I have a Dell 8300 with a Pent 4 (3.2 GHz) and 1.00 GB of RAM.
My problem is the computer works great for a few days and then starts taking a long time to open an application or will not shut down applications (will not even shut down from Ctrl-Alt-Del - Not Responding, Error, Do you want to send problem to Microsoft?). The I try to shut down and it just sits. I called Dell and searched their database and found that I should turn off some of my StartUps in MSCONFIG. If I do this I get a message everytime I turn on my computer that I am in some kind of safe mode and I should go back to Normal Startup. Which puts back the stuff Dell told me to uncheck. Does anyone have any suggestions? How do you take tasks out of the Startup? Do you have to uninstall the entire application? I waited to get a computer that I felt was very powerfull and it hanks up with just a few everyday applications (Roxio, TurboTax, Microsoft Office) and not major applications like CADD. Thanks for any help
You should try cleaning out your Temp Folder. Go to RUN and type in %TEMP% and click OK. Click on Edit in the TEMP Folder window and choose Select All and hit your Delete key. Shut the Temp Folder Window. Go to RUN and Type in MSCONFIG and click on OK. Click on Startup and remove any unwanted applets from loading at Startup. Click on Apply and OK. System will need to be restarted. Check off the box where it says " Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows Starts". Now go to Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools and run Disk Cleanup. Now go to RUN and type in SFC /SCANNOW ( There is a space between SFC and / ) and click on OK to run System File Checker. Now Right click on MY Computer and choose Open. Right click on Local disk ( C: ) and choose Properties/Tools. Run Error-Checking and then run Defragmentation.
Resources to Help Troubleshoot Shutdown Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308029
As far as msconfig is concerned, after you have unchecked some item(s) in the startup tab and restart, you do indeed get a notice when you restart, telling you that you are in a selective mode (i.e. it just reminds you that some of the item(s) (the ones you unchecked) did not start. On that notice there is a box you can check. If you are happy that henceforth the items you unchecked will not be loaded, just check that box, click OK. Close msconfig. Next time you restart it won't come up.
To see what the items in the startup list of msconfig are and what they do, see
type in the name as it appears in startup or scroll down to find it. You can then decide whether you need it (for example your Antivirus autoprotect).
You could systematically remove the items one at a time, see if the shutdown poroblem is resolved, if not restart, put a check back in the startup tab, uncheck the next one, etc. that way you would find out which one (if any) is causing the problem.
However, the problem could lie elsewhere. For more information on shutdown problems and how to troubleshoot, see
my guess is that the problem is being caused by the dell support utility.. you could try closing that in task manager and then uninstalling it from add/remove, but if it was me i would reformat the harddrive. that will straighten out any software issues, and clean out unnecessary programs that may have been installed at the factory. all necessary programs can be restored from the backup cd's that came with your computer (however, you may find undated drivers in dell support/downloads).. there are instructions in dell support/solutions/reinstall guide.. the problem may be related to the roxio software:
http://www.aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm if you do reformat, the chipset drivers should be installed first, after installing win xp, and i would turn the computer off and let it sit for a minute after installing them.
Message Edited by redwolfe_98 on 01-10-2004 05:56 PM
Thanks for the help. One additional question. Under MSCONFIG the Startup I have one line that is checked that is blank under Startup Item and blank under Command but has the following under Location - HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Ver. Could this be the problem?
Located this information if this is the case. Make sure you read it all because of the need to shut off System Restore before using the removal tool. Good luck
@dfamily wrote:
Thanks for the help. One additional question. Under MSCONFIG the Startup I have one line that is checked that is blank under Startup Item and blank under Command but has the following under Location - HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Ver. Could this be the problem?
yes, that could be the problem.. it could be a trojan or some other scumware, autostarting..
If those links don't help, try this:-
-------------------
Use these to remove Malware (Spyware and Adware).
1)
SpyBot Search and Destroy After installing SpyBot Search & Destroy, first press Online, and search for, put a check mark at, and install all updates.
Next, close all Internet Explorer windows, hit 'Check for Problems', and have SpyBot remove all the items it marks in red.
2)
Get Ad-Aware After installing Ad-Aware, and before running the program, first press “check for updates now".
Click "Connect" and install all updated components available. Click 'Finish'.
Press "Scan Now", then 'next', and let Ad-Aware scan your drives.
It will find a number of "bad" files and registry keys. Click 'Next' again.
Check all found items, and click 'next' once more.
It will ask you whether you'd like to remove all checked items. Click OK.
Always reboot the computer between each program - both of these may find things that they need to have a reboot of the machine to clear - please reboot and let them finish .
Failing those solving your problems a post of a hijackthis log for the experts to advise.
HijackThis From Here Download, run, scan, save log, then in notepad copy the FULL log by copy and paste as a reply to this post and an expert with HijackThis Knowldge, will have a go at giving advice. Please note the list of experts names below, very few forum regulars here have had this training.
DO NOT FIX ANYTHING WITH HIJACKTHIS WITHOUT EXPERT ADVICE, most of what it finds you need for normal MS Windows tasks.
Known Spyware HijackThis fighters in DellTalk - If you are, and are not on the list please PM Me.
TomCoyote (of
http://tomcoyote.org/forums/index.php fame)
YoKenny (Accredited Expert at TomCoyotes)
baskar1234 (Spyware Classroom Teaching Assistant at TomCoyotes)
ChrisRLG (Spyware Classroom Teaching Assistant at TomCoyotes)
Yellowhammer (In Training at TomCoyotes)
therock247uk (In Training at TomCoyotes)
irelynmisses (In Training at TomCoyotes)
I, and the other hijack experts mentioned above, are in all those sites (and more) with the same login names. You might get one of us at those sites also to anwser your log, but other experts will also be available.
Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7 Scan saved at 1:44:09 PM, on 1/11/2004 Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)
Hi, you have a very new version of malware in your system.
We need you to zip a copy of the file, you can do it with winXP's, and send to submissions@spywareinfo.com as an attachment for them to anylise before we lose this copy of it. Send with this data :- ---------------- Log File Line : - O4 - Startup: PowerReg Scheduler V3.exe Log file location :- http://forums.us.dell.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=sw_winxp&message.id=101565 ---------------- The file we need is called :- 'PowerReg Scheduler V3.exe' and you will need to search your c: drive to find it.
The previous version was at this location :- profilepath+\start menu\programs\startup\powerreg schedulerv2.exe Where 'profilepath+' in your case would be 'C:\Documents and Settings\Mike\' so you will probably file it as:- C:\Documents and Settings\Mike\start menu\programs\startup\powerreg scheduler v3.exe although it my be in the 'all users' area instead of 'mike'
I am working on a fix for you - but do this first.
LICHE1908
313 Posts
1005
0
Posted January 10th, 2004 20:00
Resources to Help Troubleshoot Shutdown Problems in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308029