Questor wrote:
About the only way I can think of is to open Windows Explorer and go
directory by directory and click on the top of the Size column. This
will arrange the files by size and not name. The zero-length ones will
go to the top of the list (or the bottom, depending on how many times
you click). VERY tedious operation however. I have no idea of knowing
if you know, but clicking on the top of ANY column sorts the listings in
that order.


You can search an entire disk specifying a maximum file size of 1 KB and
then sort the results by size. You will then have to skip over all the
folders but the 0 byte files should be next.

Q

---
I know ...

As for 0-length files: I just discovered that there's no way to search
for them in Windows XP ...


"Questor" wrote in message
...
It was only a suggestion based on the info you gave us. You didn't
mention malware checks or anti-virus and that is the first thing that
jumped into my mind on your report.

Q

---
This computer is routinely sweeped for viruses and malware, and is
also running Symantec's Endpoint Protection suite. Malware and virus
checks always come up clean.

CL

"Questor" wrote in message
...
I'd start with a good malware checker. Malwarebytes is a very good
one and it is free. Have you checked to see if any zero-length
files are lying around on your HD? That would indicate something
running that shouldn't be.

Q

---
Hi --

I have a Windows XP Pro SP3 box that's been giving me a headache
for some time now. Every so often, programs will fail to load and
Windows (or an app) will complain about being out of memory or
system resources. Or windows won't open. Etc., etc.

I've been looking high and low for the reason for this, with
little luck. One thing I have noticed is that when the PC starts
to get cantankerous, the System process has an elevated handle
count (18,500 this last time I started having problems). When I
check the System process through Process Explorer, I see thousands
of handles open to what looks like an empty key, and a lesser but
still large number of handles open to what looks like a file with
no name:

--------------------
DETAILS

Basic Information
Name:
Type: Key
Description: A Registry key

References
References: 1
Handles: 1

Quota Charges
Paged: 0
Non-Paged: 0

SECURITY

Unable to display security information.
--------------------
DETAILS

Basic Information
Name:
Type: File
Description: A disk file, communications endpoint, or driver
interface.

References
References: 2
Handles: 1

Quota Charges
Paged: 0
Non-Paged: 0

SECURITY

Everyone: Delete, Synchronize, Query State, Modify State, (Special
Permissions)

Advanced:
Permissions: empty
Auditing: empty
Owner: Everyone
--------------------

The Handles list shows all of these empty Key handles with an
Access code of 0x000F003F, and the empty File handles with an
access code of 0x0012091F.

I have checked just about every other process listed in Process
Explorer. No other process that has handles open to Registry keys
has any open to blank or empty keys. Process Explorer shows valid
key names for every other key every other process has open. No
other process that has handles open to files has any open to files
with no name.

Rebooting the PC solves the problem -- temporarily. The System
process returns to a manageable handle count. But even after
rebooting, Process Explorer shows a collection of "empty" keys and
"no-name" files open to the System process. And even with the PC
just sitting there at a desktop with no other windows open, that
count steadily increases over time.

At the risk of sounding stupid: This is _not_ normal, right? How
do I find whatever is triggering this, if I don't even know what
to look for? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks
CL