Weird Windows 98 shutdown problem

I couldn't find an answer to this so here it goes...

Every once in a while when I try to shut down Windows I get the "this program is not responding" message box. Of course, it doesn't say which program isn't responding. So I click on 'end task' and the screen brightens up and I'm back into Windows.

??????

I try to 'restart windows' and the same thing happens. 'Restart in MS-DOS mode'. Same thing. So I Ctrl+Alt+Del and close every program except explorer. Same thing. Tried to shut down explorer and same thing happened. Eventually, I just hit the power button until it shuts off. Any ideas?

 

Hi dwinter
Welcome to the boards!
When you say

I get the feeling you may have a few unneccessary apps loading at start up and using up valuable resources, unnecessarily.
Perhaps go into msconfig, and under the start up tab, uncheck any unneccessary things from running at start up.
(start...run...type in: msconfig click ok...and check under the start up tab)
Here are two links to tell you what those items are:

Msconfig entries
and
More of the same

If you're unsure of any of them.....please post back.

Daizy

 

Hi Daizy,

Thanks for the welcome!
I forgot to mention (I was watching a DVD, so that took some focus away, sorry) I have already whittled the list of apps down (there were plenty) and the ones running are vital. Also, it happens on both my Dell Latitude and my desktop computer every once in a while.

I checked out those sites with the app descriptions and went through both configurations to uncheck more apps. Maybe that will fix it.

I'm running McAfee on both and I have it set so that it is not scanning floppies on exit.

I have a peer-to-peer networking with sharing OFF.

They are both running Win98 SE. I guess a scandisk and defrag is in order...

Thank You!

 

Scan and defrag will not help this!

But very very good chance these will!

Spyware and adware removal
http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/downloads.html


Mike

 

Hi mflynn, I'm already using Ad-aware and another program to catch trojans, as well as McAfee and ZoneAlarm (you get the feeling I'm a little paranoid?)

My Windows 98SE was already having occasional trouble with shutdowns before I had these apps, except for Ad-Aware.

Thanks anyway!

 

Adaware is too old now last signature in Sept. Did you not realize it is not updating?

I and most on this BBS still use it but in conjunction with SpyBot.

Mcaffe, Zonealarm and spy/adware clearners! Parinoid NO, only good sense. Almost every experienced person on this bbs does also.

If it was there before Adaware it could still be ad/spyware. But since you do have Adaware likely not.

So do this!

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

type these commands

del c:\*.swp (may get file not found, is ok)
del c:\windows\*.swp
attrib c:\windows\shelli*.* -h
del 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\*.*

Then a scan & defrag.

Make sure you are totally up to date with windows update.

Get back to us!

Mike

 

As has been said, twice now, are all your critical windows updates done?

What all do you have left checked under msconfig's start up tab?

Daizy

 

Totally caught up with my updates. Before I take any further action, I want to see if the previous actions did the trick. If I have that problem again, Then I'll come back here.

Thanks Daizy and mflynn!

Desktop msconfig:

lavasoft adwatch
scanregistry
systemtray
loadpowerprofile
stillimagemonitor
regx10exe
alogserv
nprotect
atipta
BOCleanautostart
schedulingagent
mcafeevirusscanservice
atipoll
atismart
loadpowerprofile
dvdwatch
dvdicon
mcafee.comspamkiller

laptop msconfig:

systemtray
scanregistry
alogserv
loadpowerprofile
BOCleanautostart
atipolab
mcafeevirusscanservice
nprotect
truevector
zonealarmpro

 

Seems you have parts of norton (nprotect) and mcaffee? Or maybe system works?

I think you can get rid of the ATI and DVD stuff. Disable in MSconfig and see if everything still works.

Use the sites Daizy sent.

mike

 

Beat me to it Mike.
I'd highly recommend not running both McAfee and Norton's? I'm terribly prejudiced AGAINST McAfee. Your choice of course, but it would be the one I'd choose to remove.
What is regx10exe?

Daizy

 

I have Norton Utilities and McAfee AV. Other than the obvious problem, I haven't had any others. Why prejudiced against McAfee Daizy? Resource hog? My Windows 98SE machine at work has McAfee and Norton's running and I've never had my problem there. I'll switch back to Norton's AV if McAfee AV and NU start fighting...

I've already looked at those sites twice and I'll look again if the shutdown problem comes back...

About regx10exe... it isn't even on my hard drive! It's gone. It's an ATI file.

I think the problem may be gone, but I won't know for a while, like in a week or so. Not a regularly occuring problem. When it does happen, I hate it!

Thanks again!

 

Some reading on the debates of two antivirus apps running at the same time.

Daizy

 

Norton's Utilities does not include an AV. Just speed disk, disk doctor, system doctor, and Norton's protected recycle bin, among other apps. McAfee is AV, safe and sound, shredder and guardian. I would never run two AV apps at the same time!

 

If nothing else works for you, then try this: http://no-nonsense-software.com/download.html or this: http://www.winutility.com/

Both of these ultilities are Free and have always worked for me in this application.

 

TWO McAfee installs need a lot of courage, patience and two uninstalls !
Good luck.