Switch user problem

cosmowillie53

My Toshiba laptop Windows Vista has developed a problem.
When I use the switch user option the computer freezes. After typing in password it will go to the welcome page where it stays for several minutes and then the screen goes blank. The computer has to be shut down for each new user. It takes several minutes for the computer to start up again.

Any ideas on how I can sort this problem out.
Thanks.

invaderzimirl

there could be a low disk space so its having issues storing one users data to disk to allow it to be stored correctly

also couls be a ram or virtual memory issue but this is also linked to how much ram and if you have enough free hard drive space

cosmowillie53

Thanks for reply.
I had a problem with space last week but managed (with the help of Boards.ie) to free up some space. I now have 3.70 GB of a possible 75.

invaderzimirl

3.7 is very low. i normally dont like to have less the 10Gb.

how much ram have you got ? as this might be an issue as some of all the users data is always held in ram.

cosmowillie53

Under system maintenance it says I have 2GB.

cosmowillie53

Any further ideas on this problem.
How do I get to 10GB.
Thanks

yoyo

Make sure you installed all the Windows updates and you have Service Pack 2 installed. Windows update on Vista didn't always pick up the Service Packs I've noticed in the past so peoples machines remained out of date. Vista after the 2 service packs improved a fair bit. To get back space uninstall large programs, move content (such as iTunes etc.) to the secondary drive partition (which I'm assuming exists on this laptop). You may have a C:\ "OS" drive and a \ (or something) "Data" drive

Nick

cosmowillie53

Can you give an example of programs I may delete. I'm nervous deleting anything as I don't know if one program depends on another for computer to work properly...I hope that makes sense.
Computer has mails and photos saved.. ( about 1000 small snaps saved) .Other than that its just used for looking up bits n pieces on the net.
Thanks.

yoyo

cosmowillie53 wrote: »

Can you give an example of programs I may delete. I'm nervous deleting anything as I don't know if one program depends on another for computer to work properly...I hope that makes sense.
Computer has mails and photos saved.. ( about 1000 small snaps saved) .Other than that its just used for looking up bits n pieces on the net.
Thanks.

Look in programmes and features in Control Panel. Games and that kinda stuff are generally big and will usually release a few gb depending on uninstall. If the hard disk is partitioned change the installer to point to the other drive (i.e: ) rather than C:. For e.g: \program files\software\ ...

Nick

cosmowillie53

Would it be ok to delete/uninstall any of the following:
DVD movie factory Toshiba ......... 252 MB
Intel matrix storage manager......... 37 mb
Microsoft framework 4 client profile.. 120 mb
Vuze ........................................ 31 mb
Winzip 15 ................................... 32 mb
Akami net session interface............ 31 mb
Microsoft office home/student 2007.. 304 mb
Apple application support................ 62 mb
Apple software update................... 2 mb
Quick time................................... 73 mb

There's a total of 83 programs installed total size 2.33 gb.
Thanks

invaderzimirl

ok it kind of looks like most of your data on your drive, is not in programs.

there must be large files somewhere you can delete instead or removing programs. as if and extra 2.3Gb (not that im telling you to uninstall all) wont make that much of a difference

there might be a lot in downloads

cosmowillie53

There are lots of items under the headings Fonts and Plugins.
Are these needed or can I delete.
Thanks.

GreenWolfe

OP, download and run WinDirStat if you haven't already. It should tell you where your HDD space is going.

invaderzimirl

what id do is do a search and click on advanced and look for files over 300MB that would be a good start, Depending on what the files are of course.

fonts are small but handy to have.

invaderzimirl

GreenWolfe wrote: »

OP, download and run WinDirStat if you haven't already. It should tell you where your HDD space is going.

have to sat thank you for this little Gem i didn't know about this one. ill make it part of my normal kit of software now,beside Crystal Disk Info


im going to see if i can mod it to be a portable app now

yoyo

invaderzimirl wrote: »

have to sat thank you for this little Gem i didn't know about this one. ill make it part of my normal kit of software now,beside Crystal Disk Info


im going to see if i can mod it to be a portable app now

Treesize free is also very good. I like it because it's neat and tidy,

Nick

cosmowillie53

This problem continues with a little more... its now a switch user/log off problem.
If I log off and then try to log back in again I will get the welcome page then a dark screen . I have to turn computer off and start again.

I have cleared out a lot of old files and now have 7.5GB of free space which is a great improvement from the 2 gb I had.

Thanks.

cosmowillie53

Hello all....
I never managed to resolve this problem so I wonder could we give it another go please...
I still have to turn computer off and on again if I use either the log off or switch user option otherwise it stays on the welcome screen and then blank.
Thanks.