Jane no doubt it will be an Apple commercial if it is not already! I saw one last night that could have been about this reboot over and over situation, have to admit those commercials are funny. IF you have your computers fully updated with all the windows updates and you do not want to tackle this now you do not have to (totally up to you), this is not a super critical update like sp2 was, it is rated moderate. There are some additional changes it makes to the system itself which microsoft would like people to install. But I know a lot of people have decided to at least wait some time to see if there might be some hotfixes that come out to handle some of the issues that are cropping up and there has been discussion in the microsoft forums that this time they may actually put out a hotfix for some of the problems prior to pushing out sp3 in auto update. So waiting is not a bad idea at this point. I would suggest though that you uninstall your IE 7 through add remove before you do install sp3, because if you do not you will not be able to do so at any time in the future and it also affects the ability to try to do fixes on IE7 should they be needed. You can just take it out, put in sp3 when you decide to, then put IE7 back. Or just stay as you are and continue getting your other regular critical windows updates. It is your choice. At this point in time they will not stop you from getting your windows updates just because you do not have sp3, so don't be concerned about that.

Hi, Worked today so just looking at this now. I ran CCleaner and I'd say it found quite a bit to remove! My computer is 5 years old. The dust must have been removed when I took it into my tech guy within the past 6 months. I have Carbonite,an online backup program. I am not great about doing my own even though I have Acronis! I will try to do my own before leaving for a trip in a day and half. I know it's important!! I went to the Event Viewer and saw probably 20 red items. Even if I could figure it out, I don't know that I have the time to figure out 20. I did go to one and was immediately perplexed. I goggled one of the messages and came across a long link started by me to you guys in April. Not that you want to look at it but it was dated 4/7/09 "new thread to try to solve computer problem please." I guess I got rid of the big problem I was having although I'd say I still have issues now and then. When I have to buy a new computer I've decided it is going to be a Mac. Being over 60 it's just not that easy to try and figure this guy out all the time - I never do really, do I? I am told Macs are much easier to use and have far fewer issues. I haven't checked the MS Word site but I will. Unfortunately a Word document I just opened seems to have frozen - not this again! I wanted to get back to you before I played with it for fear of having a frozen computer again. Thanks much!! Ginny

I'd wonder how many toolbars and how many different security programs have been installed/removed over time. I just fixed a computer.. seemed like some of the same symptoms, slow type, slow web. Slow everything. I started with a general clean up my mind thinking virus... but clean as much as possible first to make scans faster... Removed tool bars, a couple of junk programs... it had two usb virus checker programs... when I removed the second one.. instantly noticed it woke up the connection. She had a usb wireless modem so I suspect.. that was it. Zero virus, 1mb connection, peppy little web computer with 512 ram, xpsp3. Removed some ungodly amount of temporary files.

cynic, do you know what the paging file is? Reading your post, I doubt it. Simply put, the only thing correct in your post is that RAM is volatile. That is, the information it holds is lost when the power is turned off. You're relationship analogy is flawed and indicates a lack of understanding of the architecture involved. Of course adding RAM makes the computer work faster! Any time you reduce or eliminate the caching of information to a hard disk you increase the speed at which the system can operate. People, this is rudimentary level stuff. I build computer systems. There are really only three ways to look at the needs of a certain system: 1. Bare minimum - This would be the absolute minimum system requirements which would allow the hardware and software to boot. With a system like this, you're probably better off with pencil and paper. I seriously doubt anyone here has a system at this level or you wouldn't be reading this without needing to reboot a few times, though some may be close.. 2. Functioning - Here is where I see a majority of systems. These systems may be meeting the hardware and software minimum requirements or be slightly ahead of them (recommended minimum requirements). This system can function for many years providing the user does not upgrade applications without upgrading hardware. As time goes by, these systems will not be able to run the newer operating systems, more powerful applications or run the latest gaming software. Remember, you can still be using an original pentium with 128MB EDO ram if you use win95 and the original windows version of photoshop. You may even feel this is "peppy". It's all relative. 3. Current - A current system is one which includes the latest technology and can run, without much difficulty, the most demanding operating system and software. Production is much higher since the time it takes to perform the same tasks as a functioning system is extremely reduced. As long as there are no bugs from new hardware or software, these systems operate at peak efficiency and do not run into some of the frustrating problems a functioning computer has. Owners of these systems can either let it stay as is until it becomes, with age, a "functioning" system or they can stay on the curve by upgrading until the technology changes enough to require a new system. The choice is yours. I do not recommend a "bare minimum" system and I strongly suggest that for production sake, you keep your "functioning" system as high above the "recommended minimum" as possible. We let, or I let, this topic ge way off, I apologize for that. You originally were asking about "clearing" Ram. If your system uses DRAM, then the memory controller in the operating system suffice. Considering the context of the original post, I do not think you meant this. What I think you need to do is upgrade.