Weird computer problems...
 

Onodrim's computer has been confusing me lately and I can't figure out what's up with it. Here's what's happening...

When she turns it on it boots up, gets to the Windows logon screen and then she logs on. It begins to start up Windows, loads a bit, and then gets to the taskbar - and freezes. The mouse, when over the desktop, will be normal, but when put over the taskbar (start bar, whatever) it's an hourglass. Icons cannot be clicked. When we control-alt-delete it, it says that explorer.exe or taskmgr.exe is not responding.

I've tried doing a recovery install of Windows (not a reinstall, but it reinstalls all the system files as far as I understand) and that didn't do anything.

I also tried booting with a Norton Systemworks 2003 CD which can be used as an emergency virus scanner. When I do this on mine, it does what I think is the normal behavior and scans my C drive. When I do it on hers, as far as it's concerned there is no C drive. Only the drive that the CD is in (which it calls A).

I figure it's probably a virus since reinstalling the system files didn't do anything, but I can't get the Norton emergency scanner to work. I was going to take out the hard drive and connect it to my computer and scan it from mine, but the case is designed in such a way that it's VERY difficult to get the hard drive out (it's an HP).

Anyone have any suggestions? I know there's a way to fix this without formatting/reinstalling, but I'm running out of ideas.

I would try the HD on your computer and scan it. If you get the same problems try formatting the whole drive and start from scratch (It's a bitch but you might have to if the virus scan can't get rid of it.) If you still have the problem get a new HD.

If the problem goes away completely when you hook it to your computer then you've got some other hardware issues.

Sorry if I'm a bit vague, hope it helps a little though.

P.S. Like your sig :D

try gettin into safe mode.

when u're in, go into msconfig and make sure there aint nothing loading that aint supposed to be loding

go to www.sysinternals.com and get filemon and regmon, get then to load on startup ( just add to startup folder ) and watch what the last thing loaded is before it dies. that might help track it.

Good point. Try this first!

Forgot to mention I was able to get in to safe mode - can't install any programs in that though so filemon and regmon are out of the question. Forgot about msconfig though so I'll try that next. I'm pretty positive it's not a hardware issue.

Thanks for the help.

Any reason you think it's a hardware issue? To me, it sounds like a program is loading and freezing on startup.

You try restarting w/o your programs that run at startup?

tell us how your msconfig adventure works out.

Doesn't sound like a hardware problem. I also feel that something is trying to loading and freezes the system. And it's something that doesn't load when you go to safe mode.

Did you refresh/update a device driver lately?

I'm not ruling out a virus. Try to get a working scanner.

Also. Goto safe mode. Run regedit. Search for "runonce". See what is loaded during startup. ... Hmm ... I seem to be advising this alot lately. I think I'll call this the runonce routine.

The almost same thing happened to a client's system awhile back. Turns out she had a nasty virus, the Klez worm if I remember correctly. Only thing that helped was a format and reinstall.

there is a klez remover free @ norton's site.

i was infected and the thing cleaned me (like 68 files)

It was a virus, so we got that cleaned. The msconfig utility allowed us to get into the computer to finally be able to install a virus scanner.

For some reason however, now she can connect to her ISP (modem) but can't use IE, Mozilla, AIM, etc Not sure what's up with that.

make sure it's set to use the default connection.

go to tools, internet options, and connections.

make sure it's using a modem, and there aint no proxies set up

<i>SecretMethod70</i>, thanks for letting us know how you fixed the problem! I understand there is still a glitch, but you made progress and thanks for sharing the cure.

I read the initial post and was racking the brain, didn't take long (not much brain), and you told us how you have fixed some of your problem.

Always nice when someone tells a problem, then reports how the problem was solved. We all learn.

Hey Everyone! Thanks to all your WONDERFUL help, I was able to get my computer almost back to 100%, for which I am extremely grateful. Thank you so much!

Unfortunately, its still not at 100% :( Since you all had such great advice before, I'm sure when we put our brains together, we can figure this out too...

Okay, the problem has to do with my internet connection in some way. Since I'm at home right now, I have to use a modem to connect. I've double checked all the setttings I could think of, and even set up a few new connections as well. When I connect using the modem, everything seems fine. I get the little blinking computers in the bottom of the screen, and my computer tells me I'm connected. However, here's a few examples of the problem I'm facing...

When I try to open Mozilla, it gives me the "tfproject.org could not be found. please try again" error message. I've tried it on many different sites with the same result. When I try to open IE, it just tells me "this page cannot be displayed." AIM just says it's "connecting" until I close it, mIRC says that it's unable to resolve the server, and WinMX gives me an error message about the TCP/IP port not listening, or something to that effect. So basically, it seems like even though I'm "connected" there is a communication breakdown between my modem and my computer that is causing it to not register as being connected.

If anyone has any insight into what I could possibly do to fix the situation, I will love you forever! ;) :) Seriously though, I sincerely miss this community, a lot! :( I just want to be able to get back online and be an involved member again. Can't wait to talk to you all again soon! Here's to hoping we can figure something out. :)

A little off topic, But....
 

I had to clean a client's computer of about 69,000 infected files.

Talk about infestation!

As for the connection problem, it sounds like your computer isn't finding the default gateway, or the DNS (Domain Name Server). It would be a problem with your Networking settings. You might want to reinstall the modem drivers as well as the networking drivers.

As for the second problem, it sounds like it's a DNS issue. Once you get connected try visiting a site by using the IP address and see what happens.

216.109.125.77 is yahoo
216.239.33.99 is google

Let us know what happens

If putting in the ISP's DNS addresses in the properties of your connection doesn't help, you may need to uninstall and reinstall your TCP/IP or your Dial Up Networking all together.

Let me know if you need help, I used to work tech support for an ISP.

Thanks for the help everyone, this is onodrim right now. Unfortunately, my internet connection still isn't working, and I really miss TFP :(. I tried Molly's suggestion of uninstalling and reinstalling my TCP/IP, but it didn't make any difference. What happens now is that I can connect with my modem, but the connection only lasts for a minute or so. If I try to load either IE or Mozilla, the page won't display, as if I'm offline. Everything else on my computer is working fine, except my dial-up connection. :( Any suggestions of any sort I will gladly take at this point. Hopefully it won't have to come down to a complete reinstall of windows, I'd rather not lose all my data :(. Thanks for the help. Hope to talk to you all soon. :)

even though its too late, you don't need to 'install' filemon or regmon, they just extract to a folder and run, and you can do that in safe mode.

you could try just uninstalling all of the the networking side of windows, and then reinstalling it, under the control panel / add remove software / windows components.

But now that you can use your system you can backup your important documents and reinstall with no data loss. Sure it may take a afternoon but beats going for weeks without the net.

Have you Tried Calling your ISP's tech support line? they Might have heard of this problem before and might have a solution to your connection problems.

I'll go with hrdwareguy here -- my best guess is that DNS is failing for some reason. Try going to the following URL:
http://216.239.33.99/
That's Google's IP address. If that works, then you need to contact your ISP and enter the correct DNS information, they can tell you how to do that.
If that *doesn't* work, then perhaps it thinks you're connected, but you really aren't.
That's my best guess based on the information here....good luck!

Probably way off base here, as no one's suggested it, but you might try winsockfix.exe. Don't have a link, sadly, but should be easy enough to find. I'd also wait a bit for someone to come along that knows better and says it's ok

From what you are talking about with the modem problem, sounds to me, like others are saying, is that it is a DNS problem.

let us know what you turn out....