I'm using Windows 98 SE, and in the Windows folder, there's a folder called "TEMP". I was looking through it and it looks like it's a folder that holds all of the downloads I have ever downloaded, but I'm not sure.

My computer has been having a lot of problems lately like, the RAM is being used up right when I start up my computer. I've gone into Safe Mode and have run McAfee, Spybot and Adaware to see if I have anything....but I didn't have any viruses/infected files. I had like, 2 spyware things but that was it.....Something still continues to eat up my ram.

I was thinking that the TEMP folder, since I guessed that it held everything I downloaded, I would think it would hold everything that was automatically downloaded as well...maybe virus scan was stupid and missed the folder or something. If I deleted everything in that folder, would anything happen? And or, does anyone have any suggestion as to why my computer's ram keeps magically getting used up even when I'm not running anything and have used spybot to prevent anything from running at start up that I know I don't need?

How much RAM you have? You may delete the files in the TEMP folder. These files are usually setup files when you install something and they gets unziped there before starting the setup.

You may try softwares that can free up your RAM:
http://www.sci.fi/~borg/rambooster/
http://rambooster.net/
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download1675.html

Some of the hidden programs or viruses that you may be checking for might not show up in normal Windows mode, that's why you can't find them. I suggest you to boot into safe mode and re-scan the system again. Also, look out for the RAM usage in safe mode. If the RAM usage is still high in safe mode, I suggest you to reformat your computer (that's what I will usually do) because it has gone "crazy" with hidden programs.

I only have 64 mb of ram. (I know I know...;_;)

What is reformatting, what does it do, and how do you do it? Sorry, I'm not too computer savvy...

bascially when you reformat a computer you reinstalling everything from scratch thus you have all normal settings

but yeah get a ram cleaner also defrag you computer get a adware/spyware program, i suggest webroot it seems to be better overall, wehn cleaning up the system.

but the temp folder is just that after you insall the file deletes itself after installing.

suggestion first do what i said up top before thinking about reformatting your hard drive.

Yeah.. Reformat only on last resort... And get someone who knows to do it because it can be not so easy if you don't understand them...

Argh...defragmenting? I've tried and tried to defrag my computer for months, but it never works. It just keeps restarting or something.

well TEMP folder is that folder which stores temporary files(as name explains) it never contains downloaded files...it contains only those files which are opened....it can be any file even a copied one.

Also TEMP folder can contain a virus or spyware...you can safely delete all files in TEMP folder and then boot your computer in safe mode and then scan your computer for viruses and spyware.....make sure to update the definitions first.

i think that will help you and you wont have to reformat as well.
in order to boot in safe mode you will have to press F8 key continuously at the boot up time.

and may i know are you loading spybot and other programs at startup..if you are then remove then and only use WINPATROL...that is really good software...light on memory and keeps track of all mailicious activities.

Hi milk,
You'll probably NOT be able to run Defragmenter untill AFTER you get you ram problem sorted out. Defragmenter is a huge ram "hog" (ie. needs lots/all of ram to do the job). You also may have problems running Scandisk for this reason. Other causes of the defragmenter program not running properly include Spyware, Trojans & virus's. You might want to check the "MSCONFIG" file to see which programs are running "hidden" in the background when you startup the computer in "normal" mode. This may pickup a "bug" program that your virus scanner ..etc. programs have missed.
Just make sure you have the computer "cleaned up" before you attempt to run defragmenter.
Hope this is clear
RGPHNX

If your computer keeps restarting when you are defragging your computer, just disable the screensaver and any other applicaitions that you might have running. A good idea might be to use Ctrl+Alt+Del to check for other running processes running on your computer.