Does not boot consistently - Not All Startup Tasks Load

I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently. The Dell
machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the startup and work
great, but other times it will only load some of the items (and the others
are missing from the taskbar). It will appear to work, but you cannot run
IE, or the other programs that did not load. When you click on them, it just
does nothing. I have run chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig with each
item to only load the things I need.

Also, when I try to shutdown the computer when it starts up wrong, the
system gets hung on "saving system settings" and then I have to manually shut
it down.

I think all of this started when I tried to install IE8 on this computer, it
did not work properly, and then I had to back off to IE6/7.

I do a checkpoint on the system everytime I make any changes or when it is
working okay. Sometimes now the only way I can get it to boot up properly it
to press F8 at startup, last good configuration, and then hope that it will
work.

Any ideas of what I can look for would be helpful. I am running McAfee
Virus/Firewall protection.

My other computer is an Acer netbook which is experiencing similar
problems...Thanks.

it is any wonder that the
computer with 2 megabytes
of ram can boot at all.

should have at least 512
megabytes of ram installed.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in message
...
I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently. The
Dell
machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the startup and
work
great, but other times it will only load some of the items (and the others
are missing from the taskbar). It will appear to work, but you cannot run
IE, or the other programs that did not load. When you click on them, it
just
does nothing. I have run chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig with
each
item to only load the things I need.

Also, when I try to shutdown the computer when it starts up wrong, the
system gets hung on "saving system settings" and then I have to manually
shut
it down.

I think all of this started when I tried to install IE8 on this computer,
it
did not work properly, and then I had to back off to IE6/7.

I do a checkpoint on the system everytime I make any changes or when it is
working okay. Sometimes now the only way I can get it to boot up properly
it
to press F8 at startup, last good configuration, and then hope that it
will
work.

Any ideas of what I can look for would be helpful. I am running McAfee
Virus/Firewall protection.

My other computer is an Acer netbook which is experiencing similar
problems...Thanks.

Typo : 2 GB Ram.
It is a corrupted nt user file, I think. I booted from a different user and
it boots fine.

"db" wrote:

it is any wonder that the
computer with 2 megabytes
of ram can boot at all.

should have at least 512
megabytes of ram installed.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in message
...
I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently. The
Dell
machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the startup and
work
great, but other times it will only load some of the items (and the others
are missing from the taskbar). It will appear to work, but you cannot run
IE, or the other programs that did not load. When you click on them, it
just
does nothing. I have run chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig with
each
item to only load the things I need.

Also, when I try to shutdown the computer when it starts up wrong, the
system gets hung on "saving system settings" and then I have to manually
shut
it down.

I think all of this started when I tried to install IE8 on this computer,
it
did not work properly, and then I had to back off to IE6/7.

I do a checkpoint on the system everytime I make any changes or when it is
working okay. Sometimes now the only way I can get it to boot up properly
it
to press F8 at startup, last good configuration, and then hope that it
will
work.

Any ideas of what I can look for would be helpful. I am running McAfee
Virus/Firewall protection.

My other computer is an Acer netbook which is experiencing similar
problems...Thanks.



.

probably can do a system
restore from safe mode or
uninstall ie from a/r programs.

both the above would uninstall
the ie system files.

you can also test ie via safe
mode w/networking.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in message
...
Typo : 2 GB Ram.
It is a corrupted nt user file, I think. I booted from a different user
and
it boots fine.

"db" wrote:

it is any wonder that the
computer with 2 megabytes
of ram can boot at all.

should have at least 512
megabytes of ram installed.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in
message
...
I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently.
The
Dell
machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the startup and
work
great, but other times it will only load some of the items (and the
others
are missing from the taskbar). It will appear to work, but you cannot
run
IE, or the other programs that did not load. When you click on them,
it
just
does nothing. I have run chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig with
each
item to only load the things I need.

Also, when I try to shutdown the computer when it starts up wrong, the
system gets hung on "saving system settings" and then I have to
manually
shut
it down.

I think all of this started when I tried to install IE8 on this
computer,
it
did not work properly, and then I had to back off to IE6/7.

I do a checkpoint on the system everytime I make any changes or when it
is
working okay. Sometimes now the only way I can get it to boot up
properly
it
to press F8 at startup, last good configuration, and then hope that it
will
work.

Any ideas of what I can look for would be helpful. I am running McAfee
Virus/Firewall protection.

My other computer is an Acer netbook which is experiencing similar
problems...Thanks.



.

The other user I created now does not boot consistently. This is more of a
system-wide problem. Maybe something bad in my registry. I heard a lot of
bad things about registry cleaners (in that they make things worse).
Restores and doing F8 (last good config) don't help the problem.

"db" wrote:

probably can do a system
restore from safe mode or
uninstall ie from a/r programs.

both the above would uninstall
the ie system files.

you can also test ie via safe
mode w/networking.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in message
...
Typo : 2 GB Ram.
It is a corrupted nt user file, I think. I booted from a different user
and
it boots fine.

"db" wrote:

it is any wonder that the
computer with 2 megabytes
of ram can boot at all.

should have at least 512
megabytes of ram installed.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in
message
...
I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently.
The
Dell
machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the startup and
work
great, but other times it will only load some of the items (and the
others
are missing from the taskbar). It will appear to work, but you cannot
run
IE, or the other programs that did not load. When you click on them,
it
just
does nothing. I have run chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig with
each
item to only load the things I need.

Also, when I try to shutdown the computer when it starts up wrong, the
system gets hung on "saving system settings" and then I have to
manually
shut
it down.

I think all of this started when I tried to install IE8 on this
computer,
it
did not work properly, and then I had to back off to IE6/7.

I do a checkpoint on the system everytime I make any changes or when it
is
working okay. Sometimes now the only way I can get it to boot up
properly
it
to press F8 at startup, last good configuration, and then hope that it
will
work.

Any ideas of what I can look for would be helpful. I am running McAfee
Virus/Firewall protection.

My other computer is an Acer netbook which is experiencing similar
problems...Thanks.



.

.

before running a registry cleaner
I always try to recommend that
a check disk be executed to ensure
that the file system is indexed with
the master file table.

afterwards, that a defrag should
be initiated.

then run a registry cleaner.

however, you did mention that
you ran a chkdsk and I don't
think that a registry cleaner
will resolve the problem.

also, since you are able to
to create users, then you are
able to log in as administrator.

you might try disabling everything
in the startups during your analysis.

also, what were the results of running
ie via safe mode w/networking?

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in message
...
The other user I created now does not boot consistently. This is more of
a
system-wide problem. Maybe something bad in my registry. I heard a lot
of
bad things about registry cleaners (in that they make things worse).
Restores and doing F8 (last good config) don't help the problem.

"db" wrote:

probably can do a system
restore from safe mode or
uninstall ie from a/r programs.

both the above would uninstall
the ie system files.

you can also test ie via safe
mode w/networking.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in
message
...
Typo : 2 GB Ram.
It is a corrupted nt user file, I think. I booted from a different
user
and
it boots fine.

"db" wrote:

it is any wonder that the
computer with 2 megabytes
of ram can boot at all.

should have at least 512
megabytes of ram installed.

--
db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces
- @Hotmail.com
- nntp Postologist
~ "share the nirvana" - dbZen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



"StarryNight986" wrote in
message
...
I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently.
The
Dell
machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the startup
and
work
great, but other times it will only load some of the items (and the
others
are missing from the taskbar). It will appear to work, but you
cannot
run
IE, or the other programs that did not load. When you click on
them,
it
just
does nothing. I have run chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig
with
each
item to only load the things I need.

Also, when I try to shutdown the computer when it starts up wrong,
the
system gets hung on "saving system settings" and then I have to
manually
shut
it down.

I think all of this started when I tried to install IE8 on this
computer,
it
did not work properly, and then I had to back off to IE6/7.

I do a checkpoint on the system everytime I make any changes or when
it
is
working okay. Sometimes now the only way I can get it to boot up
properly
it
to press F8 at startup, last good configuration, and then hope that
it
will
work.

Any ideas of what I can look for would be helpful. I am running
McAfee
Virus/Firewall protection.

My other computer is an Acer netbook which is experiencing similar
problems...Thanks.



.

.

In
=?Utf-8?B?U3RhcnJ5TmlnaHQ5ODY=?=
wrote:

I have two computers running XP sp 3 that do not boot consistently.
The Dell machine (2 mb ram) sometimes will load all the items in the
startup and work great, but other times it will only load some of the
items (and the others are missing from the taskbar). It will appear
to work, but you cannot run IE, or the other programs that did not
load. When you click on them, it just does nothing. I have run
chkdsk, and I have gone through msconfig with each item to only load
the things I need.

Have you looked in the event logs?

Things failing to start during boot will often leave traces in either
the Application or System logs.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN

Thanks so much for the idea. I am in the process of looking at the event
logs for the system and applications now. Last night I looked at my
daughter's computer (an Acer netbook) in detail. I looked up the errors and
found a fix for one of the errors for her log off problem. I also ran
windows update. Here is the fix I used:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/837115.

This system seems to startup fine now (fingers crossed).

Now, I will continue to look at the logs for my Dell computer to see if I
can get anything concrete. It has different errors and warnings. There are
many more processes running on this system.



"Bert Hyman" wrote:


Have you looked in the event logs?

Things failing to start during boot will often leave traces in either
the Application or System logs.

--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN
.