Computer Slow Down

I have an HP model 6635 with an Intel Celeron 533 MHZ processor, 64 MB SDRAM and 10.2 Gig hard drive.I am running Windows 98 SE.
The problem that I am experienceing is that after about an hour of operation my computer slows way down, so slow I can't even use my Word program. The only way to speed things back up is to shut down and start over, but when I shut it down it takes any where from 20 minutes to 1 hour to shut off and some times it has sat over night without shutting down completely.
I have tried reloading the Windows program to no avail!
What's next??

1. RE: Computer Slow Down
lbyard Sep-03-01 06:12 PM
In response to message 0

See MS KB Article ID: Q238096, Problems Shutting Down Windows 98 Second Edition, at http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q238/0/96.ASP? Larry

2. RE: Computer Slow Down
waddy Sep-04-01 02:33 PM
In response to message 1

Have you defragged the Disk lately ??
could be a RAM problem , RAM leak ...
64MB ram aint much at all .... try using a program called "cacheman" its free and is great for low memory systems.... make a ##### of a difference ....
http://www.outertech.com/ <<--there

3. RE: Computer Slow Down
jfuller1 Sep-06-01 10:03 PM
In response to message 2

Thanks for the advice, I defrag the disk atleast once a week and it works alittle better afterwards but not alot, and not for long.
I am also trying the cacheman program you recommended. So far the only thing noticeable that it has done is told me I am using 100% of the physical memory.
Looks like maybe I should start shopping for more memory!

4. RE: Computer Slow Down
jfuller1 Sep-06-01 10:07 PM
In response to message 1

Larry
Thanks for the tip. I did check out the article that you recommened how ever I didn't find anything that would help. My shut down problem only occurs after the computer has been running for awhile and has slowed way down. It works just fine if I start it up and use it for a few minutes and shut it down again!

5. RE: Computer Slow Down
waddy Sep-06-01 11:12 PM
In response to message 4

wow !!!! your using 100% physical memory ?
is that after you start the PC ?
if it is then go to Start > run > msconfig > start-up
in start up remove/kill as many apps as possible at start up.....
By the sounds of it , you have a shed load of apps runnning in the background.......
You can buy 1GB of memory , and still have the same problem if you have so much stuff running in the background......
I have 512MB ... and the only things running in the background is NAV2002 ... email .... SETI....

6. RE: Computer Slow Down
lbyard Sep-07-01 06:04 AM
In response to message 5

1 gig of memory!? An average computer with 64 or 128 MBytes shouldn’t have this problem. Windows has a virtual memory system. That means if memory starts to get full it swaps stuff back and fourth to the hard disk and the hard disk affectively becomes part of/expands memory. Swapping slows things down some, but not to the degree described. This sort of problem is rare now-a-days, but it looks like your computer may(!) have a hardware problem that is constantly interrupting the processor (see http://duxcw.com/faq/irq/irq.htm). By constantly, I mean every few hundred milliseconds or so--nearly as fast as the processor can process the interrupts. It processors one interrupt, starts to go about its business doing other things, and gets hit with another one. Check the computer closely for loose cables. Test it without printer, etc. connected. Try another keyboard. A dangling wire acting as an antenna can do it. Check wires/connectors going to the front panel, power supply connectors... Larry