Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#967861
07/14/14 10:03 PM
07/14/14 10:03 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 40,644 southeast USA
Jenny100
GB Reviewer Glitches Moderator
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GB Reviewer Glitches Moderator
Sonic Boomer
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southeast USA
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First thing I'd do is run a chkdsk on the hard drive to make sure it is OK. Do the complete scan that checks the surface of the disk. Here are instructions that show alternate ways of doing this. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/guide-to-using-check-disk-in-windows-vista/The computer will probably have to reboot before running chkdsk. If the computer was turned off while it was writing back to the hard drive, that could cause corrupted files. Sometimes chkdsk can fix them, sometimes not. If chkdsk finds errors, run it again until it finds no more errors. If chkdsk indicates that it made repairs, see how well the computer runs after it's made them. If chkdsk finds no errors on the hard drive, maybe the problem is just Norton. Try uninstalling and reinstalling Norton. After uninstalling through Control Panel\Programs, be sure to use the Norton Removal Tool to get rid of all trace of Norton. https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/kb20080710133834EN_EndUserProfile_en_usThen reinstall Norton, download updates and see if it behaves itself.
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#967891
07/15/14 12:05 AM
07/15/14 12:05 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
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Just change the power settings to stop it from going to sleep for these scans.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: Draclvr]
#967896
07/15/14 01:52 AM
07/15/14 01:52 AM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 5,588 Oklahoma, USA
Homer6
BAAG Specialist
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BAAG Specialist
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Oklahoma, USA
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When something freezes the computer, instead of using the power button to shut down the computer try Ctrl/Alt/Delete to bring up the Task Manager. Click on the program which is frozen and then End Task to, hopefully, stop and close the program.
If something gets your goat, it just proves you have a goat to get.
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#967941
07/15/14 09:18 AM
07/15/14 09:18 AM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 40,644 southeast USA
Jenny100
GB Reviewer Glitches Moderator
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GB Reviewer Glitches Moderator
Sonic Boomer
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 40,644
southeast USA
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#968094
07/15/14 09:20 PM
07/15/14 09:20 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 18,235 Chicago
oldbroad
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So tonight the computer froze right away again and then would not come back on. I patiently let it sit for awhile and tried again and was given an option to Launch Startup Repair so I did that. It asked if I wanted to try to restore to an earlier point so I said yes. (I lost 1 of 3 games I had installed Saturday that will require me to get a new code to unlock it.) Had to "fix" Norton again. Action center still shows my virus protection, spyware, and firewall are off but as far as I can tell they are on.
I found a number to a repair place so I think I'm going to have to call and take it in.
I looked at the event log but of course could not make sense of it at all.
I did find the place about the USB mouse and sleeping but left it alone.
Thank you for your help!
Just noticed my clock is wrong now in my computer even though the time zone is accurate. The time is 1 hour ahead. I hope this stupid thing works tomorrow!
Last edited by oldbroad; 07/15/14 09:55 PM.
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969283
07/22/14 08:49 PM
07/22/14 08:49 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,293 Rivellon
traveler
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Oldbroad, The easiest way in the world to find out what starts with your computer is to download and use WinPatrol. You can set any startup program to delayed starting or stop it altogether. I believe the free version will do the trick for you although Plus is really a deal, a lifetime subscription that, among other things, gives you added info about any file that makes you wonder what it does and if you really need it there. Anyway, give the free download a try. You might like it. Gil.
"Best not to think about it. I don't want to fall to bits 'cos of excess existential thought."
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969286
07/22/14 09:00 PM
07/22/14 09:00 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Near St. Louis, MO
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I could not have a computer without WinPatrol! One of the most useful utilities out there.
But if you want to just go take a look, click on Start and type msconfig into the space. Click on the msconfig search result and then click on the Startup tab. One of my favorite things about Windows 8 is the ability to manage startup programs from the Task Manager.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969293
07/22/14 11:23 PM
07/22/14 11:23 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,293 Rivellon
traveler
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oldbroad, Go to Start/Run and type in msconfig then click OK. That will take you directly to it.
Gil.
"Best not to think about it. I don't want to fall to bits 'cos of excess existential thought."
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969299
07/23/14 12:18 AM
07/23/14 12:18 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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In Windows 7 you do not have to use Run. In fact, there is no Run in the start menu unless you enable it. Yes, click on msconfig.exe.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: Draclvr]
#969305
07/23/14 02:13 AM
07/23/14 02:13 AM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,293 Rivellon
traveler
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That's odd, I don't recall enabling Run but I use Aero. Maybe it 'comes with'? At any rate, it's there on the Start menu at the bottom right.
Gil.
"Best not to think about it. I don't want to fall to bits 'cos of excess existential thought."
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969402
07/23/14 02:44 PM
07/23/14 02:44 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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It's certainly possible if you have a brand computer, Run was enabled by default. If you do a fresh install of a non-OEM version of Windows 7, it is not enabled by default. You don't need it to get to msconfig like you did in XP - you just enter msconfig in the search box and click on the search result.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969453
07/23/14 09:09 PM
07/23/14 09:09 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 18,235 Chicago
oldbroad
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969557
07/24/14 10:22 AM
07/24/14 10:22 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
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What did you find, oldbroad? I use this site often to find out what some of the listings in Start are. You can search alphabetically. I usually leave virtually nothing running at startup that isn't absolutely necessary. http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_search.phpI just had a long-distance friend who was using Norton 360 and although her computer problems has all the earmarks of malware, it turned out to be Norton itself causing the problems on her Windows 7 computer. That's probably not the cause of your issues though.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969692
07/24/14 09:55 PM
07/24/14 09:55 PM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
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I agree - wait until your mind is fresh. But when your mind is clear and you want to tackle it, the usual way to find out what might be causing a problem is to simply disable everything and reboot. Then enable things you really need one at a time. NEVER have STEAM enabled in startup - that is one of the absolute worst. But other than your antivirus or maybe a couple of others, everything you find in there can be disabled.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: Draclvr]
#969698
07/24/14 11:55 PM
07/24/14 11:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,293 Rivellon
traveler
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Question, Drac.
What about the Microsoft programs in there? Do you disable them?
Gil.
"Best not to think about it. I don't want to fall to bits 'cos of excess existential thought."
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969699
07/25/14 12:05 AM
07/25/14 12:05 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
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Yes. That link I posted explains what they are. I never knew for sure, but when I looked them up, I didn't see any reason why they should be running at startup. I've never had any issues after disabling them.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#969760
07/25/14 10:53 AM
07/25/14 10:53 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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That's what I used to do... a pain for sure.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#974586
08/23/14 12:29 AM
08/23/14 12:29 AM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 18,235 Chicago
oldbroad
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So, I left my computer on for about a week but have recently shut it down 3 times due to storms in the area and each of those 3 times it booted up just fine. Here's the 3 things that happened during that week.
1) I had some Windows updates to install which usually happens automatically but for some reason I had to initiate it. Maybe because I hadn't been shutting down which is when the updates always occur.
2) My Norton updated (the program, not just the virus definitions which it always does) and the Action Center stuff cleared out of there.
3) I have a paid for MSN Premium account because I prefer the MSN mail to any other I've tried. For quite some time there had been a prompt to update whenever I signed in or out of MSN but for some reason I didn't trust it. I googled it and it seemed like it would take me backwards to an older version of what I had so I just kept saying No to the update. Since I was having the freeze up problem, one day I decided I might as well try the update since I was going to have the computer looked at anyway. Well DUH. It WAS an update. MSN Explorer and email is working better and voila, my computer works now too!
So, fingers crossed, knock on wood, and all that other stuff. I think my computer is fixed.
By the way, I did purchase WinPatrol, not that I know what to do with it.
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Re: crashing or shutting down problem
[Re: oldbroad]
#974637
08/23/14 10:45 AM
08/23/14 10:45 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 20,115 Near St. Louis, MO
Draclvr
Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Reviews Editor - Hints/Glitches Mod - Site Support
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Near St. Louis, MO
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I've found exactly the same thing sometimes - just wait for the next Windows Update or something like that!
With WinPatrol, whenever something tried to put itself into your Startup, the little Scottie Dog with give a "ruff" sound and tell you about it. If you don't know what it is, you can click on the button that says Plus Info and find out what the program is. Maybe you've just installed something and it needs to run once the next time you boot up. Or maybe it's something nefarious - you will know immediately. It's also the best way to manage your Startup programs. Just right click on the little Scotty Dog in your hidden icons down on the lower right to open up all the options.
Once again, weeds are my life!
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