starting again!

Hi,
My sons computer running windows XP home keeps freezing after only a few
minutes use - I had the same on my PC and had to reinstall windows XP.
Looking at posts in the group to format and reinstall you only need to
reboot from the windows XP CD, However I have been told by the vendor
that I need to "S" format the hard drive, and this cannot be done from
the windows CD, to do this I need a boot disk. Is this true, and can
anyone direct me to a web site with any advise on how to do this?
Thanks for reading my post. Paul

Reinstall in this instance is not called for. Reinstall does not correct
hardware problems nor does it correct application interaction problems.

Always trouble shoot this kind of thing with the system in place. A
reinstall simply complicates matters immensely.

First order of business is to see what's running on the machine. Malware and
spyware can cause the system to exhibit the symptoms you describe and
eliminating those is a relatively painless process. If you can keep the
machine up long enough and it has a floppy drive, launch msinfo32
(start-run-msinfo32), expand the software branch and click on the startup
entry. Hit ctrl-a then ctrl-c to copy the data. Now open notepad and hit
ctrl-v to paste the data. Save it to diskette then copy and paste the data
back here.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://support.microsoft.com/service...on/default.asp


"Paul Johnson" wrote in message
...
Hi,
My sons computer running windows XP home keeps freezing after only a few
minutes use - I had the same on my PC and had to reinstall windows XP.
Looking at posts in the group to format and reinstall you only need to
reboot from the windows XP CD, However I have been told by the vendor
that I need to "S" format the hard drive, and this cannot be done from
the windows CD, to do this I need a boot disk. Is this true, and can
anyone direct me to a web site with any advise on how to do this?
Thanks for reading my post. Paul

Hi,
The reason I was asking about the correct way to reformat is that twice
when I asked through the XPcd to reformat using ntfs the computer would
freeze at 100%. Choosing the quick NTFS option worked, but even now my
PC still freezes, and not while playing games, it can be just surfing
the net. My system is three months old and has 512mb ram powered by an
Athalon xp2200.

Below please find the results of my Msinfo32 startup

AVG_CC c:\progra~1\grisoft\avg6\avgcc32.exe /startup All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
HKU\S-1-5-18\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
HKU\S-1-5-19\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
HKU\S-1-5-20\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe .DEFAULT
HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVer sion\Run
Cmaudio rundll32 cmicnfg.cpl,cmictrlwnd All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Mobipocket Web Companion mobipocket web companion.lnk HAL9000\Paul
johnson Startup
Mozilla Quick Launch "c:\program files\netscape\netscape\netscp.exe"
-turbo HAL9000\Paul johnson
HKU\S-1-5-21-507921405-1682526488-854245398-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
MsnMsgr "c:\program files\msn messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
HAL9000\Paul johnson
HKU\S-1-5-21-507921405-1682526488-854245398-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
NVIEW rundll32.exe nview.dll,nviewloadhook HAL9000\Paul johnson
HKU\S-1-5-21-507921405-1682526488-854245398-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
NvCplDaemon rundll32.exe c:\windows\system32\nvcpl.dll,nvstartup All
Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
PsiWin 2.3 Connection Server c:\progra~1\psion\psiwin\psconsv.exe All
Users Common Startup
QuickTime Task "c:\program files\quicktime\qttask.exe" -atboottime All
Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
RealTray c:\program files\real\realplayer\realplay.exe
systemboothideplayer All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SiSUSBRG c:\windows\sisusbrg.exe All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WinsysRsr c:\program files\wsr\winsysrsr.exe All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
desktop desktop.ini NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Startup
desktop desktop.ini HAL9000\Paul johnson Startup
desktop desktop.ini .DEFAULT Startup
desktop desktop.ini All Users Common Startup
nwiz nwiz.exe /install All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


below is a copy of my son's computer

MSConfig c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe /auto All
Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
MsnMsgr "c:\program files\msn messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
SAM-6GBSWERQ2T8\Sam
HKU\S-1-5-21-1844237615-1060284298-1343024091-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
bwprnmon.exe c:\bitware\nt\bwprnmon.exe All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
desktop desktop.ini NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Startup
desktop desktop.ini SAM-6GBSWERQ2T8\Sam Startup
desktop desktop.ini .DEFAULT Startup
desktop desktop.ini All Users Common Startup
pccguide.exe "c:\program files\trend micro\pc-cillin
2002\pccguide.exe" All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


Once again thanks for taking the time to help me out. (I will be out at
work till about 9pm tonight.) Paul

No obvious nasties in startup which leaves hardware or drivers. However the
fact that a full format was hanging is a very strong indicator that the
hardware has issues. No amount of formatting and reinstalling will correct
the problem.

What's odd though is the fact that you have two machines hanging. That may
point to an electrical problem. If using surge protectors, temporarily
remove the machines from the surge strips and plug then up directly. Surge
strips, regardless of cost, tend to be good for an average of not more than
a year.

--
Walter Clayton - MS MVP(WinXP)
Associate Expert
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://support.microsoft.com/service...on/default.asp


"Paul Johnson" wrote in message
...
Hi,
The reason I was asking about the correct way to reformat is that twice
when I asked through the XPcd to reformat using ntfs the computer would
freeze at 100%. Choosing the quick NTFS option worked, but even now my
PC still freezes, and not while playing games, it can be just surfing
the net. My system is three months old and has 512mb ram powered by an
Athalon xp2200.

Below please find the results of my Msinfo32 startup

AVG_CC c:\progra~1\grisoft\avg6\avgcc32.exe /startup All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM
HKU\S-1-5-18\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe NT AUTHORITY\LOCAL SERVICE
HKU\S-1-5-19\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE
HKU\S-1-5-20\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
CTFMON.EXE c:\windows\system32\ctfmon.exe .DEFAULT
HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVer sion\Run
Cmaudio rundll32 cmicnfg.cpl,cmictrlwnd All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Mobipocket Web Companion mobipocket web companion.lnk HAL9000\Paul
johnson Startup
Mozilla Quick Launch "c:\program files\netscape\netscape\netscp.exe"
-turbo HAL9000\Paul johnson

HKU\S-1-5-21-507921405-1682526488-854245398-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Run
MsnMsgr "c:\program files\msn messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
HAL9000\Paul johnson

HKU\S-1-5-21-507921405-1682526488-854245398-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Run
NVIEW rundll32.exe nview.dll,nviewloadhook HAL9000\Paul johnson

HKU\S-1-5-21-507921405-1682526488-854245398-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Run
NvCplDaemon rundll32.exe c:\windows\system32\nvcpl.dll,nvstartup All
Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
PsiWin 2.3 Connection Server c:\progra~1\psion\psiwin\psconsv.exe All
Users Common Startup
QuickTime Task "c:\program files\quicktime\qttask.exe" -atboottime All
Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
RealTray c:\program files\real\realplayer\realplay.exe
systemboothideplayer All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SiSUSBRG c:\windows\sisusbrg.exe All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WinsysRsr c:\program files\wsr\winsysrsr.exe All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
desktop desktop.ini NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Startup
desktop desktop.ini HAL9000\Paul johnson Startup
desktop desktop.ini .DEFAULT Startup
desktop desktop.ini All Users Common Startup
nwiz nwiz.exe /install All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


below is a copy of my son's computer

MSConfig c:\windows\pchealth\helpctr\binaries\msconfig.exe /auto All
Users HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
MsnMsgr "c:\program files\msn messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
SAM-6GBSWERQ2T8\Sam

HKU\S-1-5-21-1844237615-1060284298-1343024091-1004\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Window
s\CurrentVersion\Run
bwprnmon.exe c:\bitware\nt\bwprnmon.exe All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
desktop desktop.ini NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM Startup
desktop desktop.ini SAM-6GBSWERQ2T8\Sam Startup
desktop desktop.ini .DEFAULT Startup
desktop desktop.ini All Users Common Startup
pccguide.exe "c:\program files\trend micro\pc-cillin
2002\pccguide.exe" All Users
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


Once again thanks for taking the time to help me out. (I will be out at
work till about 9pm tonight.) Paul

Walter, thanks for your time. I have got a surge protector on one of the
computer's plugs, but not the other. Thanks again Paul.