Computer help

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

Comp won't startup. Gets to the desktop for about six or seven seconds, then just restarts. Anything I can do to check for what's wrong?

I'm almost entirely computer illiterate, so dumb it down as much as possible.

Also, it's been randomly restarting maybe once a week for about the past month and a half. In fact, I was planning on starting a thread about that in a few days if it happened again, but now it just won't startup.

[Cherubim1324]

Well, your computer is either letting you on long enough to post, or you are using a different one. Also, are you using a Windows OS? If so, did you try going into safe mode & checking for viruses, adware, spyware, and such?


Getting into Windows Safe Mode:

Reason:

Users who may not be able to boot into normal mode may need to boot into safe mode bypassing normal windows settings and startup programs, allowing the user to fix his or her computer.

Solution:

Windows 95 Users

To get into Windows 95 safe mode, as the computer is booting, when you either hear a beep or when you see the message "Starting Windows 95", press your F8 key on the top of your keyboard. If done properly you should get into the Windows 95 Startup menu similar to the following screen. In this menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press enter.

Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Menu
=============================

1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt only
6. Safe mode command prompt only

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]

Windows 98 / ME Users

To get into Windows 98 / ME safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 key" on the top of your keyboard or press and hold the left or right Ctrl key as the computer is booting. If done properly you should get into the "Windows 98 / ME Startup Menu" similar to the below screen example. In this menu choose option 3 by pressing the 3 key and press enter.

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.

Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu
=============================

1. Normal
2. Logged (\BOOTLOG.TXT)
3. Safe mode
4. Step-by-step confirmation
5. Command prompt only
6. Safe mode command prompt only

Enter a choice: 1

F5=Safe Mode Shift+F5=Command prompt Shift+F8= Step-by-step confirmation [N]



Windows 2000 / XP Users

Tip: If you are running safe mode because you cannot get into Windows you may want to first try loading the last known good configuration. Additional information about this mode can be found on document CH000626.

To get into the Windows 2000 / XP Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.

Trouble Getting into Windows 2000 or Windows XP Safe mode - If after several attempts you are unable to get into Windows 2000 or Windows XP safe mode as the computer is booting into Windows, turn off your computer. When the computer is turned on the next time Windows should notice that the computer did not successfully boot and give you the safe mode screen.

Note: With some computers if you press and hold a key as the computer is booting you will get a stuck key message. If this occurs, instead of pressing and holding the "F8 key", tap the "F8 key" continuously until you get the startup menu.


Windows Advanced Options Menu
Please select an option:

Safe Mode
Safe Mode with Networking
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Enable Boot Logging
Enable VGA mode
Last Known Good Configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Directory Services Restore Mode (Windows domain controllers only)
Debugging Mode

Start Windows Normally
Reboot
Return to OS Choices Menu

Use the up and down arrow keys to move the highlight to your choice.

How do I get out of safe mode?

From Windows Safe Mode click Start / Shutdown and restart the computer. This should start the computer automatically back into Normal Mode.

Note: Many users believe that they are still in safe mode because the colors or video may not look correct. Unless in the corners of the screen it says "Safe Mode", you are not in safe mode. For information on how to setup your video card resolution, see document CH000190.

If you are rebooting the computer and it is rebooting back into Safe Mode (it does say "Safe Mode" in each of the corners), it is likely another problem exists with Windows preventing it from loading into Normal Windows. We recommend you see our basic troubleshooting section for additional ideas that may help to resolve your issue.

Getting into Windows Safe Mode (http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm)

(If you do not have a Windows OS, then I will be unable to help you)

Also, you might have a computer worm: A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program, similar to a computer virus. A virus attaches itself to, and becomes part of, another executable program; however, a worm is self-contained and does not need to be part of another program to propagate itself. They are often designed to exploit the file transmission capabilities found on many computers. (Computer worm definition (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_worm))

If that is the case, you will have to figure out which one you have and download the proper tool to dispose of it(this is the site where I got the removal tool I needed: Symantec (http://www.symantec.com/index.htm)). I had one long ago on my previous computer. I will have to get back to you on how I found it though.
Hopefully some of this will help you. If not, I am sure someone will be able to.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

It won't let me connect to the internet in safe mode, and without the internet I can't renew my Norton subscription to get updated definitions. With my current definitions, all it found were three files it classified as spyware that it couldn't delete for some reason.

I've run Ad-Aware, Spybot, and Spyware Doctor several times in the past few weeks, but I'll try again.

I think Windows itself can run a full system scan or something, but I don't know how to do it with XP, and I don't remember it ever turning up anything in the ten years I've used it.

Second post:
O...kay...

I'm on the afflicted computer right now, but I didn't really do anything. I ran Spybot and Spyware Doctor (both of which found nothing, which is odd in its own right), then I got some whack-crazy idea to turn off the internet and see if my computer would start up then... and it did. So I turned the internet back on, and it's still working, but now I'm getting a fucking excessive amount of popups (I think about four since I started writing this).

Something (seemingly extremely important) that I forgot to mention: after the previous random reboots, Windows had me send an "error report" and said it was caused by a "device driver." I tried doing the troubleshoot, but it ran me around in circles until I felt capable of mass murder.

EDIT: A quick yahoo search brings me here (http://oca.microsoft.com/en/Response.aspx?SID=77), which is either the exact page I got after the error report or a very close variation of it.

[Qween B]

k Raist...this is bad heh i had the same problem with an old computer, there was NOTHING i could do the computer place took it back tried to fix it, gave it back, didnt work, so i just returned the entire thing

usually its caused by certain very very bad viruses, ive heard they eventually vause your computer to recognize its own hardware as a virus and it shuts itself down to avoid it

im sorry i wish i knew what to do and since you told me about the pop ups seems like you have my old problem, i hate to say it but my computer became usless and unfixable =(

[Cherubim1324]

Device Driver you say? DAMN! I had that problem once. Turned out to be my motherboard was shitty, so I had to replace it. I highly doubt this is a virus, so my money is on this being a hardware issue. You are just going to have to go through a process of elimination with your hardware components to find out which piece is causing the problem. Other than that, I cannot help, since I am not there.

[Qween B]

well apparently theres spyware thatll eventually kill you off, some comptuers restart themselves during a threat liek a virus or overlode of spyware and yes motherboard infection BAD

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

Device Driver you say? DAMN! I had that problem once. Turned out to be my motherboard was shitty, so I had to replace it. I highly doubt this is a virus, so my money is on this being a hardware issue.I'm not so sure it's just one problem. I can't imagine why a hypothetical bad motherboard would cause so many popups, especially when my adaware is picking up nothing.

You're just going to have to go through a process of elimination with your hardware components to find out which piece is causing the problem.I don't know how to do that, nor do I know anyone who does.

[Qween B]

Raist im tellin ya right now you probobly need literally a NEW computer

[Ryw]

It kinda sounds like that worm that hit like 2 years ago but you probably would've been restarting constintly until you got the update. Have you ran windows update.... ever? :chuckle

[Nickelback]

I had this exact same problem before. I couldn't fix it, sadly, and ended up formatting it all. =(

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

It kinda sounds like that worm that hit like 2 years ago but you probably would've been restarting constintly until you got the update.My computer's only about a year old. Well, it's probably older, since it came with a 12-month renewal on Norton that it was apparently already ten months into.

Have you ran windows update.... ever? :chuckle...>.> Once, a few weeks ago. Dunno if it actually did anything or if it was just installing the actual updater, since it didn't give me much to work with.

I had this exact same problem before. I couldn't fix it, sadly, and ended up formatting it all. =(I might end up doing that. I've a lot of shit on here that I certainly wouldn't like to lose, but most of it would fit on a single floppy, and the rest I can just find again later. Just need to make a list, in case I forget anything.

At least I'd end off better than my last computer, which quite literally fried itself.

[Qween B]

formatting it all may not even slove this certain things are embedded in the hardrive it seems, you may lose the enite thing and need a motherboard replacment

[Zelphiel]

run adaware and spybot on it. there's probably a 75% chance that whatever is wrong with it will be removed by one of those.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

formatting it all may not even slove this certain things are embedded in the hardrive it seems, you may lose the enite thing and need a motherboard replacmentIf I encounter problems later, then I will deal with them later. You're being very defeatist about this.

run adaware and spybot on it. there's probably a 75% chance that whatever is wrong with it will be removed by one of those.Already run them. Came up with absolutely nothing.

[Qween B]

well theres not much you can do for this at all. and you just said not even spybot stuff helped, ive never seen computers recover nicley from things like this

[Zelphiel]

If I encounter problems later, then I will deal with them later. You're being very defeatist about this.

Already run them. Came up with absolutely nothing.

which antivirus software do you use?

[Chicken Little]

...>.> Once, a few weeks ago. Dunno if it actually did anything or if it was just installing the actual updater, since it didn't give me much to work with.

sweet jebus man youre on an unpatched volatile time bomb!

Anyway

Your pc spamming pop ups is an unrelated thing to the hardware problem, your hardware problem seems to be a confliction the next time you get a chance to go to:

start-control panel-system-hardware tab and open the device manager and note down which h/w is displaying what message (troubled h/w should have a yellow and black ?) If its a cd/dvd drive / hdd or mobo thatd be a reason why windows boots but doesnt stay running.

also while youre in control panel, click add/remove programs and see if you ahve any 'open' dialers and toolbars as they are prime for spyware that wont be picked up.

the spamming is a replicating virus and trojan to boot. It entirely depends on what site you visitied and what you downloaded to what type it is. So what you could do is if you have any mates with a net connection, get the updates for norton at their place and apply it at yours before running the full system scan.

[cid]

sweet jebus man youre on an unpatched volatile time bomb!

Anyway

Your pc spamming pop ups is an unrelated thing to the hardware problem, your hardware problem seems to be a confliction the next time you get a chance to go to:

start-control panel-system-hardware tab and open the device manager and note down which h/w is displaying what message (troubled h/w should have a yellow and black ?) If its a cd/dvd drive / hdd or mobo thatd be a reason why windows boots but doesnt stay running.

also while youre in control panel, click add/remove programs and see if you ahve any 'open' dialers and toolbars as they are prime for spyware that wont be picked up.

the spamming is a replicating virus and trojan to boot. It entirely depends on what site you visitied and what you downloaded to what type it is. So what you could do is if you have any mates with a net connection, get the updates for norton at their place and apply it at yours before running the full system scan.

I think its odd...how i knew the problem this time...and probably would recommend the exact same thing >.< I had this problem with an old computer...

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

sweet jebus man youre on an unpatched volatile time bomb!I've since run it three times, and now it won't autorun Explorer when my computer reboots; I have to manually run it from the task manager.

Your pc spamming pop ups is an unrelated thing to the hardware problem, your hardware problem seems to be a confliction the next time you get a chance to go to:

start-control panel-system-hardware tab and open the device manager and note down which h/w is displaying what message (troubled h/w should have a yellow and black ?) If its a cd/dvd drive / hdd or mobo thatd be a reason why windows boots but doesnt stay running.I don't see anything out of the ordinary, and I think I actually know what to look for.

also while youre in control panel, click add/remove programs and see if you ahve any 'open' dialers and toolbars as they are prime for spyware that wont be picked up. Don't know what you mean by "open dialers and toolbars."

the spamming is a replicating virus and trojan to boot. It entirely depends on what site you visitied and what you downloaded to what type it is. So what you could do is if you have any mates with a net connection, get the updates for norton at their place and apply it at yours before running the full system scan.I can get the Norton updates myself, and I'll do so within the next few days. But... I might just format my computer anyway. I'm running out of space, and I'm too much of a pack rat to delete anything conventionally. Mind you, "might" still means "might;" I haven't decided anything.

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

Uh... now it randomly shut down Explorer and is preventing me from running Task Manager; I'm only able to post this because I had Firefox open at the time and I can still Alt+Tab between my programs. If anyone can tell me how to turn off this "Data Execution Prevention," I'd be much obliged.

[cid]

you can't open task manager? why what happens? You just press ctrl+alt+del and nothing happens or what?

[Sassafrass Raistimass]

A window comes up and says "To help protect your computer, Windows has closed this program: [information about Task Manager]." It's a program called "Data Execution Prevention" that I think was installed by Windows Update.

[cid]

Data Execution Prevention is a feature on the Windows Service Pack 2...it's possible it was from windows updates though...i'm not sure, thats all i got right now though, i'll look into it for you...

[Chicken Little]

Data Execution Prevention is a feature on the Windows Service Pack 2...it's possible it was from windows updates though...i'm not sure, thats all i got right now though, i'll look into it for you...

From the microsoft website its due to incompatability on certain brand names and rigs, though i doubt that raist has any of the items listed if he claims to be a pc novice =/


You receive a "Data Execution Prevention" error message in Windows XP Service Pack 2 or in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
View products that this article applies to.
Article ID : 875351
Last Review : July 8, 2005
Revision : 5.4
SYMPTOMS
When you run a program in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, you may receive an error message that is similar to the following:

Data Execution Prevention – Microsoft Windows
To help protect your computer, Windows has closed this program.
Name: program name
Publisher: program publisher

Data Execution Prevention helps protect against damage from viruses or other threats. Some programs might not run correctly when it is turned on. For an updated version of this program, contact the publisher. What else should I do?


If you click Close Message, the program quits, and Windows Error Reporting gives you the option to send an error report.
CAUSE
This behavior occurs because Microsoft Windows XP SP2 uses the Data Execution Prevention (DEP) feature to help prevent damage from viruses and from other security threats.

DEP works alone or with compatible microprocessors to mark some memory locations as "non-executable." If a program tries to run code from a protected location, DEP closes the program and notifies you, whether the code is malicious or not.
RESOLUTION
To avoid this behavior, contact your program vendor to see if an update is available that enables the program to work correctly with DEP.
WORKAROUND
If your computer is set to apply DEP to all programs and services, the DEP error message will have a Change Settings button. If an update to the program is not available, follow these steps to add an exception for the program from the DEP error message:
1. When you receive the error message that is mentioned in the "Symptoms" section, click Change Settings.
2. Click to select the check box next to the program, and then click Apply.
3. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click OK two times, and then restart your system.

You can also add an exception for the program by using System Properties in Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click the Advanced tab, click Performance, and then click Settings.
3. In Performance Options, click the Data Execution Prevention tab, and then click Add.
4. In the Open dialog box, locate and then click the program.
5. Click Open, click Apply, and then click OK. When you are prompted to restart your computer, click OK.
STATUS
This behavior is by design.
MORE INFORMATION
If your computer is configured to turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only, the Change Settings button will not be available from the DEP error message.

You can view the DEP configuration for your computer in System in Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then click OK.
2. Click the Advanced tab, and then under Performance, click Settings.
3. In the Performance Options dialog box, click the Data Execution Prevention tab.
4. Note if Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only or Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select: is selected.
When your computer is configured to turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only, you cannot add an exception for a program. This is the behavior that is by design in Windows XP SP2.

If your computer is configured to turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only, and the DEP error message continues to appear, a program may be installed that extends Windows functionality. This program may be installed so that it causes a DEP problem in an important Windows program or service.

If this behavior is recent and has not occurred before, you may be able to prevent the DEP error message by removing recently installed programs.
REFERENCES
For additional information about the DEP feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
875352 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352/) A detailed description of the Data Execution Prevention feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2

Then theres this link (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/sp2mempr.mspx) which denotes what dep is and how its supposed to react yadda yadda and system reg edits (and i sware you should NOT try editing your reg)