Help!

[jessek]

My computer would not start this morning. Every time I tried to turn it on, it would go through the windows initialization, run a scan disk because it kept believing it had been shut down illegally, and then, just after displaying the desktop, it would shut off and flash a green light on the tower.

After playing around in BIOS for awhile, I found an option to "Halt" in various situations. When I selected DO NOT HALT FOR ANY REASON (or something to that effect), I was able to then use my computer, get online, and come directly here.

What could be wrong and how might I fix it. Is it safe to keep using the computer in this "Halt on no errors" mode?

[dammit]

Hmmm I don't think I could live with that option turned on!!
Are you virus defs up to date? Have you run a check?? I think in your position I would opt for system restore.

[jessek]

System Restore stopped functioning about a year ago.

I believe my virus protection is up-to-date and just ran a "Housecall" to be sure.

No virii.

Do other people turn that feature off in BIOS? I just thought it might be very necessary since it's part of the default configuration.

I'm happy enough with it off, but don't want to do damage if there's some really good reason for it to be on!

Opinions?

[renegade600]

System Restore stopped functioning about a year ago.

I believe my virus protection is up-to-date and just ran a "Housecall" to be sure.

No virii.

Do other people turn that feature off in BIOS? I just thought it might be very necessary since it's part of the default configuration.

I'm happy enough with it off, but don't want to do damage if there's some really good reason for it to be on!

Opinions?

I would suggest continuing to find out what is wrong with your computer or go ahead and upgrade to xp. WinME was always unstable. It came with my computer and at times there were strange haltings. As soon as I upgraded to xp, all of my problems were solved. Have you checked your system logs to see if it gives any hints as to why the crash?

Now the question is, will the computer halt if it overheats?

[30111987]

run, startup list (links in the downloades section) and post its log, it's possibly to do with conflicting software

[jessek]

StartupList report, 10/1/2003, 4:37:00 AM
StartupList version: 1.52
Started from : C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\STARTUPLIST.EXE
Detected: Windows ME (Win9x 4.90.3000)
Detected: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)
* Using default options
==================================================

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RESTORE\STMGR.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\SYMPATICO\ACCESS MANAGER\APP\ENTERNET.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\NETSCAPE\NETSCAPE\NETSCP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\STARTUPLIST.EXE

--------------------------------------------------

Listing of startup folders:

Shell folders Startup:
[C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp]
Reboot.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

ScanRegistry = C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
TaskMonitor = C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
RegisterDropHandler = C:\PROGRA~1\TEXTBR~1.0\BIN\REGIST~1.EXE
SystemTray = SysTray.Exe
LoadPowerProfile = Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Services

RegisterDropHandler = C:\PROGRA~1\TEXTBR~1.0\BIN\REGIST~1.EXE
LoadPowerProfile = Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
SchedulingAgent = mstask.exe
*StateMgr = C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Shell & screensaver key from C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM.INI:

Shell=Explorer.exe
SCRNSAVE.EXE=
drivers=mmsystem.dll power.drv

--------------------------------------------------

C:\WINDOWS\WININIT.BAK listing:
(Created 29/9/2003, 22:35:20)

[rename]
NUL=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\GLB1A2B.EXE

--------------------------------------------------

C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT listing:

SET TMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP
SET COMSPEC=C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND.COM
SET BLASTER=A220 I7 D1 H7 P330 T6
SET SBPCI=C:\PROGRA~1\CREATIVE\AUDIO\DOSDRV
SET windir=C:\WINDOWS
SET winbootdir=C:\WINDOWS
SET PATH=C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND
SET PROMPT=$p$g
SET TEMP=C:\WINDOWS\TEMP

--------------------------------------------------

C:\WINDOWS\WINSTART.BAT listing:

C:\WINDOWS\tmpcpyis.bat

--------------------------------------------------


Enumerating Task Scheduler jobs:

Tune-up Application Start.job
PCHealth Scheduler for Data Collection.job

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Download Program Files:

[Update Class]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\IUCTL.DLL
CODEBASE = http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/ansi/iuctl.CAB?37615.839537037

[PCPitstop Utility]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\PCPITS~1.DLL
CODEBASE = http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB

[Shockwave Flash Object]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MACROMED\FLASH\FLASH.OCX
CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab

[DiskHealth2 Class]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLOADED PROGRAM FILES\DISKFAU.DLL
CODEBASE = http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB

[HouseCall Control]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINDOWS\DOWNLO~1\CONFLICT.2\XSCAN53.OCX
CODEBASE = http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/76808a0e7ae82f/housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/xscan53.cab

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad items:

AUHook: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\AUHOOK.DLL
WebCheck: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WEBCHECK.DLL

--------------------------------------------------
End of report, 4,481 bytes
Report generated in 0.216 seconds

Command line options:
/verbose - to add additional info on each section
/complete - to include empty sections and unsuspicious data
/full - to include several rarely-important sections
/force9x - to include Win9x-only startups even if running on WinNT
/forcent - to include WinNT-only startups even if running on Win9x
/forceall - to include all Win9x and WinNT startups, regardless of platform
/history - to list version history only

[jessek]

Just bringing this back to the top to see if anyone can check the startup log I ran.

[jessek]

I was asked to post my startup log and then nobody has checked it for me. Could someone take a look please?

[JoJo Gunn]

I don't see anything from the list myself, (though the Conflict.2 in HouseCall puzzles me), but I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer on these things. Still learning.

What I want to ask is how System Restore stopped functioning.

[jessek]

One day I went to do a system restore and every single date and time I tried to restore to, I would get a message saying it had failed.

If I recall correctly, AnneMarie said that this was quite common with Windows ME.

[dammit]

Have you installed THIS (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/Q290/7/00.ASP&NoWebContent=1) patch for system restore? It's worth a shot.

[AnnMarie]

Hi Jessek, HKEd looked at your log a couple of days ago (Hijack This). Hijack This actually shows more information than Startup Log. The only query he had was reboot.exe. Unless a user knows what it is and installed it themselves, I usually recommend that members remove that startup. With all the problems you have had recently, it might be time to backup your important data, reformat and reinstall your OS. More information on the bios setting you have selected here (http://www.pcguide.com/ref/mbsys/bios/set/std_Halt.htm)

[jessek]

I feel like I'm on my last legs with this frustrating computer. The only thing I'd like to save on my computer is my emails, but I can't copy them to disk. I don't have a CD-RW (only can play CD-ROM's) and for some reason Netscape (using my ISP's email service) won't backup the emails to disk anymore. I've even tried copying them individually and in clumps (so they're not too big for the floppy disks) but it won't even let me get to the "select all" stage anymore. I've reinstalled Netscape and tried the other suggestions given by CTH posters to my attempts to rectify that situation, but nothing worked.

I changed my CPU fan yesterday, because it was running badly, and even after replacing it, I still had the shutdown problem at the desktop stage of bootup. I then went in to BIOS and changed a few things, like not having the CD-ROM and floppy start at bootup and looked at everything else and made changes that seemed logical. Didn't think it would do any good, but got myself up and running again. I have been too afraid to shutdown the system again, and left it running last night with just the monitor off. Had no troubles yet today, but don't want to shut down to get to BIOS and reset things in case I can't get going again. I spoke to my ISP (again) about the internet problem and they said that they couldn't even detect my modem when the slowdown problem happened again yesterday. They said it might be my phone line and they will monitor that for 24 hours and then replace the modem if there is nothing else wrong. For once I got a technical service person who seemed to know what they were talking about.

I really wish I had some way of backing up my email before I lose everything completely.

At least I don't have any virii though, lol!

I'll get rid of that reboot.exe as well, because that only requires a restart, as opposed to a complete shutdown.

I've fixed so many other problems with your help, and really appreciate everything that has been fixed with your expert assistance and advice.

[AnnMarie]

Hi Jessek, it would be worth a try copying the folders from Windows Explorer. Close Netscape and navigate to your Netscape Profiles folder and go to your Mail Directory. Try copying the Inbox etc folders to your drive and archiving each folder with Winzip or a similar program. Perhaps they will fit on a floppy now.

[JoJo Gunn]

Aha, seems there's been another thread on this already? Well, you're obviously in good hands with Ann Marie. I agree with her for zipping the e-mails up. You'd be amazed just how tight you can compact them. ME has it's own zip program, you might know. Right click and choose "send to compressed folder".

[jessek]

Couldn't find "send to compressed folder". Where would this be? When I go into my Netscape profile and choose User, and then Mail and then the individual mail files, my only choices under "send to" are the floppy and about 6 others such as desktop, my documents, etc. No compression mentioned at all.

I even deleted my Stuffit program because it was coming up as an option, and I thought if I let it go, the original Windows ME one might appear???? Stuffit wasn't working anyway, and kept coming up with errors when I tried to decompress, so there's no great loss. Are there any other free zip programs that work well?

[JoJo Gunn]

When you click on something and highlight it, then right click and "send to compressed folders" should be in the menu. Or you can click on the Explorer bar. File>Send To....

From my own experience, if you've ever used another kind of zip program and removed it, then you'll have to reinstall the Windows one.

Add/Remove Programs>Windows Setup>System Tools. If compressed folders isn't checked, check it, and restart.

[jessek]

The File>send to fails because the individual mail files are too large for the floppy. It suggests I use a larger capacity floppy. How large can I get? I've only ever seen one size in the stores. Is there a specialty shop that sells ones that hold more than 1.44 MB?

[jessek]

Success! I was able to go into Windows Setup, System Tools and check the Compress folder option. And it works! It compresses them down to about half their original size. The problem I still have though, is being able to read the data. It appears to be all gibberish, both in the compressed and uncompressed version. It opens a window asking me which program I'd like to use to open the file, but there's nothing there that looks like it would help. Any ideas on how to read the data?

[AnnMarie]

Hi Jessek - Did you select the folders, Inbox etc? I dont think it will work unless you do. Unfortunately, I dont have Netscape so I cant even test it on my own PC. Once you have reformated and reinstalled WinME and Netscape, all you should have to do then is to unzip the folders and copy them back into the Mail Directory in your Profile.