how can one

[franksolich]

This is not a problem, but perhaps sooner or later a problem might develop.

If a computer's running low on memory, how can one tell what's taking up a lot of memory?

I ask this because during the Scamdal the spring-summer of 2005, the computer I had at the time went low on memory, and so I went to the big city to buy more memory.  The guy behind the counter said no, you don't need more memory; bring the unit in, and I'll take care of it.

So I took the tower in, the guy glanced at the guts, and deleted a Word document, and presto! no more problems with memory.

This particular Word document had been used during the Scamdal, for posting on the DUmmie FUnnies, and given the rate I was posting, the document was "changed" and "saved" many times during a single day, for about two months straight.

Apparently that was eating up tons, mountains, of memory.

So.....in the event, which one hopes it pleases God doesn't happen for a long time yet, one is told the computer's running low on memory, how does one check to see what it is, that's consuming all that memory, so as to get rid of it?

[Wineslob]

ctrl/alt/delete keys at the same time. That'll bring up a window that will have "task manager" in it. Click on that and it will show you what is doing what.

[thundley4]

Is Frank talking about memory usage or the hard drive being filled up?  Him mentioning all the up dated Word document saves sounds like a full hard drive.

[Thor]

clear your cookies & temp internet files at least monthly. If you have any problems, you can always PM me and I'll attempt to walk you through the rest.

[franksolich]

clear your cookies & temp internet files at least monthly. If you have any problems, you can always PM me and I'll attempt to walk you through the rest.

I've had no problems with this computer yet; it's been excellent.

Of course, I'm sweating because I still owe $75 on it.

It's been working flawlessly.

I do that "CCleaner" every time I shut down the computer.

Every time.

Is this helping?

The memory question is a "just in case" query.

[franksolich]

Is Frank talking about memory usage or the hard drive being filled up?  Him mentioning all the up dated Word document saves sounds like a full hard drive.

Well now, this was six years ago, and the memory's fallible.

All I recall is that during the Scamdal (April-September 2005) the computer kept saying "low memory" every so often.

So I went to the place in the big city to buy more memory.

The guy said no, bring the unit in, and he'd figure it out.

He immediately opened the Word file, and there it was, consuming megawatts of memory.

I told him it was fine to delete it, and he did.

Presto! no more messages about "low memory" for as long as I had that unit.

That particular document--and it was just one--had probably been "save changes" several hundred, if not a thousand, times. 

[MrsSmith]

This sounds like removing old documents, you can do that by going your Documents folder and deleting documents you no longer need.  Another thing you could do is go to Start menu, All Programs, Accessories,  System Tools and Disc Defragmenter.  This program can compact all the files on your hard drive.

[CG6468]

How large is the hard disk?

[franksolich]

How large is the hard disk?

37.2 gb.

Now, remember something, sir.

I don't use the D drive; don't even know what it's for or if it would have any use to me.

I don't have attachments for sound (loudspeakers and somesuch).

There are NO problems with the unit, but I'm trying to remember all the problems I had in the past with other units (going back to 1995), so as to pre-empt them if they evolve.  There's been no message about being "low on memory."

[CG6468]

37.2 gb.

Now, remember something, sir.

I don't use the D drive; don't even know what it's for or if it would have any use to me.

I don't have attachments for sound (loudspeakers and somesuch).

There are NO problems with the unit, but I'm trying to remember all the problems I had in the past with other units (going back to 1995), so as to pre-empt them if they evolve.  There's been no message about being "low on memory."

Maybe you could move all your files to the D drive? Is there anything on it now?

(And I'm not a "Sir"). Ya doesn't have to call me sir, and ya doesn't have to call me Coastie. Just call me Jeff. And don't call me late for supper! 

[franksolich]

Maybe you could move all your files to the D drive? Is there anything on it now?

As far as I know, no.

I've never used it.

I thought it was for movies and stuff.

Some years ago I thought about using it (on a unit not this one; this was about 2005 or something), but the guy behind the counter in the big city said, no, the D drive's not what I thought it was; it's not like some superbig C drive.  I've never been sure, then, the exact utility of D drives, but others use this computer once in a while too, and no one's ever complained about my not using it.

I'm suspecting it has no use for me, much as the radio in the automobile.

[Wineslob]

Well, you can also go to my computer, right click on the "c" drive and see what space you have left, but you probably know that.


I hope.     

[franksolich]

Well, you can also go to my computer, right click on the "c" drive and see what space you have left, but you probably know that.


I hope.     

But now you're confusing me.

I was told some time ago, by someone, that "memory" and "disc space" are not the same thing.  I had thought they were, but apparently they're not.

At 37.2 gb, there's 31.8 gb "free".

As one might imagine, I don't store much stuff.

[CG6468]

As far as I know, no.

I've never used it.

I thought it was for movies and stuff.

"And stuff" would include your files.

[franksolich]

"And stuff" would include your files.

Well, I was given to understand during that long-ago conversation that I was drawing a wrong conclusion--that the C drive is a 4-cylinder 20 horsepower Model T, and the D drive a 16-cylinder 8000 horsepower supersonic sports-car (or something like that), and given my "need" for disc space, a C drive was more than sufficient, without worrying about the D drive.

This was advice offered by the guy behind the counter, who knows me and knows to what uses I put a computer; in fact, two times during the earlier part of this century, I purchased used units from him.

The odd advice I got from him was that it wouldn't be "good" to remove all this sound-and-movies stuff, even though they're of no use to me (I had thought it would free up more space, and as God knows, I like empty space).  He said even if I didn't use such things, it was still better to leave them in there, as their presence was necessary for making the computer work better.

I've never questioned that, despite that it seems odd.  The guy knows what he's talking about.

[CG6468]

Those sound like system files. I was speaking of your personal files.

I'll defer to Thor on this.

[franksolich]

Those sound like system files. I was speaking of your personal files.

I'll defer to Thor on this.

My personal files on the computer apparently don't add up to excresence.

They're mostly scanned old family photographs, for the nephews; there's lots and lots of them and I of course have the hard-copy originals, so it's no big deal.

Financial stuff, I never put on any computer I've had, not once.

In fact, I've never even banked or shopped or paid bills via any computer I've ever owned.

I suppose I'm antiquated, but doing such things my way works.