Having Major Problems

[Guest]

Hi, very difficult to explain because it appears to be a number of major
issues.
It seems like my machine has just given up the ghost because sometimes it
won't shut down, I have to depress the main shutdown switch at the front of
my cab unit.
There is also a strange beep noise which occurs, either when depressing keys
or on its own without any touch by me.
The start up screen has changed dramatically and now takes an eon to do so,
telling me that it is about to start up.
The system is now very slow and each program takes forever and a day to
load, sometimes loading and forcing the RAM over the limit and thus not
allowing for clipboard entries as I am advised that 'there is not enough
memory to complete this action'.
Various programs crash without warning and I lose all the work that I have
spent hours, days and weeks working on.
It may be a virus that my Norton 2005 has not detected, I really don't know,
or I may have accidently deleted a mojror file or two but I desperately need
someone to view my system details and set up remotely so that they can see
what it may be and help me to cure the problems.
I am at my wits end presently and feel liek chucking the whole PC out of the
window, returning to Apple Mac where I was never let down with these kind of
problems. It seems that my PC
Recent additions include a new DVD RW.

Many thanks in advance to any tech wizard who can really help sort out these
issues
Tailspin1

 

[Claude =?iso-8859-1?Q?LaFreni=E8re?=]

Hi / Bonjour *tailspin1* :

Hi, very difficult to explain because it appears to be a number of major
issues.

The best way to solve those problem is to find somes hints from the logs
and the device manager:
Points # 4 and # 10 ...

It seems like my machine has just given up the ghost because sometimes it
won't shut down, I have to depress the main shutdown switch at the front of
my cab unit.
There is also a strange beep noise which occurs, either when depressing keys
or on its own without any touch by me.
The start up screen has changed dramatically and now takes an eon to do so,
telling me that it is about to start up.
The system is now very slow and each program takes forever and a day to
load, sometimes loading and forcing the RAM over the limit and thus not
allowing for clipboard entries as I am advised that 'there is not enough
memory to complete this action'.
Various programs crash without warning and I lose all the work that I have
spent hours, days and weeks working on.

It's impossible to solve all those problem in one shot.
The best is to eliminates possibilities to the strict minimum...

I would not to be unpleasant with you Sir but you do not fix problems
on a regular basis and now it's a "mess"...
May be nobody gave you the correct informations before.
I hope the following hints help you to keep your PC up and running.(fast)



Try the procedures that way :

I - check for malwares : points # 11 A)
II - check for HD + File system problems : points # 1 # 2 # 3
III - check for Hardware problems such as temp. and dust : point # 11 B)
IV - Check for drivers and services : points # 4 # 5
V - All the other points to finish the check-up procedure...

A well maintened W xp boot in an average of 30 seconds,
operate without the problems you're talking about and
shutdown correctly...
Like this :
http://cjoint.com/?gucVJK1nVM

-------------------------------------------------------------------- W xp Preventive Maintenance------------------------------------------------------
Check those Windows Explorer parameters

a) To used the multi-thread in Windows explorer:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Create this key:

DesktopProcess
Reg_DWord
value 1

b) Change the value of the "Windows priority separation" :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PriorityControl
Create this key

Win32PrioritySeparation
Reg_DWord
Value 26 in HEX

c) Modify those folders options :

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Don't hide hidden folder and files
HideFileExt
Reg_Dword
1

Open folders in separate process
SeparateProcess
Reg_Dword
1

A good maintenance of W xp is required on regular basis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here some hints:

1- Use chkdsk to check the integrity of your hard disk:

Windows explorer | right click on disk icon |
properties | tab "tools" | "check errors" | check both options
ok and restart your computer

or

Start | Run | cmd | chkdsk X: /F /V ,
Where X= disk volume

For the results un applications log:
Souce : Winlogon
ID : 1001

2) Clean the temporary files:

Start | Run | cleanmgr.exe

3) Defrag the volumes of the HD :

Start | Run | Defrag.msc

For multiple volume defrag use this:
http://www.dougknox.com/utility/scripts_desc/defrag_all.htm

4) Check devices and drivers and upgrade them if needed

Start | Run | devmgmt.msc

a)
Devices error codes:
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=310123

b)
To find recent drivers

www.driverfiles.net
or
used Everest to have more informations about your system configuration
and some links to the components manufacturer :
http://www.lavalys.com/


5) Check the services configuration:

The mandatories services must be started and in automatic mode
The others in manual...or disabled....

More info on W xp services:
http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm
If you understand french:
http://climenole.serendipia.net/archives/3-La-Configuration-des-Services-de-Windows-XP.html

6) Check the applications started at boot and keep them
to the minimum.

instead of using msconfig used Starter from CodeStuff...
http://codestuff.mirrorz.com/

Check for applications in your account and All users
(from an admin account...)

7) Control what's running on that PC with this tool:

Process Explorer :
(an enhanced Task Manager!)
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

8) Defrag the protected files ( Registry , hiberfil.sys, Pagefile.sys etc.)

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/pagedefrag.shtml

9) Optimize the prefetching

Run this command :
%windir%\system32\Rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks
usefull only when the computer is idle...
The service Task Scheduler must be running and in automatic mode.
Check this value:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\PrefetchParameters
The keyEnablePrefetcher REG_DWORD must be set to 3.

10) Check the warnings and errors in the application and system logs
and fix the problems :

Start | Run | eventvwr.msc

Some hints : http://www.eventid.net/

11) Safe & Cool ...

A)
Keep your system free of malwares (virus, worms,spywares, etc.)

Some tools and links:

Those tools do not replaced a resident, updated and a correctly set AV,
do not replaced a good collection of Anti-spywares , a well configured
Firewall and safe practices on internet ( The "Safe-Hex"...)

"Mini- antivirus" to be runned in safe mode:

TrendMicro : disable your AV before.

The "sysclean":
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/dcs.asp
+
The virus patterns :
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp

Put them in the same folder and launch the program.

Stinger :
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

Avast cleaner :
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_cleaner.html

MS:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...e0-e72d-4f54-9ab3-75b8eb148356&displaylang=fr

Kaspersky:
ftp://ftp.kaspersky.ru/utils/clrav.com

Anti Root-Kits
F-Secure (beta)
http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/

Online scan:

Anti-trojan:
http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/

Anti-spy:
http://www.spywareguide.com/txt_onlinescan.html
http://store.ca.com/dr/v2/ec_main.e...lient=ComputerAssociates&sid=35715&CID=181432

Anti-virus:
www.trendmicro.com

B)
Keep your PC free of dust and check the temperatures with those tools:

Everest:
http://www.lavalys.com/

Remark:
Very good software but the warnings about the Bios
and the commercial links to that stuff are useless...

Bios upgrades *if needed* must comes from the PC manufacturer
or the Motherboard manufacturer and nobody else.
(Not needed most of the time : don't worry about this..)

SpeedFan
http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

Remark:
Good software but the temperatures of the hard disk are not
reported correctly and most of the time not related to the disk
reliability.
Better info from Everest...

No more idea.

Let us know.




--
Claude LaFrenière [MVP]

«My Principal Design Was To Inform, Not To Amuse Thee.»
Lemuel Gulliver, The Travels (IV:12)
http://climenole.serendipia.net
Soon on www.msmvps.com
Bientôt sur www.msmvps.com

 

[Guest]

Merci-bien monsieur LaFrenière, pardon mon francais est non-plus bien - en
englais s'il vous plais:

I will thank you for your kind advice. Most of the precautionary steps are
always taken on a regular basis: cleaning up temp files and internet files,
deleting un-used programs, de- frag of drives, checking devices and drivers
etc. My PC tells me that my system is healthy and I regularly carry out these
checks but I have very little, if no knowledge at all, of DOS operations and
operating the registry files scares me quite a bit because I was always told
that unless you know what you are doing, you should never play around with
the registry files. I have visited all of the websites you advised and have
ran the associated programs: my system is virus clean and there are no traces
of any rogue programs. I have a very strong feeling that the errors lie in the
Hkey registry files somewhere.

If you can offer a step by step guide as to how to deal with this because I
have tried your advice below:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
Create this key:

DesktopProcess
Reg_DWord
value 1

b) Change the value of the "Windows priority separation" :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PriorityControl
Create this key

Win32PrioritySeparation
Reg_DWord
Value 26 in HEX

c) Modify those folders options :

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

Don't hide hidden folder and files
HideFileExt
Reg_Dword
1

Open folders in separate process
SeparateProcess
Reg_Dword
1

....but do not know which buttons to press or which route to take to get me
there, not knowing DOS at all well.

Once again, I thank you for your help and ask if you can help me with the
reg files in easy idiot proof steps ;o)

many thanks et merci bien

Anton Lang - aka - Tailspin1

 

[Claude =?iso-8859-1?Q?LaFreni=E8re?=]

Hi / Bonjour *tailspin1* :

Merci-bien monsieur LaFrenière, pardon mon francais est non-plus bien - en
englais s'il vous plais:

Well you speak a very good french Sir !

I will thank you for your kind advice. Most of the precautionary steps are
always taken on a regular basis: cleaning up temp files and internet files,
deleting un-used programs, de- frag of drives, checking devices and drivers
etc. My PC tells me that my system is healthy and I regularly carry out these
checks but I have very little, if no knowledge at all, of DOS operations and
operating the registry files scares me quite a bit because I was always told
that unless you know what you are doing, you should never play around with
the registry files. I have visited all of the websites you advised and have
ran the associated programs: my system is virus clean and there are no traces
of any rogue programs. I have a very strong feeling that the errors lie in the
Hkey registry files somewhere.

If you can offer a step by step guide as to how to deal with this because I
have tried your advice below:

Sure ! (Please note that those registry modification may not solve the
problems you're talking in your first post but help W xp to run better...)
Text and pictures !

1- Launch the registry editor.
Start | Run | regedit
http://cjoint.com/?guupfbVVo5

2- Select HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch :
http://cjoint.com/?guuqNtPOmP

3- Navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
http://cjoint.com/?guusZe1jkS

4- Here is the key
(It's already done on my system and this is one of the keys you have to create)
http://cjoint.com/?guuvnnuCT1

5- First step when you modify the registry : save the keys...(*always*)
with the "export" option
Right click on the branch (here "explorer)
and
choose "export"
http://cjoint.com/?guuyydtHdb

6- Save the keys under the name of your choice:
http://cjoint.com/?guuAKb1JtK

7- The procedure in # 5 and 6 create a .reg file
This file can be read with notepad (or any text editor)
and
can be "read" with regedit : this *write* the content
of the.reg file into the registry.
-> this is the way to restore the key to the previous sate.
( works for one or few keys :not the entire registry...
See below # 2 ERUNT )
http://cjoint.com/?guuFmmkMOk

8- Here is what this .reg file looks with notepad:
http://cjoint.com/?guuGXk75Yo

Look nice. Right ? ;-)

9- Now you create the new key.
Right click on the right panel of the registry editor :
http://cjoint.com/?guuJdYp6Jm

You have also to choose the key type.
Here it's DWORD ...

10- Now you modify the value of the key
(when the key exist, this is the only things to do *after the export...*)
http://cjoint.com/?guuMzsdpUx

11- This is the last screen where you enter the new value:
http://cjoint.com/?guuNzRKyQN

It's done ! Exit the registry editor.
Keys are automatically changed and saved...

You can also edit the .reg file with notepad to keep only the keys you need:
(Export save a lot of useless things...)

The first modification we're talking about can be done this way :
Select the keys you needs and save the into a new .reg ...

-------------------------------------------------------------- cut here ------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"DesktopProcess"=dword:00000001

-------------------------------------------------------------- cut here -------------------------------------------

[The Title "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" and the last blank line are important]
You can save this into a .reg file.
This file can be modified with notepad
and "import" to the registry by "reading" with regedit...

Things to know about registry :

1- Avoid all registry "utilities" ( the bugaboo utilities... enhancer, optimizer, cleaner, doctor, Reparing and blah blah blah)

See here :
Some reading about that kind of tool:
in this news group :
From: Claude LaFrenière= <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Registery Cleaner
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2005 23:09:52 -0400

Read also the advice of James A. Eshelman[MVP] about *bugaboo utilities* :
http://aumha.org/a/health.htm

Don't "bugaboose" your Windows XP ! :-D

2- Registry can be saved with ERUNT (read the documentation)
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

3- Registry can be defragmented ( a nice idea ) with Page Defrag
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/PageDefrag.html

4- Install the MS UPHClean service in your system :

User Profile Hive Cleanup Service
A service to help with slow log off and unreconciled profile problems.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en

5- A "smooth" shutdown is the better way to avoid registry corruption

How to troubleshoot registry corruption issues
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;822705&x=4&y=13

Check this :
"The following sections describe three possible causes for the problem and
provide steps to troubleshoot the problem...."

Avoid headache !!!




I believe a *New Registry Champion is born* !

:-D

--
Claude LaFrenière [MVP]

«My Principal Design Was To Inform, Not To Amuse Thee.»
Lemuel Gulliver, The Travels (IV:12)
http://climenole.serendipia.net
Soon on www.msmvps.com
Bientôt sur www.msmvps.com

 

[Guest]

Hi/Bonjour,

Maintenant je suis que votre service mon ami et c'est un honuer pour moi.

And that about sums up my available French for the day. ;o)

I understood your direct path to registry alterations and they have now
since been adopted. Once more, many thanks for your kind assistance.

Whilst I cannot guarantee that it has done the trick in resolving all of my
issues it has given me a greater operational system for now.

I trust that maybe one day (Sadly, I doubt my ability will ever match yours
in all matters computing) I shall be in a position to return a similar
favour. ;o)

for now, I thank you and wish you a 'bon soir mon ami du technique'.

a bien tot - Anton Lang

Hi / Bonjour *tailspin1* :

Merci-bien monsieur LaFrenière, pardon mon francais est non-plus bien - en
englais s'il vous plais:

Well you speak a very good french Sir !

I will thank you for your kind advice. Most of the precautionary steps are
always taken on a regular basis: cleaning up temp files and internet files,
deleting un-used programs, de- frag of drives, checking devices and drivers
etc. My PC tells me that my system is healthy and I regularly carry out these
checks but I have very little, if no knowledge at all, of DOS operations and
operating the registry files scares me quite a bit because I was always told
that unless you know what you are doing, you should never play around with
the registry files. I have visited all of the websites you advised and have
ran the associated programs: my system is virus clean and there are no traces
of any rogue programs. I have a very strong feeling that the errors lie in the
Hkey registry files somewhere.

If you can offer a step by step guide as to how to deal with this because I
have tried your advice below:

Sure ! (Please note that those registry modification may not solve the
problems you're talking in your first post but help W xp to run better...)
Text and pictures !

1- Launch the registry editor.
Start | Run | regedit
http://cjoint.com/?guupfbVVo5

2- Select HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch :
http://cjoint.com/?guuqNtPOmP

3- Navigate to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
http://cjoint.com/?guusZe1jkS

4- Here is the key
(It's already done on my system and this is one of the keys you have to create)
http://cjoint.com/?guuvnnuCT1

5- First step when you modify the registry : save the keys...(*always*)
with the "export" option
Right click on the branch (here "explorer)
and
choose "export"
http://cjoint.com/?guuyydtHdb

6- Save the keys under the name of your choice:
http://cjoint.com/?guuAKb1JtK

7- The procedure in # 5 and 6 create a .reg file
This file can be read with notepad (or any text editor)
and
can be "read" with regedit : this *write* the content
of the.reg file into the registry.
-> this is the way to restore the key to the previous sate.
( works for one or few keys :not the entire registry...
See below # 2 ERUNT )
http://cjoint.com/?guuFmmkMOk

8- Here is what this .reg file looks with notepad:
http://cjoint.com/?guuGXk75Yo

Look nice. Right ? ;-)

9- Now you create the new key.
Right click on the right panel of the registry editor :
http://cjoint.com/?guuJdYp6Jm

You have also to choose the key type.
Here it's DWORD ...

10- Now you modify the value of the key
(when the key exist, this is the only things to do *after the export...*)
http://cjoint.com/?guuMzsdpUx

11- This is the last screen where you enter the new value:
http://cjoint.com/?guuNzRKyQN

It's done ! Exit the registry editor.
Keys are automatically changed and saved...

You can also edit the .reg file with notepad to keep only the keys you need:
(Export save a lot of useless things...)

The first modification we're talking about can be done this way :
Select the keys you needs and save the into a new .reg ...

-------------------------------------------------------------- cut here ------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer]
"DesktopProcess"=dword:00000001

-------------------------------------------------------------- cut here -------------------------------------------

[The Title "Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00" and the last blank line are important]
You can save this into a .reg file.
This file can be modified with notepad
and "import" to the registry by "reading" with regedit...

Things to know about registry :

1- Avoid all registry "utilities" ( the bugaboo utilities... enhancer, optimizer, cleaner, doctor, Reparing and blah blah blah)

See here :
Some reading about that kind of tool:
in this news group :
From: Claude LaFrenière= <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Registery Cleaner
Newsgroups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.perform_maintain
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: Tue, 7 Jun 2005 23:09:52 -0400

Read also the advice of James A. Eshelman[MVP] about *bugaboo utilities* :
http://aumha.org/a/health.htm

Don't "bugaboose" your Windows XP ! :-D

2- Registry can be saved with ERUNT (read the documentation)
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

3- Registry can be defragmented ( a nice idea ) with Page Defrag
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/PageDefrag.html

4- Install the MS UPHClean service in your system :

User Profile Hive Cleanup Service
A service to help with slow log off and unreconciled profile problems.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en

5- A "smooth" shutdown is the better way to avoid registry corruption

How to troubleshoot registry corruption issues
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;822705&x=4&y=13

Check this :
"The following sections describe three possible causes for the problem and
provide steps to troubleshoot the problem...."

Avoid headache !!!




I believe a *New Registry Champion is born* !

:-D

--
Claude LaFrenière [MVP]

«My Principal Design Was To Inform, Not To Amuse Thee.»
Lemuel Gulliver, The Travels (IV:12)
http://climenole.serendipia.net
Soon on www.msmvps.com
Bientôt sur www.msmvps.com

 

[cquirke (MVP Windows shell/user)]

On Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:05:35 -0400, Claude LaFrenière

These things are running from within the ?infected system. They can
catch things, fail to catch things, be disabled so they can't catch
things, or (rare but scary) provoke a punitive response. They
certainly cannot be relied upon to prove the system is clean.

But I see you have what looks like good, surgically on-target help


<surgically on-target help snipped>

Hm, lots of off-message links there, that folks may not click to read.
That means less peer-review, so approach with caution.

Things to know about registry :

1- Avoid all registry "utilities" ( the bugaboo utilities... enhancer, optimizer, cleaner, doctor, Reparing and blah blah blah)
2- Registry can be saved with ERUNT (read the documentation)
5- A "smooth" shutdown is the better way to avoid registry corruption
Amen!



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

Forget http://cquirke.blogspot.com and check out a
better one at http://topicdrift.blogspot.com instead!