Windows ME

WinME is a very unstable OS, I used to have that, pre-installed, but I flushed it and installed Win2000. So if you can get hold of Win2000, raplace it. Try reinstalling the recovery disc. You might have some system missing.

Scan for viruses with latest DAT file.

Run MSCONFIG and go to the startup tab and make sure nothing strange is being loaded. You can uncheck startup items to troubleshoot. Recheck them one at a time, you may be able to isolate th cause of this. From there you'll need to figure out how to handle the situation if something is found.

You can use system restore option in Win ME to try and go back to a date when the PC was working.

Any recent additions may be causing this problem so uninstall any new software/hardware.

By the way I've been using Win ME since it came out and haven't found it to be any more or less unstable than any OS. One thing I've noticed is, there hasn't been no where near the amount of security bulletins, fixes, updates and patches as Win 2000.

Before you go out and spend the money to get a new OS I'd use the system recovery that came with the PC. And that's only if all else fails.
This problem is something that can be fixed. To start over shouldbe a last resort.

The fact that it's a Dell menas you have a few more options. Like calling tech support, a good warranty policy and you can get the drivers and all files needed for your system.

It's more likely caused by programs your running, not WinME or your harddrive. Letting Windows manage your virtual memory is fine & on WinME I've found it better to do that than running any memory utilities available. If you want to set your own VCACHE values they should be 10% to 25% of your total memory size.

So that leaves what apps you have running, I'd suggest getting yourself a copy of RegCleaner & installing it. It's free here's the link http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/index.shtml you'll beable to see & manage your start-up apps much easier with RegCleaner as well it has many other nice features. Any more than 15 start-up apps listed in RegCleaner is to many for WinME, 8 to 12 is best.

I'd also make sure you defrag & empty your temporary internet files folder & cookies folder frequently. If you run Norton System works, one problem I found is it's a resource hog, to solve this I disabled all features from running except Antivirus, if you need or want to run anything do it manually it'll save you some headaches, I tried running Mcafee on WinME & gave up, it's simply impossible to configure has the worst user interface of any app I've ever run.

A couple start+run commands that you can use for your registry in WinME are "scanregw" for backing up registry & "scanreg_/opt_/fix" the _ = a space this compacts & defrags your registry. Scanregw occurs everytime you reboot or start your PC.

This question was closed by the author