16. How do I free up system resources on Windows 98/ME?

How to check for low system resources:

  1. Right-click on My Computer, and right-click on Properties.
  2. Select the Performance Tab.
  3. If System resources are under 40% free, there may be problems.

Solution(s):

Reboot your system to free up system resources, and/or:

  • Close windows that are not in use.
  • Close programs not needed that load when you start Windows. To determine what programs are running, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, and make a note of all the programs listed. Note that Explorer is the Windows operating system and Systray is the system tray located on the right-side of the taskbar. You should not [End Task] these two programs. Determine which programs must run all of the time, and then quit the remaining programs. To quit a program, press CTRL+ALT+DELETE, select the program you want to quit, and then click [End Task]. Note that your computer is likely configured to load a number of these programs at startup, so that if you restart your computer after doing this, the programs will "come back". You can configure which programs get loaded at startup in the Windows System Configuration Utility (go to Start | Run, and type msconfig).

  • Clear your Clipboard. When you copy a large amount of information to the clipboard, it will remain until something else is copied onto it. To clear out a large data amount that you have copied and pasted, copy a couple of lines of text to the clipboard.
  • Don't use large bitmaps for wallpaper. Use a small bitmap and tile, or stretch it.
  • If you run an application that uses system resources every time it runs, try to keep it open instead of closing and reopening it many times during the day.
  • Disable your screen saver.
  • Avoid installing fonts that aren't needed.

Alyssa - PG Music