Computer trouble

[Fox Rider]

Yes, i know this is the last place to come for Computer trouble (Being a motorbike forum) but apparently a few of you are smart cookies with computers so i thought it was worth a try...

Problem is: Every time i open a program, doesn't matter what it is, It runs fine for about 30 seconds and then crashes and comes up with a error message saying "*The program* has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience
If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on might be lost.
Please tell Microsoft about this problem, Blah blah blah and make a error report
Send error report? Or don't send?

I always select Don't send because Microsoft couldn't care less about my problems.
Now this has only started since i upgraded from 512mb of Ram to 2gb of Ram but was told that couldn't be the problem...
I was also looking at the Task manager when i opened the programs and it always runs at 100% when it opens and continues to do so till the program crashes, It never did this before the upgrade.

Any ideas?

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Do a virus scan and a spyware scan

Try an overlay reinstall of Windows... (just insure you don't format etc) the reinstall the applications

[Bren]

well my advice is probably biased....Ditch Microsoft and install Linux...look at Suse linux or Ubuntu linux.....Kept me happy for years!

[Fox Rider]

Do a virus scan and a spyware scan

Try an overlay reinstall of Windows... (just insure you don't format etc) the reinstall the applications

Did a Trendmicro scan last night and found nothing.. AVG has been doing scans and found nothing.
If i was to reinstall windows, would that mean losing everything?

[Fox Rider]

well my advice is probably biased....Ditch Microsoft and install Linux...look at Suse linux or Ubuntu linux.....Kept me happy for years!

Aw but i like microsoft (When it works)...

Suppose there is always that option if no others that work come up.

Thanks

[Usarka]

Now this has only started since i upgraded from 512mb of Ram to 2gb of Ram but was told that couldn't be the problem...

don't know much about computers, but do know some problem solving technuiqes:


ever since you put more memory in its crashed? hmmmmmm i think it might be a faulty cd drive.....


take out the new memory and see if it still crashes?

[Fox Rider]

don't know much about computers, but do know some problem solving technuiqes:


ever since you put more memory in its crashed? hmmmmmm i think it might be a faulty cd drive.....


take out the new memory and see if it still crashes?

Cd's? What are they? =p...

It ran fine with the 512mb (Very slow, but fine) and swapped them over last night to see if that was the problem and it didn't crash once.
So yes, taking the 2gb out and replacing it with the 2x 256mb fixes the problem but i want things to run faster

Is it possible to screw up while putting Ram in?... Is there a certain "Tick in a box" or something?

[dhunt]

Yes, i know this is the last place to come for Computer trouble (Being a motorbike forum) but apparently a few of you are smart cookies with computers so i thought it was worth a try...

Problem is: Every time i open a program, doesn't matter what it is, It runs fine for about 30 seconds and then crashes and comes up with a error message saying "*The program* has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience
If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on might be lost.
Please tell Microsoft about this problem, Blah blah blah and make a error report
Send error report? Or don't send?

I always select Don't send because Microsoft couldn't care less about my problems.
Now this has only started since i upgraded from 512mb of Ram to 2gb of Ram but was told that couldn't be the problem...
I was also looking at the Task manager when i opened the programs and it always runs at 100% when it opens and continues to do so till the program crashes, It never did this before the upgrade.

Any ideas?

Well obviously the first thing to try and easiest is remove the ram. Ram problems can cause all sorts of weird issues.

[Beemer]

I always head to Press F1 (PC World's helpsite) as there is always someone there who knows what they are talking about and who can give good advice. I had this problem when I bought a computer with XP not long after it was launched - and I had similar problems with Vista - all fine now though!

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

If i was to reinstall windows, would that mean losing everything?

not if you don't format the drive... Windows should just install over itself and replace any corupted file. You may need to reinstall your applications that you use... Another option is to try a System recovery


Oh course you should always do a backup before you do this.

[caesius]

Sounds like you're trying to match to DIMMs that aren't the same.

With your new memory configuaration, are the "memory sticks" identical to each other? Or do you have an odd combo of sizes/brands etc? That'll be your prob.

[Fox Rider]

not if you don't format the drive... Windows should just install over itself and replace any corupted file. You may need to reinstall your applications that you use... Another option is to try a System recovery


Oh course you should always do a backup before you do this.

Well that sounds good i guess, replacing corrupt files is always a good start...
Will give that a go. Got a backup if all turns to crap.

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

Well that sounds good i guess, replacing corrupt files is always a good start...
Will give that a go. Got a backup if all turns to crap.

take out the new ram and reboot see what happens... Also make sure the ram is in properly and that there is no dust in the conmections. Sometimes when older ports aren't used for a while the can fill with dust and cause problems when you do come to use them...

[Fox Rider]

Sounds like you're trying to match to DIMMs that aren't the same.

With your new memory configuaration, are the "memory sticks" identical to each other? Or do you have an odd combo of sizes/brands etc? That'll be your prob.

They are exactly the same... 2x ADATA 1GB PC3200 DDR DIMM.. Well thats what it says anyway. DDR400MHz or something

[The Stranger:Me]

So did i get this straight, you removed the memory again and it all ran sweet, but a bit slower?

As has been said it s posssible the memory types are incompatible with each other or the motherboard, for example some machines wont run ecc and non ecc memory at the same time, even if you switch off ecc in the BIOS.

Some machines require memory to be added in specific configurations, such as only in pairs and/or specific slots etc

It is not uncommon for new memory to be faulty, you could look for a product called memtest86. It is pretty good for testing memory and the price is right.

Did whoever added the memory increase the size of the page file?