ALL responses. I figured I'd hit yall up first, lol. :) So hook a sista up!!

Techiegirl, where you at??? :)

I'll most likely be home for lunch, I'll check for advice at that time. Thanks!!! :D

I do know that you have to turn off your internet to get Disk Defragmenter to run. That is why your DD was @ 0%. Also you should run DD regularly, I try to do it every 2-3 weeks but I use my computer and tons of software more frequently than you. Plus with the music downloading you will beigin to do you want to keep it running efficiently.

I tried that, but I'll try again and let it run while I'm at work. We'll see. :aolundecidedface:

I had this same problem with my computer. I have a Compag with a Celeron processor. I don't know the type of computer that you have but these things worked for me:

1. Go to your system tools and run the system test. The fixed the problem the first time for me.

2. Go to start, run and select misconfig (sometimes programs like AOL or some other software that you have on your computer is hanging up your harddrive). Rerun this process.

3. Upgrade your memory. I added 128 to mine (cost $30 at Best buy). This solved my problem completely. Not only does my internet run faster, my prgrams do not lock up anymore.

U still ain't @ work? HMMPH. I tell you if someone does not get their full order of Girl Scout Cookies -- IDEAL08 is WHY!?!?:p

we tell folks to do this all the time... if you have windows 98, do the above & go to the startup tab. enckeck everything EXCEPT systray (or system tray) and explorer. that will take care of any & all programs running in the background. you will need to reboot your computer. then you should be able to defrag w/o it stopping because another program is running.

Y'all are awesome!!
 

Thanks, yall!! I'll try all of this and see what happens. That $30 upgrade sounds mighty nice! I'll do that today, as well. We were thinking we'd have to spend $99 for an upgrade. Thanks, HoneyKiss!!! :)

I knew yall would help me!! I'll keep yall posted!

Um, CT4, it's called FLEXIBILITY!!!!! I have a meeting tonight, so I'm going in late. :) I love my new job!!

BACK UP OFF THE COOKIES, MAN! :) LOL

Re: Y'all are awesome!!
 

Uh huh sure. One day Ideal will have to break down for y'all Cookie-ology:eek: :rolleyes: with the Cookie Managers and warehouse and all of that "mess".

i just wanted to say
 

that i have received my 2 boxes of Trefoils today! knowing me, they will be gone by next week! LOL

well...
 

I just want to say that I tried the stuff that yall suggested, but there is no 'misconfig' on my Run menu. Nor did I see a system test. What do I do now? Well, when I get done with work tonight (I am at work now, hush it, CT4), I'm going to upgrade the memory. Now, how does that work, do I take my tower in with me? I know that may sound like a silly question, but I know good and well I'm not trying to install that chip by myself. Let me know. And do I have to do anything to the computer before the memory is added?

Kel, enjoy your Trefoils!!!! :)

ahh...minor detail....
click on start then run & type msconfig in the run box (no drive letter needed) then go to the startup tab & do all that jazz.

as far as upgrading your memory, best buy or whomever you get the memory from should have a service where they install it for you. you don't need to do anything to your tower. just bring it to them & they'll take care of the rest.

also...
 

...make sure your screen saver is disabled while running the defragmenter. the screen saver starts a new process on your machine which will disrupt disk defrag. when you start it at night, just turn your monitor off. hope this helps! :)

Re: also...
 

Well, what do you know! I would have NEVER thought of that!! Thanks! :)

See what I'm sayin' about GC professionals? :D

It's all over now!
 

Thank y'all SO much!! I went a bought 256MB of memory yesterday, and my computer is moving SO much faster. DD still doesn't work (nor does ScanDisk), but the Circuit City dude said that that's a common problem. He said he just doesn't run his anymore, since he bought more memory. So I'm not gonna run mine either, lol. Anyway, I just wanted to thank you all for the help. And let me just tell you, I installed my little chip by myself, and why did that make me feel just so good. I feel like I can do anything with my electric screwdriver, LMAO! And after I opened up the tower, I was like, "This is it?! All this room, and this is all that's in here?!" I was all scurred and stuh. But I did it!! :D

Re: It's all over now!
 

Go 'head gurl. Your experience sounds just like mine. I'm think the tower is full of wires, chips, boards, etc and you open it up.....its just a few slots and that's it! You just pop the memory into place and ta da! :) To be honest, its really just a waste of space!!!

Re: Re: It's all over now!
 

There is a reason for all that space. Imagine all the things in there that get really hot or have a current running through them getting to close together. If two things touch, goodbye to something (ram, processor, video card, etc). Even a small bit of static from your body touching the wrong part of ram can make that ram a $40 keychain.

Just FYI. Sorry to bore you with the techie babble. :D

Re: Re: Re: It's all over now!
 

LOL... techie girl thanks for letting me know!:D Here I am thinking that I'm paying $$$$ for space, but it actually does serve a useful purpose!:p

Ahhhh, the joys of searching......
 

Now I need help. All of a sudden, my computer (a Gateway) is moving soooooo sloooooooow. I read through this post and got some great ideas, but I now have more questions than answers. This defragmenter thingy of which y'all speak..... is this something that comes standard on most PCs or is it a program/device that needs to be purchased? What about the Disk Clean-up?

I have downloaded LOTS of songs to my hard drive, so I'm thinking that may be the problem. I'm going to delete a bunch of songs to free up some space. I plan to purchase more memory very soon, but in the meantime, I'd appreciate some assistance from my computer savvy GC crew.

Re: Ahhhh, the joys of searching......
 

To find the defragmenter, go to your Start menu, then to Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, and there you will find the Disk Defragmenter and the Disk Clean-up stuff.

CT4 just told me to delete a lot of stuff just the other day. I deleted all of my cookies and AIM files. I think there was other stuff, but I forget. That's my after midnight help for the day, lol. Hope it helps!

Re: Re: Ahhhh, the joys of searching......
 

Thank you so much for your help. I tried the disk defragmenter last night, but it didn't work. Like you said, it would go to 1% and then start all over. When I woke up this morning, it was still at 0%. I followed everyone's advice (turning off screen saver, internet, etc...), but it still didn't work. I reran it this morning before I left home, but I'm expecting the same results. I think I'll just purchase the memory and call it a day.

MAAAAAN
 

WHY did I try and defrag my computer last night? See, what had happened was, CT4 said she just kept tryin and one day it worked. Well, I was gon' do that too. Yall, my computer FROZE up. I mean, went to the blue screen with the Ctrl-Alt-Del message. So I'm like, whatever, buster, I hit Ctrl-Alt-Del again to restart, my $#!t whent black. And stayed that way. I cut it off and went to bed. So I guess I won't try that no more.

Question: Should I have removed the memory chip that was already in there? The little man in the store said I ain't have to, but now I wonder. What yall think?