I've got Norton Antivirus and occasionally I get messages about the following:

1. High CPU usage
2. High memory usage
3. High disk usage

My computer is running on Windows 7 and these messages appear when I'm using Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. In fact, I just got one of these messages (# 3) while I was typing on this forum.

So what events are occurring behind the scene that are triggering these messages?

 

The CPU is the workhorse of your computer system. Most computer activity is performed using the CPU. When more work needs to be done the CPU becomes occupied and overworked.

You computer has a fixed amount of usable memory space, lets say 4GB of RAM. (To find out how much memory you have, view the properties of your computer.) When you start running out of memory space the system will temporarily swap data in and out of memory using your hard disk. Hence you can experience all three messages.

When any of these happen, you should shut down Windows and restart your computer.

You want to make a note of how much RAM your computer has.
Also make a note of the size of your hard drive and how much free space you have. You want to have at least 5GB of free space on your hard drive.
If you are low on either or both of these then it is time for some file purging, a larger hard drive and/or a memory upgrade.

 

Its kindof you type then become interrupted by "caching", can take a few seconds to a minute, and will become worse over time. After 2 years you need to reinstall Windows.

Run as few programs as possible take care some will run at start and remain resident + load drivers too.

You can check with the Task manager resource usage module.

Especially loading/installing updates is very bad, the hard drive LED will be on all the time.

You can now see in 300 language: YOUR COMPUTER IS TOO SLOW.
As well you get great help when your modem again doesnt work such as contact peers over the internet or look up help pages from Microsoft.

Your hard drive should be half full max. and less than 2GB these days is not enough for just anything.

 

I don't have a lot of unusual applications, games, or down loads on my computer that would use a lot of memory, disk space, or CPU.

Most of my documents and other stuff are stored on a USB stick rather than on an internal memory and I don't know where to start deleting files.

 

I've got Norton Antivirus and occasionally I get messages about the following:

1. High CPU usage
2. High memory usage
3. High disk usage

My computer is running on Windows 7 and these messages appear when I'm using Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. In fact, I just got one of these messages (# 3) while I was typing on this forum.

So what events are occurring behind the scene that are triggering these messages?

In my experience, having Norton Antivirus installed and running is more than sufficient cause to result in all three conditions.

 

I don't know of an alternative but to have Norton Antivirus installed and running.

It was of good use to get rid of the "Powelikes" trojan which created a Hell of mess.

 

I don't know of an alternative but to have Norton Antivirus installed and running.

It was of good use to get rid of the "Powelikes" trojan which created a Hell of mess.

There are plenty of alternatives to Norton Antivirus and many of them are nowhere near the performance killers that Norton is.

I use a very simple approach -- I have zero antivirus software running on my machines (though I do a scan from time to time, perhaps once every couple years or so). As a result, I am VERY careful about how I have my internet settings configured and what I do online. It's worked extremely well so far.

 

use task manager to look at your ram/cpu usage.

You may also still have a virus/malware,etc...

Sure would help if you would...
post pics of the error screens.
post your computer specs
post your ram usage during these errors
post your cpu usage during these errors..

As to free/low cost decent AV packages there is
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2388652,00.asp

 

...When any of these happen, you should shut down Windows and restart your computer....

 

Uninstall all your anti-virus. You might find this is harder than you think!
Install Microsoft Security Essentials. Get it from microsoft.com - nowhere else.
Make sure you are running as a Standard User. Have a separate Administrator account.
Use Firefox, not IE.
Make sure file extensions are shown in explorer.
Don't visit any dodgy sites. Never download any "codecs".
Only download software from the developers own site. Carefully check the domain. Other download sites come with added malware bundled.
Example: when updating Adobe Reader remember to untick any added s/w.
Uninstall Java.
Don't open email attachments you are not expecting.

Better still, remove Windows and install Linux Mint!

 

task manager to see whats eating the memory

have found chrome to be a bit of a hog there especially with multiple tabs open

 

one big hog was a problem with windows that if you added memory, it still went to vertual memory caching back and forth to hard drive. the only fix was to get nto setup and tell it how much to cache, the auto cache didnt work.

 

the auto cache NEVER works.

fixed that for you

 

I've got Norton Antivirus and occasionally I get messages about the following:

1. High CPU usage
2. High memory usage
3. High disk usage

My computer is running on Windows 7 and these messages appear when I'm using Internet Explorer and Google Chrome. In fact, I just got one of these messages (# 3) while I was typing on this forum.

So what events are occurring behind the scene that are triggering these messages?

Win XP in all my 3 machines.

My "discovery" is that any antivirus could slow down your PC almost to seem dead if you allow it to check every single file you deal with inside. Open, close, copy, write, read, everything. MSE which seems to "know well Windows from inside" (sure it does), is doing it all them time. I unistalled it because of that.

Currently, running AVG free. I stopped the "PC protection" part and machines run OK. AVG even seemed "furious" about that.

I don't know of an alternative but to have Norton Antivirus installed and running.

I use currently AVG free and seems to work OK.

Adding to that: I used recently ADWCLEANER by Xplode. It took away some malware actively running in my PC (that AVG let get in) and the same in the laptop of my desperate neighbour.

Coincident with JDT, download it from the Xplode site. Way too many offering it, I suspect of such a wide offer, always. BTW, why when googled Xplode, it shows up somewhere down in the list instead of being on the top, is a mistery to me.

Install Microsoft Security Essentials. Get it from microsoft.com - nowhere else.

I agree with most of your suggestions. See somewhere above what I say about MSE.

one big hog was a problem with windows that if you added memory, it still went to vertual memory caching back and forth to hard drive. the only fix was to get nto setup and tell it how much to cache, the auto cache didnt work.

Hola alfa, could you show me how to do that? Keep in mind, Win XP here.

I tried to find where you can set things but I was not lucky. I think I am having that stupid problem right now.

 

I get high memory usage from Internet Explorer. I suspect something is wrong with the app, but it doesn't bother me enough to re-install it. Go to Task Manager (ctl-alt-del) click on 'Start Task Manager', click on the "Processes" tab and find which process is using copious amounts of memory, and kill it.

 

Really good thread.
So many times, when I am having issues with the machine slowing down, I check and find that something is running in the background that is using up a lot of resources.

I kill it, and if I feel it's important, I will choose run it later, when I'm not on the PC.

Same for upgrades and patches, if you can choose to run them during late night hours, that helps.
However, with Win 7, I frequently have to wait after a cold boot, for it to finish it's upgardes, and that's anoying.

Lots of good tips here. I'm going to save this one.

 

Now that you mention it, maybe late to save anything from anyone: what I found delaying too much and hogging too many rsources was the continuous hunt for updates to Win XP.

 

In addition to the problems described in the initial part of this discussion, I'm noticing that my computer is very "sluggish" for the first 30 minutes after start up.

The messages are " _______ is not responding and asks me to recover the webpage", the cursor hangs when I try to type, and that little hour glass frequently appears.

However, these problems seem to disappear on their own after 30 minutes and everything just hums along without many problems.

 

In addition to the problems described in the initial part of this discussion, I'm noticing that my computer is very "sluggish" for the first 30 minutes after start up.

The messages are " _______ is not responding and asks me to recover the webpage", the cursor hangs when I try to type, and that little hour glass frequently appears.

However, these problems seem to disappear on their own after 30 minutes and everything just hums along without many problems.

I have a windows 7 x64 machine, Quad Core CPU, 6GB ram and SSD and I occaionally have slow browser response like you've described. I noticed others in this thread have mentioned to remove Norton AV. I recommend that you Do Not remove Norton AV, it is excellent AV software.

Try this as an experiment. Try disabling Norton "realtime" scanning, and see if it improves the browser response. It probably will...a little, but I would'nt leave it that way. But unless there is a drastic improvement, I'd leave it alone.

Can you tell us anything about your computer hardware? CPU type, RAM(how much)?

 

All what different services, programs, etc, can do any time, like Windowds, Java, Acrobat, Firefox, Opera crash report, antivirus (do I need to mention all of them?) like looking for updates (or similar) do take a huge ammount of your PC running-time.

And, not directly related with this, if you find yourself rather often with an apaprently "frozen" machine, better you investigate and maybe you will see that it is just a stupid thing waiting for you to click on a "later", "yes", "no", "agree", "not agree", 18 years or older... option.