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View Full Version : My computer is winning the argument



FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 12:56 AM
more and more often. :notam: It goes like this I click the mouse button which is (in an ideal universe) supposed to send a command of some sort to my puter but it gives me the no response treatment and freezes up if I try to reiterate the command. So I shut it down and reboot but it's like it's mad at me or something and gives me the half hour silent treatment with no visuals before finally showing me the login to Windows screen. I think it's making plans to leave me. :idea: I'm all outta sweet talk; tried everything I know. :( It's taken slow processing to a sub-basement level. SLUG :mad: . Sometimes I just don't feel up to fighting with it. :rolleyes: / :sleeping:
If I disappear for a while - the puter left me or I sent it to get counselling. :wink: As long as I'm still here means I haven't lost the battle ... yet. :squiggle:
Oh woe is me, lol! Just felt like whining. :redface:

Infomaniac
04-08-2005, 04:35 AM
more and more often. :notam: It goes like this I click the mouse button which is (in an ideal universe) supposed to send a command of some sort to my puter but it gives me the no response treatment and freezes up if I try to reiterate the command. So I shut it down and reboot but it's like it's mad at me or something and gives me the half hour silent treatment with no visuals before finally showing me the login to Windows screen. I think it's making plans to leave me. :idea: I'm all outta sweet talk; tried everything I know. :( It's taken slow processing to a sub-basement level. SLUG :mad: . Sometimes I just don't feel up to fighting with it. :rolleyes: / :sleeping:
If I disappear for a while - the puter left me or I sent it to get counselling. :wink: As long as I'm still here means I haven't lost the battle ... yet. :squiggle:
Oh woe is me, lol! Just felt like whining. :redface:
You can naviagte through windows using the keyboard dear.

Forkin' Crazy
04-08-2005, 05:35 AM
Yea, but I never can remember all those comands..
If you have anything on your computer you want to keep, you better back it up.
You might try going into the "device manager", find mice and pointing devices and use the trouble shooter....
:confused:

MagicMtnDan
04-08-2005, 06:51 AM
Sounds like your computer has some crud (spyware, etc.) in it - better download these two programs and run them:
1. Spybot Search & Destroy
2. Adaware 6.0
You can get both of these free at www.download.com

cdog
04-08-2005, 07:13 AM
Restart Press F8 while restarting. choose safe mode and try a system restore. If that does'nt work try a msconfig. Go to the start button hit run, then type in msconfig. Go to the start up menu and disable all programs upon startup. Now you will have to restart. This ables you to turn a program on when you want it vrs. the computer starting everything when you start it up.

cdog
04-08-2005, 07:16 AM
Sounds like your computer has some crud (spyware, etc.) in it - better download these two programs and run them:
1. Spybot Search & Destroy
2. Adaware 6.0
You can get both of these free at www.download.com
My IT guy at corporate has started deleting adware6.0 from computers. It seems that they have recently sold out to a spyware company. It causing lots of problems with the new improved spyware.

THATJEFFGUY
04-08-2005, 08:13 AM
Dude...get a Dell :D

FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 12:12 PM
LOL! Wow! I really appreciate all the tips. :) You guys are great. :cool:
I do have (and regularly use) both Ad-aware and Spybot. Also have and use stinger, AVG and Microsoft Anti-Spyware beta so I'm fairly confident that my system is free of adware/spyware/trojans/viruses. The mouse pointer works fine it's the processing response time I'm having issues with - particularly on reboot. I really don't think it should take over a half hour for the login screen to appear after I've pressed the restart button. I have backed up a lot of stuff on my external drive and I'm wanting to wipe the slate clean on my main HDD and start fresh installing everything. I think there are currently many unneeded files taking up space on my system. I only have 11% free space left on my main HDD and 34% free space left on my external HDD. The sluggishness is telling me I gotta reformat/fresh install soon.
Have already backed up pics, music/vids, favorites, my writing, install/zip files for certain programs, doc/settings, and game data from The Sims. I'm concerned I'll realise I've forgotten to back-up something important to me after I've wiped the slate clean. From past experiences I know that the sinking "Oh shit!" feeling REALLY sucks, lol.
If my computer quits on me before I get around to reformatting I'll send it in for repair and I'll just be glad I have at least some stuff backed up.
It used to take maybe two minutes to reboot and log back in to my system so when the black screen with puter info stayed up for more than 5 min then went completely black with no writing on it for more than 10 minutes I thought my puter was broken. I sulked about this away from the computer. I was bummed out that I didn't have a way to let my friends know that my puter was broken and that I wouldn't be around. I returned to my computer and saw the Windows login screen - this was at least 15 min after I'd given up when faced with the blank black screen for over 10 minutes. When I got back on-line I was still bummed out hence the whiny post above, lol and this one too I guess! :D :redface:
I was just venting a little and giving a heads up for my friends cuz I'm pretty sure it's not a matter of "if" I disappear but when. I know what I gotta do, now it's just a matter of getting it done. :hammer2:
Thanks for the responses guys. :) Oh hey if anyone can think of something particular to recommend I back up that I haven't mentioned please feel free to put in your .02 . Thanks. :)

Scream
04-08-2005, 12:32 PM
FM, sounds like you've got the spyware and malware under control. You may be right about too much stuff. Windows likes lots of space. It's alway trying to "own" 1/2 the HD in an effort to "manage" files and such. I've got a few pc's here at work that get innundated with big media files on a regular basis. The computer dies a slow death and it's usually due to too much stuff taking up space on the Hd. Try backing up and deleting the music, video and photo files to free up space and do a few maintenance items to get back on track. I'd start with a disc cleanup, followed by a defrag, then a scandisk with all the boxes checked (easiest way to say it).
Also, if it's been a while since you bought your computer, you may want to try to clean the mouse plug and recepticle. You can use contact cleaner or simply use rubbing alcohol and a qtip on the plug. The recepticle on the computer may be difficult, but a can o air may help. The do get gunked up with dust over time and that causes some intermittent issues. BTW when is the last time you vacuumed out the tower? Ya never know...
Scream

FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 03:44 PM
FM, sounds like you've got the spyware and malware under control. You may be right about too much stuff. Windows likes lots of space. It's alway trying to "own" 1/2 the HD in an effort to "manage" files and such. I've got a few pc's here at work that get innundated with big media files on a regular basis. The computer dies a slow death and it's usually due to too much stuff taking up space on the Hd. Try backing up and deleting the music, video and photo files to free up space and do a few maintenance items to get back on track. I'd start with a disc cleanup, followed by a defrag, then a scandisk with all the boxes checked (easiest way to say it).
Also, if it's been a while since you bought your computer, you may want to try to clean the mouse plug and recepticle. You can use contact cleaner or simply use rubbing alcohol and a qtip on the plug. The recepticle on the computer may be difficult, but a can o air may help. The do get gunked up with dust over time and that causes some intermittent issues. BTW when is the last time you vacuumed out the tower? Ya never know...
Scream
Hi Scream. :) Thanks for your response. :cool:
I've had probs with Windows XP HE for a while now. Tech support gave me advice months ago that didn't work out so well when I tried to do it myself. I tried to uninstall the SP2 and re-install it and I lost a bunch of stuff and the re-install was incomplete. Haven't been able to use Outlook Express for ages. When I tried sys restore after the re-install didn't complete properly I discovered that all previous points were just gone; not there. I tried to do a Windows update and my system crashed so I sys restored (worked in that instance) and I don't try to update Windows anymore. I've been using my puter as is, knowing it's flaky and needs to be redone. :redface:
As long as I could do most things I want on my system I was avoiding dealing with the flaky stuff - that may have not been the wisest course of action on my part. :idea: :o
I would love to do a scan disk but I can't locate the program on my system. I have Disk Clean up and disk defrag and I have run both several times. Sometimes clean up disk stalls sometimes it works. Disk defrag alerts me it needs 15% free space to work effectively I have only 11% but I run it anyway. Somebody mentioned to me that WinXP doesn't have a program named scan disk anymore that it's called by a name used on an older version of Windows but I don't know what it used to be called so I've not done it. Is it chk disk or fix disk or something like that? If I knew what to look for I could run it, lol. :D
My current mouse is less than 3 months old - an optical one this time. Mouse seems to be working fine. I might try that cleaning tip with the receptacle/plug on my external drive cuz it keeps disappearing from "my computer" contents but if I apply pressure to the plug the drive shows up in "my computer" again.
Vaccuum? Me? :eek: --> I <--- have never vaccuumed out the tower, lol! :D However, less than a year ago the fix it guy opened it up and replaced my motherboard so if there'd been any dust in there it was cleaned up by him. :cool:
I'd rather not delete any of my music etc until I update all the backups and am ready to reformat right away. That will probably take me a couple of weeks to sort through and double check (starting today).
Meantime I got my fingers crossed I can keep using my puter as is without it dying on me. :clover:

MagicMtnDan
04-08-2005, 03:51 PM
Hey FM, did you get a boat yet? :D
(Just kidding - figured I'd share the love I get around here ;) )

FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 03:55 PM
Hey FM, did you get a boat yet? :D
(Just kidding - figured I'd share the love I get around here ;) )
Nope still boatless! LOL! At least you've a better chance remedying your boatlessness than I do. :) I'll just keep admiring everyone else's and enjoying the boating pics. :)

MagicMtnDan
04-08-2005, 03:57 PM
Still raining up your way? I was just in Seattle for three days - rain, rain, rain.

FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 03:59 PM
Still raining up your way? I was just in Seattle for three days - rain, rain, rain.
There's a yellow glow that looks suspiciously like sunshine today. :D :cool:

phebus
04-08-2005, 04:09 PM
To do a disc clean, go to my computer, and right clik on C drive. Click on properties, and it will bring up disc clean.

FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 04:16 PM
To do a disc clean, go to my computer, and right clik on C drive. Click on properties, and it will bring up disc clean.
Thank-you. I appreciate the tip. :) I haven't ever accessed it that way before - usually get to it through Start Menu>All Programs>Accesories>System Tools. Do you happen to know how I can access the Scan Disk that finds and fixes bad sectors if there are any?

Scream
04-08-2005, 04:17 PM
First copy all data (not program) stuff to cd's. They're cheap. Check to make sure you can access the info on them, then delete the files from your computer. try to get to at least 30% free and do the cleanup stuff. Scandisk on xp, I get there by going to start, my computer, local drive c:, properties, Tools, scan for errors...I looked and your right,there's not a command sub directory in the windows folder.
If you can't get to it by the aformentioned means, leme know and I'll think of something else...we've gotta keep you goin...
But by all means, make some space on that HD, that'll go along way to clearing up your problems...
Scream

phebus
04-08-2005, 04:18 PM
When you open that clean disc up, it gives you the option (check box) to scan for bad sectors. It takes a while.

FMluvswater
04-08-2005, 04:26 PM
My apologies phebus I did find the scan disk the same way you said but under the tools tab not general. I didn't look through all the tabs the first time. :o Thank you both phebus and Scream. The combined info helped me find the elusive scandisk yay! :D