Resources - thanks for a clue. Try this:

1. Restart your computer
2. When Windows loads fully, click on start > run
3. Type "rsrcmtr.exe" (without the quotes) and okay it.
4. A new object should appear near your clock indicating your resource level. Double-click on it and note the numbers.

If you get an error saying that your computer cannot find "rsrcmtr.exe", you'll have to do this to install resource meter.

1. Insert your Windows CD.
2. Go to the control panel and double click "add/remove programs". Click on the Windows setup tab.
3. Scroll down to find "system tools" and click on the entry, not the check box.
4. Click on the details button.
5. Find "resource meter" in the list and put a check in the box.
6. Click okay on both windows and the program should install.
7. When installed, restart your computer again and when it restarts, follow steps 2 through 4 to take note of the resources.



Do note that this is the Windows 98 process. It may be slightly different with XP, ME, and other OS. If the resources, upon startup, are less than 40%, you'll have to close a lot of programs. If they are less than 50% upon startup, you might want to be more careful and close some programs. Above 60% and you should be okay. To help increase your resources available, you'll have to access msconfig and turn off startup programs. To do so, do this:

1. click on start > run
2. type "msconfig" without the quotes.
3. Click on the "startup" tab.
4. From here, it gets a bit tricky. Anything relating to Windows, antivirus, firewall, and spyware scanners (certain ones) should be left checked. Other things such as your printer (unless actively used), MSN Messenger (unless you actively use it), annoying registration reminders, etc. should be unchecked. You must leave "systray" and "explorer" checked. If you can, take a screenshot or copy and paste the text from the startup tab and I can help tell you which programs to leave checked and unchecked. In short, anything that you don't know what it is, leave it checked (or at the default, usually checked). Take note of the path for clues on what the program is.



Hopefully this'll help you. The more icons you have by your clock, the lower your resources tend to be upon startup. If possible, try to get no more than six icons in there. My resources at startup are 53%. I'm not sure what my resource hog is (either AVG or Spy Sweeper, unsure which). But, before running msconfig, I advise that you note your resources upon startup.