G
Guest
Hello! First, some system info...I'm running Windows XP Home on an 1.4GHz Intel Pentium III system w/512MB PC-133 SDRAM. I have an "always on" cable modem connection to the internet and I'm using the integrated Windows firewall. I've also installed McAfee VirusScan v4.5.1 (this is an Enterprise build of VirusScan provided free to employees of the company I work for). I'm up to date on all Windows service packs/recommended updates and all my VirusScan files are up to date as well. Virus scans come up clean
OK, here's what's happening...whenever I open Windows Explorer and go to the "My Pictures" folder double click on one of my subdirectories to view the pictures in that folder, Windows Explorer locks up hard during the "Generating Preview" process. All keyboard/mouse functionality is lost and I must press "reset" to recover. This exact same symptom also occurs when opening some, but not all, web pages using Internet Explorer. This problem first started about three weeks ago when I switched from Norton Antivirus 2002 to the McAfee software mentioned above. About a day later I also switched off the Windows firewall and loaded the freeware version of Zone Labs Zone Alarm
Here's what I've tried so far to correct the problem
1. Uninstalled VirusScan and Zone Alarm. No change
2. Tried a "System Restore" to return to a state prior to the antivirus/firewall changes. No good. Still had the problem. I did notice, though that System Restore had stopped automatically collecting restore points right about the same time this problem seemed to begin. Even though the System Restore settings were set to automatically collect restore points every day
3. Updated my ATI Radeon 7500 video driver. No change, so I returned to my old driver
4. Performed a full scan of my hard disk for errors/bad sectors. No problems found
5. Pulled my SDRAM modules and reseated them in the main board. No Change
6. Used the file checker tool to scan all the protected files on my PC (Start>Run>sfc /scannow). No problems and no change
7. Performed a "repair" of my Windows XP Home insallation. Booted from the Windows CD and when the install program found my original install of XP, I told it to repair the original install. No change
I've tried looking in "Event Viewer" after I reboot from one of these lock-ups, but no errors or warnings are logged anywhere. I'm about ready to give up on this and start completely over with a re-format and re-install of Windows. Of course, I'd prefer not to go that far, but... Anybody got any ideas
Thanks in advance
Chris
OK, here's what's happening...whenever I open Windows Explorer and go to the "My Pictures" folder double click on one of my subdirectories to view the pictures in that folder, Windows Explorer locks up hard during the "Generating Preview" process. All keyboard/mouse functionality is lost and I must press "reset" to recover. This exact same symptom also occurs when opening some, but not all, web pages using Internet Explorer. This problem first started about three weeks ago when I switched from Norton Antivirus 2002 to the McAfee software mentioned above. About a day later I also switched off the Windows firewall and loaded the freeware version of Zone Labs Zone Alarm
Here's what I've tried so far to correct the problem
1. Uninstalled VirusScan and Zone Alarm. No change
2. Tried a "System Restore" to return to a state prior to the antivirus/firewall changes. No good. Still had the problem. I did notice, though that System Restore had stopped automatically collecting restore points right about the same time this problem seemed to begin. Even though the System Restore settings were set to automatically collect restore points every day
3. Updated my ATI Radeon 7500 video driver. No change, so I returned to my old driver
4. Performed a full scan of my hard disk for errors/bad sectors. No problems found
5. Pulled my SDRAM modules and reseated them in the main board. No Change
6. Used the file checker tool to scan all the protected files on my PC (Start>Run>sfc /scannow). No problems and no change
7. Performed a "repair" of my Windows XP Home insallation. Booted from the Windows CD and when the install program found my original install of XP, I told it to repair the original install. No change
I've tried looking in "Event Viewer" after I reboot from one of these lock-ups, but no errors or warnings are logged anywhere. I'm about ready to give up on this and start completely over with a re-format and re-install of Windows. Of course, I'd prefer not to go that far, but... Anybody got any ideas
Thanks in advance
Chris