help needed - please apply within

[kgsuth]

Fellows have a strange problem. Do not know where to start looking for the answer. So I've come to you guru's for advice.

Problem:
My machine runs fine, except, if I try and access my email the whole systems s-l-o-w-s d- o - w - n and gets s - l - o - w - e - r . It does not crash, but if you want to do something as important as shutting down, it may take 10 minutes to do it. And I should say, it never does get to the email, just sits and tries to access the server. When I reboot, the systems sails along beautifully, and as long as I do not try and use Outlook I'm fine. This problem started when I was using incredimail a few days ago.

Things I have done:
Ran Nortons 2002 - all is fine.
Ran Spybot - cleaned off any spyware
Ran Adaware - cleaned off some more spyware.
Ran PC Pitstop - no problems noted.
Ran SiSoft Sandra - no problems noted.

System Specs:
Windows XP -Home edition- updated with lasted batches. But this problem predated the last patch.

1 gig Pentium III processor
Gigabyte Motherboard
256 PC 133 Ram

So my question is - Is this possibly a corrupted file in the email program and if so How do I find it with out going into slow slow slow mode ?

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[cyberskye]

You need at least 256MB additional ram for good performance. You are outclocking your ram big-time. That means that you are probably hit your swap file all day long.

What does your memory/cpu utlization look like when this occurs?

Open up task manager and leave it up. Try and collect mail and see what it does.

[richardc]

Do you mean Outlook fromMS Office or do you mean Outlook Express. The former requires a fair amount of memory - if you mean Outlook Express, in addtion to what the others have suggested, you should go into Tools/Options/Maintenance and make sure that the top 3 boxes are not checked.

[kgsuth]

Thanks cyberskye, I should double the memory, up until now have had no problem. Will see what happens later as for now when I open up Outlook Express, bang everything goes downhill.

Thanks Richardc - guess we are in the same area - I live in Coquitlam !!! Yes, it is Outlook Express I am referring too.
Have to go out now but will tackle this thing later. Sure is frustrating.

[richardc]

Hi - I am in Kits
As for memory 256 mb of PC133 is now about $50
You can find a list of some Vancouver prices here:


http://www.atic.ca/store/product$/frameset.htm

[kgsuth]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I doubled my memory from 256 to 512 - cyberskye.

I got Outlook Express to run and made sure the top 3 boxes were unchecked - Richardc

But, no go. As soon as it loads Outlook Express, and starts looking for mail, everything slows down and I mean down down down.

It goes looking for mail and says it can't find server and times out waiting to log onto Telus's server for my email.

Yet here I am on the net, so what gives ?

Very frustrated right now.

[kgsuth]

I think I have found the problem, but have no clue as to the solution to my woes.

Following Cyberskye's advice I opened Windows Task Manager and in watching the activity I noticed that when Outlook Express tried to use the internet - VSMON.EXE show it was using 95%

That is when everything slowed down.

Now somebody said that VSMON.EXE is a Zone Alarm File.

So now I'm wondering if others have ever heard of this.

Any Help from anybody would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[richardc]

I don't have ZA installed right now, but I was wondering if perhpas you have BOTH Norton and Zone ALarm checking in coming and outgoing mail. That would really slow things down.

[kgsuth]

Thanks to you all.

I resolved the problem. Simple solution was to download Zone Alarm Pro.

Once Zone Alarm Pro was installed and the initial questions answered, all went well.

That VSMON.EXE was the killer though. I searched on Google and found other people had real problems with it.

So thank you Richardc and Cyberskye for your help. Both of you got me started in finding a solution.

[Ken]

I am glad that your problem is resolved!

You have been a member of Team SpeedGuide for a long time, and I had been wanting to tell you that you can have a custom avatar and title, if you want. Just send me a pic and I will put it up for you... Also, let me know what you want your title to say...
Ken