MEP slowing machine down dramatically

[paul]

Has anyone else seen this? This morning, my computer came to almost a complete halt. Right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager took perhaps 20 seconds, 10 seconds per click. Yet CPU usage was only 6% or so. After terminating a few processes (at 10 seconds to click on the process, another 10 seconds to get the confirmation after pressing Delete, and another 15-20 seconds actually to terminate the process) the computer remained as sluggish as ever.

 

Then I terminated Macexp.exe and that solved the problem (no macro was running). Reloading the terminated processes and MEP has not, so far, caused any reappearance of the problem.

 

I also experienced this same problem yesterday, but didn't realize that MEP was the probable cause.

[stevecasper]

Has anyone else seen this? This morning, my computer came to almost a complete halt. Right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager took perhaps 20 seconds, 10 seconds per click. Yet CPU usage was only 6% or so. After terminating a few processes (at 10 seconds to click on the process, another 10 seconds to get the confirmation after pressing Delete, and another 15-20 seconds actually to terminate the process) the computer remained as sluggish as ever.

 

Then I terminated Macexp.exe and that solved the problem (no macro was running). Reloading the terminated processes and MEP has not, so far, caused any reappearance of the problem.

 

I also experienced this same problem yesterday, but didn't realize that MEP was the probable cause.

I do have problems when using ME to close multiple IE windows. I don't know that it's ME related, though. The problem seems to be specific to a particular internal web site I access through IE, through which - in turn - I access several other pages (each opening a separate window). When I'm done I use ME to close all the child windows, leaving the parent IE open.

 

90% of the time this works fine. But the rest of the time my system runs into a cold-molasses quicksand. The only fix I've been able to get is to shut down all IE windows. This can take several grueling minutes, but once the last one is closed, everything goes back to normal and I just relaunch my windows as necessary.

 

Again, I don't know that the problem is related to ME, but since nobody else who works with this same IE window-set experiences the slow down, and since I'm the only person using ME to close the windows, I can only presume that the problem is somehow related to ME.

 

I have this problem whether I use ME 3.x or MEP to close down the IE windows.

[Cory]

It's probably unrelated but I have had something in my system causing a complete stall. No mouse, no nothing for several seconds. I can't tell what's happening because by the time I can interact it's gone. I have a few utilities running so it could be anything but I've ruled out a few because they were not running at the time. One of the remaining apps is MEP.

 

I also have a problem with loosing focus starting back in the beta days of MEP. I will be typing merrily away and suddenly no windows will have focus. Alt+Tab release Alt+Tab will refocus my original app. Every time I've had this happen I have had a Remote Desktop session open to a Terminal Server that is running MEP. I think something with the rdclip.exe and MEP on the other end is somehow messing with MEP monitoring the clipboard on this end but it's totally speculation.

[paul]

I also have a problem with loosing focus starting back in the beta days of MEP. I will be typing merrily away and suddenly no windows will have focus. Alt+Tab release Alt+Tab will refocus my original app. Every time I've had this happen I have had a Remote Desktop session open to a Terminal Server that is running MEP. I think something with the rdclip.exe and MEP on the other end is somehow messing with MEP monitoring the clipboard on this end but it's totally speculation.

This has just started happening to me too. I'm also running Remote Desktop, but it's the local machine I'm talking about. I'll be typing an email, when the cursor will suddently disappear and my words literally vanish into thin air. If I'm patient, focus will return within perhaps 10 seconds, but my words of wisdom are gone!

[yaqwa]

same here in other location

I am using The Bat as Email client and if i get a mail with some attachements it needs sometimes 20 seconds to just release the mail when MEP is running.

If i terminate the process everthing runs fine and fast.

[Cory]

This has just started happening to me too. I'm also running Remote Desktop, but it's the local machine I'm talking about. I'll be typing an email, when the cursor will suddently disappear and my words literally vanish into thin air. If I'm patient, focus will return within perhaps 10 seconds, but my words of wisdom are gone!

This is very good to know. This definitely strengthens the likelihood it's MEP doing it.

[paul]

Kevin, this kind of problem cannot be reproduced on demand. However, having killed the MEP process in this kind of situation, I'm certain this problem is caused by MEP. And perhaps there are now enough supporting messages from other users for you to take a look at this?

[redcordial]

Have had the problem of MEP slowing machine dramatically and it appers to happen only

with macros converted from ME3. Still investigating but it appears that the macro is using up

heaps of memory when calling another macro that contains a repeat loop.

 

Will look into it further...

[redcordial]

Further to my previous post, the problem is not just with imported macros, but can be reproduced

in MEP by running a repeat loop that calls another macro repeatedly as follows:

Create a macro using the code below, then create a second macro called "MySub".

 

The variable "MyVar" will always be zero so the macro will run indefinitely for this test.

The called macro "MySub" does not need any code in it (leave blank) for this demo.

 

Open the Windows Task Manager and watch the available memory decrease as the macro is running.

 

<REPEAT UNTIL Variable="%MyVar%" Condition="\x00" Value="1"/>
<MACRO RUN Use_ID="FALSE" Name="MySub" ID="-1" Wait="TRUE"/>
<END REPEAT/>

[paul]

Your pair of macros certainly causes ever-increasing memory usage. But, for me, it does not slow my machine down at all.

 

Here are my figures:

 

Start MacExp

Mem Usage: 17,376K Page faults: 7,180

 

Run your macro for 60 seconds

Mem Usage: 94,320K +543% Page faults: 27,210 +242%

 

5 minutes after stopping the macro, the memory usage remains the same!

 

This needs some attention from Insight!

[paul]

Your pair of macros certainly causes ever-increasing memory usage. But, for me, it does not slow my machine down at all.

 

Here are my figures:

 

Start MacExp

Mem Usage: 17,376K Page faults: 7,180

 

Run your macro for 60 seconds

Mem Usage: 94,320K +543% Page faults: 27,210 +242%

 

5 minutes after stopping the macro, the memory usage remains the same!

 

This needs some attention from Insight!

[redcordial]

I should point out that the macro I'm using runs for hours and repeatedly calls other macros

to perform tasks. The machine slows down only after most of the available memory is used up.

 

Bug Report Issued.

[kevin]

Thank you for submitting the bug report. The tracking number assigned to this issue is [iSS6850]. We will look into it.

[Eno Nedlog]

Has anyone else seen this? This morning, my computer came to almost a complete halt. Right-clicking on the taskbar and selecting Task Manager took perhaps 20 seconds, 10 seconds per click. Yet CPU usage was only 6% or so. After terminating a few processes (at 10 seconds to click on the process, another 10 seconds to get the confirmation after pressing Delete, and another 15-20 seconds actually to terminate the process) the computer remained as sluggish as ever.

 

Then I terminated Macexp.exe and that solved the problem (no macro was running). Reloading the terminated processes and MEP has not, so far, caused any reappearance of the problem.

 

I also experienced this same problem yesterday, but didn't realize that MEP was the probable cause.

 

I am also getting a dramatic slowing down of my computer (same as above)

It seems to happen even when no macros are in use. Although it has happened when I have been using macros as well.

This make the computer almost unresponsively slow.

I can stop any other program but it only ever corrects when I exit or kill MEP.

 

With Process Explorer it shows there is no problem with CPU usage in-fact in the problem state MEP does not show any CPU use.

 

As soon as MEP is terminated the computer returns to normal and I can then restart MEP and use it until it happens next time.

 

Has any progress been made on this problem?

[terrypin]

I too have been experiencing inexplicable slow-down. No macro apparenetly running at the time. But until now had not focused on MEP as likely cause.

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[michaelkenward]

I too have been experiencing inexplicable slow-down. No macro apparenetly running at the time. But until now had not focused on MEP as likely cause.

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

Maybe it is a Sussex thing. This behaviour has been a regular feature here to the west of the county.

 

PC slows to crawl.

 

Start task manager.

 

Kill Macexp (Pro 4.1.0.1) -- not supposed to be doing anything, CPU shows no signs of stress.

 

PC Comes back to life.

 

Just wanted to add to the count.

[Cory]

This reminds me to mention something I recently saw. Had a machine running MEP and at some point it became so lethargic It was almost impossible to do anything even though there were no applications running. But this time I was patient and after a couple of minutes was able to open the TaskMan. Like Paul the CPU was at low load. I killed MEP and instantaneously the machine became responsive. I reported it to ISS.

 

Also on many of my machines I've been noticing as I reported above these little 'senior moments' where my computer seems to have a Jacksonian seizure. Music will keep playing but all input is frozen. No macros running and suddenly after several seconds all is well again. As I witness it more and more I am more and more convinced it's MEP that's the culprit. Turned MEP off the other day for hours and never saw it once.

[michaelkenward]

Is there any way we can log this behaviour and provide debugging feedback?

 

I find it odd that the phenomenon clobbers people with, I suspect, very different pstterns for using Macexp.

[stevecasper]

This happens to me all the time. Honestly, I stopped considering it an ME problem and figured it was the fault of my PoS work PC. If other people are starting to experience it, maybe there is hope for my computer after all!

[michaelkenward]

This happens to me all the time. Honestly, I stopped considering it an ME problem and figured it was the fault of my PoS work PC. If other people are starting to experience it, maybe there is hope for my computer after all!

I wonder if it is related to a particular piece of software.

 

It would be hard to eliminate everything, though, which is why I asked about logs to consult.

[Eno Nedlog]

I wonder if it is related to a particular piece of software.

 

It would be hard to eliminate everything, though, which is why I asked about logs to consult.

My computer almost locked up again (17 September 2009)

Killed Macro Express Pro and everything worked fine again

Again no CPU activity at all showing for MEP before being Killed

Just waiting for it to correct does not seem to work

 

This is getting anoying as I really want to use macros

[Phonemes]

I seem to have a similar problem. I get frequent system freezes (three times this week alone) where nothing appears to work anymore, and the computer doesn't react to keyboard or mouse input. In most cases, the cursor still moves when I use the mouse, but it changes to an hourglass when it travels over the focused window, and to a double arrow when I move it to the taskbar. But nothing happens when I right or leftclick or use the wheel. I've also had at least one case where the mouse cursor refused to move at all.

I can't check CPU or memory load, since I'm unable to bring up the task manager, but there is no noticeable increase in CPU fan activity. I have tried waiting for up to half an hour for the system to come back to life but it simply stays frozen and my only option is to shut the computer down by using the power button.

 

No macros were active at the time of these freezes. One time it happenend when I was away from the computer and the computer was idle, although I had my applications open. With no reaction from mouse or keyboard, I can't kill MEP to see if this changes things.

 

Startup items apart from MEP: Ad Muncher, Kaspersky Internet Explorer, Directory Opus and TaskSWitch XP (an Alt-Tab replacement), all of which I have been using for years without any problems.

 

Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000. Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000.

 

Applications typically active when I am working: 1 to 3 Word documents, 1 Directory Opus window, 1 to 3 Avant browser tabs, Outlook, and a few dictionaries (Random House and a few Dutch ones).

 

I sure hope this is solved soon. I may have to revert to ME3 if it isn't.

 

Arthur

[terrypin]

Are you running XP or Vista?

 

--

Terry, East Grinstead, UK

[Phonemes]

Are you running XP or Vista?

 

XP Pro SP3 (Dutch version).

[Eno Nedlog]

Interestingly if you sort the MEP forum by views.

 

MEP slowing machine down dramatically has 933

More than any other topic.

 

I wonder why ????