Question

Windows 2000 Pro unbootable due to virtual memory error

Asked by: dspangenberg

I have a windows 2000 Pro box that won't boot due to a virtual memory error.

The system is set up to autologon a local user. As soon as windows boots and goes past the logon screen and begins to load the users setting an error pops up
"Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process, memory requests for some applications may be denied."   Several seonds pass (30 -45) and this error pops up again. This loop continures without the boot process ever completing.

I tried booting it into safe mode with the same results.

I am wondering how I disable autologon? I am wondering if it is related to that user profile somehow.
If I remove the HD and piggy back it onto another system, will deleting the pagefile help?

Any other ideas?

A full rebuild of the HD is not a very good option as this PC runs a CNC router with a bunch of factory configured software and drivers that I'm not sure I have easy access to,

Thanks
Dan

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Asked On
2004-06-26 at 11:13:24ID21039136
Tags

memory

,

virtual

,

2000

,

unbootable

,

windows

Topics

Windows 2000 Operating System

,

Tivoli Storage Manager

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Answers

 

by: Netman66Posted on 2004-06-26 at 12:12:41ID: 11406880

Hold down the left SHIFT key during the screen that shows the "starting network connections", etc.  It should stop the logon and give you the logon screen.  Log in as Administrator.

Delete all .tmp files from a command prompt to free up some space.  Command is like this (from the root of c:\): del *.tmp /s

Delete the contents of C:\Temp and/or C:\Winnt\Temp

Delete the profile of the user having the issue.  From properties of System, select User Profile tab then the user and hit the Delete button.

Run a defrag.

Restart and log in as the user normally.  

In Task Manager, watch the Process tab to see what (if any) process has a steady increase in memory usage - this will pinpoint if you have an application with a memory leak.  If you do, you'll need to find a fix or see if Microsoft has a patch for your situation.

Advise.




 

by: dspangenbergPosted on 2004-06-26 at 12:58:49ID: 11407091

I finally got the system booted but it is running like crap. Something is eating up all my memory but not sure what.

There is 256 meg physical memory in the system
The C: drive has 37 gig free
The paging file is set at 300-600

Task manager shows total physical memory of 228848  ( I think 32 meg of the memory is allocated for video)
available 984 and that is k!  
system cache 3716!

Under memory commit charge it shows:
Total 538316
Limit 563652
Peak 539914

Under running processes nothing is showing as using much memeory at all.
The system is very slow.  Is it possible I have a virus or trojan horse stealing all of it?

Any ideas on how to troubleshoot what is stealing the memory?

 

by: BigC666Posted on 2004-06-26 at 13:31:26ID: 11407220

dspangenberg,

look under the taskmanager process tab and see if you can see what process is causing your problem.

hope this helps

 

by: dspangenbergPosted on 2004-06-26 at 13:36:56ID: 11407238

That is what I am saying....all the processes show normal memory usage, nothing using anymore than just a few meg.  Somehting else is using it that is not showing in processses.

The system is so SLOW that it is virtually impossible to even do anything on it.

Dan


 

by: BigC666Posted on 2004-06-26 at 13:40:38ID: 11407254

dspangenberg,
 ok then i'll assume that you've run ad-ware, spy-bot, stinger, cwshreader or any number of spyware malware programs. if you have then you can do an emergency repair with the cd or hopefully you have a erd disk.

hope this helps

 

by: dspangenbergPosted on 2004-06-26 at 14:03:16ID: 11407327

Trying to get to the point where I can run them. They are not installed currently and the system is so slow such it is proving almost impossible to get them installed.  I have cleared out the HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\run and runonce registy settings.

I don't think I have an erd  

 

by: BigC666Posted on 2004-06-26 at 14:05:45ID: 11407338

in that case you can boot from the cd and do a system repair, this will at least get you running until you can get some antivirus programs

hope this helps

 

by: dspangenbergPosted on 2004-06-26 at 14:08:42ID: 11407347

so what will a system repair restore and what will I lose?  The system does eventually boot up to the normal GUI, it is just as slow as molasses

 

by: BigC666Posted on 2004-06-26 at 14:10:35ID: 11407353

the system repair will reload all win2k, it will not over write any data, but you will have to redo all sp's and updates that can after your original install cd.

 

by: dspangenbergPosted on 2004-06-26 at 14:12:04ID: 11407356

that is ok I suppose... what I don't want to do is have to reinstall programs... they are all the proprietary ones for the cnc router.

 

by: BigC666Posted on 2004-06-26 at 14:14:04ID: 11407359

it won't reinstall over programs, you might have to load drivers, if they are not on the install cd.

 

by: vern2727Posted on 2004-06-26 at 16:10:13ID: 11407785

I have seen this before. I usually boot into safe mode and install and run Ad-Aware and an anti-virus program with full disk scan.

Some of the more recent worm variations attack local computers from other PCs on the same subnet using broadcasts. The local admin never installed anti-virus on that PC because it wasn't used to access the web or email.  You usually don't notice until it consumes all of memory or disk space, which makes it hard to take corrective action.

Since you have lots of free disk space and modest page file, you might increase the page file size temporarily to remove the running out of page file space problem.  Of course, the worm or virus maight suck up up soon after it becomes available.

 

by: dspangenbergPosted on 2004-06-26 at 18:31:15ID: 11408120

In safe mode the memory was also totally consumed. I did identify two services that were malware. I couldn't even get into the services maager to delete them. I ended up yanking the hard drive and putting it on another system to delete the files. I did a virus scan, adaware & spybot scans & deleted the paging file. Reinstalled it and everything is running good once more.

Man o Man....

Thanks for your ideas.

Dan  

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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