need computer advice

Published:

any advice is greatly appreciated.i am having computer trouble

 1-not the monitor but the other part of my computer keeps shutting off for no reason.the hard drive.

2-i keep getting these things periodically saying i have low virtual memory.what is this.how do i solve it

3-also getting a message saying taskmanager needs to close.what is taskmanager.how do i solve this.

4-sorry for the dumb questions.tired and stumped.just got off work.

Entry #750

Comments

Avatar SirMetro -
#1
1-not the monitor but the other part of my computer keeps shutting off for no reason.the hard drive.
There are 2 reasons for this.
One, check your power settings.
To do this, right mouse click anywhere on the mainscreen and select Properties
Then under the third tab (Screen Saver), select it.
On this tab is a button listed as (POWER), click it and review how the settings are. This is where you tell the computer how long to wait to shut things down if it is not being used.
The 2nd reason for your problem is that your hard drive is dying. If it sounds a bit louder then normal, I strongly suggest that you make sure you have a good back-up of all your data that you want saved.
Installing a new hard drive is relatively easy with the plug and play options available today. But depending on how old your computer is, you may want to replace the computer itself. I just purchased an inexpensive PowerSpec system from Microcenter this weekend for $250 and got a 1 Gig USB drive for $15. Took all of 5 minutes to transfer the data from the old system to the new system. The rest of the time was spent doing the windows updates.

2-i keep getting these things periodically saying i have low virtual memory.what is this.how do i solve it
This reflects low memory, typically on a hard drive. In general, for a typical Windows computer to function properly, a minimum of 10% of the hard drive needs to be open. What happens is, when the hard drive space drops below 10%, Windows ability to switch data from RAM to the Page file on the Hard drive is restricted. Unfortunantely, the only solution to this is either purchase a larger hard drive or start removing older files you no longer need on it.

3-also getting a message saying taskmanager needs to close.what is taskmanager.how do i solve this.
When you press CNTRL+ALT+DELETE in Windows, this brings up TaskManager. Now typically, this is a forced action and while Task Manager operates in the background, you should generally not have problems with it. If you are having problems with Task Manager, it is a possible sign of a virus. But also keep in mind, it could just as well be another side effect of low free space on your hard drive.

4-sorry for the dumb questions.tired and stumped.just got off work.
Sleep has been known to cure this problem from time to time.
***********
If you have any other questions, give me a shout.
Avatar konane -
#2
Hard drive monitor free recommended by Kim Komando. FREE

"HDD Health uses S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) that is featured on most newer hard drives. It can alert you to impending problems."     http://www.komando.com:80/downloads/category.aspx?id=2467

Above links to Hard Drive Health from Pantera Soft
http://www.panterasoft.com/
Avatar LOTTOMIKE -
#3
thanks sir metro and konane for your help and time.appreciate it greatly......
Avatar LOTTOMIKE -
#4
just noticed a lot of dust accumlated in the back of it where all the ports are plugged in.could dust also cause it to shut down or have power issues?
Avatar EXCALIBUR -
#5
I tried posting on here 2 times already and could not, because of some script problem somewhere, the same with private emails, maybe the stuff was way too long or something.
Avatar EXCALIBUR -
#6
LottoMike
Look at the last post on my blog the info is there maybe.
Avatar Todd -
#7
Sounds like a virus. Task Manager is not something normally open, so the fact that it's open in the first place is strange.
Avatar konane -
#8
Free Virus scans first two links. Also do a pest scan and cleaning third link.

Authentium | ThreatMatrix | Free Virus Scan   http://www.commandondemand.com/

Trend Micro - Free online virus Scan   http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

Free Online Spyware Scan - Trend Miicro   http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan/

My understanding is that dust accumulated on the processor cooler or fan can cause it to overheat and become unstable. I open my case up and blow everything out with canned air about every 3 months. A vacuum cleaner won't work correctly and you could short something out so use only canned air. Also don't do it around the kids because they could be allergic to dust and that could cause them respiratory problems. Boot down, and unplug before going in the case.
Avatar guesser -
#9
If their is a ton of dust in it, you need to OPEN it and hit it with compressed air, especially around the CPU and heat sink. If it's that clogged that you notice it around the case, then the CPU is probably fully clogged, therefore causing it to overheat.

Fix that, and then we will go after the next problems.
Avatar guesser -
#10
Sorry Konane, I'm blind.   What you said is accurate.
Avatar konane -
#11
That's ok,Guesser .... it's Monday all day!! Heat sink is the word I couldn't think of. Mike, take your rings and watch off just to be safe so you won't accidentally come into contact with a capacitor with the metal. .... another reason you don't use a vacuum cleaner. Otherwise, like Guesser says blow it out well then see what happens.
Avatar LOTTOMIKE -
#12
thanks everyone.

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