Computers Computer guys, need help (AGAIN)...

[chonkoa]

Ok, I'm trying to access a folder I created a few days ago where I dumped photos I took on that same day. Everytime I try to open it I get this message:



...and then the damn thing crashes. This has been happening often on my computer ever since I had to reinstall Windows XP because of the various crashes this POS endured. Now I cannot open certain folders because I get the same warning.

Let it be known that this crap is pissing me off and I am ready to throw this thing against the wall, burn it and piss on the ashes.


Anyway, what can I do? What is the problem!? Is there a program I can download that can fix this without me loosing my pictures?

How much memory to you have?
Do you have enough RAM, do you have enough virtual memory to launch applications? What is your operating system- is it Vista, XP, 2000?

 

[chonkoa]

Nope. I figured they would tell me to save all my files, format my HD, then reinstall XP again. I've done that three times within four months last year. Not again!

It seems you have XP.
On the bottom right-hand corner of your desktop right mouse click on the area there and select the "Task Manager" option.
This will open the task manager, click on the "Performance" tab:
This tab contains information on how your system uses memory..
PM me if you still need assistance...

 

[Tarek]

Tarek said:

Nope. Quite the opposite in fact. I work in IT selling PC's, plus I do desktop support and IT projects as well.

Probably that experience makes me rather cynical about Windows OS at times, because the sorts of things that are happening to Christian happen all the time it seems in the windows world, going by anecdotal evidence and daily complaints from my customers, and from my own and friends experience. I personally own two PC's, and one Mac.

it was not my intention to start a debate about Macs/Linux/windows. I have given the best advice that I can think of without seeing the machine, to Christian, in the hope that it will help him in his situation, and some further suggestions in a following post as to how to avoid it occurring again in the future; that is all.

If any offence was construed from my comments, none was intended whatsoever, and I apologise if that is how it came across. I can only offer advice based upon my own personal, and professional experience. Just as some people choose to buy a Toyota/Ford over a Mercedes/BMW etc, and see no need for anything else, the same with Windows users v's Linux/Mac to make an analogy.

And that is fine, as we are all different, with different needs, priorities and closed sets of thinking - I am not going to argue with that as it is not my place to do so, apart from making some tongue in cheek humorous comments as I did with Christian, because he knows a bit about me, as I him, and I know he will not take it personally but see the humour in it (well I hope so...)

At the end of the day I can only relate my own personal and professional experience; it is not for me to tell people what to do as that is not my right, only advise and suggest - others must take what they can from that advice and make up their own minds as to their choice of action.

Hope this helps clear up any misunderstanding if my thoughts seemed like a Mac rant.

Respectfully

John

 

[cawimmer430]

How much memory to you have?
Do you have enough RAM, do you have enough virtual memory to launch applications? What is your operating system- is it Vista, XP, 2000?

Right now I have 3 GB free space on drive C which is an 80 GB HD. I've got to move all my MP3's and my photos unto an external HD. I like to keep a copy of my pictures on my computer and my external HD.

I am using Windows XP.

 

[cawimmer430]

It seems you have XP.
On the bottom right-hand corner of your desktop right mouse click on the area there and select the "Task Manager" option.
This will open the task manager, click on the "Performance" tab:
This tab contains information on how your system uses memory..
PM me if you still need assistance...

This doesn't really mean anything to me. I am an idiot when it comes to this stuff.

 

[siko]

1 GB of RAM is more than adequate for XP.

Right now I have 3 GB free space on drive C which is an 80 GB HD.

This is a problem... rule of thumb for XP is about 10% free for your system partition (XP).

Note sure if this would cause the error, but it slows down your system alot if you don't keep enough free space.

 

[Remy Zero]

hard disk i think bro.

 

[Benzboi_inoz]

Christian said:

I know you mean well but this is simply a preference factor here. I prefer PC's to Mac's.

That is cool - just really glad you didn't take offence at my remarks, because no offence was intended. Although I admit I did stir you, but it was intended to be in a nice way, with a bit of tongue in cheek humour...

I think Fords and Toyotas are good cars; somehow though, I seem to be 'in love' with a Mercedes....

Hope it all works out OK for you Christian, and do let us know how you get on..

All the Best

Respectfully

John....

 

[chonkoa]

Christian,

1GB of RAM I think is pushing it.
Your OS system alone uses about 600MB of RAM, and it depends on the number of applications you have going, you may be short of RAM.

My next question is how much virtual memory you have?
Do you have your hard drive partitioned? I mean do you have a C drive and a D drive?
You may need to increase your virtual memory size.
Before doing this I will suggest you free space on your C drive, and also defragment your hard drive to help with the memory management.

Let me know if you need a guide on how to defragment your hard drive and also increase your virtual memory.

 

[cawimmer430]

1 GB of RAM is more than adequate for XP.



This is a problem... rule of thumb for XP is about 10% free for your system partition (XP).

Note sure if this would cause the error, but it slows down your system alot if you don't keep enough free space.

Disk Defrag... tells me I need 15% of free space to do this. I am cleaning out my computer as we speak but it ain't easy because I am also using this thing to edit photos for the museum I am currently doing a project with.

 

[cawimmer430]

Christian,

1GB of RAM I think is pushing it.
Your OS system alone uses about 600MB of RAM, and it depends on the number of applications you have going, you may be short of RAM.

My next question is how much virtual memory you have?
Do you have your hard drive partitioned? I mean do you have a C drive and a D drive?
You may need to increase your virtual memory size.
Before doing this I will suggest you free space on your C drive, and also defragment your hard drive to help with the memory management.

Let me know if you need a guide on how to defragment your hard drive and also increase your virtual memory.

Hi Chonkoa,

Nope, my HD isn't partitioned at all. I prefer to keep it all on one drive (C).

Like I said, I am cleaning out my computer at the moment but I am also adding new photos from my job with the museum because the computers they have don't have photoshop and they don't have a computer I can use, so I tend to bring this stuff home. It's a little "busy" at the moment but I'm going use the info from you guys ASAP.

Virtual memory? <--- I am a nOOb when it comes to computers...

Thanks for all the help buddy!

 

[siko]

Disk Defrag... tells me I need 15% of free space to do this.

Yeah, defrag needs even more. That's because it needs temporary space when moving your fragmented files.

But that's only during defrag... the minimal 10% I mentionned is for normal Windows operations (mainly caching and paging).

Virtual memory? <--- I am a nOOb when it comes to computers...

I'm too lazy to explain it... but the 10% minimum of free space I talked about is in good part for additional paging (a virtual memory technique) space potentially used by the virtual memory manager (that's is if the VMM is set to default, which implies a non-fixed page file).

More on VM if interested:
Virtual memory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[chonkoa]

Hi Chonkoa,

Nope, my HD isn't partitioned at all. I prefer to keep it all on one drive (C).

Like I said, I am cleaning out my computer at the moment but I am also adding new photos from my job with the museum because the computers they have don't have photoshop and they don't have a computer I can use, so I tend to bring this stuff home. It's a little "busy" at the moment but I'm going use the info from you guys ASAP.

Virtual memory? <--- I am a nOOb when it comes to computers...

Thanks for all the help buddy!

Without sounding like I am telling what to do, it is a very good practice to partition your HD into 2 or more drives.
The idea is that you can install the system applications on the C drive and other stuff on the D or other drives. Partitioning your HD also allows you to re-image just the C drive without losing any information on the D. So when you bring stuff home, you can safely store them in the D drive.
Partitioning also allows you to assign a good portion of any of the drives to VM thus allowing you to manage memory more efficiently.

Virtual memory allows your computer to use part of your HD as RAM which allows you to open more pictures in your case. Any time you run an application or open a file, your computer loads the files to the RAM which is easier for your processor to execute commands on.

 

[cawimmer430]

Thanks for the advice and input! I am learning new things from you guys. Awesome stuff.

Once I clean out my computer I will proceed to do this. Thanks again.