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I've got a computer question for you guys. Whenever my screen saver comes on, it's like it starts scanning or searching for something- the hard drive is contantly working. I've tried crtl+alt+del and exited out of every program and it still does it. It started doing this about 6 months ago and the only way I fixed it was by formatting my hard drive. Now it's back to doing it and I would really like to avoid formatting my hard drive again. Any suggestions? I'm running Windows ME on a Dell Insprion laptop. Thanks.
I've tried numerous screen savers and settings which didn't help. I don't think it's the screen saver itself, it just starts doing it about when the screen saver comes on.
You can get rid of the problem by uninstalling it, and either turning off your monitor (the PC still runs) or setting up your power settings to shut it down after a specified period of time.
Either way, if the problem is linked to the screen saver, I would say the screen saver IS the problem.
Clear out your cache and cookies. After awhile you get some many sites built into your system (Ads and every place you go) that your computer gets on overload....
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Jul-02 AT 01:37 AM (EST)]On a laptop I have found that it is better, for battery life, to have it go on "stand by" or "sleep mode" instead of running the screen saver. There is a setting that runs your disk defrag whenever your screen saver comes on. I think that's what is going on with your pc.
Has for your cashe settings, most "experts" will tell you that you only need 32megs set aside for it. If you have more then that your computer will waiste more time searching the cashe then it takes to download from the site (if you have cable 12megs is all you really need as it d/l's so much faster then dial-ups). There is a website that you can test all your settings and controls at called PC pitstop. This might help you figure out your troubles. http://www.pcpitstop.com/
Like Greywolfe said, you don't need a screensaver, turn it off. You may also want to try this. Click on the start button, click on run. In the dialog box type msconfig. Click ok. Then click on the tab marked "startup" uncheck anything you don't use to free up some resources.
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do you have any anti-virus software installed? if so there is your prob. when you enter the screensaver mode it starts scanning your hard drive. just go the anti-virus program and look under options and disable it
Hey Brown, I have a laptop as well and it is best to just put it in the sleep mode. That is what I do whenever I am not using my computer! Hope this helps!
Thanks for the suggestions guys. The screen saver itself is not the problem. It just seems like it starts doing this "searching" in about the time it takes the screen saver to come on. If I turn the screen saver off, it will still do it. I have recently defragged and cleared my cache, as well as running Disk Cleanup.
As for running a screen saver, I usually have this computer plugged in, so battery life isn't a concern. I have it set to "sleep" after 30 minutes. On battery power it will sleep after 10 and "hibernate" (basically shut down saving everything that's open) after 15.
I didn't realize I even had the task scheduler because there's no icon at the bottom like my win 98 desktop. I did find it and deleted a "PCHealth" that was wanting to scan all the time. Didn't help. Then I went to msconfig and unchecked a bunch of crap from startup. mstask, still image monitor, statemgr, pchealth, loadqm- are any of these vital? I try to keep as few startup items as possible, but don't uncheck them if I don't know what they do.
Anyway, so far, the problem is gone! :-) It had to be one of the startup programs. I haven't left it long enough to go to sleep, so I'm still hoping it doesn't start acting up again.
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