Computer Problem, ..help? :( Options

[Jen]

I am getting so frustrated with my computer! Here's the problem:

Everytime I try to open something, my computer freezes. Everytime I try to save something, my computer freezes. Like, for example. If I were to go and upload a picture on photobucket, when I go to 'browse' it will freeze. The only time my computer will not freeze is if I were to open a file that is located on my desktop.

I can't save files for school. I can't open files for school. I am getting pissed off. So if anyone has any idea of wtf is wrong, please please please let me know.

[Ale_lock]

I'd say that there's probably some background program killing all the resources but then you say you can still open files if from the desktop...hm. Got anti-virus? sounds like it can possibly be some form of a trojan/virus.

[Jen]

I'd say that there's probably some background program killing all the resources but then you say you can still open files if from the desktop...hm. Got anti-virus? sounds like it can possibly be some form of a trojan/virus.
[right][snapback]219352[/snapback][/right]

I already ran a anti-virus thing.. and most of the virus' found couldn't be "disinfected."

Should I take my computer to a person who can fix it? UGH. I'm completely stupid at things like this.

[Uppitycracker]

That could be alot of things

I would:

Run virus scan
run scan disk
run defrag

for starters, after that I'd be looking into possible hardware problems. It could be a heat issue, corrupt windows system files, bad ram, bad disk, and so on.

I would suggest a diagnostoc program but if you can't save stuff then thats useless.

im sure someone else might have more experience with your problem.

What OS are you runniung? Windows XP?

This post has been edited by Uppitycracker: Dec 9, 2004 - 7:54 PM

[NYCelica]

ask Mynzeyes.

[Ale_lock]

I'd say that there's probably some background program killing all the resources but then you say you can still open files if from the desktop...hm. Got anti-virus? sounds like it can possibly be some form of a trojan/virus.
[right][snapback]219352[/snapback][/right]

I already ran a anti-virus thing.. and most of the virus' found couldn't be "disinfected."

Should I take my computer to a person who can fix it? UGH. I'm completely stupid at things like this.
[right][snapback]219354[/snapback][/right]

The ones that couldn't be disinfected, where they quarantined? if not, then redo the scan or search the scan logs for the names of those viruses/trojans & run the search for them on either the synmantec website or google, they should hopefully turn up pages with ways of removal, that'd be one way to start & if you don't want to then there's always the "find a pc friend to fix it" route.

[celicarocker]

run adaware

[Ale_lock]

Giant Spyware Remover > adware/spybot.

[Jen]

What OS are you runniung? Windows XP?
[right][snapback]219355[/snapback][/right]

98. Sucky.

ask Mynzeyes.
[right][snapback]219359[/snapback][/right]

Did that.

run adaware
[right][snapback]219365[/snapback][/right]

Did that.

[creis]

win 98 right, time for an upgrade... I would at least get 2k but xp is the latest.

go to microsoft.com and do an update scan, it will list all the things that need updating, then install them, (fo to: microsoft.com, then in the porduct resources click"windows updates" it will do it aoutomaticly"

Does your hard drive make clicking sounds, before/durring the freezing then its a bad hard drive and you need to act fast to save any files you need and get a new one.

It could be a ram problem but i doubt it, it would not freeze either, it would close all apps, and crash to desktop, with an err. saying bad memory.

Do you have the windows disk, if so put it in and restart the computer, then durring the start up, a message will show up saying something like "boot from cd..." press any key it will go to a blue screen, where you can do a emergency recover, that my help slve your problems, but one that is over, you gata update your crap all over, so i would do this first.

I need more info to help you out better,

right click on "my computer" and go to properties, then when it pops up, you can see your cpu, ram ex, that info might help.

[Consynx]

remember the last place you opened to upload to the web
go there and look for a shortcut to My Computer, or something that covers majority of the computer

you're probably just getting an overload.

[Jen]

Creis. What's your AIM screen name?

[creis]

it does not sound like a virus problem to me, it sounds like a os problem win 98 i just not able to handle a lot of the newer programs out today.

it really helps to be very exact as to what is rong, what exaclty happends, when it freezes do you have to restart?, when you go to the tast manager are there any processes where the name of it makes sence to you, for ex: trillian.exe makes sence (trillian is a program) or directcd.exe makes sence its direct cd, where as nhksrv.exe does not makes sence. if there are any that makes sence to you post what they are, and i can tell you if there no good. Plus go to the add-romove programs in the control panel, and go though, if there are any programs that you dont what/know what they are, post them as well, and i can help you free up some of your system

[creis]

creis001

This post has been edited by creis: Dec 9, 2004 - 8:29 PM

[Ale_lock]

All I'm saying is "lol". How can it be a OS problem if she most likely started having this problem recently & she probably had Win98 before it began? as for the processes, there will be about 10 she wont recognize that are from the system for sure so she'll be killing off those unless she wishes to specify which are currently running to then determine which should be running.

[Consynx]

he prob knows enough to keep the basics running
ie. explorer.exe, win32

i think think that there's just a directory problem, im guessinf if it's trying to do her all computer she might have HD Damage, should run the 3hr Scan Disk, and then defrag...and then complain

[Ale_lock]

Yeah, make sure you choose to select for bad sectors, if there's a few its possible the actual HD plates got surface scratches & then you'll deffinetly need to replace.

[Jen]

I'm gonna do the scan disk thing and defrag.. then try to get all of my files over to the external.. then reformat.

Thank you guys.

[Ale_lock]

Good lucks.

[Hanyo]

yea its definetly a virus problem. all adware does to your computer is take up background resources making your computer slower. Jen is experencing a messed up registry because of the random freeze up. Even when you remove the virus, your registry is still corrupted. Kind of like a scar.

Jen, if you can, its best to formate the computer and start fresh.. When ever i find a virus, i just format, because its hard to know what the virus messed up.

This post has been edited by Hanyo: Dec 9, 2004 - 9:15 PM

[creis]

OS problems can show up out of no where if you dont know what exactly your doing at all times.

if 69% of your cpu power is used its then its some big programs running in the background, if you cant get it off, then a format is the best option.

PS i have a old win 2k disk if you wana barrow it, i'll ship it to ya, but i would like it back when your done, just as a last resourt

[mr_dude]

I'll prolly be online later tonight (aim adenosin3p). I recommend the Symantec Security Check and Spyware check in the meantime. They run off a browser and have their most updated virus defs.
Like was mentioned, it could be a sheer lack of CPU/RAM resources from spyware, etc.

[timbo]

Jen, since I am the only one on here that knows about you and your computer problems as this is about the 234234th time you've had problems ever since I met you 3yrs ago, your best bet is to just save files and reformat. Your computer needs to be replaced as it's not even funny anymore.

Also, you are a cable user. Broadband+ users are easy targets for viruses as they have steady connections to the internet and I wouldn't doubt that you got some adware that downloaded a dropper onto your computer. (dropper is a virus that drops other virus onto your computer and re-sends them out)

As for "Hanyo", not every virus is written to be malicious nor are they written to alter registry settings. Honestly, if you reformat after each time you find a virus then I feel sorry for you. Do you realize that there are some viruses that can attach themselves to things such as the hard drive? Even after reformatting it still would exist. Yes reformatting would usually take care of the most common virus found but, highly malicious virus doesn't do the common tasks and your best bet is to research the virus and find proper ways to dispose of it.

This post has been edited by timbo: Dec 9, 2004 - 10:36 PM

[mr_dude]

vi·rus (vrs)
n. pl. vi·rus·es

Do you realize that there are some virii that can attach themselves to things such as the hard drive?

And if your motherboard doesn't have boot sector virus protection you have the ghettoest motherboard ever. (Hit 'del' during startup to get to the BIOS which should say).

If Hanyo doesn't get viruses often, then it makes sense to reformat every time he finds one, since Windows only works well for ~four months anyway.

Solaris 10, seriously.

[timbo]

There I changed the spelling since you had to be a smartass and point that out.

Windows has worked for me for a longer period than 4 months without problems so that's irrelevant.

As for recommending Solaris to the common person, you're either taking a chance for a miracle or very naive. I doubt but, a few people on here can actually understand Linux enough to use it.

[mr_dude]

There I changed the spelling since you had to be a smartass and point that out.

Heh, calm down, I meant nothing personal.

Windows has worked for me for a longer period than 4 months without problems so that's irrelevant.

Far from irrelevant. I'm sure I could run Windows just fine for a year if I kept it clean of any other programs (barring more security holes). Your install is probably much cleaner than Jen's. Microsoft's file system and memory management is obscene to the point that in my experience (lots of girls in the dorms with computer problems) after four months of abuse, Windows is ready to be put down.

As for recommending Solaris to the common person, you're either taking a chance for a miracle or very naive. I doubt but, a few people on here can actually understand Linux enough to use it.

I know Wal-Mart began selling a Lindows box because a Linux distro is cheap. I dunno if they're still doing it, but if the world's second most evil company has faith in the common man, I do to.
Plus Solaris 10 isn't Linux. According to Jonothan Schwarz (Sun COO), it's the antithesis of Linux. If people can understand Windows enough to use Outlook, download malware, etc. I think they'd be better of with Solaris, for which very few viruses are written, not to mention it's much more stable, robust, secure.

[Ale_lock]

I'll be the one to do the messy work:
Linux is fairly easy to understand, its just everyone's so used to point & click that then the learning curve for linux based OS's seems so high cause its more command based, but w/e.

[importceli]

jen btw if or when you get your comp runnin again this is a great site for anti-virus checks and seems to b perty up to date, i trust it pritty well myself.

edit: haha forgot to add the link here ya go. http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/enterprise.htm

This post has been edited by importceli: Dec 10, 2004 - 12:07 AM

[creis]

Linux is fairly easy to understand, its just everyone's so used to point & click

Yeah after learning how to set up a linux server to do the same things as my win 03" server (Application (multi webhosts)(apache in linux, iis in win), DNS, SQL, SSL, ) I have to say that linux is easyer in general, you just have to set up a few key text files etc, for it to run, but in windows you have to navigate your way though to get where you want, and the stuff you have to change is all over the place. But I still like windows more, just because i guess.

not to get too off topic...

[OSIRIS]

hey just had a thought if the registry is the one being a bugger and if the system try is also being gay. goto 'run' and type 'msconfig' click the startup tab and click the 'disable all' button. itll clear out the system tray next time you boot up. its aslo good for games that take lots of resources

actually now that i think of it does win98 even have msconfig?

[Ale_lock]

no lol

[creis]

lol,

[Uppitycracker]

hey just had a thought if the registry is the one being a bugger and if the system try is also being gay. goto 'run' and type 'msconfig' click the startup tab and click the 'disable all' button. itll clear out the system tray next time you boot up. its aslo good for games that take lots of resources

actually now that i think of it does win98 even have msconfig?
[right][snapback]219502[/snapback][/right]

I think that would create more problems then it would solve, I would only recommend using msconfig if you know exactly what your disableing, and even then you should go through the "services" in "administative tools" before touching the startup list.

Actually if you look up windows xp tweaks there is a list of windows services that can be disabled to increase your system effeciency, I didnt notice much difference if any sinceI have a high end machine but for anyone with a mid-lowend comp should look into it

[OSIRIS]

I think that would create more problems then it would solve, I would only recommend using msconfig if you know exactly what your disableing, and even then you should go through the "services" in "administative tools" before touching the startup list.
[right][snapback]219509[/snapback][/right]

whoops. I use it all the time, I just disable everything whenever i need some more power. Never had a problem

This post has been edited by OSIRIS: Dec 10, 2004 - 12:40 AM

[Newbie]

Jen.. I think you have a worm, which is a type of a virus. What I recommend doing is, that you run the scan, write down all the files that are infected, and erase them in DOS enviroment.. If you can't do that, and can't find anyone to help you, I agree with someone above, that you should reformat and restore everything to your hard drive. Good luck.