Windows XP fails

I have one computer with Windows XP. Yesterday I made a change to Outlook for
how often it looks for new email. Since then I have had problems with it.
First, the computer would not connect to our network (it was still able to
get to the Internet) - it would not allow it to log onto network drives. I
was unable to recreate them also. From here Windows appeared to lock up - if
I would close the window all the dektop icons would dissapear and nothing
would happen. When I would do a CNTRL+ALT+DEL it wouls show a wondows
explorer running but I could not end it.

THis problem goes on!!!

Can someone please help? I would provide any more info needed.

Thanks

Bob M wrote:
I have one computer with Windows XP. Yesterday I made a change to
Outlook for how often it looks for new email. Since then I have had
problems with it. First, the computer would not connect to our
network (it was still able to get to the Internet) - it would not
allow it to log onto network drives. I was unable to recreate them
also. From here Windows appeared to lock up - if I would close the
window all the dektop icons would dissapear and nothing would
happen. When I would do a CNTRL+ALT+DEL it wouls show a wondows
explorer running but I could not end it.

THis problem goes on!!!

Can someone please help? I would provide any more info needed.

Verify what specific version of Windows XP you have first...

Start button -- RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
-- type in:
winver
-- Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version" will
give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this message
verbatim. ;-)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

Reboot.

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(** Ignore the last step - you should have SP3 installed, but you shouldn't
correct it at this point if you do not - wait until you fix this issue
first.)

Reboot.

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button -- RUN -- type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
-- Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button -- RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
-- Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) -- Click on NEXT -- Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT -- When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Follow these steps...

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot.

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Do all of that in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
think/know you have done it before.

If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
before that may have caused the message.

In the end - come back - respond with your results.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Bob M wrote:
I have one computer with Windows XP. Yesterday I made a change to
Outlook for how often it looks for new email. Since then I have had
problems with it. First, the computer would not connect to our
network (it was still able to get to the Internet) - it would not
allow it to log onto network drives. I was unable to recreate them
also. From here Windows appeared to lock up - if I would close the
window all the dektop icons would dissapear and nothing would
happen. When I would do a CNTRL+ALT+DEL it wouls show a wondows
explorer running but I could not end it.

THis problem goes on!!!

Can someone please help? I would provide any more info needed.

Verify what specific version of Windows XP you have first...

Start button -- RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
-- type in:
winver
-- Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version" will
give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this message
verbatim. ;-)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

Reboot.

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(** Ignore the last step - you should have SP3 installed, but you shouldn't
correct it at this point if you do not - wait until you fix this issue
first.)

Reboot.

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button -- RUN -- type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
-- Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button -- RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
-- Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) -- Click on NEXT -- Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT -- When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Follow these steps...

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot.

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Do all of that in the order given. Do not skip a step because you
think/know you have done it before.

If you experience any errors, get any strange messages, want further
explanation for any step - come back. Post messages word-for-word.
Describe exactly what you see around the message and what you did right
before that may have caused the message.

In the end - come back - respond with your results.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html