start-up issues

[zed]

Hello, maybe someone can help me out. I am using xp-prof.
when I boot up, a gray progress bar appears at bottom of
screen then after it is finished the regular windows
splash screen comes on with the standard little blue
progress bar. Also sometimes I get errors saying certain
files are corrupt, or missing, but then if I restart a few
times windows will eventually load normally. I am also
getting a lot of programs encountering problems and "Must
be shut down" as the famed error message states. I have
scanned for viruses using 6 different virus scans and
found nothing. I have scanned using ad-aware, and spybot
to no avail. Any thoughts?? I am especially curious about
that grey progress bar... TIA Zed

 

[Malke]

Hello, maybe someone can help me out. I am using xp-prof.
when I boot up, a gray progress bar appears at bottom of
screen then after it is finished the regular windows
splash screen comes on with the standard little blue
progress bar. Also sometimes I get errors saying certain
files are corrupt, or missing, but then if I restart a few
times windows will eventually load normally. I am also
getting a lot of programs encountering problems and "Must
be shut down" as the famed error message states. I have
scanned for viruses using 6 different virus scans and
found nothing. I have scanned using ad-aware, and spybot
to no avail. Any thoughts?? I am especially curious about
that grey progress bar... TIA Zed

Since you've know your computer is virus and spyware-free, I'd do some
hardware diagnosis. Your hard drive could be going, or your power
supply, or... it's just not possible to tell without seeing your
computer. Have you changed anything lately, added any devices? Here are
some generic troubleshooting steps for hardware:

1) open the computer and run it open, cleaning out all dust bunnies and
observing all fans (overheating will cause system freezing); 2) test
the RAM - I like Memtest86 from www.memtest86.com - let the test run
for an extended (like overnight) period of time - unless errors are
seen immediately; 3) test the hard drive with a diagnostic utility from
the mftr.; 4) the power supply may be going bad or be inadequate for
the devices you have in the system; 5) test the motherboard with
something like TuffTest from www.tufftest.com. Testing hardware
failures often involves swapping out suspected parts with known-good
parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable
opening your computer, take the machine to a good local computer repair
shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store).

Post back with more details about your computer if you need more help.

Good luck,

Malke

 

[Alex Nichol]

Hello, maybe someone can help me out. I am using xp-prof.
when I boot up, a gray progress bar appears at bottom of
screen then after it is finished the regular windows
splash screen comes on with the standard little blue
progress bar. Also sometimes I get errors saying certain
files are corrupt, or missing, but then if I restart a few
times windows will eventually load normally. I am also
getting a lot of programs encountering problems and "Must
be shut down" as the famed error message states

The progress bar is normal enough - it indicates the period in which you
can hit a function key to install special drivers or the like (or F8 for
the booting up menu). Usually it is up for such a short time that you
miss seeing it.

It sounds to me like trouble is looming with the hard disk. I would
hit the F8 at that point, take Safe Mode - Command prompt, and in that
give
CHKDSK /R C:

which will do a very deep check of the disk, including trying to
identify and recover any bad sectors