Serious help needed with Windows XP....

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:55 am

So the first time I turn on our Vaio today, the bottom bar is blue all of a sudden, and the desktop wallpaper has completely changed from that Sinclair Flying Shark ad backdrop I had before.

Then when I go to watch a shmup video, XP asks me to configure Windows media player-it's done this several times now-before I can watch anything. I also cannot download any shmup videos onto my PC, only watch them.

After configuring Windows Media Player, then the screen turns a solid blue color. And, whenever I turn the computer on, it now asks if I'd like to take a tour of XP-which it hasn't done since we first got it a little over a year ago.

WTF is going on here?? I did a virus scan with Norton Antivirus, so it's not a virus; I do know that I now have Windows Messenger on our PC, and I don't know how the heck it got on here, because I sure as heck didn't download or install it-but it's not even listed as a program in the uninstall program function in the control panel.

This just keeps getting stranger and stranger, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

zaphod · Post by **zaphod** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:04 am

Windows Messenger Ocomes with xp, so that's how it got there.

Just because one anti-virus proggy sez you are clean doesn't mean it's so. you also may have spyware. get ad-aware and give it a try. also try anti-vir.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:08 am

zaphod wrote:Windows Messenger Ocomes with xp, so that's how it got there.

Just because one anti-virus proggy sez you are clean doesn't mean it's so. you also may have spyware. get ad-aware and give it a try. also try anti-vir.

Well, I just removed Windows Messenger, and things seem to be going a lot smoother.

I will run Spybot and Adaware; advice appreciated man!

TGK · Post by **TGK** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:25 am

well, I did tech support for a few years and system integration for a short while, from that experience I can advise one thing.

back up all your personal files into CD or any other mean

then reinstall the machine from scratch

Windows has become so huge and complicated that if you have spyware, there is a good chance that some permanent damage has been made to your system, such that no matter if you clean out everything, your machine won't be the same.

After you reinstall Windows, install Firefox, only use Internet Explorer as a last resort backup (it's ok if you slip and open IE by mistake once in a while, if you have a fever and feeling light headed like I'm right now, hehe)

Even with internet explorer, go to Tools->InternetOptions->Advance and disable 3rd party browser extension and Install On Demand. I would advise to disable Active X entirely too, but then again that is about the only thing IE is useful for that Firefox can't do properly sometimes, so keep it.

TGK · Post by **TGK** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:48 am

To add to the post above, from my observation

- Antivirus program should only be used as a vaccine, not a cure. Since a computer data can be backed up, unlike a human's memory/mind/soul/guardian spirit, you can kill the computer and resurrect it at will to cure it of all ailments.

- The same for spyware detectors.

- Similar to real life, new diseases pop up each days, so no vaccine actually protect you from all illness, the best defense you can have is to be careful and not responding to or opening anything suspicious. Common sense has helped human combatting epidemics throughout history. It's exactly the same with computers.

SheSaidDutch · Post by **SheSaidDutch** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 3:22 pm

Makes me want to jump ship and go Linux..although I need windows for afew thnigs atm.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:05 pm

TGK wrote:well, I did tech support for a few years and system integration for a short while, from that experience I can advise one thing.

back up all your personal files into CD or any other mean

then reinstall the machine from scratch

Windows has become so huge and complicated that if you have spyware, there is a good chance that some permanent damage has been made to your system, such that no matter if you clean out everything, your machine won't be the same.

After you reinstall Windows, install Firefox, only use Internet Explorer as a last resort backup (it's ok if you slip and open IE by mistake once in a while, if you have a fever and feeling light headed like I'm right now, hehe)

Even with internet explorer, go to Tools->InternetOptions->Advance and disable 3rd party browser extension and Install On Demand. I would advise to disable Active X entirely too, but then again that is about the only thing IE is useful for that Firefox can't do properly sometimes, so keep it.

Thanks for the advice, but how do I reinstall Windows XP?? CompUSA, where we got this PC, did give us a Startup/Recovery Disc and a System Restore Disc.

postman · Post by **postman** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 4:34 pm

Hey, mind if I hijack the thread with another Win XP question? (sorry, but this might be helpful to some people if they ran into it too.....)

Sometimes when I shut down, the computer locks up on "Saving your settings....." and I have to manually turn the power off.....then on the next bootup it scans the system due to improper shutdown. This happens maybe about 1 out of every 20 shutdowns.

I have the standard firewall, anitvirus, and anti spyware programs, but does anyone know what causes this?

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 5:37 pm

Well, I used the system recovery discs that CompUSA gave us, and all seems well again!

I downloaded DIVX, and Azerus again, and I am using Firefox as my default browser.

The only thing that concerns me is that while I downloaded replays from www.featheredwings.net, it won't play them and launches Azerus.

And I did re-download and and re-install DIVX, Azerus, and WinRAR, and Windows Media Player 9 is up and running again.

ArrogantBastard · Post by **ArrogantBastard** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:04 pm

Gotta let Azureus download it. Have you used BitTorrent before?

TGK · Post by **TGK** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:30 pm

postman wrote:Hey, mind if I hijack the thread with another Win XP question? (sorry, but this might be helpful to some people if they ran into it too.....)

Sometimes when I shut down, the computer locks up on "Saving your settings....." and I have to manually turn the power off.....then on the next bootup it scans the system due to improper shutdown. This happens maybe about 1 out of every 20 shutdowns.

I have the standard firewall, anitvirus, and anti spyware programs, but does anyone know what causes this?

What model is this? I used to see quite a few Toshiba laptops do this right out of the box. The problem went away after a reinstall, so it was most likely faulty installation on their part.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:33 pm

ArrogantBastard wrote:Gotta let Azureus download it. Have you used BitTorrent before?

I have used it before, but I just assumed that Icarus had mirrored those videos on this website, since no one is seeding them anymore on the tracker site.

BTW, all the text on my PC is now TINY. How do I fix that "back to normal"?
I tried changing the screen resolution in the control panel, but that just seems to strech it out obnoxiously.

The n00b · Post by **The n00b** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 7:44 pm

SheSaidDutch wrote:Makes me want to jump ship and go Linux..although I need windows for afew thnigs atm.

I used to agree with this sentiment before MS put out windows x64. Now I'm in love and I think the only option Billy Gates left out was a sex executable.

postman · Post by **postman** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:18 pm

What model is this? I used to see quite a few Toshiba laptops do this right out of the box. The problem went away after a reinstall, so it was most likely faulty installation on their part.

It's a Compaq Presario tower, but it only started doing this recently, within the past 6 months. And there's no way I'm going to do a complete reinstall, even with the backups I've got too much stuff on this current pc to wipe it clean......

Super Laydock · Post by **Super Laydock** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:44 pm

dave4shmups wrote: BTW, all the text on my PC is now TINY. How do I fix that "back to normal"?
I tried changing the screen resolution in the control panel, but that just seems to strech it out obnoxiously.

Have you tried to do the obvious?

That would mean: click the "view" option in the top menu bar and set "Text Size" to "normal".

or click the "right" mouse button, select "properties", go to "design" and selct "normal text size".

That would be my first 2 options. If those options won't ork I guess it's a whole different problem that you've got.

dave4shmups · Post by **dave4shmups** » Sat Aug 06, 2005 9:43 pm

Super Laydock wrote:
dave4shmups wrote: BTW, all the text on my PC is now TINY. How do I fix that "back to normal"?
I tried changing the screen resolution in the control panel, but that just seems to strech it out obnoxiously.
Have you tried to do the obvious?

That would mean: click the "view" option in the top menu bar and set "Text Size" to "normal".

or click the "right" mouse button, select "properties", go to "design" and selct "normal text size".

That would be my first 2 options. If those options won't ork I guess it's a whole different problem that you've got.

Thanks Superlaydock; I ended up setting it to "large"-normal was actually the tiny size I was talking about.

Well, I PM'd Icarus about his site, but I still don't understand why he'd put all those Thunder Force videos on www.featheredwings.net , if you have to use Azerus to get them, which is what you already have to use on his other tracker site.

TGK · Post by **TGK** » Mon Aug 08, 2005 8:33 pm

postman wrote:
What model is this? I used to see quite a few Toshiba laptops do this right out of the box. The problem went away after a reinstall, so it was most likely faulty installation on their part.
It's a Compaq Presario tower, but it only started doing this recently, within the past 6 months. And there's no way I'm going to do a complete reinstall, even with the backups I've got too much stuff on this current pc to wipe it clean......

If it happens in 1 out of 20 shutdowns, then I've never seen anything like it.

Your best bet is to back trace to the last software/hardware you install before seeing this problem, and uninstall it if you can confirm the problem.

Otherwise, check if this situation happens when you shutdown with a lot of programs still running. Some program may not turn off completely and hang.