A window will not close

[Warren]

When I click (X) Close on a window (any window), it will stop running but
will not close. It stays on the screen.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

When I click (X) Close on a window (any window), it will stop
running but will not close. It stays on the screen.

The more information you provide the better response you will get.

Operating system and service pack level is a nice start - if you wish to be
very accurate - there are two things you should provide:

Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
winver
--> Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name and flavor) while the line starting with the word
"version" will give you the rest of the story.

Post _both_ in response to this message verbatim. ;-)

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.
You will need to visit at least one web site if you have a third-tier
computer (like a Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Packard Bell, Gateway, etc)
and have your model number and/or serial number ready to locate
the proper drivers for you specific model. Otherwise you may have
to visit several web sites in order to get the latest motherboard
chipset drivers, the latest video device drivers, the latest audio
device drivers and the latest network (wired and wireless) drivers.

Fix your file/registry permissions...

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(** Ignore the last step - you may already have SP3, you did not say.)

Reboot and ...

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/...6F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions here:

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Come back - let everyone know if things are better...

 

[Daave]

When I click (X) Close on a window (any window), it will stop running
but will not close. It stays on the screen.

Please give an example of a window that stops running and what you mean
by that.

 

[Warren]

WOW...looks like I've got a lot of work to do. Thanks for your response and
I will be back in a couple (?) of days when I get all this done.

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

CTRL+W

 

[Warren]

Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1 (Build 2600.XPSP_Sp3_gdr.090206-1234:Service Pack 3)
Intel(R)
Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
2.40 GHz, 2.00 GB of RAM

I did most of the things you suggested and my machine is working better than
it has in a while. I was not sure where to find all of the driver updates so
I purchased "DriveCure" which didn't work to well....it tried to install
versions that were older than what I already had or that were not for use
with my PC. I did not do the "Fix file/registry permissions" because I
didn't know what to keep and what to delete. Can you recommend a program to
purchase that will do that for me? I ran the Windows Installer Clean Up but,
again, I was not sure what to keep and what to delete, so I cancelled it. I
did install and run "SuperAntiSpyware" and "MalwareBytes" and they did find
several problems. I purchased "Windows Live OneCare" several months ago and
thought it took care of everything but I guess it is only antivirus. Is
there a single program out there that does do everything like antivirus,
antispyware, malware, optimize, clean, etc.?
Thanks for your help and if you have any more suggestions for a non-expert
to keep my PC secure, clean and performing properly I will gladly try them.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1 (Build 2600.XPSP_Sp3_gdr.090206-1234:Service Pack 3)
Intel(R)
Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
2.40 GHz, 2.00 GB of RAM

I did most of the things you suggested and my machine is working
better than it has in a while. I was not sure where to find all of
the driver updates so I purchased "DriveCure" which didn't work to
well....it tried to install versions that were older than what I
already had or that were not for use with my PC. I did not do the
"Fix file/registry permissions" because I didn't know what to keep
and what to delete. Can you recommend a program to purchase that
will do that for me? I ran the Windows Installer Clean Up but,
again, I was not sure what to keep and what to delete, so I
cancelled it. I did install and run "SuperAntiSpyware" and
"MalwareBytes" and they did find several problems. I purchased
"Windows Live OneCare" several months ago and thought it took care
of everything but I guess it is only antivirus. Is there a single
program out there that does do everything like antivirus,
antispyware, malware, optimize, clean, etc.?
Thanks for your help and if you have any more suggestions for a
non-expert to keep my PC secure, clean and performing properly I
will gladly try them.

DriverCure you mean? You figure out what drivers you need by knowing what
you own. If it happens to be a third-tier vendor computer (IBM/Lenovo,
Dell, HP, Packard Bell, Gateway, etc) - that is very easy - you just visit
the web page for said vendor, go to their support/drivers section, usually
enter the model of the system or the serial number/service tag and it will
allow you to download the proper drivers for your machine. If you purchased
a system/put it together yourself - you should have chosen the compoentns
that go into it and/or have a receipt that tells you - so you can visit the
web page for each of the components. Or - considering everything is up and
running - use "Belarc Advisor" to tell you more information on your machine.

The fix for file/registry permissions asks you nothing - there is no choices
to make. It changes the permissions to the proper ones on everything on
your computer. You don't pick/choose anything.

Why did you run the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility? You should only do
this isf you have a program giving you trouble and you are trying to get rid
of it/replace it and add or remove programs is not working.

There is no all-in-one product out there worth it.

Personally, I would use something like Avira AntiVirus or better yet - eSet
NOD32. Just AntiVirus applications that may have a little spill-over into
the AntiMalware arena. Yes - they are similar and perhaps they should be
lumped into one category - but so far the differences seem to be enough to
keep the great AV software makers from doing a fantastic/complete job in the
AM arena. MalwareBytes sells a stay-resident scanner - maybe you could
purchase that if you feel you need to. In my opinion, you shouldn't need
it.

Generally - if you occassionally run an AntiMalware scanner (like
MalwareBytes) and have an active updated AntiVirus scanner (like eSet NOD32)
and keep your system patched (security and critical updates for the OS *and*
your applications) and don't run every day as a user with administrative
rights - your computer shold remain trouble free.

 

[Warren]

Yes, I did mean DriverCure
I have now run the The fix for file/registry permissions.
I ran the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility because you said to. You said
do the following (copied and pasted from your first response) :

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Thanks for your help.
Warren

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Yes, I did mean DriverCure
I have now run the The fix for file/registry permissions.
I ran the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility because you said to.
You said do the following (copied and pasted from your first
response) :

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be
exact.)

Ah - but I never said to run the Windows Installer Cleanup utility itself -
just to install it and then use - via the given instructions - the command
line additional utility (MSIZAP) that was installed - which also asks you no
questions, so there is nothing to decide. ;-)

The Windows Installer Cleanup utility - although also installed - is not
used in my cleanup instructions.