help with computer memory......

ok so teh hubbeh got me a new computer ( yaaaaay!!) and after a few minor issues we got it up and running, its nice with the nvidia graphics, 512 mem amd 64 etc etc ... but i noticed when i look at the performance under task manager that my memory is being chomped all to hell, after checking and googling a few files, we determined it was the dllhost.exe file eatign the mem, which is conected to the use and running of the Windows XP Media Center.

i though cool, ill just take this anoyin thing out and that should fix it. problem is i cant find the program anywhere, and further reading regardign this particular exe file kinda alarmed me by saying its can also be a trojan that eats memory.

ok my question is, is there a safe way to remove this file and or the media center itself?

You apparently need dllhost. However, you probably have quite a number of programs starting up on launch on that new computer that aren't really needed, and might want to see if a Clean Boot helps. From Microsoft:

How to perform a clean boot procedure to prevent background programs
from interfering with a game or a program that you currently use
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/331796

512MB is really not enough to run most modern systems anymore. You can add an extra 512MB for only $25 or so these days if you buy from someplace like NewEgg.

It's unlikely dllhost.exe is a trojan, the reason you found that reference is because some trojans really do masquerade under similarnames to many required windows systems files. Almost any name you plug into Google, will warn it might also be a trojan, anymore. But it's very unlikely especially on a new system.

ty Brash ill go check it out, and asto the mem teh hubbeh has ordered a gig for me so that should clear some thingsfor me... tyvm

You will see an improvement with the memory upgrade. I had 512 in my machine and SL got to the point where it was virtually unplayable. I added 2 gigs from Crucial.com and the result was amazing. Now I just gotta talk myself into buying a new graphics card. on the dll issue, i seem to remeber a whole host of bogus virus alerts a while back on so called dll trojans.

Windows XP has a built in System File Checker (something you had to do manually in previous versions 'SFC.exe'), this checks the authentication code of each file as it loads. dlhost is listed as a System file in task manager, and yes it is required and yes, it is a secure file. Check moreso those programmes that use your name as the authenticator.

Use the Services function in the control panel, to turn off a lot of services that waste your resources, especially network remote reporting (unless you are on a company intranet and are the network administrator lol), remote assistance is another unuseful system tool turnned on by default.

You should check the firewall icon in control panel, in the Exceptions Tab, and turn off such services as Remote Assistance as these drain your resources. I always uncheck any 'updating' programmes that log themselves there, including windows itself. Google, Java, QuickTime (especially if you installed the iTunes) all insist on being able to continously check for updates, adding system time.

I had to beat a dead horse, but to use repetition: You should have a minimum of 1 gig of RAM nowa'days.

ty all i did as brash suggested and saw a marked improvement, i will also check my fw settings as well.

I have used the msconfig programme for some years in Windows to select which programmes I want to run at start up, only to find if there is a particular programme/service that screws with a particular programme. However since the introduction of XP, it squawks about using this programme as it is only a 16 bit programme and insists of asking 'Do you REALLY' want to use msconfig settings' eachtime I ran the OS.
Msconfig it a 'top' programme and not considered a long term solution, moreso that the system.ini, boot.ini files that used to be relevant in 16 bit OS's, has been suppassed by the registry database system now adopted. On top of that, XP introduced the 'Services' function to futher hone the system. It's defaults assume you are some sort of network administrator and need reports on the network condition. Remote access/assistance is also not required, although set on by default. XP is designed out of the box for Networks, how many of us actually are Administrators of networks? If you use a router to share a connection, and drop the odd file between systems on that shared link, you do not need the resource hungry services preset by the OS.

A 'shortened' way of reducing many of the 'services' is to set XP to 'Programmes' preferences, rather than the 'eyecandy' version. This will remove those irratating scroll down menu's, transparent and 'bubble' taskbars, smoothed fonts etc. I also set every OS to 'classic' to remove yet another layer of eye candy that swallows up precious CPU/GC cycles. The 'great' picture of your 'Aunty Flo' on your desktop is probably responsible for hoggin a couple of megabytes of system ram as well, which has to be swapped out to system cache, along with all those fancy icons which have their own cache.

Another thing to assess is, the Microsoft 'solutions' for running games etc, all use DirectX, which SL doesn't, it uses OpenGL, setting up the 'functions' in your graphic card control/desktop programme can greatly effect how SL functions. I create a 'profile' for my GC that matches the functions I want in SL, turning off those that are irrelevant.

My advice, be careful that you do not disable your firewall and resident virus checkers, when you are 'testing' and disabling services.

On memory and performance:
http://nicholaz-beresford.blogspot.com/2007/06/tweaking-performance.html