OT - Potential puter problem..what is this a sympton of?....I've had some weird sporadic puter problems on boot of computer. First, it started up with win.com not found(already posted this in hardware forum). Now sporadically when it boots it stops with a black screen & blinking cursor. Once I shut down & re-boot all is okay. Now, I ask, what is this a sympton of...do I need to get this machine to a repair shop immediatley???? WinXP Pro(SP2)...NO viruses etc. Already did defrag. TIA :)

No current viruses doesn't necessarily mean no virus damage. Still, this sounds more hardwarey. Bad HDD, or some accessory throwing interrupt requests into the system.

You may want to check your msconfig files to see if there is an interruption in boot or added line in your registry. Run a sypware program also, you never know. Sharen

Thanks...already did spyware thing.....In researching thru google...they say video card/modem/ a stick of ram going bad...I have eliminated the modem....how do you set RAM??? Thanks again.

The first thing I'd suspect is your hard drive or controller and/or cable. Check the cable first--unplug then replug both ends (computer off of course). Also, when this happens does your computer sound any alarm as in an odd series of beeps? If so, the manual to your motherboard may explain what the problem is.

Intermittent boot-up problems prior to loading OS, I usually suspect the power supply first.

Thanks..will give all these a look-see :) To Jackson...no alarms/beeps/warnings etc.

Had a similar thing, twas a dying hard drive causing it... pity i didn't recognise the symptoms before it went. Jack

i had that happen a while back....basically, my hd was dying sector by sector.

....."it stops with a black screen & blinking cursor". Next time it does that hit "Ctrl+Alt+Del" and see if that jars it lose. XP sometimes hangs when looking for the boot record in the CD drive. If that fixed it and your system starts up, you may want to change the boot priority to the HD being first (CD is set to first by default). Do that in your start up BIOS settings. The other thing is that "win.com not found" message you got. I know you checked for virus and spyware but something that has become very common (and anti-virus/spyware doesn't detect) is browser redirectors or hijackers. Those little suckers will get into your registry and want to be the first in line to start. If they start at boot-up (which many do)they will hang your system like it's doing. To detect this DL "HyjackThis". It is a free but very professional registry/browser redirector detector (do a google...many places to DL it). Only takes a few seconds to do a scan and find out what's going on. If you see any references to "win.com" (which I'm pretty sure is not a Windows component) or anything else that doesn't look normal you can delete it. If your not sure what the log file is showing you, just post it here and I can take a quick look at it. Good luck,SWAMP

dlk30341 this is not the full log - above what you have posted there should be a list of "running processes".
Configure Hijack this to include running processes, and then repost the log file including "log file of hijack this" with the date and time saved etc so that we can see the full log.

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 15:43

k - thanks

Well you have that button for "Save log" that will save as a text doc.
There are many sites around that you can upload that log file to and have an expert (geek) look at everything (you'll just have to wait for a reply).

First off you do have a lot of stuff going on there.
Under the 02 BHO section you have google and Acrobat which are fine...but you also have something running in the system32 which you need to find out what that is (might be OK...just don't know what you have installed on your box).

Again as I don't know what you have installed I can't give you advice on everything showing.......
HOWEVER one things that sticks out like Vicky's boobs is 04-HKLM..Run:[QuickTime Task].
Notice it is set for "atboottime"....that could be causing a lot of problems.
QuickTime is a VERY VERY intrusive program and it has worked it's way into your boottime.
Getting rid of that might cure your start up blues.

Note: When you have something fixed,it gets deleted in the registry....but HyjackThis safely keeps a backup if you need to put it back in.

SWAMP

PS I have a lot of programs on my box but this is my log file just to show you how much "extra" things you've got running....

R1 - Running processes: C:WINDOWSSystem32smss.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32winlogon.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32services.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32lsass.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32svchost.exe C:WINDOWSSystem32svchost.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32spoolsv.exe C:PROGRA~1GrisoftAVG7avgamsvr.exe C:WINDOWSSystem32Tablet.exe C:WINDOWSExplorer.EXE C:WINDOWSSystem32r3proxy.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32WTabletTabUserW.exe C:Program FilesZone LabsZoneAlarmzlclient.exe C:WINDOWSsystem32ZoneLabsvsmon.exe C:Program FilesJunobinjuno.exe C:Program FilesHijack ThisHijackThis.exe HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Search Bar = http://www.google.com/ie
R1 - HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Search Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch
R0 - HKCUSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Start Page = http://www.emachines.com/
R1 - HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Default_Page_URL = http://www.emachines.com
R1 - HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Default_Search_URL = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch
R1 - HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Search Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&ar=iesearch
R0 - HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain,Start Page = http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd={SUB_PRD}&clcid={SUB_CLSID}&pver={SUB_PVER}&ar=home
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:Program FilesAdobeAcrobat 6.0AcrobatActiveXAcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:Program FilesAdobeAcrobat 6.0AcrobatAcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:WINDOWSSystem32msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:Program FilesAdobeAcrobat 6.0AcrobatAcroIEFavClient.dll
O4 - HKLM..Run: [Fellowes Proxy] C:WINDOWSSystem32r3proxy.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = C:Program FilesCommon FilesAdobeCalibrationAdobe Gamma Loader.exe
O4 - Global Startup: TabUserW.exe.lnk = C:WINDOWSsystem32WTabletTabUserW.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 16:13

Heh heh. Doesn't anyone Google any more? Typed 'win.com error' in and got the following three links right at the top. Checked 'em out and they describe your problem exactly. It appears you may have Win95 or 98 still on your system, or some legacy files left. Copy and paste the links below. Good luck, mooch.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q136630/
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=153044&sd=RMVP
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/archive/index.php/t-49846.html okies .. belatedly looked at your post in the Hardware forum. Try the second link above first.

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 16:23

dlk30341 - I have a "geek" as swamp calls them standing right next to me ;-) Advice - the things that stands out like a sore thumb is the fact that hijack this is installed in a "temp" folder, my geek says - make a folder and unzip and run hijack from that folder (look at SWAMPS text - C:Program FilesHijack ThisHijackThis.exe)
From within hijack this run a "check for updates" by clicking on config in the bottom right hand corner of the window - then click "check for updates online" the current version is 1.98.2. When you have that, save the log as a text file (click save log) and repost, he will look it over for you!

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 16:24

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 16:26

Err.....Moochie a did a google search & got that same thing. This puter was bought NEW in March & WINXPRO came on it...There was NEVER Win 98 or 95 EVER on this machine. So neither of those, you mentioned apply to me...the problem is sporadic.

dlk30341 - I hope you get the problem resolved - however here in Holland it just turned midnight (now 03 Jan) so I am off to bed as I have an early start tomorrow. I will check back when I get home from work. If the problem is not solved, as I said, my other half is more than happy to check the hijack this log for you, and offer any other help he can can ;-) Night night!!

Thanks Engel..night night...I updated as you suggested ran the new version & there is NO difference in the log files.

Oh, I've run check disc...and no errors are indicated. I should add when I googled on this..it listed 3 potential problems 1. Video card 2. Bad stick of RAM 3. Modem problems Now I can elimate #3...as far as #1...no other indcations of Video card failing...no weirdness or blackouts during daily use....#2. Last I looked the puter was recognizing all 2gig of RAM(not sure what else to do with checking 1 or 2). I appreciate everyones input! Thank you all once again :)

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 17:21

Go to PCPitstop.com. You can get a free scan of your computer. It will check for viruses, spyware, a failing hard drive, poor Windows memory settings, bad RAM, bad video card, etc.

You may have to drop your firewall while you're getting scanned. Or at least allow PCPitstop through. No spyware or adware will be installed.

Thanks Randym...will go there...Already ran virus/spyware & I'm clean...but those other items sound great..cill give it a go :)

This is not written in stone but, "usually" when you are having hardware related problems (Video card, memory, etc.) at start up, you will get the blank screen and nothing else. But you also have a blinking cursor which kind of says Windows is either waiting for a process to start, or its hung. I did a search for several other things I wasnt sure about in your log file,and everything seems to be OK (that system32 thing is your Stopzilla). I still feel that the QuickTime is causing you a problem. Its a media player (abet an intrusive one) and its one thing to be a start up program, but it has NO (!!!) business being in your boot time. It cant do anything until Windows has started and Windows it waiting for QuickTime to do something(Catch22 was one of my favorite movies BTW). Anyway hope things get fixed, as puter problems are annoying. SWAMP

Ah, dlk30341, you is too quick to dismiss my helping paw (#18). XP has a copy of win.com in the Windows/system32 folder. This is a MS-DOS app and is a legacy file. Did you check the size of the file as suggested in the links I put in my original response? Did you try reloading a fresh version from your installation disc (or from your cab files if XP was pre-loaded)? Couple of extras before I wander off .. did you try restoring to a time before you got the prob? And an alternative to randym77's idea .. do a search for Aida32 on Google. It's a free app that you d/l. Does a thorough diagnostic of everything. mooch (who's not as green as he's cabbage-looking).

Quicktime is Evil Incarnate. You might try Sharen's suggestion of running msconfig. Try unchecking any Quicktime-type files, and see if that fixes the problem.

Did the pcpitstop thing, all good to go :)...no yellow or red flags :)

Swamp...turned Quicktime off...only reason I have the dang thing on anyway is that some of the Poser files...have .PICT(textures) after them & was told QT had to be on in order to read those.

Moochie....Aida32 website has been shut down Also, my win.com file is 18k, sorry after going thru your links, I must be blind, I didn't see anything refering to WINXP...just 95-98. FYI.

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 18:11

Message edited on: 01/02/2005 18:17

you only need qick time to view quick time movies. the image files most 2d apps will open. slow way to see if it is an app causing: run msconfig, turn off all user installed software except antivirus and firewall. reboot several times, see if it hangs. if no, add one at a time through msconfig the user installed apps until it starts hanging again. the last app added to start at boot is the culprit. if it does hang, then ir is a hardware issue, and you need to take it in to be tested with the burn-in suite.

Okies .. I was assuming you'd fill in the gaps. From the top: win.com is an application that is involved with allowing backwards compatibility within XP. Let's you run all those dos based games and stuff. Something you're loading at Start Up is trying to access it. Things don't always load in the same order at Start, so probably two programs are relying on win.com. When the one with the correct path to win.com loads first, all is well, as win.com loads and is then available for the second app. When the loading occurs the other way round, the prog with the wrong path can't find win.com and the whole thing stops. That's probably why the problem is intermittent. The links I gave tell you how to diagnose and repair win.com if it's broken. To confirm that it's a legacy program relying on backwards compatibility, boot into Safe mode, then load older progs one at a time. Check in Properties to find which are W98 or older. Course, if you can remember loading an older prog recently, or if a system restore to an earlier date cures this, then you won't need to go through the whole msconfig diagnosis routine (have half the progs load on Start, if no error switch which Progs start, then narrow down until you find which is causing the issue). Oh, the Aida32 site is closed cos the guy who built it got headhunted. But you can get it for free from several FreeWare sites. Well worth getting. Good luck.

Isn't .PICT an apple thing???...I believe there was a thread about this way back..... The reason I even mention this, I have a Poser file that has .PICT as a texture...poser immediatley locked up. I checked the cr2 & texture placement & all files were correctly placed(correct naming/caps etc). I read that particular post & it said QT must be on in order for Poser to properly read these....hmmmm. I haven't added anything new in months...other than an update to an app I'm running...No new software added. Anyhoo...disabled QT..... As stated this problem is very sporadic...I can go a week-2 weeks without seeing a problem....Darn it....I hate sporadic problems...makes me...well...I like answers, hows that for being nice LOL.

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1889241

Thanks SWAMP.....doing this NOW :) You all are geek gods/goddesses ;)