Ive been around and around with this so many times. When i turn the puter on im at 86%, when i get online and have Gator and two little computers, and norton anti-virus running, it drops to 70%, then when i click on Yahoo, 65%, then msn messenger,63%,then aol messenger, 57%. Then when i go into Excite and run some of the programs in there my resources are down to 33%. No wonder i getting kicked off line so much by my server. Prodigy told me to have at least 75% resources and thats gone when i start up. Puters................
I don't know what the answer is. I printed startup Problems and took out programs that i don't use and went to ctrl, alt, delete and go rid of some of those programs and still can't get it past 45%. Let me know if you discover anything.

My heart goes out to you. I have debugged, formatted and reinstalled all my programs more than once, but I still have the same problem you are having. Don't know if there is a solution for this. I have contacted more techs than probably apple trees, but I still have the exact same problem you are having. If anybody out there finds a solution to this problem, please post. I am kind of stunned to find out that other people are experiencing this same problem. I have also gone round and round with this to the point of exhaustion. If this is happening with other systems also, then I doubt it is one particle thing that the individual owner is doing.

I am also have trouble with my System Properties Performance. I am running Windows 98 - 2nd Edition. When I first start my computer, the performance is at 90 - 92 %. After a short while, they fall drastically into the 60's range, sometimes lower. I have been told that for your system to function properly, it needs to be running at least in the 85% range. I have tried to have this problem resolved, but so far, have not had any successs. If anybody has any solutions for this problem, please post.

I have also debugged to try and fix and also formatted. Still having the same problem, so I am at a loss.

You may find some useful information in the reference here.

A particularly important bit of information at that site is the following in the Q&A section:

My Resources sometimes drop below 50%. What's wrong? Should I worry?

This is not a problem at all. You can easily have resources drop to 15-20% without a problem. When Resources get below the 15% range, it is time to think about shutting down some programs.

While it is a noble goal to maintain system resources at 75% or better, unless you don't run any programs or reboot after closing every program it is totally unrealistic.

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Your situation sounds normal to me. If you use your system you will use resources. The more programs you open, the more resources you will use. Even after closing programs your resources will not return to 90% for a variety of reasons.

It is impossible for any system to keep 90% resources all the time unless it is just sitting idle. If Dell told you that they are mistaken.

The point is that so long as your system is not crashing I don't see the need to obsess about the current state of system resources.

I run Windows 98se and my system resources start at about 85% and as I use additional resources the percentage goes down. Right now, with a single browser window open I'm at 70%.

I use Photoshop a lot. Large graphics files require lots of memory and resources to edit and process, yet I have never had a system crash due to low memory. I honestly haven't checked my resource levels while I'm working, probably because I haven't ever experienced a problem.

Bottom line, if it's not crashing it's ok. If it starts slowing down, shut some programs to free up some resources.

Eventually, through memory leaks and doing things like starting a program by mistake and closing it before it is entirely loaded, your system performance will deteriorate. When it happens, reboot and you'll be back to normal once again.

I'm at 53% and I just started.. I keep getting kicked off MSN and can't use email.. MSN states it's my System Resources. What Icons or programs can I delete without crashing my system.. I have 20 Icons when I start up. Are they all necessary?

It is not the Icons on your desktop that are the problem. Its the Icons in your systemtray on the bottom right because they are running. In fact I bet you have a lot running that you don't even know about. Use CTL-ALT-DEL to bring up the list.

You should turn off all the ones that you don't need. Follow this link right here for good guidance on what to shut off and how to do it.

Also make sure you uninstall Attune through your Add/Remove Programs in your control panel.

THe more you have running the more problems you will have.

Ralph Caddell

Thanks Ron. It's not that my systems is crashing, its my isp booting me off-line because i can't keep my resources at 75%. Like i say, when i start up without getting online im at 86%, when i connect to my isp, it drops to 70% with Norton Anti, Gator and the two little computers that show up on the task bar. If i run any other programs it goes down accordingly, and then bingo, i get booted off-line. Don't know what the answer is other than going to a dsl line.

Well Cindy, ive been around and around with this thing for quiet some time now. The only thing i have running at start up is Norton Anti Virus (you should keep a virus running all the time) Gator, who fills in my forms for me, but when i connect to the net is puts an isp icon and two little computers on the task bar and my resources fall every time an icon goes down there. The only thing i can suggest is to have you stop loading so many things on the task bar. If you want a program to start, go to start and programs and start the one you want to use, then when your done with it exit it out. Good luck.

Denny, thanks for the info. You sure seem to know your stuff. Im not really too excited about my resources other than my isp kicks me off-line right in the middle of something because i can't keep resources at 75'%. That's what Prodigy told me when i asked them why the voice says "Good Bye" and poof im gone. Very frustrating when your trying to do someting on the puter. Its not like i have tons of stuff running on my task bar, just Norton, Gator, Prodigy. Forget about Msn, Yahoo, Aol, i can't stay on for 5 minutes and poof im gone. Thanks for the info, always welcome.