First, SOMETIMES (not always, but I never know when or which window it will occur): when I try to move the window out of the way, it makes a "trail" of the same window everywhere I try to move it.

Second, (just the past 2 nites): I get a pop up window from IE (yes!! I'm still using that "THING"!!) that can't be closed in any way. I've gone to the task manager & tried to close it from there, but it won't. I have to log off, and it's STILL on the screen, so I have to shut down the computer by the on/off switch.

Any ideas?
SSB

You are not the only one using IE so don't worry but yes I am curious, what kind of a pop up window? What does it say or rather where is it trying to take you?

I'll just add a bit to what TW said about the trailing window. I had a few times when my hard disk became almost full, and if you've got less than about 4GB memory on it that would certainly explain the problem, as so many programs now, especially the extra security ones, will use up a good deal of space, and the newer computers now start at 40GB, which does mean lazy programmers don't bother to keep programs compact any more, but is needed due to the large range of goodies around now that are freely available but jam up the disk no end.

It's not too expensive to just get the disk changed if necessary (we pay about the equivalent of $100 for a 40GB disk but we are very expensive compared to elsewhere), but then the processor may still be a bit slow, but still greatly improved performance as a result and no hanging or waiting any more.

1. I forgot about the programs in use, but I'm thinking that I didn't have any more programs running than I usually do. It's kind of like it got "sick and tired of running", and just "pooped out"!

2. The popup window is a "fastclick" one that comes up when I go to jigzone to do those jigsaw puzzles I like. I usually get about 2 at first, which will close OK, and then that last one which won't close no matter what!! It starts out as a very small box of a window in the bottom right corner, and then comes in as a larger window but nothing ever fills in for me to see what it is before I'm trying to close it. I'm running SpyBot regularly after each internet session with no new stuff other than those ones I mentioned before that ALWAYS come back. I got rid of the DSO Exploit thingy by changing a number in one of the register locations (can't remember which one right now). The rest of the ones that show up are just cookie trackers except the "Booked Space", but I just have SpyBot "fix it", and go on. I haven't used the Adaware. Should I be thinking about getting that downloaded and using it every time also?
SSB

I'm not sure how much memory I have and forgot where I need to go to check that out. I don't remember it being the the "gigabyte" range. Well now, I've just looked back at my paperwork, and it appears that there is 20.4 GB, and at that time I had 15.3 GB of free space, so that should be enuf.

From My Computer Properties it says I have 128 MB of RAM with 68% free, and in another place it said that I have 17197MB free.

Does that sound like enuf?
SSB

Check my reply to TW for more details on that popup, and thank you for your interest.
SSB

Definitely not an overloaded memory then, that's quite adequate for most uses and you've got over 3/4 free, so I'm stumped there.
Have you got a popup protector like the Yahoo free toolbar I use? You do have to turn it off sometimes when a site pops up a reply window or similar that you need to use, but it doesn't take long to find the few sites that won't work when it's on, and just have to remember to turn it on again or you'll be reminded with a flurry of spam.
My spare computer I carry around with me is secondhand, and had a few popups hard wired into it from the previous user. They can't be found on the usual disk searches, and I think I killed them now by using a new firewall which apparently meant they were coming in new each time but managing to beat the popup protector. I haven't seen one since I installed the firewall, so the security programmes often seem to cover each other when one won't always work as it's supposed to. Yahoo hasn't let any others through on either computer except the rare times two come up together so it can only catch one.

128Mb of memory is on the low side. The computer would benefit quite a bit in general from doubling that amount. It should help lessen the 'trail' effect described, although it is unlikely to eliminate it completely. It just depends on the things mentioned in my earlier post.

One free utility I found useful when I was using Windows 98SE was Memboost. Try running it next time you get the trouble or when the computer seems to be running slow.

Nope, no popup protector, but I think I've got a fairly decent firewall with the new virus protection I recently acquired. So I guess I'll just stay confused on these issues!
Thanks anyway.
SSB

Oh, this looks like it might be a good thing! Do I need to download this and keep it filed away until I need it? Or do I download it when it appears that I need it?

Also, do I need to download Adaware and use it as well as SpyBot after every internet "experience"?
SSB

Memboost can be set to monitor memory and set to reclaim a certain amount of memory automatically. For example, if it gets down so low that only a few megabytes of RAM are left it will try and recover a number of megabytes that are not being actively used. However, utilities that actively monitor anything use resources and memory in themselves, so I never used to keep Memboost running in the background. I just had an icon on the Taskbar that got clicked every now and then.

With only 128Mb of RAM it's best not to have anything running in the background that you don't have to. This will keep RAM and resources as free as possible for running your programs.

I mostly have just the barest of programs running. . .the anti-virus (of which there are 4 parts), webshots (which really doesn't have to be running in the background, but I leave it anyway), the thing that runs my scroller, autolaunch, systray and explorer. I have 2 others that I don't know about: Rnaapp and hpzstatx (this last one I think has to do with my printer, but am not sure). I have no clue about the Rnaapp. Is that one familiar to you?
SSB

Rnaapp is to do with dial-up networking (part of the operating system's modem connection function). It should ideally close down after an Internet session. It usually doesn't though and just sits there in the 'running tasks' list taking up it's little bit of resources (ctrl+alt+del would end it's task if you want to shut it down after the Internet connection is closed).

hpzstatx is the HP printer status monitor. This site (scroll from the bottom of the page upwards) doesn't think much of the software and recommends disabling it. I notice they say it is resource hungry. If the printer is going to work just as well without hpzstatx running it might be worth disabling it for that reason alone. If you want to try that, renaming 'hpzstatx.exe' to 'hpzstatx.old' would be the best method, then the step can be easily reversed if necessary.

You must have read every manual and scoured thru every piece of information you can get your hands on!! I had thot about going to do a search to find out about this, but you are SOOO easy with your answers!!

I'd like to do the change method for the hpzstatz from "exe" to "old". The article mentioned to delete it from the system folder in "SAFE" mode. Would you suggest that I use SAFE mode to make an edit change as well?
SSB

Yes use safe mode. When Windows is running normally it won't let you change the name or delete files it is actively using. (change the name of the file rather than delete it).

Quote:

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You must have read every manual and scoured thru every piece of information you can get your hands on!! I had thot about going to do a search to find out about this, but you are SOOO easy with your answers!!

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Not so clever really and I can't always help. The workings of computers and the faults that can arise in them interest me, so I do read about them. This gives a basic understanding in some areas but questions still sometimes need researching to fill in any holes in the knowledge (good old Google!). Then it's just a matter of presenting answers in a way that I hope will be understood by people who aren't particularly interested in computers ...other than to make the thing work properly!

OK. Thanks.

99% of the time you CAN and DO help. I say again. . .your expertise and searcing skills are appreciated!!
SSB

OK. I finally got around to thinking about actually doing this change, and got to SAFE mode and didn't know how to get where I need to get in order to make the change. Help please.
SSB

When you are in Safe Mode, put out a search for hpzstatz.exe. When it comes up in the box, rename 'exe' part of the file name to something else, perhaps 'old' or 'ex' ...just anything but 'exe'. Close the search box and restart the computer in normal mode. Check that the printer and everything else works OK.

Still puzzled on this one. I did put out a search for it in SAFE mode, but it wouldn't come up from anywhere I searched. It's like it doesn't exist anywhere! I even searched in regular mode with no results. Any other ideas?
SSB

Have you tried searching using both hpzstatx and hpzstatx.exe?

Make sure none of your files are hidden:

1. Open Windows Explorer and in the menu at the top go to: View > Folder Options > View.

2. Scroll down the list and to where it says 'Show all files' and select it.

3. Click Apply and OK.

If the files were hidden before, carry out the search again. If hpzstatx is listed as a running process it has to be around somewhere.

If you want to look for hpzstatx.exe in the file lists, it will be either in the Windows or System directories (most likely System). The lists can be shown alphabetically by going to View > Arrange Icons > By Name.

Yes, I tried searching both ways with no luck. I went into the systems folder and found hpzstatx, but not the hpzstatz.exe.

I checked the find in the registry and found it in the HKEY CURRENT USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/DocFindSpecMRU. I can go to the edit button and it will let me modify the value data (hpzstatz.exe), but didn't do it, because I'm not sure about affecting the registry, and I was not in SAFE mode. Is this something that maybe I should just leave alone and just let it do it's "thing" occasionally?
SSB

OK. That shows it. Now I need to get into SAFE mode to do it, which may not happen for a little bit yet.
Thanks!!
SSB