eMac 1.25ghz running slow

I have a eMac 1.25ghz I just installed 1GB RAM sticking. I now have a total of 1.25GB. I checked the Activity Monitor and with one app open say it be Firefox I'm at 756mb of RAM used, I have not added an programs since I installed the new RAM I have seen an imrovement in performance. What I can't understand is how can it be at 756mb used now and before I only had 256mb (unfortunately I never checked the Activty Monitor before installing the new RAM) I have checked all apps that are running in the Activity Monitor and all seems well, I'm thinking I can have a virus cause of this RAM spike the CPU usage is great rarely peaks. I have run ONYX and repaired the permission no improvement, sorry about the long message I just want to make sure I could cover everything before asking for help, anybody have any ideas?

This is the reading from the Activity Monitor System Memory

These numbers fluctuate by the second but stay in around this area. This is only running Firefox. I have tried Safari and the results are similar.

Wired - 124.8mb
Active 210.44mb
Inactive - 454.03mb
Used 784mb
Free 493mb
VM Size 2.37GB
Page ins/outs 105593/190475

You may find the two RAM sticks are not compatible. You have 1 x 1 Gb and 1 x 256 Mb - right? You really need matched pairs. If it were my eMac I'd remove that 256 Mb stick altogether and replace it with another - matched - 1 Gb RAM stick. That eMac will take 2 Gb RAM total.

If you have the original Apple disks that go with that eMac, insert Disk 1, reboot with the C key held, and the run a hardware test from Utilities.

You may have the eMac capacitor problem but that usually results in 'freezing', or shutting down spontaneously.

It won't be a virus, rest assured of that.

okay, thanks for the reassurance about the Virus. When I get home tonight I'm going to remove the 256mb. I just ordered another 1GB Kingston (the same I got in there now).

Just for your information, 99.9999% of problems you find with your machine will not have anything to do with a virus.

thanks, I have removed the 256mb and am still having slugish performance a very high Page Out count keeping the 1GB stick in. Is there anything else I can try. I bought this mac used and it does not have the original disk for the programs that are installed and i'm not too sure how to backup and reformat would this be the next step?

variation said:

thanks, I have removed the 256mb and am still having slugish performance a very high Page Out count keeping the 1GB stick in. Is there anything else I can try. I bought this mac used and it does not have the original disk for the programs that are installed and i'm not too sure how to backup and reformat would this be the next step?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure what Page Out count is, but from what you've posted, and without that extra 1 Gb RAM installed (as yet?), I suspect you may have a gradually failing hard drive. If it were me, my next moves would be to:
1. buy a new hard drive (250 Gb is best value for $$)
2. take the eMac to a Mac technician to a) format the new drive HFS+, then b) put the new drive into the eMac and c) reinstall the OS (which probably means buying retail Tiger or Leopard disks if you don't have them already),
3. transfer all the software across to the new drive (ie. clone the old drive).

Alternatively, depending on quantity, you can transfer all your software to flash drives, or burn to dvds or cds for reinstalling later. Not having the original application install dmgs is a complication.

Unfortunately you cannot Archive & Install on your present hard disk because, - if I'm understanding correctly - you don't have the original Apple disks for that eMac.

Your Kingston RAM will not go to waste. With 2 Gb and a new hard drive, I think you'd find significant improvement in performance.