*advanced computer users, I NEED your help.
 

Yes, advanced computer users (maybe even someone how has a profession dealing with computers) these are problems the beginner will not know answers to. Just trying my luck here before finding help elsewhere.

So here's the deal, my PC has been acting up lately. When I boot up, sometimes I just get stuck at the welcome screen, or I just get a black screen, sometimes it takes several times to reboot to get it to properly start up on to the desktop. Sometimes I have even had to go in through safe mode, then exit safe mode, and restart into normal mode...

Second problem, I can't burn CD's using Nero 6 anymore. I have no idea why. I have checked the device manager and my CD-Rom drive is fine, I have uninstalled the rom, and re-installed, re-installed the driver as well... (could this just be a problem with the program I am using?) I really would like to burn a CD tonight if possible haha.

Lastly, my winamp (program that plays my mp3's) takes several minutes to open, when in reality it should take next to no time to pop up. Why is this??

I have ran my NAV2005, no viruses, etc... I have scanned for spyware/adware... nothing. I have checked in my msconfig for suspicious programs in the startup, nothing (that cought my eye)

I am at a loss by now... I don't get it.

COMPUTER GEEKS I NEED YOU!

i think it might be a problem with your burner. my boot hangs if i dont have a disc in the drive :confused: lol... try unpluggin burner from ide port and re boot, see if that makes a diff.

One common problem to slowdowns that for some reasons spyware programs dont pick up is "iosdt.exe" Great little program that slows your computer down to 286 days. You can see if you have that in your taskmanager.

As far as the problems booting up, I can think of a couple reasons that might happen. 1 (Most common) Your registry is just getting old. Over time, with installs and uninstalls, the registry gets filled with crap, that can cause erronious errors like you are seeing. How long has it been since you had your OS installed. 2( Unlikely but plausible) Hardware failures, you could have started to develop bad sectors on your harddrive where the registry sits. Low level scan disk SHOULD detect these, but a clean format would be your best alternative. I reformat my drive about once a year and install the OS fresh. Keeps all the crap out.

Good Luck,

G

hmm, so your saying that it could be my burner causing me the startup problems as well? and IDE port... hmm, I am not that advanced yet (sait will come in there... lol) ... so does that just mean the big cable attatched to the back of the rom?

oh yeah, don't quote me on this yet, but I am pretty sure the error I am getting when I try to burn is a "speed disc error" ??? something ALONG those lines.. like I said, don't quote me.

I find this all so odd, I have been using that burner for a while.. haven't had any PC issues lately.. and usually if I do get one, I have enough know-how to take care of it myself.

G,

the computer is all so new, not even a year.. it will be a year old in... October? I think !

Its a brand new hard drive... video card, more RAM ,etc...

The OS hasn't been on quite a year.

I don't know if the registry is the problem, as my PC isn't that old, and I don't do much install/uninstall, but nonetheless, it's a possibility.. and I will get a registry cleaner this evening... as well as search for that executable you told me about. Greatly appreciate all your input so far... keep it coming :)

run scans with adaware, and spy sweeper. but seriously, i dont think the bootup prob has anything to do with spyware. what motherboard are you running, or do uu know?

registry cleaners are neat. I use AA tools. (advanced administrative tools)

http://www.glocksoft.com/?source=AATools

once you get a little more familiar with your computer, it's good to check the registry (with regedit) to see what programs are loading when your computer boots up.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run

are where to look. as you get familiar with -your- setup, you might notice programs in there that you know shouldn't be running.

but...all in time. Hopefully you're lucky and it's just the "iosdt.exe" file. hardware failures suck.

ok is there anything on it you have not back up? sounds like time to format the drive and reinstall the system instead of grabbing at straws. Spyware will do stuff and adaware will work to an extent but eventualy you just slow down from garbage (especialy if you install and uninstall a lot of stuff) if this doen't fix it then you are definatly looking at a hardware problem, I had a problem last year were booting was inconsistant, some times it would reboot on its own, ended up being the powersupply. This year I had the same thing and was about to buy a powersupply and it ended up being the operating system had a corupt file so reinstalling windows fixed that.

so I always recomend backing up the stuff you need and wiping the hard drive and install a clean windows and rebuild first. it doesn't take to long and it cleans up the left over junk better than any other program out there. if this doesn't work then you are looking at a hardware problem.

Steve

Base on what you describe I am sure you got "saser"

Saser is a Computer Virus that will instantly attack your PC once you connect to the internet if you don't have the latest security patches.

This virus is also undetectable through any other anti virus.

Saser causes bootup problem and a great slow down of a PC.

Solution:
If you manage to bootup do a security update for your OS and try cleaning up your pc of any detectable spyware.

If you cannot bootup the only solution is to re-install your OS.

Hope this help Good Luck

Alright well let me clarify just a few things for you guys... the computer was just rebuilt basically. My old PC crapped out on us, so we had someone take out the parts that still worked, and then put in the new parts we needed... such as, new hard drive, new video card, and umm more ram... and a couple other small things.

this was not even a year ago, i think it happened in the early fall, maybe in september-october?

the computer now will boot up usually without hanging , if anything, it just hangs for a few seconds at the welcome screen, then goes to my desktop (once im at desktop everything boots up at normal speed)

motherboard .... i know it's an ASUS ... I am actually not sure if I got a new mother board when I had the guy re-build our computer.

I am praying it's not a hardware failure... I can't afford computer stuff lol

And lastly, I hope I don't sound like an ultra-newbie here... but if I wanted to back up my mp3's , should I/can I? ... I have lots of music, and I don't want to lose it. Too much time invested there hahah... everything else is whatever... if I can keep the tunes I will reformat this evening.

YEs you should and you can back up your mp3 files.

All my mp3 files has a backup what I do is save all my mp3 in my couple of dozen gmail account so that if any thing happen in my hard drive I still have a copy of my fav mp3. And also That is why you partition your hard drive so you only have to reformat the part that has the OS on it and important files on the other part.

just try reinstalling windows without even reformatting... unless its been like a year without formatting.

Okie, update time for you folks.. I am still having lots of problems.. but may have found out where it's coming from.

I took a screenshot of my task manager , but forgot to upload the pic at home :rolleyes: So I will post that pic tonight for you guys.

But what I did do and find out yesterday.. I have the program " msmsgs.exe " which turned up as a virus.. so I followed symantecs removal instructions, but NAV didn't even find the virus! haha what a joke. I don't know how to remove this?

Also, I can't reformat because I noticed yesterday when opening the box that our computer guy put all our stuff in... we thought we had bought XP Home Edition... well he bought Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade.. meaning, you need to have ME or 95 or 98 on your PC then you upgrade to the Home edition.... I thought the disc would work, but I clicked the "check compatability" and I got a message saying my OS is newer than the disc! lol.... AHHHH

Still havign burning problems, and my darn winamp takes forever to open up!

I got a program called "registry mechanic" I cracked it, and did the full scan, and repaired all errors.

So.... any ideas now guys? lol

I do beleave that all you need is the 98 or ME disk and It verfies that you have a copy then you can install the full XP home with out installing 98 or ME. You must know someone who has a 98 or ME disk laying around for you to borrow

LOL hmmm.... 98 and ME ... I might be able to find someone. I hope...

Kind of a weird disc though :neutral:

When it comes to computer problems, there are lots of reason that will slow down the computer from virus to motherboard to power supply and even at one time my video card was causing problem during my bootup.

When's the last time you update your motherboard Flash BIOS?

If you need to backup your mp3 files, depends on how many and how much space you need. Get another harddrive and transfer all the files to the 2nd hard drive, then do a OS reinstall.

I can lend you a WIN98 disk if you still have the key, then use the XP Home edition to upgrade to Windows XP.

Hope that helps.

I have a Win XP pro if you want to barrow it just pm me. Or if you want I can just fix it for you but I do charge people for that :mrgreen: