Computer hangs on bootup and several more problems

The computer hangs on bootup. It starts to load Windows but hangs and does not complete. When I try C+A+D to restart, I get the BSOD that states...*System is Busy...press C+A+D to restart your computer...Press any key to continue. Of course that *never works and I have to shut down manually.

When restarting the computer the scandisk keeps restarting over and over. Additionally, it does the same thing any time I run it. The Standard Scan never used to have to shut everything down, but now it does...even in safe mode, I am told that something is writing to the disk and scan disk is unable to complete.

I have *never used Dr. Watson, but just for the heck of it, I clicked on it after the hangup on boot. It said: If the taskbar is acting strangely try exiting multimedia background task suppor module. ( I have a hidden taskbar, and in the hangup on bootup, it will not display but remains hidden.) I have NO idea what the Watson message means!!! And I have no idea if it is related to the hangup.

The only thing that I have changed onthe computer is the bootup sound, and the connect sound. The disconnect sound will not work at all.

I hope I have made myself clear. As usual, any help is appreciated...

 

Hi yankee1620
Can you go to run.........then type in msconfig. Click ok...then go to your start up tab. List for us what all you have checked?

Daizy

 

Yank

Hello Daizy!

1st thing to do is cleanup so:

Cleanups
These are for 95 98 ME only!

Boot to DOS (not shutdown to DOS). While booting hit F8 to startup menu. Chose "command prompt only ".

NOTE Win ME cannot boot to DOS so you must get a Win98 install boot floppy and boot to a: so YANK get one somewhere. Or go here from the computer you are using now and d/l the win98 boot disk http://bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm

Get the one that says Windows 98 SE OEM. Make the disk and boot from it!

Type these commands at either a: or c:

del c:\*.swp (may get file not found, is ok)
del c:\windows\*.swp
deltree c:\windows\shelli*.*
deltree c:\windows\temp\*.* (answer yes to all) "ALL "
deltree c:\windows\tempor~1\*.*
deltree c:\windows\history\*.*
deltree c:\windows\spool\printers\*.*

These should help.

Next step:

After above do not let it boot to full windows, so hit F8 repeatedly while booting to get into safe mode.

If you are succesful in getting to safe mode do the following

Configure CleanMgr to max settings
Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sageset:1
The above need only be ran once (these settings will be remembered as the default until another sageset is ran).

It will present a menu select all except compress, then

Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sagerun:1
As long as /sageset above has been ran on this computer from now on the /sagerun is the only thing that needs to run.

If you get here do as Daizy suggested and run MSCONFIG and uncheck all startups except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY!

If you can not get to this point we need to do something else. So if you can get here let us know before you try to get back to full mode!

Mike

 

Going to have to disagree with you here Mike. We'd rather know what IS checked. Then proceed.

Daizy

 

No! I agree to disagree! Lol!

He is in safe mode now.

We want him to get all out of the way, so we can get him back up in full mode so he can download some real cleanup utils like adware and spybot and regcleaner.

Then we can more easily work with his refined list of startups.

Hope you got Chocolate and roses yesterday! Smile!

Mike

 

I'll hand it back to you, then Mike.

Daizy

 

Hey c'mon you guys...I am not a he, by the way, I am an old she!
You have managed to thoroughly confuse me...LOL!

First of all, I need to get the stuff from msconfig for Daizy. I keep everything unchecked that I possibly can, but will get the info for you as soon as I have a chance.

Secondly...the suggestions from Mr. Flynn are way beyond my capabilities...I know absolutely nothing about DOS and would not dream of fouling up my computer by trying to put Windows 98 stuff in it. I would ruin it completely!! I am trying to avoid reinstalling Windows and trying to do what you suggest would guarantee it. If you look at my sig, you will understand. I am dumb, but not foolhardy...LOL! I know my limitations...

I already have AdAware, and Spybot, and Regcleaner..and I use them.

Anyway, I will backtrack and get the msconfig info as soon as I can...I have to go out for a bit right now...

Thanks for responses...

 

PS: NO, I am not in Safe Mode now! I never was.The Safe Mode referred to scan disk. Sometimes the computer hangs, and the next time it boots, but it hangs frequently on bootup. Maybe my original message was not clear as I presented several problems.

 

Ok! Ms Yankee. Smile!

In my reference to "in safe mode now" I was referenceing the point in my post where I reccomended MSCONFIG as I did not have enough info from your initial post to tell if you could even get to safe mode.

You stated it locked up on bootup and never said you could get around it at all.

In this case beginning with a DOS cleanup seemed to me to be the "only" alternative!

These things are easy to do and are safe and only look long and complex. They have been done by me many hundreds of times and by many on this BBS!

These cleanups need to be done. In almost every case that I skip them in trying to help (and I never skip them if am hands on) with a non specfic or undefined problem I regret it.

Many times they fix a problem, but at the very least it clears the slate for more deeper diags.

I do not, can not, require anyone to follow my instructions that is up to them.

All I can do is provide help and suggestions about things that I am well experienced with.

So I will yield to gentler softer approach.

Good luck!

Mike

 

Mike...I do not dispute your suggestions as you know what you are doing. I am not that experienced and definitely do not know what you are doing.With my level of expertise I would not dare to try to put Windows 98 material in my Windows ME computer, and even if I was successful I would then foul everything up because I know nothing about DOS.I guarantee that the computer would be fouled up beyond repair if I even attempted to try it. I sincerely appreciate your help, but I do know that my level of expertise would lead me into grave trouble if I attempted to follow your directions.

Daizy...here is the list of checks in msconfig. It looks like a lot but some have been insisted upon by HP and the new NAV2003 has added several more in order to run...(what a buggy software it seems to be, too.)

T Clock Ex
hpsysdrv
PC Health
Scan Registry
System Tray
Load Power Profile
Shtz
Motive Monitor
Delay
Memory Boost (essential if you have WinME!!)
Task Monitor
ccApp
ccRegVfy
Norton AutoProtect
Norton EmailProtect
*state Mgr
KeyboardMgr
ccEvent Mgr
Script Blocking
True Vector
Minilog
Zone Alarm
42AC Plug

Thanks....

 

From the original post.

That problem at that place is an indication of a messed up OS.

I think we should be looking at a re-install of Windows as the better fix.

I believe Dixie has an OEM machine also. ( HP I think )..

And if it were me ( which of ain't of course ) I would never go back in with ME.

98 SE would be my choice.

When restarting the computer the scandisk keeps restarting over and over.

Also what might help is to have Norton DiskDoctor run on it from DOS.

yankee1620

Can you even boot that machine into the Safe Mode ? If not, then I would further recommend a re-install.

AFTER having Norton run on the HD.

BillyBob

 

Mike...here is an example of why I don't dare follow your directions...I am not experienced enough to figure out what you mean right here:

You wrote...
Do not let it boot all the way but go into safe mode. Isn't it *already booted into DOS? Is it supposed to be shut down and rebooted into Safe Mode...should the floppy be removed first? This is why it it too difficult for inexperienced people to try it as they don't know what to do at a point like this and they are sure to do the wrong thing....and then they don't know how to get back out of the place where they are at this point. And then they are tempted to shoot themselves, or at least break down and cry...

(I wish you lived next door and were a friendly neighbor...LOL!)

 

Hi Billy Bob...Yes, I can boot into Safe Mode. Yes it is an HP OEM.

Windows 98 Se will have no support after a few more months and I don't have it anyway, and wouldn't know how to install it if I did have it.As they are withdrawing support it would be foolish to buy it, if you could even find one.And I hate even to think of the weeks it would take to dl all the updates and patches. And for what...it is almost dead.But I hate ME and most definitely do not want XP, so even a new computer is out of the question.

I don't have Norton Disk Doctor. In fact I think NAV 2003 was responsible for fouling up my computer as it was fine until I installed it. I am not enamored of Symantec software and the lack of support either.

I really do *not want to reinstall the OS as I have too many things that I would lose. The last time I reinstalled 98 SE on my other computer, I lost too many things and it took a good month of all day tinkering to reinstall everything...to say nothing of taking 4 hours to update NAV virus defs.

Ooops, sorry, I forgot we weren't just emailing and this is really not the place for me to go on at such length...

 

Hi Dixie

Quote:

Mike...here is an example of why I don't dare follow your directions...I am not experienced enough to figure out what you mean right here:

Unqoute

OK!

So I plan to be here for you.

I really hope you know that you can not boot from the HD if a disk is in the floppy!

BTW booting from a win98 boot disk does not put anything on your computer from win98 only starts it.

Anyway based on this and your response to BillyBob I don't see how I or anyone will be able to help you. You will need some confidence in yourself and us.

Maybe you should try to find a friend or relative that is comfortable with some of these things to help you with our suggestions.

In the mean time I will stay out of the way. I do not want to cause controversy.

Out to dinner!

Good luck

Mike

 

Mike...everyone I know that has a computer knows nothing except how to send an email and my sister just bought her first computer 2 months ago, so she is no help either...

So, from what I gather, my computer is no longer any good?? The only solution is to delete everything and lose it? I hate to do that as I have spent a lot of money to dl things that I will now lose.

I should have stuck with Ham Radio and never got into computers...

Thanks for all the suggestions from everyone
in what is obviously a hopeless situation...

Daizy...what were you going to try next...we never got beyond msconfig/startup?

 

Hiya Dixie
Don't give up on Mike...he'll steer you right. Just make him slow down and explain what you don't understand.

As for Msconfig:
You're right. You keep it relatively clean. Though, I don't know what "Shtz" is?

And would actually disagree with you about memory boosters. There's irony in a program using up resources to run, to free you up resources.

Wait to hear back from Mike. Or ask him specifically to explain what you don't understand.

Daizy

 

quote:

If you get here do as Daizy suggested and run MSCONFIG and
uncheck all startups except EXPLORER and SYSTRAY!



I wouldn't be able to get here if I was in Safe Mode, and if sage is the only thing that will run, how am I supposed to get any place at all? I don't know what a sageset is and I wouldn't know how to get out of it to get to a place where I could connect to be able to get here.
What is supposed to be being cleaned???
There is no controversy...not everybody is a professional and understands everything...

 

Daizy.. Shtz is a program that was recommended to me a couple of years ago by Goddez, who used to be on this forum. Windows has always had shutdown problems that their solutions never seemed to correct. Shtz was developed by a couple of fellow in the Netherlands and shuts down my computer without fail.It was offered free to anyone who wanted it.It always puzzled me that someone in the Netherlands could fix the shutdown problem, but MS could not...LOL!

As for Memory Boost...before I got it I had to reboot constantly because of the memory leaks and dropping resources in ME...even MS admitted that it was a problem in Windows ME, and that there was no solution. But since I bought Memory Boost...I never have to reboot and can run the computer all day without rebooting.

I have to go out for a while and will check tomorrow...unless I have thrown the computer in the dumpster by then. Oh, can't do that...has to be recycled or shoved in the attic now...

 

Get the one that says Windows 98 SE OEM. Make the disk and boot from it!

Does it dl to a floppy? It didn't seem to, so I cancelled it.

 

PS:
Is it different from the Emergency Boot Disk that I made for my Windows 98 SE computer?