Help Please! I My computer is screwed!

J

julian8888888

Windows XP
AMD 64 3200+
2 GB OCZ RAM
MSI Neo Platinum K8N Mother Board
2 Samsung Spin Point 2004C 200GB in NRAID 0
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Har...es/HardDiskDrive_SpinPointPSeries_SP2004C.asp



My computer was fine until today. This is what I did:

First I ran EasyCleaner registry cleaner. I then ran spybot, found
some things that had to be removed and did that. I also ran Diskeeper
Defragmenter right after I did that. Then when I went to open Winamp
my computer started lagging. I closed all applications and tried
opening My Computer, same thing, really bad wait time.

So I did a SYSTEM RESTORE to Oct 31, no improvement. I then tried
uninstalling DISKEEPER and running the default disk defragmenter that
comes with XP, no improvement.

I then shut down, connected my WD RAPTOR that I use for storage because
it's so noisy, and then tried to access it in SAFE MODE. It was slow
too and I don't know if it's because of a problem with corrupted files
or the Samsung Raid Drives that the OS is installed on. I think maybe
one of the SAMSUNGS began to fail after the defrag session, but I'm
just guessing.

Can someone help me out please? I can't figure this out.
 
B

bud

Windows XP
AMD 64 3200+
2 GB OCZ RAM
MSI Neo Platinum K8N Mother Board
2 Samsung Spin Point 2004C 200GB in NRAID 0
http://www.samsung.com/Products/Har...es/HardDiskDrive_SpinPointPSeries_SP2004C.asp



My computer was fine until today. This is what I did:

First I ran EasyCleaner registry cleaner. I then ran spybot, found
some things that had to be removed and did that. I also ran Diskeeper
Defragmenter right after I did that. Then when I went to open Winamp
my computer started lagging. I closed all applications and tried
opening My Computer, same thing, really bad wait time.

So I did a SYSTEM RESTORE to Oct 31, no improvement. I then tried
uninstalling DISKEEPER and running the default disk defragmenter that
comes with XP, no improvement.

I then shut down, connected my WD RAPTOR that I use for storage because
it's so noisy, and then tried to access it in SAFE MODE. It was slow
too and I don't know if it's because of a problem with corrupted files
or the Samsung Raid Drives that the OS is installed on. I think maybe
one of the SAMSUNGS began to fail after the defrag session, but I'm
just guessing.

Can someone help me out please? I can't figure this out.
Click to expand...

registry cleaners and spyware cleaners usually keep a backup of what they
clean. I would tell them to reinstall the backups just to see if it helps.
 
J

julian8888888

Thanks guys, I will try those ideas out when I'm in a patient mood.
lol

I'll just take a break from it for now. I thought System Restore
restored a previous registry? From now on I will always save my
registry even though it's a nuissance...

Cheers,
Julian
 
J

julian8888888

Well, I tried registry restores and that didn't work. I did fixboot
and fixmbr in repair mode and that didn't work either. So I decided I
had to reinstall the OS. This worked, so my hard drives are fine, just
a corrupt OS.

Luckily when I first installed the OS I had created a 10GB partition
just for the OS. So I just lost some bookmarks, need to reinstall some
programs, stuff like that. All my data is intact thankfully. Thanks
for your suggestions.

Cheers,
Julian
 
J

julian8888888

Well, the damn problem came back again so I'm guessing it's a virus.
Doing some scans now to see what happens.
 
J

julian8888888

I did the virus scan with AVG and I found no viruses. Now I'm running
Chkdsk on both partitions of the Raid 0.

The problem: I go to open my computer and it stalls using up all my
processor. However, upon a fresh install everything runs fast. I
don't get it. Any ideas on what is causing this?
 
D

Daave

I did the virus scan with AVG and I found no viruses. Now I'm running
Chides on both partitions of the Raid 0.

The problem: I go to open my computer and it stalls using up all my
processor. However, upon a fresh install everything runs fast. I
don't get it. Any ideas on what is causing this?
Click to expand...

Did you check your drive? See this page for the Samsung Spin Point hard
drive diagnostic utility Hotel 202.exe:

http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/utilities/hutil.htm

Also check that your RAM is seated properly. A memory test would be a
good idea, too:

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

or

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/memtest.html

If you feel your problem is software-related, you need to determine what
you are doing between the fresh install (format the drive and clean
install, right?) and the time you are experiencing the sluggishness. For
pointers,

http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm

Common culprits are viruses/worms/Trojans, your PC becoming a boot and
spewing out loads of spam (you are running a properly configured
firewall, no?), aware/spy (Ad and Spigot Search & Destroy are good for
these), and too many apps/processes running in the background. Use
scoffing for this. Or Startup Control Panel:

http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

Finally, there's always the option of installing and running Hijack This
and posting the log in the appropriate forum:

http://tomcoyote.com/hjt/

I noticed that you ran Easy. It's probably better not to run this
program at all.

Regarding System Restore, here's a good resource:

<http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/helpandsupport/getstarted/ball
ew_03may19.mspx>

Note the suggestion on Compatibility Mode. This might shed some light
when you run Win (which I believe you said was making your PC lag).

Let us know how you're making out!
 
J

julian8888888

Thanks very much Daave, I'll try that out now.

I did chkdsk on both partitions and found 0 bad sectors on both and no
errors. I always ran defrag on them often so that could be why. I
always shutdown through the start menu as well... so I've been careful.
Upon newly installing the OS I installed AVG, ZoneAlarm, SP1 + 61
updates (not finding or installing SP2 automatically for some reason),
Ad Aware, Spybot. I ran all these and Spybot and Ad Aware found the
usual 2 that always seem to find their way on or are installed with Win
XP. lol

I did notice however that the problem came back after I tried
installing chipset drivers for the motherboard. The motherboard is an
MSI Neo Platinum K8N. Nvidia 3 chipset.

Symptoms include randomly lagging mouse, freeze upon opening my
computer, no lag opening browsers. I'm paranoid about opening my
computer now because it's such a pain to close down once it lags. This
might be a clue to the problem. The mouse lag problem appeared about 5
months ago. It was never too severe and I couldn't fix it so I just
lived with it. Could these problems be related? Upon a fresh install
the mouse lag disappeared. Now it's back with the other problem. I
also notice a bit of a slowdown with the video card drivers installed.
I'm wondering if this is related to the mouse and my computer, etc.

Again my system is:

Windows XP
AMD 64 3200+
2 GB OCZ Gold RAM
MSI Neo Platinum K8N
2 Sp2004C 200GB SATA Samsung Drives in RAID 0

ATI Radeon 9800 XT 6.8 Catalyst Drivers (no microsoft framenet install,
which was required for the last few updates, seems normal without now,
will try to install if i can and see the difference)
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz Soundcard
 
J

julian8888888

RAM is seated properly. I ran the tests and no errors. I swapped it
out for some other RAM and the problem is still there so I know now
it's not the RAM.

I think it's definitely a software problem or perhaps the hard drives.
But if it was the hard drives, I would gain no benefit from a fresh
install of the OS would I? The strange thing is, the computer runs
great for a while after a fresh install of the OS and then this problem
appears randomly and inconsistently.

If it was the hard drives this problem would be constant wouldn't it?

I ran Trend Micro online and found no viruses. That's two scanners
showing no viruses. So it's not a virus, it's not RAM, not spyware,
not corrupt registry (fresh OS install), no errors running chkdsk. I'm
going to do a fresh install yet again and this time won't install the
video card drivers or the chipset drivers and see what happens.

I'm going to try and do the hard drive test if I can after the fresh OS
install, because right now it's impossible to access anything.

Still stumped.

Cheers,
Julian
 
J

julian8888888

When I open up the task manager when this problem occurs, I find that
the CPU usage jumps, it doesn't just stay at 100% usage. It will go
between 0 and 100% amking a zig zag pattern in the graph. Commit
Charge of memory is at 166M. Processes 29.

My computer when left to load shows a black screen. A black screen of
death. lol

Just after I typed that, the black screen went away and now I see the
normal list. I think it's just the process slowed down to a crawl.

Ok so here goes one last disk check and then a reinstall of the OS.
 
J

julian8888888

Ok, it finished the chkdsk on the main partition (storage). The
problem remains. Two instances of mouse in device manager. Deleted
the extra one, problem remains. My mouse is a Logitech MX500 Corded
mouse. I installed the latest ATI catalyst 6.10 drivers, problem
remains.

I'm back to my third or fourth OS reinstall now and will update the
BIOS to the latest version now.
 
D

Daave

Upon newly installing the OS I installed AVG, ZoneAlarm, SP1 + 61
updates (not finding or installing SP2 automatically for some reason),
Click to expand...

Whoa, there's a red flag!

You should be able to install SP2. What happens when you try?
I did notice however that the problem came back after I tried
installing chipset drivers for the motherboard. The motherboard is an
MSI Neo Platinum K8N. Nvidia 3 chipset.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, I wonder what would happen if you held off on this step.
Symptoms include randomly lagging mouse, freeze upon opening my
computer, no lag opening browsers. I'm paranoid about opening my
computer now because it's such a pain to close down once it lags.
This might be a clue to the problem. The mouse lag problem appeared
about 5 months ago. It was never too severe and I couldn't fix it so
I just lived with it. Could these problems be related? Upon a fresh
install the mouse lag disappeared. Now it's back with the other
problem.
Click to expand...

Do these problems occur always after installing the chipset drivers?
I also notice a bit of a slowdown with the video card drivers installed.
I'm wondering if this is related to the mouse and my computer, etc.
Click to expand...

Could be.

We'll figure this out!
 
D

Daave

RAM is seated properly. I ran the tests and no errors. I swapped it
out for some other RAM and the problem is still there so I know now
it's not the RAM.

I think it's definitely a software problem or perhaps the hard drives.
But if it was the hard drives, I would gain no benefit from a fresh
install of the OS would I? The strange thing is, the computer runs
great for a while after a fresh install of the OS and then this
problem appears randomly and inconsistently.

If it was the hard drives this problem would be constant wouldn't it?
Click to expand...

I suspect software, too. However, it *could* be an intermittent hardware
issue.
I ran Trend Micro online and found no viruses. That's two scanners
showing no viruses.
Click to expand...

Probably not a virus -- unless it's a virus interfering with your
anti-virus efforts! That's why it's best to scan in safe mode with
up-to-date definitions.
So it's not a virus, it's not RAM, not spyware,
not corrupt registry (fresh OS install), no errors running chkdsk.
I'm going to do a fresh install yet again and this time won't install
the video card drivers or the chipset drivers and see what happens.
Click to expand...

Good idea.
 
D

Daave

Ok, it finished the chkdsk on the main partition (storage). The
problem remains. Two instances of mouse in device manager. Deleted
the extra one, problem remains. My mouse is a Logitech MX500 Corded
mouse. I installed the latest ATI catalyst 6.10 drivers, problem
remains.

I'm back to my third or fourth OS reinstall now and will update the
BIOS to the latest version now.
Click to expand...

Latest version? Beta, by any chance?

Julian, if I were you, I'd put off updating BIOS and drivers
indefinitely (if it ain't broke, don't fix it!).

But still, for future reference, you should probably read the following:

<http://www.tech-forums.net/computer_articles/bios-flashing-recovery.php
<http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_detail.php
?UID=607>
 
J

julian8888888

Things went from bad to worse. I had the computer running well after
the new install. I held off on installing the video card driver and
the chipset drivers and things were running well. I found SP 2
installed it plus about 100 other updates, ran spybot, installed AVG,
installed Sygate Firewall. All was happy and funky till I decided to
flash my BIOS to the latest version.

I created a boot disk using the files from www.bootdisk.com... Dr Flash
or something like that. Anyway, I copied over the files needed for
flashing onto the floppy. I booted up, got to the A: prompt and then
ran the flashing utility. Everything went well, backed up my old BIOS,
flashed in the new one, it said it completed correctly. I boot up and
all seems good till it leaves me with a flashing underscore on a blank
screen. So I restarted, I hit the TAB key to remove the graphic
screen. Then the bootup just stops and hangs. So I restart again, and
then I miraculously was able to enter the BIOS manager. I checked it
out and everything looked good and normal, lots of things carried over
from the old settings. So I exit saving changes (all i did was move
hard drive to first priority boot). Now it will sometimes get to the
Windows XP load up but never actually load XP. Sometimes it doesn't
get past the BIOS logo screen. I just want to get inside the manager
and switch floppy to first priority and flash the BIOS again hoping
things will be put straight but I can't even do that... AAHHHHHH! I'm
in computer hell. :*(
 
J

julian8888888

That's the strange thing. It seems to be random. I didn't install the
chipset drivers when this first occured. Now, or recently, I was able
to access My computer without a problem but the mouse was still
stalling sometimes. I had the same problem with a different mouse, so
I don't think it's a specific mouse issue.

I'm trying to get the BIOS to work and every time I hit DEL to get into
the manager it seems to screw it up.
 
J

julian8888888

I finally got it to load up the flash bios program and I tried it
again, same thing. So I got back in and am trying to restore the old
bios but it says something about the BIOS being copy protected and
making sure a jumper is set correctly. ? Should I remove the CMOS
jumper while I do this?
 

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