Ram Problems?

Recently my computer started going extremely slow while loading almost any application. For example, opening Internet Explorer or even Ad-Aware seems to push my computer to it's limits and lags it terribly. The kind of lag I'm getting makes my mouse move very slow and any sound seems to go slowly and sound distorted. I first noticed this while trying to make a video using Vegas Video where it would lag my computer to the point I couldn't line my mouse up to close the program. A friend thinks it is my "Value-Ram" but it seemed to happen so quickly and randomly... most programs will work fine after they are originally opened but when I try to play .avi's or most any video files or sometimes mp3s my computer will lag horribly. Any help would be great because I'm a computer retard.

 

That doesn't sound like a RAM issue. What it does sound like is some app hogging your resources. Open up Task Manger (Ctrl-Alt-Del) and go to the processes tab. See what's running, and how much RAM it's taking up.

 

The only major programs I am running are Steam and Aim and now Internet Explorer and none of them are using an extreme amount of ram. The highest processes are Steam at 24,000; Aim at 11,000; Explorer at 17,000; and one svchost is at 14,000. I tried ending all the unneeded applications and I still get this horrible lag.

 

goto, control panel-administrative tools-services. you will find a while bunch of services windos runs, most automatically. You need to find the ones that don't interest you. like faster user switching capability, or printer spooler if you dont have a printer.

You can shave off quite a bit in there, just depends what you can sacrifice.

 

Thanks for all the help, but I tried closing all the unneeded apps and I already turned off all the unneeded services using a guide. This problem can't be something like that because it just happened one day when I restarted my computer. It ran good before I restarted and then I restarted, waited a while, and tried opening vegas video and froze up.

 

On a side note, this isn't lag.

Lag is, for instance, when you play a multiplayer game on the net, and you see things after they are happening, instead of at the same time (this is always the case unless your ping is 0 ---> the game server is in your house)

Just wanted to point that out since many people do not seem to understand what lag is.

 

Looking over it all again, Vegas Video keeps popping up. Try to not use that for a few days and do everthing else you usually do. You also might wanna check back with Sonic Foundry about VV and see if they have any updates for it.

I don't want to go there just yet, but it could be time for a Windows reinstall. Though XP shouldn't go down the crapper like Win9x, something might've gotten changed or screwed up. It happens, but I'd rather not go through a reinstall if at all possible.

 

The problem has to do with something about the whole computer. No matter what I open or which user I am under, it still laggs. I tried closing EVERY unneeded process and deleted a bunch of programs including IE and Vegas Video. I have ran Ad-Aware and Norton tons of times and nothing seems to work. I think I might need to reinstall windows but I dont have the original CD.

And to justify me using the word "lag"... lag is used for many different reasons and lag in a multiplayer online game isn't the only definition. For example: That guy in the race is lagging behind everyone. It means something is behind or slower than what it is suppose to be. So therefore yes I can call it lag. Look it up in the dictionary and you will see.

 

I dont have the original cd though. Is there a way to download the installer, I could use my current cd key...