If it isn't one thing, its another....

[Crown Royal]

New problem, same old story. So, after getting my rights to use Windows Pro again (see here), I have run into a new problem. When I log in, my Start up bar doesn't load...I can't go to start menu, use my task bar, etc. It is just an ugly blue, and when I push the cursor over it, I get the hour glass.

I have restarted, rebooted, etc. I am going to do some techie site searches, see if I can't find the problem, but just thought you all might be able to do me some service.

Any help is appreciated (again).

CR

 

[Yeagermeister]

New problem, same old story. So, after getting my rights to use Windows Pro again (see here), I have run into a new problem. When I log in, my Start up bar doesn't load...I can't go to start menu, use my task bar, etc. It is just an ugly blue, and when I push the cursor over it, I get the hour glass.

I have restarted, rebooted, etc. I am going to do some techie site searches, see if I can't find the problem, but just thought you all might be able to do me some service.

Any help is appreciated (again).

CR

Do a ctrl-alt-del and click on the new task button. Then type in explorer and hit enter. Does it reload the desktop correctly?

 

[Crown Royal]

Do a ctrl-alt-del and click on the new task button. Then type in explorer and hit enter. Does it reload the desktop correctly?

I did so, just opened a window fo explorer. I am afraid that I was not very clear - windows is working fine, the taskbar is being screwy though. It is frozen, nothing happening....when I look at the task manager, it shows that explorer.exe is using about 50% of my CPU. However, when I do what you said, it opens up fine in a new window.....

Can't wait to learn Linux.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I did so, just opened a window fo explorer. I am afraid that I was not very clear - windows is working fine, the taskbar is being screwy though. It is frozen, nothing happening....when I look at the task manager, it shows that explorer.exe is using about 50% of my CPU. However, when I do what you said, it opens up fine in a new window.....

Can't wait to learn Linux.

Sounds like a corrupted windows install. If you move to Linux I hope you don't plan on doing much on your computer

 

[Crown Royal]

Sounds like a corrupted windows install. If you move to Linux I hope you don't plan on doing much on your computer

I had just upgraded to pro about a month ago, and was locked out yesterday. I have since gotten back in (see other thread), but now this problem is here. I am running an antivirus now, but a reinstall sounds smart.

Can I reinstall without losing all my data, or will it involve a good ole reformat?

BTW...why do you say that about Linux? Especially if i run a dual boot option? Can't I get a good Wine to run Win programs?

 

[Yeagermeister]

I had just upgraded to pro about a month ago, and was locked out yesterday. I have since gotten back in (see other thread), but now this problem is here. I am running an antivirus now, but a reinstall sounds smart.

Can I reinstall without losing all my data, or will it involve a good ole reformat?

BTW...why do you say that about Linux? Especially if i run a dual boot option? Can't I get a good Wine to run Win programs?

I personally never do an upgrade from one OS to another. It rarely works properly. As for Linux there is nothing wrong with it. I just have no use for it. I play a lot of games and they won't run in Linux. I'm in the process of installing Linux on a spare pc but it will be mainly just to see if I can find any use for Linux.

Do you have a spare hard drive you can save your data to? I would try to backup your files and format your hard drive and install xp pro on a clean drive.

 

[Crown Royal]

I personally never do an upgrade from one OS to another. It rarely works properly. As for Linux there is nothing wrong with it. I just have no use for it. I play a lot of games and they won't run in Linux. I'm in the process of installing Linux on a spare pc but it will be mainly just to see if I can find any use for Linux.

It was working very, very well, up until the whole VLA mishap. As soon as I took care of that, it started going on the fritz. I pray to God that this is a viral issue. ug.

 

[Yeagermeister]

It was working very, very well, up until the whole VLA mishap. As soon as I took care of that, it started going on the fritz. I pray to God that this is a viral issue. ug.

I have never ran across that before and I have been working on pc's for over 10 years

 

[Crown Royal]

I have never ran across that before and I have been working on pc's for over 10 years

Just refined a google search, found a geek site that seems to be having the same problem. It seems I might have run across a nasty trojan, or something.

The suggested fix is to create a new user in safe mode, log back in, and delete....this might restore the explorer.exe that is stuck.

I will try this later, hopefully it works.

Right now I am going to Starbucks to read about Linux some more.

Thanks!

 

[Yeagermeister]

Just refined a google search, found a geek site that seems to be having the same problem. It seems I might have run across a nasty trojan, or something.

The suggested fix is to create a new user in safe mode, log back in, and delete....this might restore the explorer.exe that is stuck.

I will try this later, hopefully it works.

Right now I am going to Starbucks to read about Linux some more.

Thanks!

Good luck

 

[Crown Royal]

Alright -

Have run the Norton Anti Virus, only a few adwares. I am about to run a spy cleaner, but at this point I am vexed.

I created a new user, logged off, logged in in safe mode to the new user, did a thing or two, rebooted, and logged on the new user ID.

There was no problem with the taskbar whatsoever.

I then logged out and back into my normal user (admin, only one on this comp). Same old problem. I assume now that there is a setting somewhere. Only on this user is there an issue with my taskbar. The clock doesn't work, the CPU is spending 50% of its power on explorer.exe. I am at wits end.

SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!

 

[Crown Royal]

Hmmm....MS Antispyware may actually have fixed my issues.

Shocking how nice that program was.....of course....it is only in Beta. No doubt it will be another useless piece of garbage by the time the full version is released.

 

[jterrell]

Seems as everything is fixed and I was late here to help so I'll just offer some very good links as info.

For easiest/safest dual booting or multi-booting. Not the way I do it but then again I dont mind hosing the Win stuff so I just move it down and let LiLo run as boot loader instead of the 1995 NT loader that xp still uses.
http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/Multiboot/multiboot1.htm

Excellent Window's tips site
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/desktop.htm

The very best spyware advice there is other than just dumping windows.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=33&threadid=1346173&enterthread=y

Linux starter tutorial
http://www.linux.org/lessons/beginner/index.html

Also as an aside you can of course run any game or any windows program in linux.
There are so many windows emulators out now that it is just choosing which one you prefer. VMWare is actually very nice. Xandros works quite well. For just gaming Wine/Cedega works quite well. However if you are gaming alot then you probably have that as your hobby and just want easy and quick not customized and effective. I know because I run my games in windows too which is why I keep the dual boot.

The problems you had today are why I would steer people away from windows. If you have an issue like that in Linux you can go into a cmd line session and read your logs. Then you just copy and paste the error into google and 95% of the time you'll find the solution that you type in on a cmd line. You not only fix the problem you learn why it happened, how to fix it if it happens again and some basic cmd line info.

Windows allows processes to run with full rights even on non admin accounts which is why the spyware is so prevalent. It can give itself rights to alter your registry. That is the real problen with the OS that needs addressing. That and the fact it has memory leaks that force at least monthly reboots.

There will be a learning curve with Linux but that can be quite fun actually. Especially if you have a dual boot system so you dont get frustrated when something doesn't work.

 

[Crown Royal]

Seems as everything is fixed and I was late here to help so I'll just offer some very good links as info.

For easiest/safest dual booting or multi-booting. Not the way I do it but then again I dont mind hosing the Win stuff so I just move it down and let LiLo run as boot loader instead of the 1995 NT loader that xp still uses.
http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/Multiboot/multiboot1.htm

Excellent Window's tips site
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/desktop.htm

The very best spyware advice there is other than just dumping windows.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=33&threadid=1346173&enterthread=y

Linux starter tutorial
http://www.linux.org/lessons/beginner/index.html

Also as an aside you can of course run any game or any windows program in linux.
There are so many windows emulators out now that it is just choosing which one you prefer. VMWare is actually very nice. Xandros works quite well. For just gaming Wine/Cedega works quite well. However if you are gaming alot then you probably have that as your hobby and just want easy and quick not customized and effective. I know because I run my games in windows too which is why I keep the dual boot.

The problems you had today are why I would steer people away from windows. If you have an issue like that in Linux you can go into a cmd line session and read your logs. Then you just copy and paste the error into google and 95% of the time you'll find the solution that you type in on a cmd line. You not only fix the problem you learn why it happened, how to fix it if it happens again and some basic cmd line info.

Windows allows processes to run with full rights even on non admin accounts which is why the spyware is so prevalent. It can give itself rights to alter your registry. That is the real problen with the OS that needs addressing. That and the fact it has memory leaks that force at least monthly reboots.

There will be a learning curve with Linux but that can be quite fun actually. Especially if you have a dual boot system so you dont get frustrated when something doesn't work.

Great helpful post. Actually, I don't game too much. Just a little COH here, some Sims there, maybe a bit of FFXI on a very rare occasion (usually I only play games when I have time....you know, in class).

I usually use my comps for websurfing, productivity (notetaking in class, papers, etc.) and music library storage. Other than that, I learn what I can when I can for the sheer joy of working with a computer. Nothing is more fun than mastering a computer concept. I will never have the savvy to be a programmer, hacker, etc. But I want to be able to navigate with confidence.

For instance - some people can tell you everything about a car, build anything you need, replace parts, etc. Others can do all the essentials: change the oil, tires, perform maintenance, do minor repairs. Others don't know what an oil filter is. I want to be the middle of the road kinda guy. I don't care if I can't build a computer from scratch (though I did it once in high school with a buddy...), but I love to be able to do the basics, a few moderate stuff, and troubleshoot other things.

I am a little closer to choosing a Linux. I will probably start off with a dual boot, SuSE proggie (I have read some bad reviews on Red Hat and Fedora). If I like it, I will take it further and begin to learn some language and command prompt info. Maybe my next computer will only have a Linux/Unix kernel.....who knows?!?

 

[trickblue]

New problem, same old story. So, after getting my rights to use Windows Pro again (see here), I have run into a new problem. When I log in, my Start up bar doesn't load...I can't go to start menu, use my task bar, etc. It is just an ugly blue, and when I push the cursor over it, I get the hour glass.

I have restarted, rebooted, etc. I am going to do some techie site searches, see if I can't find the problem, but just thought you all might be able to do me some service.

Any help is appreciated (again).

CR

 

[Crown Royal]

:bang2::clap2::clap2::clap2::bravo::laugh2:

No argument here, but I just invested 1300 in a Dell laptop. I wanted the Powerbook, but I got one heckuva deal.

My desktop is HP, and other than Windows works fine.

Hilarious post, though

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Hmmm....MS Antispyware may actually have fixed my issues.

Shocking how nice that program was.....of course....it is only in Beta. No doubt it will be another useless piece of garbage by the time the full version is released.

When in doubt....find a program called hijack this, download it, install it, run it

Then go Here

http://www.windowsbbs.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Read the WELCOME thread....follow those instructions.

Basically what you will be doing is running the hijack this software, it will create a log file of all the programs running on your computer....then some of those guys can detect what is wrong and tell you how to remove the problem.

A few months ago I got something wicked on my computer, I ran the virus programs, multiple spyware programs and so on...finally I had to do this and i got it fixed with their help.

 

[Crown Royal]

When in doubt....find a program called hijack this, download it, install it, run it

Then go Here

http://www.windowsbbs.com/forumdisplay.php?f=41

Read the WELCOME thread....follow those instructions.

Basically what you will be doing is running the hijack this software, it will create a log file of all the programs running on your computer....then some of those guys can detect what is wrong and tell you how to remove the problem.

A few months ago I got something wicked on my computer, I ran the virus programs, multiple spyware programs and so on...finally I had to do this and i got it fixed with their help.

I have hijackthis. I have posted logs several times. It is a terrific program, as is reglite.

My registry was clean...

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I have hijackthis. I have posted logs several times. It is a terrific program, as is reglite.

My registry was clean...

I use regclean on occasion...nice little program.