I think there is a registry problem or a damaged/missing file. This is happening on Josh's computer, and I remember it happening on one of my machines several months ago. I don't remember what I did to fix it.

Any suggestions?

Thanks - Paul

They don't say it explicitly, but you would probably have to use Safe Mode to switch the system to "clean boot mode" in the article above.

Does the reboot happen at the instant the display switches from the Windows ME "splash screen" to the Windows desktop? Or does the desktop stay up for some time while other things are still starting? Is there any sign of an error msg on the screen at the instant the reboot happens?
 

I talked with another computer "expert", and he indicated there could be a hardware issue. This person suggested letting it come up in the "Safe Mode" (which it will do) and unload the drivers for the plug-in cards and re-start. If it comes up like it is supposed to, it'll find new hardware and re-install the drivers. Probably fresh drivers would be in order.

I would also think that if it is a hardware issue, Josh can unload all the drivers for the cards, (including the video card) and remove all cards with the exception of the graphics card itself. Then re-install them one by one and load the drivers from the disks provided by the device manufacturer. He should also make sure the computer is physically unplugged from the power receptical while removing or installing the cards. If not, the contact potential could fry a card.

Josh, DON'T format the drive...yet. You may not need to do that. I'll help you through the troubleshooting tonight if you would like. I am confident we can solve the problem without formating the drive.

Darryl, as far as I know, he did not change any of those settings.

Any other suggestions are welcome.

Thanks - Paul

Windows 2000 Professional is the way to go.
 

Yes....seems as I now recall that this same problem Josh is having was a driver issue when it happened to me. I stated earlier that I could not recall what I did to fix it. Well, it was a driver problem.

Removing the drivers and re-installing fresh drivers from the the disks was the cure. Apparently, a driver got corrupted, and there was a hardware collision.

I think we are on the right path now. I am confident that if Josh removes the drivers, and then pulls the cards and re-installs them one by one, he'll have the computer back on its feet in short order. However, it does not look like he will be able to do that until tomorrow.

Thanks for the help, gentlemen. It is very much appreciated.

W2K, IMHO, is far more reliable than 9x in dealing with hardware wobbles such as Paul's: in such a situation it would just put an 'X' against the problem device in the device manager screen and would not let this issue pull the whole OS down.

Let it be said that any computer I build from the ground up will have the W2K Prof platform using the NTFS drive format. I am sold on it.

Finally, Microsoft came out with something that actually works since MSDOS 6.22 on the old XT's.

At the moment my machine, together with all the hardware and software on it, works fine under W2KSP2. So as it ain't broke, I don't intend to fix it.
 

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
 

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
 

Oh well, thats windows for you.....

Josh
 

Any comments are appreciated.

 

Michael, I agree a MAC is a good machine. However, there are hundreds and hundreds of programs that you can buy for it. With DOS and Windows, there are thousands and thousands.

I also agree with you about the conflict problems. If the programs are written well and installed properly, the PC can be extremely reliable.

Case at point: We use the Pristine "Rapid Fire" program in our on-air and production room computers at the radio station. These computers have not been shut down for over a year now, and they still run flawlessy. It is a MS-DOS based program. Other radio stations report the same reliability. About once a month, we are supposed to defrag the drives, but that never seems to get done. The program seems to be bulletproof.

I might add this: Many instability problems of the PC's are due to incorrect BIOS set-up. Many IBM clone builders just snatch the system board out of the box, screw it down, and add all the shit. They don't go through the Advanced BIOS settings to set it up properly. Then they run like crap! Then I have to mention third and fourth party software. Some of that stuff is so poorly written, it'll make anything crash. With some of this rottin' software people jam into their computers, it is a wonder the computers run at all!

Those who build them and set up the Advanced BIOS Settings correctly will have a very fine machine.

Beware, people. It could have been someone with a Microsoft update look-alike page looking for information in your computers. I have seen this happen once about 4 years ago. I questioned it immediately, and the ISP provider launched an immediate investigation. (AOL)

As far as Microsoft looking into your computer goes, how about all you that have high speed internet access. Your computer has probably been hacked many times from the head end without you even knowing it. I think Microsofts looking at serial numbers of your OS, motherboard types, and CPU's is pretty lame in itself. Sure its stupid, but not nearly as bad as someone at your ISP looking at all those X rated photos you have stored on your drive. In some areas that CAN get you in trouble. A firewall should easily keep any snoopers out and anyone with HS IPS service should have a fiewall to prevent this.

MAC is good for alot of things but its uses are far more limited due to lack of software and hardware.

Mark

Putting and keeping "X" rated pictures in the PC's is not cool for the reason Mark stated. I have also been told that even if they are deleted, they are still there somewhere in the drive, even if the recycle bin is emptied. Remember the old "undelete" command DOS used? Well, I am sure there are more powerful ways available today. Someone also told me there is software that can dig into the hard drive 10 or more layers deep to see what was on the drive.

When I installed W2KP in this machine, the installation found the second drive I had turned off in the system BIOS. I had to physically unplug the IDE cable from that drive to continue installation. W2KP did not want to install anything because that second drive had a different version of windows that it did not like.

If the CPU Serial Number option is turned off in the BIOS, I have been told that XP will still find it through the back door.

Beware of the modems and LAN cards - they have little feetprints imbedded, too!

Steve

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"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
 

I've installed it on several machines at work with no problems.

-dave

I just used the express installation. After it looked my computer over, it didn't install anything. I guess all the updates, patches, and fixes were current to begin with.

It is nice to be able to come into my computer room after several days, jiggle the mouse, and not having to see some half-butted error message and/or a total loss of keyboard functions. It is ready and waiting to go!

W2K Prof in this machine has not crashed yet. I am very impressed! All my programs work, and all the drivers work. I can multi-task up the butt, and W2K Prof just seems to ask for more to do. Jeeze, at one time I had 5 things running on each monitor, and it still ran smooth as silk.

As for the security issue, I can well believe that if the security services really want to access your hard disc remotely while you're online, then they have the means to do it. They can also listen in to your 'phone conversations and track your whereabouts using the signal from your mobile 'phone, too. I guess you have to accept that the right to privacy can be restricted to a certain extent in the name of public safety. But there have to be limits on it, and most of my security paranoia is not to do with the government 'listening in', but over the possibility that private individuals or organisations might be able to do it.

At home my only significant Internet use is to download e-mail messages (99% of web use I do from work). I keep the modem physically unplugged from the 'phone line at all times except when connecting. The reason I started doing this is that I once had a modem card zapped by lightning while it was left plugged in, and resented having to spend £50 to replace it. But I think it also makes good security sense to keep it unplugged, too. If a virus (e.g. MTX or some variants of Magistr), worm or Trojan contains code instructing the machine to connect, either to pass data out of download more malicious code in, then this code cannot be executed if the modem is unplugged.

I'm convinced that this precaution together with a firewall (Zone Alarm in my case) will keep all but determined professionals out of my PC. I'm online for such short periods of time that if anyone really did want to get a significant volume of data out of it, they would have to physically break into my flat and do it that way. Even then, they'd still have to defeat the W2K username security and file encryption, which I imagine the authorities could do, but most other people would have serious trouble.

If, however, installing SP3 enables W2K to ignore a firewall and still pass information out while connected, I don't want to do it. I have nothing to hide on my hard disc and I don't mind legal authorities having access to it under certain circumstances (i.e. if they obtain a court order), but I don't see why I should allow a private company to obtain personal data about me as part of a contract for the sale of goods.
 

I installed it from the 124mb complete download, not the version which executes a shell program that then downloads the required updated files. So far, Zone Alarm hasn't reported any unusual executables or DLLs trying to access the Internet, and the connection icon on the taskbar hasn't shown any traffic going backwards and forwards when there shouldn't be.

One welcome feature that SP3 does introduce is a facility which allows you to totally erase Outlook Express and/or Internet Explorer. Presumably this is an implementation of the Supreme Court ruling.

If any obvious issues crop up I'll post details here...