Computer Help Needed

[jeff_536 3]

My laptop is acting the **** up. If anyone is around to maybe talk me through a troubleshoot I'd really appreciate it.First, I'm not savvy when it comes to this kind of stuff, but I'll try and explain what is happening as best I can.It seems to start up just fine, and my programs run okay. The problem is my desktop, which I guess is Windows Explorer. It keeps crashing whenever I try to do anything on the desktop or call up my start menu.I'm on Vista Home Edition. Whenever I click the little windows icon in the bottom left corner, it appears as though the start menu pops up, but it's literally invisible except for the avatar at the very top. If I use my cursor to click where I know the programs are listed, a program will start. Same thing when I hit the windows key on the keyboard.My bottom task bar is also messed up, the program titles being all blurry and weird looking. And the time still says 10:04 although it's actually like 10:30.If I try to do anything on the desktop, it seems like it crashes Explorer and says something like "program not responding" and gives me the option of restarting it, quitting it, or waiting. I've restarted the program, but it comes up with the same problems.When I call up the task manager, it shows 'explorer.exe' as using 582,496K of memory (although it was about 1.5M earlier) and 50% of the CPU, both of which seem high.I don't know how to restart in safe mode, the computer came with no disks of any kind, but I understand there's a 'restore' partition? we're now getting into the part that is beyond me.I'm jeff536blue on aim if anyone would like to jump on.ThanksP.S. It also seems like the laptop itself is getting much hotter than usual.

[Mercury69 3]

Macbook ftw>?Sorry, Jeff...I don't know Vista very well, except that this version of Windows, like all the others before, seems to take great pains in making things more difficult for the user, only more so.Good luck.

[dna4ever 2]

My laptop is acting the **** up. If anyone is around to maybe talk me through a troubleshoot I'd really appreciate it.First, I'm not savvy when it comes to this kind of stuff, but I'll try and explain what is happening as best I can.It seems to start up just fine, and my programs run okay. The problem is my desktop, which I guess is Windows Explorer. It keeps crashing whenever I try to do anything on the desktop or call up my start menu.I'm on Vista Home Edition. Whenever I click the little windows icon in the bottom left corner, it appears as though the start menu pops up, but it's literally invisible except for the avatar at the very top. If I use my cursor to click where I know the programs are listed, a program will start. Same thing when I hit the windows key on the keyboard.My bottom task bar is also messed up, the program titles being all blurry and weird looking. And the time still says 10:04 although it's actually like 10:30.If I try to do anything on the desktop, it seems like it crashes Explorer and says something like "program not responding" and gives me the option of restarting it, quitting it, or waiting. I've restarted the program, but it comes up with the same problems.When I call up the task manager, it shows 'explorer.exe' as using 582,496K of memory (although it was about 1.5M earlier) and 50% of the CPU, both of which seem high.I don't know how to restart in safe mode, the computer came with no disks of any kind, but I understand there's a 'restore' partition? we're now getting into the part that is beyond me.I'm jeff536blue on aim if anyone would like to jump on.ThanksP.S. It also seems like the laptop itself is getting much hotter than usual.

Windows 7 for Christmas!

[jeff_536 3]

If anyone has anything helpful to say, I'd appreciate it.Another note: I logged on to a different user and everything seems to be fine. So it's only my user desktop that seems to be screwed up.I'm running AVG anti-virus from the other user, but I don't think that's it.

[Sal Paradise 57]

sounds like it's another program that's running that's causing the problem then. can you list all the programs that are running when you're having the problem? I won't be able to tell anything from it, but I'd imagine the smart people would when they wake up.

[jeff_536 3]

sounds like it's another program that's running that's causing the problem then. can you list all the programs that are running when you're having the problem? I won't be able to tell anything from it, but I'd imagine the smart people would when they wake up.

It happens before I launch anything.As near as I can remember, I was using winrar to unzip some files for an online baseball sim called OOTPX. I was unzipping to the desktop and I realized I didn't want to be doing that, so I cancelled it, mid-download.When I tried to move all those files to the trash, that's the first time I think it crashed. And since it freezes every time I try to do anything, I can't move the remaining couple of files to the trash or empty the trash.I read something about .dll files causing a problem. There's a chance there are .dll files on the desktop.

[dna4ever 2]

AFTER YOU HAVE RAN YOUR ANTIVIRUS TRY SAFE MODE AND RUN CCCLEANER AND DEFRAGGLER (BOTH FREE) AND CHECK YOUR STARTUP PROGRAMS THROUGH THE MSCONFIG PROMPT TO SEE IF ANYTHING WEIRD THERE. THE CCCLEANER SHOULD CATCH ANY RANDOM DLLS OR OR CRAP THAT YOU DONT NEED.sorry for caps, had them on and didnt feel like retyping.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

AFTER YOU HAVE RAN YOUR ANTIVIRUS TRY SAFE MODE AND RUN CCCLEANER AND DEFRAGGLER (BOTH FREE) AND CHECK YOUR STARTUP PROGRAMS THROUGH THE MSCONFIG PROMPT TO SEE IF ANYTHING WEIRD THERE. THE CCCLEANER SHOULD CATCH ANY RANDOM DLLS OR OR CRAP THAT YOU DONT NEED.sorry for caps, had them on and didnt feel like retyping.

Do you stare at your keyboard while you type? That's a lot of typing before you realized the caps lock was on.

[dna4ever 2]

Do you stare at your keyboard while you type? That's a lot of typing before you realized the caps lock was on.

No, I realized it right after the first YOU, but had gone too far at that point to start backspacing

[Mercury69 3]

.dll's are a good place to start, I guess. I think they load based on user, rather than by computer, but I'm no expert.I'm thinking it might have something to do with your desktop settings. Safe Mode may give you an option to reset defaults.

[hank213 1,823]

to get to safe mode. reboot and hit F8 as it powers up but before the windows logo appears. I usually acheive this by tapping the shit out of F8 during the power on process until the safe mode menu appears.

[JubilantLankyLad 1,957]

or, just use a new user account.

[DCJ001 0]

After you have ran your antivirus try safe mode and run cccleaner and defraggler (both free) and check your startup programs through the msconfig prompt to see if anything weird there. The cccleaner should catch any random dlls or or crap that you dont need.

FYP

[brvheart 1,759]

It happens before I launch anything.As near as I can remember, I was using winrar to unzip some files for an online baseball sim called OOTPX. I was unzipping to the desktop and I realized I didn't want to be doing that, so I cancelled it, mid-download.When I tried to move all those files to the trash, that's the first time I think it crashed. And since it freezes every time I try to do anything, I can't move the remaining couple of files to the trash or empty the trash.I read something about .dll files causing a problem. There's a chance there are .dll files on the desktop.

Just because you aren't starting any programs doesn't mean that you don't have many many programs that boot on their own. You can look up the number and names of programs that boot automatically at startup by doing the following:click the start button.If you are in 'classic start menu', like I am, then click run.If you are in 'start menu', then just go to the search box directly above the start button.Type msconfig and hit enter.Click on the tab that says 'Startup'. Delete every program that you don't recognize or that is non-Windows related.Also delete every anti-virus program you have on your computer and buy Nod32.

[Yoda 1]

Windows 7 for Christmas!

If anyone has anything helpful to say, I'd appreciate it.

This is likely the best response in here. Just run from Vista as fast as you can.

[brvheart 1,759]

This is likely the best response in here. Just run from Vista as fast as you can.

I 100% disagree with this post.

[Mercury69 3]

I 100% disagree with this post.

My gf has Vista on her laptop. Can you tell me what is good about it? I am somewhat mystified by the way they seem to have changed the look and feel of the interface. It just seems more clumsy and less intuitive, but I don't work on it much.Way back in the day, I used to really know my way around DOS: I could reconfig memory, command lines, etc so my crappy 386 would play better games than it was supposed to...Then Windows came out, I got lazy and now I just want things to work and I hate frills. Simplicity is your friend, imo, when it comes to computers interfaces. I have yet to have a completely good experience with a shell program.

[vbnautilus 48]

You could become one.

[zoo 0]

From what you describe, I think there is a good chance that your problem is all of the crap on your desktop. I believe Explorer manages the desktop so if there is a ton of stuff on it, it might cause the resource issues you are seeing. Try cleaning up the desktop directly from the file system. Go to C:\Users\Yournamehere\Desktop and delete stuff you don't need.

[Yoda 1]

Vista is crap, I don't know why anyone would want to stick with it. I suppose some people may have managed a stable copy...but i'm glad I avoided it.Then again I am always worried about a new Microsoft OS until at least Service Pack 1 comes out. But it has to be a step up from Vista.

[DCJ001 0]

Vista is crap, I don't know why anyone would want to stick with it. I suppose some people may have managed a stable copy...but i'm glad I avoided it.Then again I am always worried about a new Microsoft OS until at least Service Pack 1 comes out. But it has to be a step up from Vista.

Windows 7 is out now and it's time to switch:

[brvheart 1,759]

Vista is crap, I don't know why anyone would want to stick with it. I suppose some people may have managed a stable copy...but i'm glad I avoided it.Then again I am always worried about a new Microsoft OS until at least Service Pack 1 comes out. But it has to be a step up from Vista.

This is simply not the case. Vista's only problems were Apple's brilliant marketing schemes. (It seems like you're even admitting that you didn't have Vista on your computer... )

[Yoda 1]

This is simply not the case. Vista's only problems were Apple's brilliant marketing schemes. (It seems like you're even admitting that you didn't have Vista on your computer... )

I'm definitely not one to give a shit about Apple or their marketing schemes. My background is as a PC Tech/Network Engineer.I did try Vista; It's stable/fast enough...usually. The big problem was with compatibility. I had tried installing it on my desktop and had problems with both sound drivers and video drivers...after a couple weeks I just said fck it and went back to XP. Way less headaches. And from what I read I was lucky to just get away with a couple simple driver issues. It's nice that you like Vista, glad it worked out for you. It just wasn't the case for a whollllle lot of other people.Just hope Windows 7 is as good as the reviews are saying or else it's another several years of XP!

[vbnautilus 48]

This is simply not the case. Vista's only problems were Apple's brilliant marketing schemes. (It seems like you're even admitting that you didn't have Vista on your computer... )

Even Steve Ballmer has admitted Vista was basically a failure. That's why they rushed to get W7 out so fast. Mr Ballmer said: “We got some uneven reception when [Vista] first launched in large part because we made some design decisions to improve security at the expense of compatibility. I don’t think from a word-of-mouth perspective we ever recovered from that.”elsewhere he has called it a "work in progress" and an "incomplete product". They know how bad it is.

[brvheart 1,759]

Even Steve Ballmer has admitted Vista was basically a failure. That's why they rushed to get W7 out so fast. Mr Ballmer said: “We got some uneven reception when [Vista] first launched in large part because we made some design decisions to improve security at the expense of compatibility. I don’t think from a word-of-mouth perspective we ever recovered from that.”elsewhere he has called it a "work in progress" and an "incomplete product". They know how bad it is.

Nothing you say holds any weight in this issue, because you're a fanboy... but the quote you made totally implies what I was talking about. They had compatibility issues, fixed them with updates, and never recovered due to 'word of mouth'... ie Apple commercials.