Waiting…..

Topic

New Reply

Hi….I just signed up for this forum today and must say I’m impressed. I did a search but am unable to find any answers. Here’s my problem: Every now and then when I go to open or close a program/file nothing happens! I have to wait anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes before I’m able to do anything! I keep a clean machine (running maintenance nightly while I’m sleeping). I try to keep my running programs in the task tray to a minimum (presently six). I’m not a multi-tasker, so I don’t have a full task bar. I’m running XP, Pentium 4, 3 Ghz, 1 G DDR, 160 G HD, and Service Pack 3. Hoping I don’t need a reinstall of Windows! Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Replies

Hi Paul

That normally tells me you have some underlying process “hogging” the CPU. Have you right-clicked the Task Bar and selected Task Manager. Click the Processes Tab and then click om the Mem Usage heading to sort it…..any high readings?

Reply | Quote

This can happen if you have a dodgy network connection – Windows will wait for the network connection to timeout before doing anything else.

cheers, Paul

Reply | Quote

You can get this with USB drives, particularly is you share them across the network, Windows seems to have been a bit flakey in this area ever since USB drives came in. Those that sleep for power saving make it worse.

JG

Reply | Quote

I think we have to be careful here as at no point in the OP was any mention of the PC in question being on a network. Let’s see what the OP says in reply to this.

Reply | Quote

I have to wait anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes before I’m able to do anything…

Do you have any on-access anti-virus software running?

Reply | Quote

Jerry,
I checked my memory usage and have 13 high ones……10,460 to 84,330. I don’t know if these are considered “high” or not. 55 processes total.
Thanks!

Reply | Quote

PT…..I’m not on a Network.
Thanks.

Reply | Quote

JG…..I only use USB drives when I’m transferring something. No drives are constantly used.
Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Leif……..my anti-virus (AVG Free) is always running.
Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Leif……..my anti-virus (AVG Free) is always running.

I don’t know much about AVG – what I am asking is: does it have an option to scan every file before you access/open/run it?
If so, that could cause a delay.

(You can add multiple replies within one post )

Reply | Quote

Hi Paul

Keep the Task Manager active and then open an application to see which processes rises dramatically. Also can you tell us what AV product you are using as thi smay be causing the delay as it checks the application

Reply | Quote

Thanks for all the suggestions. As I stated earlier, my anti-virus is one called AVG Free. There is also a Pro version. It scans automatically during the night as I sleep. I have it set that way. I doesn’t scan my PC when I open it. As for the Task Mgr., I looked at the Processes as I opened a program, but there are a lot of processes in there that I can’t figure out what they are. I’ll try to keep my programs running in the background to a bare minimum and see what happens. Thanks to all who replied. This PC is 4 1/2 yrs old, btw.

Reply | Quote