Windows won't "load"

I'm using another computer to type this message.

My computer won't load after bootup. It goes through the memory screen,
then the Dell screen, then the ME screen with the blue line that scrolls
across the bottom, then it comes up to my password box, then when I get
through the password, the computer just hangs up on my wall paper, then all I
can do is shut down or restart. Any suggestions?

If you can boot to Safe Mode (hold down the CTRL key during the boot
process), then go to Start|Run
type

SCANREG /FIX

click OK - and reboot on request.

If you can't get Safe Mode, post back for more......

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Steve P" Steve wrote in message
...
I'm using another computer to type this message.

My computer won't load after bootup. It goes through the memory screen,
then the Dell screen, then the ME screen with the blue line that scrolls
across the bottom, then it comes up to my password box, then when I get
through the password, the computer just hangs up on my wall paper, then
all I
can do is shut down or restart. Any suggestions?

I did what you suggested. Scanreg seemed to operate correctly and the
computer rebooted. However, it got hung up just after the password box,
again. I shut the computer down, then restarted again for some reason. This
time, after the password box, all of a sudden a box popped up for Ad Aware
which I have installed on the computer, but this has never happened before
where it started without me having clicked on it. Ad Aware downloaded some
new files and is now scanning the whole computer, I don't know what will
happen next.

My IE also opened and I have net access with my DSL connection, but none of
my icons are showing up and I have nothing on the desktop. Any ideas now?

I also have SpyBot installed. Should I uninstall any of these whenand if I
restart in safe mode?

Thanks.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

If you can boot to Safe Mode (hold down the CTRL key during the boot
process), then go to Start|Run
type

SCANREG /FIX

click OK - and reboot on request.

If you can't get Safe Mode, post back for more......

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

Also, now the computer does not restart correctly. If I shut down and then
reboot, the computer loads correclty for the most part, there are a few hang
ups but all my files are still there.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

If you can boot to Safe Mode (hold down the CTRL key during the boot
process), then go to Start|Run
type

SCANREG /FIX

click OK - and reboot on request.

If you can't get Safe Mode, post back for more......

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

Go to Safe Mode
Open Device Manager
See what's listed - particularly either error-flagged items, or duplicated
items....

let us see what;s there.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Steve P" wrote in message
...
Also, now the computer does not restart correctly. If I shut down and
then
reboot, the computer loads correclty for the most part, there are a few
hang
ups but all my files are still there.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

If you can boot to Safe Mode (hold down the CTRL key during the boot
process), then go to Start|Run
type

SCANREG /FIX

click OK - and reboot on request.

If you can't get Safe Mode, post back for more......

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

I did that and didn't notice anthing flagged. There were three warnings
somewhere in there about MS DOS and ME not working together or something like
that.

Now when the computer is loading, my start button is not showing up and
nothing there works. The same goes for the time box and there are no icons
on my bar at the bottom of the screen. I have started burning my data to CD
and may just wipe the disk clean and reinstall.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

Go to Safe Mode
Open Device Manager
See what's listed - particularly either error-flagged items, or duplicated
items....

let us see what;s there.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

The DOS Compatibility Mode warning is normal when working in Safe Mode

I suspect that your PC has a heavy virus/spyware infection that has done
something nasty to the registry - the reboot to AdAware was almost certainly
caused by reversion back to an older registry after the bootup
registry-checker found major problems.

reformat/reinstall may be your best option - but make sure that you scan
your saved files with an up-to-date virus scanner before allowing them back
on the 'new' machine!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Steve P" wrote in message
...
I did that and didn't notice anthing flagged. There were three warnings
somewhere in there about MS DOS and ME not working together or something
like
that.

Now when the computer is loading, my start button is not showing up and
nothing there works. The same goes for the time box and there are no
icons
on my bar at the bottom of the screen. I have started burning my data to
CD
and may just wipe the disk clean and reinstall.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

Go to Safe Mode
Open Device Manager
See what's listed - particularly either error-flagged items, or
duplicated
items....

let us see what;s there.

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Do you think a good scan of the computer with a virus checker might help? I
have not done that, though I have used SpyBot and Ad Aware. Are these things
usually irreversible once the "damage" is done"? I use AOL and I noticed
something different with it as well. It won't load now and it seems I did an
AOL update or something just before the problems started.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

The DOS Compatibility Mode warning is normal when working in Safe Mode

I suspect that your PC has a heavy virus/spyware infection that has done
something nasty to the registry - the reboot to AdAware was almost certainly
caused by reversion back to an older registry after the bootup
registry-checker found major problems.

reformat/reinstall may be your best option - but make sure that you scan
your saved files with an up-to-date virus scanner before allowing them back
on the 'new' machine!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

One thing that could be worth trying is a System Restore back to a time when
the PC worked properly (since you seem to be able to get into Safe Mode OK)

If that works, then update your AV, and run a full system scan of ALL
files - make sure that you have viewing of hidden and system files enabled
as well!


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Nil Carborundum Illegitemi
http://www.btinternet.com/~winnoel/millsrpch.htm

http://tinyurl.com/6oztj

Please read http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm on how to post messages to NG's

"Steve P" wrote in message
...
Do you think a good scan of the computer with a virus checker might help?
I
have not done that, though I have used SpyBot and Ad Aware. Are these
things
usually irreversible once the "damage" is done"? I use AOL and I noticed
something different with it as well. It won't load now and it seems I did
an
AOL update or something just before the problems started.

"Noel Paton" wrote:

The DOS Compatibility Mode warning is normal when working in Safe Mode

I suspect that your PC has a heavy virus/spyware infection that has done
something nasty to the registry - the reboot to AdAware was almost
certainly
caused by reversion back to an older registry after the bootup
registry-checker found major problems.

reformat/reinstall may be your best option - but make sure that you scan
your saved files with an up-to-date virus scanner before allowing them
back
on the 'new' machine!

--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)

Before I try going back to a previous install, I have a Windows XP Upgrade
package and a Windows 2000 package (the full version). Do you think the
computer would work if I just upgraded the version of Windows? Does this
just install a new version but keep the infected files in place?

"Noel Paton" wrote:

One thing that could be worth trying is a System Restore back to a time when
the PC worked properly (since you seem to be able to get into Safe Mode OK)

If that works, then update your AV, and run a full system scan of ALL
files - make sure that you have viewing of hidden and system files enabled
as well!


--
Noel Paton (MS-MVP 2002-2005, Windows)