Memory woes can derail video shows

Q My son purchased the CyberLink PowerDirector 9 program to edit videos. But when he tried to load it on our computer, he got this error message: "Windows XP has experienced a problem and needs to close." My son also tried to use an external 8-gigabyte flash drive to run the program, but he got the same message.

When he ordered this program, it stated that Windows XP was needed to run it, so why the problem?

PAULA NESS, APPLE VALLEY

A It could be either old software drivers for the PC's graphics card or a shortage of Random Access Memory (RAM) in the PC.

First try updating the graphics card drivers from the manufacturer's website. To find out what graphics card you have, go to Start and Control Panel, then click the System icon, Hardware tab, Device Manager and Display Adapters. Also make sure your card is CyberLink compatible at tinyurl.com/63gluv5.

If that doesn't solve the problem, check how much RAM the PC has by going to Start, then Control Panel, and clicking the System icon. Compare that with CyberLink Corp.'s suggestions: 3 gigabytes of RAM on a 32-bit version of Windows XP, and 6 gigabytes for the 64-bit version.

If the PC has less than the suggested amount of RAM, you can buy more at websites such as www.crucial.com or www.memorystock.com.

Q My desktop computer has been losing speed for the past three weeks, and I'm afraid it will get worse. I don't wish to take it to a technician or buy a registry "cleanup" program. Is there a simpler way to speed up my PC?

BRUCE WHITELAW,

GOLDEN VALLEY

A There are several possible culprits for a slow PC. It could be caused by malicious software. Make sure your PC's firewall and antivirus software are working. Then download the Malwarebytes program at tinyurl.com/ccvsnv and run a quick scan.

A slowdown can also be caused if your PC is using two computer security programs that both offer antivirus and firewall protection. Uninstall one of them.

Too little RAM memory can slow down a PC. Check your PC's RAM capacity by going to Start, then Control Panel, and clicking the System icon. If you have less than 2 gigabytes of RAM, consider adding more. See the list of RAM websites in the previous answer.