RE: Computer Blues

[Christie]

This is a continuance of my post from yesterday...Geordie, I tried to do a system restore. It took me over an hour to get into systems tools and I tried to open up system restore but it never responded. I also lost use of my mouse so I had to use Ctrl, Alt, Enter, and cursor keys. I shutdown my computer and ran Norton Antivirus Definitions <http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/download.html>, restarted my computer and still have the same problems (slow response, no icons and no taskbar loading). Should I try a start up disk, even though the computer boots up itself??

[Geordie No 1]

It`s a possibility that System Restore has been disabled on your machine. Check by: Right click My Computer>Properties>Performance>File System>Troubleshooting...box at the very bottom.

System Restore can also be run from Start>Run>type msconfig>enter( or OK)>Launch System Restore.

A start up disk is not needed once windows has booted.

Just a thought, does your Control Panel open up and display everything it should?

You mention mouse. With W98, my mouse was perfect, but now with ME, if I enable cursor trails, all hell breaks loose.

Just a point, maybe you should have continued within the same post as yesterday. I nearly missed this one.

[Christie]

All icons eventually (I'm talking 30 minutes or more) are displayed on the desktop, under program files, accessories, etc., etc. The problem is how slow my computer is now and the fact that I can't get any programs to run or use the Start menu. Very frustrating!!!

[Geordie No 1]

Have you tried any of the suggestions? I`m not saying that they`ll definentely work, but it`s where I`d start.

After booting, hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete and see what programs are running, and more importantly not responding. Take a note of what`s in the box and post them here.

[Christie]

I have done that, and what is not responding is scan disk and one other (I will get back to you on that one). I end that task and then things start to happen very, very slowly as I mentioned. Should I try re-installing ME?

[Christie]

Yet another question...if I reload Win ME, will I have to go back and reload all the 'extras' I've loaded, for example Excel, that do not come with Win ME??

[Geordie No 1]

Scandisk is run after a bad shutdown of Windows automatically on re-boot, therefore I think this is where your problem is coming from. I`m not sure why it is not responding, but maybe we can try a couple of things.

I hope you have a Windows ME start-up disk.
Put it in your floppy drive and re-boot.
To check all your hard disks for errors:
At the command prompt, type:

scandisk /all

Press ENTER.

When this is done, start up windows as normal.

When(if!) windows is up and running, try to manually run Scandisk: Start>Run>type scandisk then enter. This is only to check that the Application is working. If it is not, come back and I`ll tell you how you can re-install the Application.

It may then be a good idea to run a "thorough" Scandisk, and a defrag wouldn`t go amiss.

[Christie]

I will try that...other things that are not responding (when I hit Ctrl-Alt-Del) are:

Scandskw
Autochk
Msgsrv32
Pchschd

Does this give you any ideas??

And thank you again for all of your help!

[Geordie No 1]

Christie, you`ll be hard pushed to get anything to correctly operate if there are errors on your drive. I can`t stress enough that you going to have to run Scandisk before you do anything, and do it quickly!

You asked me on last thread if your supplied information gave me any ideas. I`ve already supplied you with a couple of ideas, but you appear to have not gone through with any of them. Sorting the obvious problems out first is sometimes the answer your looking for, sometimes not, but always worth doing.

And no thanks required for any help, I wouldn`t post if I didn`t want to http://www.cybertechhelp.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Christie]

Geordie 1 said..."You asked me on last thread if your supplied information gave me any ideas. I`ve already supplied you with a couple of ideas, but you appear to have not gone through with any of them..."

I would have, but like I mentioned, I cannot get ANYTHING to run. Now my icons are not even appearing, so all that shows is my desktop wallpaper and my mouse pointer once my computer is booted up. My mouse does not respond to the traditional right/left clicks. The only thing I can do is Ctrl-Alt-Del to see what is not responding (which I listed in my previous post). I have a Win ME start up disk so I will try that when I get home (BTW, I am at work during the day, the only time I can access the internet and post now since my computer went crazy, so that is why it is taking me so long to post replies). You will probably not here from me til after this weekend, unless I get my home computer up and running! Wish me luck, and thanks for all your advice.

[Geordie No 1]

Good luck...and stop saying thanks! http://www.cybertechhelp.com/ubb/smile.gif