Desktop

I'm using a IBM Aptiva with Win98 and I "sometimes" have a
problem with the programs/webpages on my desktop not
opening. This usually happens after about 3 or 4 hours of
continued computer use but it doesn't happen all the
time. When I double click onto any icon on my desktop it
opens up the "properties" rather than the program or
webpage. This has started to bug me enough to finally ask
for help lol. Thanks

-----Original Message-----
I'm using a IBM Aptiva with Win98 and I "sometimes" have a
problem with the programs/webpages on my desktop not
opening. This usually happens after about 3 or 4 hours of
continued computer use but it doesn't happen all the
time. When I double click onto any icon on my desktop it
opens up the "properties" rather than the program or
webpage. This has started to bug me enough to finally ask
for help lol. Thanks
.

How long have you had that installation of Windows running?

Because after a long time Windows gets crabby - full of
Registry entries, corrupt files, etc., and you should
format the hard drive and reinstall it.

Just remember to back up any data files you want to restore
to the new installation, but don't back up and restore the
Registry because you want a new, clean Registry.

Eric,
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/

I've had Win98 on this machine for a about 2 years and it
was a clean install. It's a secondary computer that isn't
used that often meaning everyday and has very few programs
installed. It has eTrust anti-virus & firewall, Ad-Aware
and Spybot S&D installed and all scans come up clean
everytime.

-----Original Message-----
I'm using a IBM Aptiva with Win98 and I "sometimes" have
a
problem with the programs/webpages on my desktop not
opening. This usually happens after about 3 or 4 hours
of
continued computer use but it doesn't happen all the
time. When I double click onto any icon on my desktop
it
opens up the "properties" rather than the program or
webpage. This has started to bug me enough to finally
ask
for help lol. Thanks
.

How long have you had that installation of Windows
running?

Because after a long time Windows gets crabby - full of
Registry entries, corrupt files, etc., and you should
format the hard drive and reinstall it.

Just remember to back up any data files you want to
restore
to the new installation, but don't back up and restore the
Registry because you want a new, clean Registry.

Eric,
http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/

.

It is possible to change what happens upon a D-Clk of a Desktop
shortcut, but it SHOULDN'T be changing itself. R-Clk the icon, & look at
it's context menu. The item that is bold normally will be "Open", & that
is the one that will happen. For you, I guess it sometimes changes to
"Properties". I have looked slowly through "START button, Settings,
Folder Options, File Types tab", & I cannot spot which one governs it.
Have you recently made ANY change in there? Still, why would it happen
only some of the time? Is there any program you always run before it
begins to happen?

Perhaps try items (1), (5) & (7) from this list...

(1) "START, Run, DRWATSON"; now, D-Clk it's button in the Tray.

What diagnosis is on the first tab? Copy/paste it's contents,
using the menu. Close DrWatson, but leave it in the Tray. It sits
waiting for a crash, then traps it, putting info into the Diagnosis tab.
(a) "START, Find, F/F, DrWatson.exe". (Should be in "C:\Windows".)
(b) R-Clk it, point to "Send to" & click "Desktop (Create shortcut)".
(c) R-Clk the shortcut on the Desktop, & select "Cut".
(d) Open Explorer to "C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp"
(e) R-Clk in the R-Pane, & select "Paste".
Now, it will always boot to the Tray, waiting for a crash or a D-Clk.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;275481
How to troubleshoot program faults with DrWatson

(2) Close all open windows; "START, Run, DxDiag".
This is the DirectX Diagnostic Tool. Could it have a message?

(3) R-Clk My Computer, Properties, Performance tab.
Are you "optimal" or "compatibility".

(4) R-Clk My Computer, Properties, Device Manager tab.
Are there red/yellow ?'s/!'s on any icons? (If you end up in blank
Windows Help Troubleshooting screens, they can easily be restored:
"START, Find, F&F, Tshoot.inf"; R-Clk it & select "Install".)

(5) "START, Run, MSInfo32, Tools tab, IE Repair Tool".
E & IE are closely related. However, I'm not sure it does all
that much, and some do report it crashes on their machine, apparently in
an orderly manner. It does produce a rather long "Fix IE Log.txt" in
C:\Windows. If it crashes, a reinstall of IE is indicated.

(6) http://www.pcmag.com/ 's BHOCop may find a Browser Helper Object.
These are supposedly useful, but may be poorly written and conflict with
each other or Explorer, to which they are attached.

(7) "START, Shut Down, Restart in MS-DOS Mode"; enter "Scanreg /fix".
The Registry is involved with nearly everything. (Won't work for a
Registry around 9 MB huge.)

(8) Update definitions & check for viruses, and...
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm#tshoot
http://patrick.kolla.de/spybotsd.html SpyBot- Search & Destroy. SpyBot
is gabby in it's "Checks" & "Fixes" logs. Turn them off in "Settings".
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ AdAware
http://www.lavasoftusa.de/ Also AdAware
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.merijn.org/files/cwshredder.zip & CWShredder
http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip Finally, Hijack This
http://aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm
Hijack This Logs Tutorial-- MUST read!
....may find something. (Actually, they certainly will.)

(9) "START, Run, SFC"
However, this tool needs a priming, which basically means to accept all
current changes. The "Settings", especially "Search Criteria", may need
adjusting. You may look through the log, C:\Windows\SFCLOG.TXT, to see
what it's done. Also, there is a certain amount of confusion involved
with it, under the best of circumstances. For one thing, certain files
will always seem to have changed. For another, it does not well handle
version numbers greater than 11 characters.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q185836
System File Checker
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q188186
SFC baseline
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q192832
SFC extracts wrong file
http://support.microsoft.com/default...65&Product=w98
Error Message: The File Was Not Found. Verify That You Have Selected the
Correct 'Restore from' Location and Try Again
http://www.westelcom.com/users/rogersr/sfc.htm SFC use & problems
http://home.satx.rr.com/badour/html/using_sfc.html SFC use & problems

(10)
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q188867
Troubleshooting Startup
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q187602
Troubleshoot
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q192926
Clean boot troubleshoot

http://support.microsoft.com/default...;en-us;Q282107 Startup
http://support.microsoft.com/default...;EN-US;q137367
Startup Items
http://support.microsoft.com/support.../q179/3/65.asp
Startup Group

http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startlist.htm
http://www.sysinfo.org/startupinfo.php
http://users.westelcom.com/rogersr/clean.htm

http://www.pcmag.com/ 's StartUpCop has "undo", and it is more than a
combination of "START, Run, MSInfo32, Software Environment, Startup
Programs" and "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab". It can even do a
permanent delete from the Startup Group. Of course, first see whether
the app has an option in it's own menus to remove itself from the Starup
Group, if you want it permanently gone. This is configurable, and one
may maintain multiple configurations of items to include in the Group.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Suzanne" wrote in message
...
| I'm using a IBM Aptiva with Win98 and I "sometimes" have a
| problem with the programs/webpages on my desktop not
| opening. This usually happens after about 3 or 4 hours of
| continued computer use but it doesn't happen all the
| time. When I double click onto any icon on my desktop it
| opens up the "properties" rather than the program or
| webpage. This has started to bug me enough to finally ask
| for help lol. Thanks

OH! What shows at "Control Panel, Mouse, Buttons tab"? Looks like
something in there could do it!

--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Suzanne" wrote in message
...
| I'm using a IBM Aptiva with Win98 and I "sometimes" have a
| problem with the programs/webpages on my desktop not
| opening. This usually happens after about 3 or 4 hours of
| continued computer use but it doesn't happen all the
| time. When I double click onto any icon on my desktop it
| opens up the "properties" rather than the program or
| webpage. This has started to bug me enough to finally ask
| for help lol. Thanks