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Answer» WinXP Pro SP2 was working all fine, and one day it simply started to pop-up "Program too big to fit in memory" messages in CMD windows when I try to open SPECIFIC programs. For example, I have an .exe on a CD. When I open it from the CD it works OK, but when I copy it to my hard disk and try to open it at a later time it just flashes the "too big to fit" message you can barely see, but I've managed after a few times, catching word by word. Then it loses its icon. When I compare the original file size and the 'corrupted' one's, I can see that the 'corrupted' one is bigger. Then I restore the original to the hard drive and it keeps getting corrupted every time.
Here are just examples of the executables that wouldn't work:
Microsoft Office applications, Windows Messenger (the one that comes with WinXP!), Outlook Express, Windows Movie Maker and almost any Windows program, but also the games I would have install would get corrupted (any game), Nero Burning ROM, Windows Live Messenger, DOWNLOADED executables, etc.
But these programs wouldn't never get corrupted:
BS Player, IrfanView, MSN Messenger 7.0, and a few more.
Ofcourse, I thought it was a Windows related problem (and I'm still not sure if it isn't), so I formated the disk and reinstalled WinXP. The problem got back. Then I thought that some of the applications I install corrupted the others. So I did the reinstall again and installed no additional programs nor drivers just to see if that was the problem. As days went by, I installed some applications and drivers I couldn't do without (modem driver, Messenger and I think nothing else). I kept my fingers crossed and thought the problem was over, when it came back. *censored*!
Then I thought I might be having a faulty Windows installation, so I tried to install WinMe and finally Win98 SE (in the year 2006! ). The older Windows had problems even with applications like Notepad, Wordpad and Paint. They didn't pop-up the message "Program too big to fit in memory" but they corrupted the .exes same way and after double-clicking an executable I'd get a dialog box saying "_______.exe is not a valid Win32 application."
When the other versions didn't change anything, I've went back to WinXP. I thought 'OK, maybe it is something with the memory' and tested it with games that have the highest memory requirements and it worked perfectly. Ofcourse, until the .exe would get corrupted.
Now I've found a temporary solution, I'm using WinXP and after every successful install I MAKE a restore point. Then I have to restore a few times a day when my files (only .exes, and not all) get corrupted! THIS IS AWFUL!
Now I'm starting to think it could be a hard disk problem or a motherboard virus (heard about those, but don't know how they tamper the system). The hard disk theory doesn't seem very likely to me 'cause I got a new hard disk 7 months ago, so I suppose that's not the problem but still have to test it.
And now, what do YOU say? I can only say I've encountered an unbelievable problem that I've never seen before at any computer, and I'm dealing with people's computers every day. I've never even heard about this kind of crap.
If I take my computer to a service center, they'll probably just format the disk and reinstall Windows including drivers, like I did. They'll see everything's OK and send me my computer back. And as soon as it's given back to me, it will be all wrong again.
HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Download and run MemTest to check that RAM...also check your swapfile settings.
You can grab the diagnostics from the HDD MANUFACTURERS site to test that HDD.
Let us know.
patio. 8-)Definitely DIAGNOSE the RAM.All those executables getting corrupted would lead me to think VIRUS. It could be a BOOT sector virus, in which case you probably wouldn't get rid of it with fdisk. Using a boot disk that isn't write protected, you would be transferring the virus back and forth. Go to http://www.bitzenbytes.com/Content-Arcanum-18-1-34.html#boldscr
and have read.I'll try the HDD and RAM tests, but I'll go through the article about MB viruses later. I don't have time for that now. And as I looked at the article it seems to me it's pretty much about FDISK but I'll go deeper into it later.
Any other ideas?Not til you finish the other tests..
patio. 8-)
Quote Not til you finish the other tests..
patio. 8-)
8-) well, I tried the MemTest for Windows, it reported quite a few errors. I can't get the HDD diagnostics tool (bootable diskette) to work, but I'll still try Memtest86 (also a bootable disk) and if it reports many errors, I'll try replacing the RAM. Thanks, I'll let you know, guysHDD is all OK, I tried the diagnostics tool and the report was error-free, but both MemTest for Windows and WinDiag (bootable disk for memory testing) report errors (MemTest for Win reports about 6 errors in 30 mins and the manual says that on a computer with perfect RAM it could run for weeks without any errors). When I set the memory timing and other memory settings in BIOS to minimum, there are less memory-related (I guess) errors but still too many of them.
Does that mean I should replace the memory (buy a new one)?IF you loaded the default settings for your RAM (And not over or underclocked it) and it still reports errors, then yes, you will have to buy new RAM.
However, you might want to try a known fault-free memory stick as it could also be your motherboard giving up the ghost.
QuoteDoes that mean I should replace the memory (buy a new one)?
Before you go out and buy more RAM :
1. ensure you have plenty of free disk space
2. increase you virtual memory
(Right click my computer > properties > advanced > settings > advanced > change > change initial and max sizes to same, say about 2000 then you shouldn't have any more troubles.)
presuming you have a good 5Gb or free space on your HDD
of course if you do go buy more ram
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