Recently, last night, i had came back to my room to find out that all the programs on my computer froze, but i still could move my mouse. When i started my computer, it was stuck on the blue window for xp that says "windows is loading" then it stayed there for like ten minutes. After numerous tries, i got the same results. Then this morning i tried it again but this time i got past that screen but now only my desktop picture shows, but nothing else loads up. I tried numerous more times getting the same result. SHould i just reformat my hardrive ( i think that means starting anew with factory settings), or should i try something else? Thanks for reading.
08:53 pm, Thursday, December 16, 2004 (4 years ago)
can you open your start menu? if so try this...start>run>(type 'msconfig')>ok>BOOT.INI>(check '/SAFEBOOT'>ok ....then restart as prompted. It will boot up in safe mode. log in as 'administrator. you should then get a prompt asking if you want to work in safe mode or initiate a system restore. Do system restore from a point where you know your machine last worked.
well...you said you can get in safe mode, right? if so....when you boot to safe (f8 at windows boot screen)and log in you can then open then start menu and do the run>msconfig from there. when the msconfig screen comes up you should see a button 'launch system restore'
"System Restore?", since when did system restore start working ...
ballzak, noone online knows exactly WHAT is wrong with your computer as we are not physically in front of it, we can only provide sometimes very vague suggestions which may or may not resolve your current issue. i've said this once and i'll say it again, if you have no idea what is wrong with it take it in to the techie workshop and ask that you WATCH them so if in the future this issue reoccurs YOU can resolve it without their help.
okay, for my virdict ballzak, your computer can boot into the OS (not boot.ini related), your computer can login to default account (not a corrupt winlogin related), you can see your desktop wallpaper (sounds like an error in relation to explorer.exe). by any chance have you been meddling in the arts of windows shells (programs by the name of litestep, bb)?
just for starters, at the end of a complete bootup (all the way to the desktop image) hold down ALT+CTRL+DELETE (this is the default Windows Task Mangaer), if this dialog appeared switch to the "Processes" tab with your mouse, for diagnostics purposes you should tick "Show processes from all users" and arrange all entries by "User Name" (click on the "User Name" region), now to help us please write down all the entries under "Image Name" (just the names of the .exe, for example svchost.exe and so on). Paste this list onto this thread and submit.
okay to apply a temporary patch that may or not work, while you are still in Windows Task Manager, click on the menu entry "File", select "New Task (Run...) and enter in the text field "explorer.exe" followed by clicking the "OK" button. best of luck ballzak.
qwertz....thanx for taking the time to bash someone for offering a suggestion which MAY have worked...maybe it wouldnt have, who knows. As you said, none of us know exactly what the problem is. I simply gave him an idea of something he could try. I am guessing that you, at some time, had a problem which system restore did not correct. So that means it was NOT the correct solution for you...It doesnt mean that it would not help someone else with a different problem. BTW...the two times that I have used system restore it worked perfectly. Maybe your solution IS the correct one, but there is nothing wrong with informing someone who says they dont know much of a tool that is a available to them. So, thanx for being a jerk about it.
k1n6_6h1d0r4, apologies for brushing up against your pro-windows ego. this is about ballzak, a little sarcasm at our favourite operating system didn't warrant that reply. i hope ballzak all the best.
Microsoft System Restore is a major resource load reserving by default 12% disk space on each of your hard disks, that's a grand total of 24GB on a modest 200GB system, i for one could think of a better use of space. The included Microsoft Backup service runs far better than System Restore and doesn't rely on locally stored libraries and archives.
If you're think you're running the System Restore or Indexing service i recommend you have a close read about the unneccesary services currently running on a default XP installation. http://www.deviantforums.com/showthread.php?t=1926
windows usually screws up, what I recommend is to have windows on its own partition & all your stuff on a different partition. when something like this happens just format the windows partition & do a fresh installation. good luck dude
qwert, 'pro windows ego?'...you'll not find me praising Windows, or Microsoft anywhere. The context in which I brought up system restore does not need to mention that it is a resource hog.And you may notice I never told him it would fix his problem...only that it was something he could try. Just because YOU dont like it does not mean it can't be helpful to someone. I happen to agree with you that backup is far better than system restore. BUT...I'm sure that ballzak would want his machine up and running in the quickest and easiest way possible. He started out saying he did not know a lot about his machine so, would it have been necessary to talk about backup, etc? Or would it be better to offer an easy to explain and easy to perform function that could help him out? BTW, qwert, nice job quoting gigs and resource percentages....(and the link is a nice touch! XD )....and I'M the one with the ego?! XD j00 r0xx0r2 !!
haha, true k1n6_6h1d0r4. you're cool. i'm getting sick of this 16 year old ego of mine ... yeah, and those stats and apps they're burnt into my head sadly, working as a support techie. mmm caffiene.
Me and my techno buddies have a sure fire method for this kind of thing. The prevent Data loss, simply pop in your (orany) generic Xp Cd when you turn your computer on, and follow the on screen instructions till it works again. If you have Xp Home, I once had a computer fix it'self simply because I booted it from the xp home Cd. I hope this is in the least bit helpful.
