RESOURCE HOG
My computer started acting
extremely sluggish recently, and
when I checked the Task Manager,
I noticed that a process named
vdrrib.exe was using 100 percent
of the system resources! I don’t
know what this program is or
where it came from and I have
no recollection of installing a
program that might be related
to it. I’ve tried to uninstall it but
can’t locate it on my system.
Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-
Aware are both unable to detect it.
I also have a fully updated copy
of Trend Micro’s PC-Cillen 2003 ,
which fails to detect the app.
McAfee Stinger and Virus Checker ,
which I ran using a DOS disk, also
don’t discover anything. Can you
please help shed some light on
the situation?
—MIKE DELISAWell, we’ve never heard of vdrrib.exe
before, and neither have the folks at
Symantec’s online antivirus center, or
any of the spyware sites we checked.
We also did a quick Google search on
the executable’s name, and came up
with nothing. That leads us to believe
it’s probably an ill-behaved app, not
an actively malicious one.
Now it’s time to play PC sleuth.
First, let’s find out where the file lives.
Go to Start, then Search, and scan all
your drives for vdrrib.exe. It will prob-
ably be buried in your Program Files
directory or your Windows directory.
If it’s in Program Files, the directory it’s
stored in will probably be a great big
clue about the origins of the program.
If it’s in your Windows directory, you’ll
probably have to dig a little deeper.
Right-click the file name, then go
to Properties. Click the Version tab
and explore the contents of the box
labeled “Item name.” Often the proper
name of the application and the com-
pany that authored it will appear in
one of those fields. You can use that
information and Google to track down
the file’s origin.
If all that fails, you should prob-
ably just stop the application from
loading automatically. After all, if no
one on the Internet has written about
it, it can’t be vital for stable Windowsoperation. Note: if your PC is connect-
ed to some sort of specialty hardware,
like a drum scanner or an electron
microscope, you shouldn’t disable the
app outright.
To stop the app from automatically
loading, go to Start, then Run, and type
msconfig. Then go to the Startup
tab and look for vdrrib.exe or any
variation thereof. Uncheck the box
next to it and restart your computer.
That should take care of the problem.PROPER PREFLIGHT
PROCEDURES
I’ve built three computers over
the last couple of years andthey’ve all run properly right off
the bat, but they don’t do what
I really want them to: kick ass in
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. I’m
not sure if I’m buying the wrong
parts or what, but my current box
has an AMD 1.2GHz processor
with a gig of RAM, a Western
Digital 120GB hard drive, and
an nVidia GeForce 5200 256MB
videocard with the most current
drivers. Unfortunately, Flight
Simulator still jerks along at an
agonizingly slow frame rate unless
I turn the detail levels way down.
This is very annoying when
attempting to land a helicopteron a moving ship and such.
So, my question is, when
acquiring the hardware for my
next system, what should I
purchase to run flight sims at
their max resolution and detail
levels?
—KEVIN R. THORNTONYou’ve got two problems. First,
Microsoft Flight Sim is a notoriously
hardware-hungry application. It will
use every ounce of computing power
your system has to offer. Second, the
computer you describe in your letter
is suffering from an advanced case of
slow-pokiness. Your old 1.2GHz pro-Every time I shut down my system, the
monitor’s refresh rate gets reset to 60Hz, forcing
me to reset it to 75Hz. I have a Sapphire Radeon
9600 videocard with 128MB of memory and I’m
running Windows XP Pro with the latest ATI
Catalyst drivers installed. I also have a GeForce3
Ti 300 videocard, but I haven’t experienced this
problem with that card. What could be causing
my refresh rates to reset?
Also, is it better to run your monitor at a
high refresh rate such as 85Hz or is it better to
run it at a low refresh rate such as 60Hz? And
do higher refresh rates put extra strain on you
monitor?
—BRYAN L.This is a problem the Doctor’s never seen before
and couldn’t replicate in the Lab. Our best guess is
that the culprit isn’t your videocard driver, but your
monitor driver. To be sure, however, you should
first completely remove your old videocard drivers,
reboot your PC, then reinstall your videocard drivers.
(ATI has a handy utility that will remove all traces
of old drivers at http://www.ati.com/support/drivers/misc/
catalystutils.html.) Only then should you go to your
monitor manufacturer’s web site and download the
latest version of your monitor drivers.
Another possible culprit could be a videocard
configuration utility—such as Powerstrip. It might
automatically change your refresh rate every time
you restart your computer.
The optimum refresh rate varies among indi-
vidual users and monitors. As a rule of thumb, we
recommend you test each refresh rate your monitor
supports, then use the lowest setting that doesn’tproduce noticeable flicker. Higher settings will
decrease the lifespan of your monitor, and can pro-
duce blurry onscreen images.
To adjust your refresh rate, right-click your
Desktop, go to Properties, then go to the Settings tab
and press the Advanced button. Click the Monitor
tab and adjust your refresh rate using the drop-down
dialog.
To test for flicker, stare at a point about a foot
right or left of your monitor. This should put the
display in your peripheral vision. The human eye
is much more sensitive to flicker in the periph-
eral vision than when you are staring directly at a
monitor. We usually find that a setting between 70Hz
and 80Hz is sufficient to minimize flicker without
decreasing image quality.RESETTING REFRESH RATES
Setting your monitor’s refresh rate can be
tricky. Set it too high and your image quality
will suffer, but set it too low and you’ll suf-
fer flicker-induced headaches.Ask the Doctor Symptom Diagnosis Cure
50 MAXIMUMPC AUGUST 2004