Two PCs, same problems.

…….Maybe it just wants a good clean out, format and reload??

Good clean out yes, format and reload, no - that is always the last resort - not only because of all the lost data, but because you end up months or even years behind in critical updates.

What programs are you running now that you were not 2 years ago?

As much as I respect Russ and all that he has done for this industry, IMO, you do not need to defrag your PF on every boot - especially since this PF is on a separate drive. In fact, most people rarely have to, if ever. I don't but I just ran PageDefrag to see what it said. It reports on 10 files, including the page file, and it reports that all files are in 1 fragment - in other words, they are whole. If me, I would not have it run automatically.

The best way to defrag a Page File, IMO, is to:

1. Run Disk Cleanup or CCleaner to rid the HD(s) of 1000s of temp files
2. Delete the current Page File
3. Boot into Safe Mode
4. Defrag the HD(s)
5. Create the new PF
6. Reboot.

…….Maybe it just wants a good clean out, format and reload??

Good clean out yes, format and reload, no - that is always the last resort - not only because of all the lost data, but because you end up months or even years behind in critical updates.
Yep…. it's a bugger isn't it?
What programs are you running now that you were not 2 years ago? None to my knowledge (apart from IE7 which is now IE6 as previously mentioned)

As much as I respect Russ and all that he has done for this industry, IMO, you do not need to defrag your PF on every boot Sorry, I didn't mean it to seem as though I did it every boot…the PC is switched on every day, but the defrag is about every two weeks - especially since this PF is on a separate drive. In fact, most people rarely have to, if ever. I don't but I just ran PageDefrag to see what it said. It reports on 10 files, including the page file, and it reports that all files are in 1 fragment - in other words, they are whole. If me, I would not have it run automatically. It's not on auto…. I just set to do it when I want it to
The best way to defrag a Page File, IMO, is to:

1. Run Disk Cleanup or CCleaner to rid the HD(s) of 1000s of temp files DisK Cleanup every two weeks, CCleaner usually more than once a day
2. Delete the current Page File Done regularly
3. Boot into Safe Mode Ditto
4. Defrag the HD(s) Ditto
5. Create the new PF Ditto
6. Reboot. Ditto

Jack All (scuse the way I quoted you)

Jack All (scuse the way I quoted you)

I can follow - so it worked.

Delete the current Page File Done regularly

Done regularly? Why? Once set, you should not have to touch it.

Well, I think we are at the "hurry up and wait" stage until HJT is done.

Hi Digerati… Your comments regarding the Page File (relating to the 'big' pc) got me looking at it again…..I'm pretty sure something has changed with the settings and I'm guessing only, but I don't think the dedicated drive for the page file is getting used. I tried running some graphics files (1G+) and found that I was getting 'not enough RAM' messages. I also note that Mark Russinovichs pagedfrg is only running on C: (where the Programs are) and not including E:. I also found that Windows defrag will defrag the E: drive page file…..it didn't appear to do so before the problems. Checking the Page File settings, I can see that E: is a Custom Size file (Minimum 2Mb Max 9947Mb) …. but C: is a System Managed file (no Min or Max shown) (although in ghost form you can see the Min and Max for E: !!) Also shows space available as 36728Mb. At the bottom of the dialogue box, it shows 'Total paging file size for all drives' Min allowed 2Mb, Recommended 4606Mb, Currently allocated: 3071Mb. I'm d*mn sure they didn't used to look like this……do they look right to you? Regards Jack All

do they look right to you?

I would do it differently.

If you wish to pursue this line of thought, I will be happy to, but not until your logs are done, or withdrawn from the pile.

Once a problem has been handed over to the log analyst, the case is theirs. It is improper forum etiquette for me to keep working the problem. This is because virtually any and every thing we do can, and often does, change the log, making the one already posted, obsolete. The analysts are all volunteers so we don't want to waste their time on obsolete logs - not when there are others waiting. Hence the reason for a "managed flow" when logs are submitted. I appreciate your desire to get your problem fixed as soon as possible, but unfortunately, a managed orderly flow does not always result in the fastest service for everyone. There will be some exceptions, and you get to be it today.

Yep………appreciate what you say…..etiquette paramount. Normally I would have solved most 'problems' myself, but this has me beat. Oddly, the big pc is running slightly better over the last two days (albeit not as good as it was) but the small one has deteriorated a bit more (slower). Noting your previous experience, if you wish talk off forum, I don't mind email….up to you. Regards Jack All.

Normally I would have solved most 'problems' myself, but this has me beat.

No shame in admitting that - I've only been at this hardware fixin' stuff professionally for 35+ years and I'm still learning. Considering there's pushing 1 billion Windows machines in use out there - each one unique 10 minutes after first power up - I find it facinating that almost 100% of them work fine.

Noting your previous experience, if you wish talk off forum, I don't mind email….up to you.

Thanks, but sorry, that defeats the purpose of forums - a place for "open" discussions where "everyone" has an opportunity to share what they know, and maybe learn something new along the way. What if you ask me an important question and I go on vacation for 2 weeks? What if I offer bad advice (it's happened - and probably will again) and no one else is there to come in and challenge it before more damage is done? How happy will that make you?

And besides, I still would not offer suggestions knowing you still have logs pending.

Didn't mean that…..meant ex-forces. Jack All.

Ah! My apologies. Thanks for clarifying. Since we are waiting on logs anyway… Yes - I spent about 24 years, 24 days, 15 hours, and 55 minutes (approximately - ;)) in the Air Force - got out in '95 - ground to air radio maintenance - mostly air traffic control equipment, until I got fully into computers in mid 80s. Good times - learned a lot.

missed nam then?

me…..1969 Rock Ape for a very short while, but sent away because of a previous injury…..never went back to them, and followed a different course which started with signals…..the rest not for open forum.

Jack All

missed nam then?

me…..1969 Rock Ape for a very short while, but sent away because of a previous injury…..never went back to them, and followed a different course which started with signals…..the rest not for open forum.

Jack All

Yeah, I got kicked out of college after high school due to mono, went to work driving a train and blowing up rocks 2015 feet underground in an Arizona copper mine until they went on strike. My dad said to join the military or come home - but only if I went back to school - so I joined the Air Force late in '71 - nam ended in '75. Though world-wide ready, I only made it as far as the Azores while the "conflict" was going on.

Anyways - thanks for your service!

Digerati…………HJT logs and Kap scans done. Ken545 tells me AOK. Thanks JackAll.

Was the log clean from the start, or were there some issues that are now cleaned up?

Hi Digerati….. The 'big' pc was clean on both scans. The 'small' pc, Ken545 said was clean on both scans, but asked me to fix two RO entries in HJT……My guess is they were minor, but perhaps Ken may say differently (he said he would keep an eye on the thread). R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = The PC situation has worsened, but luckily not since yesterday when the Kap scans were done (HJT done today). Would you like to know what other things are happening? Thanks JA.

Would you like to know what other things are happening?

That's up to you not me - this is an open forum, after all, and everyone can participate and toss in ideas.

To be truthful, since it had been over week until today there was any activity on this thread, I had already dumped where we were - to work on a few dozen other posts since then.

If you want to pursue, I think you should proceed as follows:

Start over - Pick one computer, list it's specs again, the symptoms, and what has been done so far (swapped hardware, ran anti-malware scans, HJT, etc. ). The when that computer is fixed, proceed with the 2nd.