Po', unless you have dual-channel memory, you won't see a huge difference in speed. The difference is:

With normal memory slots, the PC uses one RAM stick until it is full, then begins to draw off the second stick.

With dual-channel memory, the PC divides memory usage between the two sticks simultaneously. Basically, it runs faster because the processor draws off both sticks of RAM at the same time.

My ASUS mobo has 4 RAM slots, each capable of running 1 gb. Right now I have 2 gb of ram (I had 4, but one died, and I sold the other to my friend...his 1 gb stick fried out) running dual-channel. And my PC runs very fast......

i have 2 1GB sticks.

I wouldn't know where to start.

Something to consider when moving your page file to the second hard drive, only do this if your second hard drive is internal. If it is an external USB drive the access time is going to increase dramatically which would slow your system down.

It's internal.

Has anyone tried moving the page file to a USB ready boost 4 gig thumb drive? In theory, it should be faster than a hard drive.

Think I'll try it and see.  

You might want to check the data thru-put of a USB2 port before trying that....as compared with a SATA or PATA ...

Okay...it would now appear my PC is rightly f___ed.

msconfig will not open through 'run'...though when I check Winpatrol, it says it's open.

The console panel opens for Defrag...but when I click analyze or defrag, it freezes..through Winpatrol says it's running.

My cursor has developed this new habit of vanishing, usually on the desktop, not on an application. I nudge the mouse and it reappears. It does this whenever it senses there is a chance to cause a blood vessel to bust in my brain.

Snag -It is playing the same game as msconfig, except only when it's feeling like being bitchy, not everytime.

I can open msconfig with Launchy, but I get Microsoft NET Framework 1.1 Configuration panel (?)

I just reformatted and re-installed XP and everything about 2 months ago, the memory upgrade about a month ago.

I really don't want to have to do all that again. Can anyone offer assistance?

also....last night when things seemed to go buggy, I ran chkdisk. I got a message..
"Windows has replaced a bad cluster. (don't quote me on this. I wrote it down but left it at home) in section 15086 (?) in the name of /hibrfil.sys (?)"

Check the System Managed Size option. Winpatrol, huh? Hmmm.

hibrfil.sys is your hibernation file,in xp it comes under power options,unticking the hibernation box & i assume a restart will delete it,(not sure if you need to restart but i do as i usually defrag in safe mode),you also need to untick the hiber as it does'nt defrag

Have you tried running msconfig while in safe mode?
Have you tried restoring your computer to an earlier time?
Perhaps you have a restore point prior to the trouble you are experiencing.

Po', I fear that your hard drive is near

This would also 'splain the other issues you have been having.

Po
Don't forget to make a set of recovery disks for your hp & use good quality media,if you don't make a recovery set you'll have to buy them from hp if your hdd shits itself, it's the only way to reinstall windows onto a new hdd,you need to use good media as those twits at hp only allow you to make 1 set.I don't know why as they can't be used on any other machine other than that model of hp

Push F8 to get to safe mode assuming all hp's are the same.

Have 7.15GB of Virtual Memory with 5.94 free.  Yesterday it was  6.05 free.  Oh well.  

I just did a compltet System Recovery, reformat, etc. I am staring at WindowsXP Blue skin *gak and about 18 or 20 icons on my desktop of all the goodies HP throws in here.

I wanna clean this crap out right.

You may want to shield your eyes. This is what I got. I haven't removed anything yet.


I know the 'Game Channel' is crap.

My 2 biggest problems are going to be properly uninstalling Norton/Symantec
and
properly removing all this other crap that is sitting somewhre in my system waiting to be installed, like Quicken, the 60 day Office trial,HR Block and heaven knows what else.

I would really love some good solid advice on getting symantec/Norton completely off of here. It's not 'completely' installed, but on the second restart, it started to install and I stopped it.


And please hurry. I'm starting to like that nifty little Compaq/Walmart sidebar thingy they call Compaq Organize. It..it almost seems to be calling to me...

WWW Link