My user account has become unusable

[Guest]

Last night my XP user account became unusable. When I log into XP, the usual
programs and prcoesses start, then the machine hangs. The CPU is running at
100% and there is a process that is consuming 99% of CPU capacity. It is
never the same process twice. I am unable to end the process using the "end
process" key. I have to reset. The accounts of myother family members work
fine. From one of their accounts, I try to run a McAfee Virusscan on my own
Documents and Settings folder. After scanning about 600 files, the scan
freezes and won't complete. Again, there is no pattern to which file McAfee
lock on - it's a different one each time. I don't want to delete my account
because I will lose my all my email.

Any thought?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

If you can get it to work for long enough, try running a clean boot of
windows. To do this, click Start > Run > type "msconfig" > click Ok. Then,
choose "Selective Startup", and click to deselect the checkboxes "Process
SYSTEM.INI File", "Process WIN.INI File", and "Load Startup Items". The only
box that should remain ticked is "Load System Services". You cannot clear the
"Use Original BOOT.INI" button.
Now, click OK, and then restart the computer. When it starts up again, run
McAffee and any other anti-spyware or antivirus programs. If the clean boot
fixes the problem, but you still want the normal programs to start when your
computer loads up, go back into msconfig, go to the Startup tab, and start
enabling the programs by checking the boxes. The safest way to make sure you
don't load up any bad files, is to check one box, restart the computer, and
if all works fine, then check another box, restart the computer, etc. If the
problem happens again after one of your restarts, you'll know one of the bad
programs, which you can then proceed to remove.

If you cannot get into msconfig because your computer freezes, try doing it
in Safe mode. To do this, restart the computer, and at a certain point, press
F8. If you're unsure of which point, just keep pressing F8 until the menu
appears. From the menu, choose Safe Mode, and then try msconfig.

I hope this helps

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

Try setting the system back a couple of days with System Restore.
All About System Restore in WinXP
http://home.earthlink.net/~mvp_bert/index.html

I would then suggest following the instruction on this page.
Virus and Spyware removal and prevention.
http://home.earthlink.net/~mvp_bert/html/spyware.html

 

[Guest]

Last night my XP user account became unusable. When I log into XP, the usual
programs and prcoesses start, then the machine hangs. The CPU is running at
100% and there is a process that is consuming 99% of CPU capacity. It is
never the same process twice. I am unable to end the process using the "end
process" key. I have to reset. The accounts of myother family members work
fine. From one of their accounts, I try to run a McAfee Virusscan on my own
Documents and Settings folder. After scanning about 600 files, the scan
freezes and won't complete. Again, there is no pattern to which file McAfee
lock on - it's a different one each time. I don't want to delete my account
because I will lose my all my email.

Any thought?

Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Don - Your solution worked like a champ. Thanks!

Bert - I tried System Restore before I posted this help message.
Unfortunately, it wasn't the answer. But thanks again for taking time to
respond.

Regards,

Mike