I've been running an old system for a long time and except for the low ram and speed, I've had little incentive to just trash it right away. I have been trying to tune it up using updated anti-malware, anti-virus and registry programs. The latest problem I had was when downloading and using the trial version of Registry Mechanic (was seriously considering buying after the trial). The only thing that worked excellent for me was its much needed back up, in safe mode. What I noticed is that microsoft registry checker seems to hang during the rebuild, sometimes during the 2nd process; (checking or whatever that 2nd process is I don't remember offhand and NOT doing it again just to know the exact operation). The first time it began was automatic after I let Registry Mechanic make its corrections. It hung up then, or at least for so long that pc would not even keep a screen up (I left it alone and was like that a couple hours later). I only got it started correctly after a safe mode boot and restoring start up using msconfig, then another safe mode start up (after another cold shutdown since start up with no other responding occured) with a registry restore using the Registry Mechanic restored back up. I have since tried the microsoft utility from dos only to have the same hang up happen. Shouldn't it always be able to function, even without a problem? (Notice it didn't function when there WAS a problem) Brian

I can only make a couple of general points: 1. This is not the first time I've seen problems reported about Registry Mechanic. Registry cleaners can sometimes get it wrong. 2. Sometimes RAM problems cause registry error reports. Could be worth cleaning the edge connectors of your RAM with a pencil eraser and/or trying one RAM stick at a time in first position to see if they both work properly. DerekW

Ditch all these so called Software enhancements, most are overpriced rubbish, by using add/remove programs, and clean the PC up afterwards with CrapCleaner: http://www.ccleaner.com/download Then undertake a Scan and Defrag of your hard drive in safe mode. All you need on an old PC is AVG Free Anti-Virus from Grisoft and Adaware Free from Lavasoft.

Thanks for the replies. I have not yet solved this, nor have I had as much time to do so lately (notice the 3 wk. time lapse). I have spent more time attempting to clean up which has freed up space on hard drive to where I have a little more than half of it available, but I am still having problems, mainly other ones since, but they are still related. Your answers are actually on the right track; my other problems (including inability to stay online, and yes I know AOL isn't ideal in the first place), have been diagnosed as ram related. The internet connection is so rampant that I used AOL live help and the sysinfo tool which the tech had me use showed ram usage at 100%. This has no obvious cause to me; I had only the aol software (which I realize is a resource hog and usually is responsible for 4 references in task manager list) and avg running. I tried the eraser trick, but no changes. The system recognizes the memory but it seems to be maxxed out practically from the start. That does tell me that you (Derek) had a right suspicion in where to look for problem; and dosser, I believe you may be correct also. I use mainly free avg and ad-aware from lavasoft only most of the time, and was only yesterday advised by a friend to get crap cleaner. I am going to do that also since checking here but I have to see if there might be other suggestions. I don't see a reason for ram usage being maxxed out with practically nothing running, nor should rampage be a requirement everytime I just want to surf web.(I do have it although I haven't checked to see if it will let me keep a connection to internet last longer or even used it lately). I will check back and see if you have suggestions and let you know any results. Brian

You can get a RAM diagnostic from www.docmemory.com You download this and then use it to "create" a floppy (don't just copy the download onto the floppy). You then power off, plonk the floppy in the drive then power on again. Set it going and there should be NO errors. Moving on, if scanreg /restore plays up you could try scanreg /fix (from true DOS). This checks your current registry. Yep, always worth looking for viruses, malware etc. Also look in msconfig (Startup tab) and see what is running. It's safe to "temporarily" untick anything except ScanRegistry. This website might help: STARTUP ITEMS If there is a lot of tosh running in the background it is sometimes possible to run certain items from a shortcut (as required) rather than running all the time. Best to use any disable facilities provided for the programs but if necessary it is OK to leave them unticked in msconfig. As an aside, most websites seem to think that SystemTray is ultra important but that's bunkum. Having said that, there is no real advantage in unticking it either. DerekW

Docmemory showed no errors. The most free ram I can get after boot up is 7m after making sure aol tray icon and avg are disabled. (I usually take aol icon off there regularly, but of course its own updates and any uninstall/reinstall brings it back. Avg I can keep off but would like to be able to keep it). With Rampage I can manage to have just over 50m free after start up without it having to work hard but of course it has to constantly be used to free ram when you do anything. I never really paid attention to this before so I don't know what would be normal. Is it normal with a 64m ram system to have most or all ram in use after start up? If not, what should be expected? Brian

This might sound odd but in fact having RAM used up is not such a bad thing. Windows grabs all it can use so that it can work faster (releasing it when necessary). If you put a bit more in you will find that much of that gets immediately gobbled up too. Having free RAM is a bit like driving at 30 mph just in case you ever want to do 70 mph. As an example, right now mine is using 254M (out of 512M) with my background programs trimmed down quite nicely. It's better for Windows to use what it needs rather than paging back and forth to virtual memory instead, which uses the HD and is much slower. You don't really have to worry provided the system is running OK. I think you would get a noticeable improvement if you added another 64M to your machine. If you increase RAM beyond about 256M total it's quite hard to see any real improvement to W98SE, unless you use some very heavy programs. DerekW