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By: sooz
Date: 9/26/98 2:56:30 PM
# Replies: 13
My computer has started acting strangely.
Note that this only happens when Netscape Navigator is open. I'll be reading along on Nunz, or USA Today, or whatever, and my screen will stop and the computer will grind for 15-30 seconds. I can't scroll up, scroll down, minimize, type, nuttin'. I can go maximize something else that's already open (say, Word Perfect), and work in that while the grinding goes on.
Sometimes, if Netscape is open but minimized, this grinding will start and I won't be able to type in WP, or do anything else. Sometimes I"ll be in the middle of typing e-mail when it does this. Grind, grind, grunt groan, and the world stops until it's over. This happen about once every 20-30 minutes, and it's pretty annoying.
I've re-installed Netscape, both the communicator and the navigator. I've scanned the drive for errors. I've scanned all drives for viruses. I've defragmented all drives (I'm partitioned into C, D, E and F, with G being the CD drive).
Any idears?
Response #1
By: Da Sissop
Date: 9/26/98 4:52:54 PM
Umm, for starters, maybe take a peek at how much free space remains on the drive where you've got Netscape installed. If it's something that just recently started happening, it could be that Netscape's cache of temporary files has grown to monstrous proportions.
Unfortunately I don't remember exactly where to go to clear those files out. One method is via the Configuration/Settings section buried somewhere within the menus, and the other is to find the Netscape program directory on your hard drive, and drill down until you find a subdirectory called "cache", and delete everything outta that. This runs the risk that you might also be deleting "cookies", which ya *might* not wanna do.
I use Internet Explorer, and I have been for long enough that I just don't remember exactly how/where Netscape manages its cache files.
Response #2
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 9/27/98 2:07:53 AM
Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Cache -> Clear disk cache now
Response #3
By: Ralf
Date: 9/27/98 10:38:35 PM
I think Jim's onto something.
Another idea if Netscape's innocent: are you using Windows95?
It could be dynamically resizing the virtual memory swap file. The cure is easy: buy more RAM. It's cheap. 32M for $16.
But if you harddrive is just plain full, Windows will pull try all sorts of gymnastics to keep you from running out of memory, including defragment the swap file on-the-fly. If this happens, it thrashes like crazy. Simple defragmenting won't address it, since the swap file is "non moveable". You can fix this, but it's a hassle and takes a long time... want details?
Response #4
By: sooz
Date: 9/28/98 9:43:02 AM
I've decided it's not Netscape's fault. It's going through these gyrations even when Netscape's not up. I've cleared 1/4 of the drive, and it's still acting loopy.
If buying more RAM will fix it, I'll do that immediately. Or should I do the thing you're talking about, Ralf?
Response #5
By: sooz
Date: 9/28/98 9:46:08 AM
Oh. And yes, I'm running 95.
Response #6
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 9/28/98 10:29:29 PM
Buy more RAM. It's fun to install.
Response #7
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 9/29/98 12:44:40 AM
Do you run a virus scanner?
It may be trying to scan your drives and thus slowing your system down.
Response #8
By: Ralf
Date: 9/29/98 6:49:29 PM
RAM is always a good idea. Even if it doesn't fix THIS problem, the rest of your system will run faster.
And it's cheap, cheap, cheap. And if it's a newer PC (like, three years old or newer) it's a snap to install. Really.
Response #9
By: rorschach
Date: 9/29/98 9:01:56 PM
if your machine has a 168 pin DIMM socket, I strongly suggect getting SDRAM instead of the conventional fast page or EDO ram... it talks to the CPU bus SOOOOO much faster.... remember, a slow CPU with MASSIVE amounts of memory will run circles around a fireball of a cpu with only a little memory. if you can afford 128 meg go for it... best buy has 128 MB SDRAM DIMMs for 169.99 and I'm sure your local mom&pop computer shop has it even cheaper.
Response #10
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 9/30/98 1:25:48 AM
This is the moment at which you email Gowan and tell him your credit card number so that he can send you some DIMMs.
Response #11
By: sooz
Date: 9/30/98 9:34:22 AM
Ror, you have a way of saying things that make them zoom directly over my head.
I have no clue how to install memory. I could, I suppose, walk in with my computer to the mom & pop place, drop it on the counter, and tell 'em to rev it up.
I got rid of the scanner, Gowan. Good thinkin', though.
The problems getting worse, definitely. I sometimes (ok, often) sit and wait a full minute, about once every 10 minutes, for the churning to end. Something's gotta give.
Response #12
By: Gowan McGland
Date: 9/30/98 11:48:11 AM
It's obvious that something is scanning your drive looking for something.
Without being there or running pcanywhere, i couldn't begin to help you any, though.
Response #13
By: rorschach
Date: 10/4/98 7:53:43 PM
sorry sooz, I keep forgetting to crank down the tech level. lemme see if i can decode what I said.
A) Memory is the lifeblood of your system. Nowadays, programs are so big they won't all fit in memory at once. ESPECIALLY if you have several running at once, including all those neat little utilities you have running transparently in your system tray like norton antivirus and fist aid etc.... With me so far?
OK when there is not enough room in your machine for all the programs, the operating system tries to find the oldest unused parts and swap em out to a temporary storage area on your hard drive in an effort to clear up some space. Every time it has to do this it takes several milliseconds. Memory operates in the 60 nanosecond range or less, hard drives operate in the 15 MILLIsecond range, HUGE difference. So the less often the system has to do a swap to the hard drive the better.Thats why it is possible for a 150Mhz AMD K5 could outrun a 250 Mhz pentium II if it had a big enough memory advantage.
B) SDRAM stands for synchronus dynamic ram. Because CPU's are running so fast nowadays it is difficult to build memory chips fast enough to keep up with the CPU. As a result, CPU's have to take a break and do nothing for a few clock cycles while they wait for the data they requested from memory becomes available (actually they go on to other tasks but that kind of jumping ahead to the next page kind of thing can't always be done so there is still a performance hit). SDRAM is an attempt to fix that, at least until the next generation of chips come out. SDRAM can run at 100Mhz bus speeds, whereas older EDO and fast page memory could only run at 33 or 66Mhz. AND the chips are 64 bits wide so one module can do the job where you used to have to buy memory modules in pairs because they were only 32 bits wide AND the system had to perform TWO memory accesses to get 64 bits of data.
C) Nowadays installing memory is a snap. A trained chimp could do it (and judging by some of the machines I've seen assembled lately they probably ARE...) there are three standardized sizes. 34 pin simms, 72 pin simms, and 164 pin dimms, you'd be hard pressed to find a pentium motherboard with 32 pin simms on it anymore, but there are a bunch of old 486 boards with em out there. if you got a 486, its time to upgrade anyway. get out the book that came with the motherboard and determine which sockets on the board are which. 72 pin sims are about 3-3 1/2 inches long and there's a notch on one side to indicate where pin one is. the notch will prevent you from inserting it backwards by not fitting in the socket (it's notched too). 72 pin simms have to be bought in matched pairs and installed in matched pairs as well. 168 pin dimms are about 6 inches long and are notched too. you can buy single modules in this size. to install 72 pin simms, put the module into the socket at an angle and tilt it until the two metal (usually) clips grip the edges of the board. then do the same for the next one. be careful to install them in the correct order or you won't be able to get to the next socket because the other module will be in the way... if you did just pull the metal clips back and the module will pop out and you can install the OTHER one first.... 168 pin dimms slide straight down into the slot and have little hooks that grip them to hold em in place. Make sure to plug it into the lowest numbered empty socket. turn your machine on and it should detect the new memory automatically.