XP Corruption Symptoms - how to fix?

Question

I did an XP automatic recovery using the XP CD, but it did not fix the following problems:   1. Upon startup, I get the new hardware install notification that says I have a new printer. I do not, but this wizard will try to install a new printer anyway.In the end, it always says the software install failed. I have no problem using my printer. Upon each startup, I just cancel the wizard and the error messages.     2. My CD-ROM drives only work upon IMMEDIATE startup. After I even open a tray, XP no longer recognizes the drives ( never recognizes my floppy drive) and I have to reboot the system to use the CD drives.   3. I cannot use disc defrag in normal mode. It only works in Safe Mode operation.   I installed a second HD with a fresh XP installation. When I boot from that HD. I have none of these problems.     Any suggestions how I can fix these ankle-biting problems? XP is still usable, but these issues are annoying. Is this when I would use manual repair from the Repair Console to address a specific driver issue?   Thanks for your advice.

-Friendlyname- · Answer

Also, for the drive recognition problem, try clearing NVRAM, by pressing Alt+E and,  Alt+F at startup with the keyboard Num- Lock light on. Jane

-Friendlyname- · Answer

Hi, What kind of changes,(software or hardware), did you make just prior to having these problems?  Jane

snapplelips · Answer

I have had these problems for a lonnnng time. 6 months or more. I have tolerated them, but finally got annoyed and installed a second drive. However, I have too many applications and data on this main drive, and it was more of a pain to do reinstalls of every application that to just try and live with these small problems. I know I have none of these problems when using the second second drive with a clean XP install.     I tried your suggestion at start-up ( not sure what moment of start-up so I pressed Alt E & Alt F repeatedly til my desktop loaded) and there is no apparent change. I still have no use of my CDROMs or any of my card reader drives unless I reboot with either a CD or photo card already in the drive. Then it works. But if I take it out of the drive and then put it back in, it stops working again until I reboot. STrange, huh? Message Edited by snapplelips on 08-04-2005 03:30 PM

-Friendlyname- · Answer

One more thing, you should update your virus and spyware utilities and do a scan for malware.  I am assuming you have SP2 and all updates on your OS.  What model system do you have? Jane

-Friendlyname- · Answer

I can see how you wouldn't want to have to reinstall your applications. So my next question is do you have a backup image of your harddrive when the applications were on and the OS was working reasonably well?

As for the optical and floppy drives. Will you go into the BIOS and tell me what drives are recognized and if any of them are turned off.

Jane

snapplelips · Answer

Hi Jane -I have every conceiveable scanner on my system: Zonealarm firewall, Norton Systemworks 2005, Spysweeper 2005. I get no results from any scans for any problems on my system. Yes, I have SP2 - I think these problems originally showed up when I installed SP2 many months ago. But I have SP2 on my other HD, and I have none of these problems. Alas, I have had these problems for so long that I do not recall when I could do a System Restore back to before the problems existed. I was hoping that someone could tell me how to do a manual repair in the Repair Console for a specific problem: drivers for optical drives, new hardware wizard, etc. I did an automatic repair on my XP, but it didn't repair these problems.

In BIOS, all drives are recognized and turned on. They do work when the machine first boots...so whenever I read the BIOS they show as operating normally. Even when I check the non-functioning hardware in HArdware profile, it says hardware ( optical and floppy drives) are operating normally EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT WORKING! Go figger....

Message Edited by snapplelips on 08-04-2005 06:21 PM

Message Edited by snapplelips on 08-04-2005 06:25 PM

-Friendlyname- · Answer

Hi again,

To reinstall your device drivers for your optical drive, go to Device Mgr./DvD or CD ROM (whichever you have) Drive and select uninstall. Reboot and if the Wizard comes, let it install the drivers automatically.

I was hoping that perhaps that you backed up your C: drive with a drive imaging program. It's really a good idea to do this for both your drives, once you get this straightened out.

As far as SP2 goes, you can uninstall it from your system via Add/Remove Programs. The best way to install it again is to get the SP2 CD from Microsoft (free). Next best way is to download to your harddrive the service pack from Microsoft Downloads. Then install it from your harddrive.

Good luck,

Jane

Message Edited by -Friendlyname- on 08-05-2005 09:41 AM

snapplelips · Answer

Hi Jane...thanks for caring...lol. This is a very stubborn problem. I had tried what you suggested about reinstalling the device drivers for the optical drives, but to no avail. The drives work fine upon start-up, but if I even open the CD drawer and close it again, the drive no longer works unless I reboot. If I want to use a drive, I have to make sure the CD is loaded, reboot, and it will read the CD as long as it is already in the drive. The same is true for my USB photo card reader. However, my USB printer always works ( although at startup, I always have that strange Wizard trying to tell me I have new printer hardware).

When I reinstalled XP with SP2, it did not fix this. However, I do not have this problem on my other drive with a clean XP install. So I have to assume one of my applications is corrupting the XP. I have shut off everything but essential startup programs, but whatever causes this is still operating in the background.

Windows General

XP Corruption Symptoms - how to fix?

Was this post helpful?