Windows XP - A Weird One??

[Waffle]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

Have you been in the registry?

If so, did you move or remove anything?

If not, what makes you suspect Windows?


Are all of your virus definitions and spybot and adaware up to date?

If they are, have you turned off system restore and booted into safe mode and run them all to completion with no errors?

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

It's possible you have some corruption in the settings for your user account. Reference this KB article and clean boot. Then create a new user account. See if this account has the same problems.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q310353

 

[Solittle]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

Carl & BoatBouy - Looks like I have a bit of work to do.

Waffle - I don't mess with the registry. On why I suspect Windows - See the description of the symptoms in my original post - I don't know what else it could be.

 

[boling]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

Have the task manager up when trying to duplicate the problem, make sure you click on the cpu column in the processes tab, moving the highest numbers to the top. You'll see movement at the top of the list depending on which process is taking the cpu time. Once the trouble starts you should see the suspect process move towards the top. Do a google search on the process.

For registry issues, a program called "hijack this" does a pretty good job of listing what is being loaded during the boot-up.


Hope this helps
Chris

 

[Solittle]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

I have had the task manager up when this happens and there is no aparent task or process that I could point to as the problem. Resources used run at 2-5% at that point.

Also tonight I logged on to one of the other accounts to see if the problem would repeat there. I clicked on an open area of the desk top and the hour glass appeared and the system locked up. I was able to open the task manager at that point and log off the account. That got me back to the main log on screen where there are three accounts. I did not need to reboot.

 

[boling]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

Forgot to mention, since it's out on the desktop where you click to start this, it may be video or video driver related. Check the hardware device manager for the video card. You may need to remove and re-install the driver.

Which video card do you have? Are you using one of the default windows backgrounds, or is it a digital picture recently added? A problem related to this may not show up in the task manager.

Just a thought.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

boling - Interesting -

Video card is a Turtle Beach Sants Cruz. I change my background frequently. I doubt that the problem is there as the problem also occurs with my daughter's desktop with the default background. Also this would not explain when the problem occurs when in My Computer (non desktop background) as described in my 1st post.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Windows XP - A Weird One??

I appreciate all the input. I will try some of the earlier suggestions when I have the time.

Right now the problem is not a show stopper as I am careful where I click and can recover when it occurs. It is a pain though - -