XPost: alt.windows-xp   
   From: not@this.address.com   
      
   On 2/8/2017 21:20, CAL_F@sdkwt.com wrote:   
      
   > It's an install from years back and has other problems, too.  But this   
   > nonsense where I have to open and close a program two or three times   
   > before it will function properly is bugging me. This just started a   
   > week ago. Anyone heard of this before?   
      
   Sure.  And a lot of other things, too.   
      
   To begin with, check how much free RAM you have  If more   
   than 50 to 60% is used after you boot, it's too much.  Your system may   
   start hitting virtual memory after you load a few apps.  Causes system   
   slowness, sometimes to the point it can't be used at all.  Other   
   strange things can happen, too.   
      
   If your hard drive is 90% or more full, look for ways to reduce that. I   
   don't like to have mine more than 2/3's full.   
      
   Do a Disk Cleaning.  I prefer CCleaner, but the one that comes with   
   XP is good enough.   
      
   Use task manager to see what background and startup processes are   
   running and eliminate those you don't really need. Also, look at what   
   apps are in the "quick launch" bar. They use RAM since "stubs" of each   
   app are loaded at boot, so the app launches more quickly.   
      
   Do a malware scan using both Malwarebyte's AntiMalware and   
   SuperAntiSpyware utilities, the free versions.  If it's an old system,   
   you've probably got all sorts of nasty things on it.  (Your antivirus,   
   if installed, won't catch a lot of it.) You may have to do the scans   
   several times to really clean things out, if it's never been scanned   
   before.   
      
   Defrag your drive.  The one that comes with XP is sufficient.   
      
   Force a disk check (and repair) to see if the file system is all good.   
      
   Consider a Repair Install to check and fix possibily "broken" system   
   files.   
      
   As a last resort, there's always a complete reinstall of everything.   
      
      
   Stef   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)