Desktop properties not responding after daylight saving time automatic adjustment.

Hubby's old pc apparently has been very slow since the time adjustment. Hes
only just told me (!!!!).

He also noticed that his desktop and menu fonts have changed. I tried to
change back to his favourite theme using properties and it just hangs. Task
manager reports properties are not responding. I tried a single option,
the icon font and get the same "not responding".

It seems something has corrupted the display properties.

So far I have done an advanced scan disk from safe mode (system areas had
quite a few problems fixed) data area ok. Scanned with latest Adaware from
safemode with folder options set to view hidden files which removed 2 more
( he said there were about 30 when he did it).

AVG is current with upto date definitions and isnt reporting anything.

Norton windoctor reported a few missing short cuts only. Just dling the
latest spybot definitions and then scan again.

Any ideas?

TIA.

The first thing to try would be to run System Restore and roll-back to 'just
before' DST kicked in and see if that improves things. (Fortunately, it's
only a week ago and as long as you've not added or removed too much you
should be OK).

My guess is that DST is only coincidence - something else may have changed.
So far I have done an advanced scan disk from safe mode
(system areas had quite a few problems fixed) data area ok.
Let's hope so! .. However ...

It seems something has corrupted the display properties.

Corrupted Drivers perhaps? Hard Drive errors?? May have to Uninstall/Remove
Display Adapter in Safe Mode and re-install (with latest WinMe Drivers.)

Mart


"Spikey" wrote in message
...
Hubby's old pc apparently has been very slow since the time adjustment.
Hes only just told me (!!!!).

He also noticed that his desktop and menu fonts have changed. I tried to
change back to his favourite theme using properties and it just hangs.
Task manager reports properties are not responding. I tried a single
option, the icon font and get the same "not responding".

It seems something has corrupted the display properties.

So far I have done an advanced scan disk from safe mode (system areas had
quite a few problems fixed) data area ok. Scanned with latest Adaware
from safemode with folder options set to view hidden files which removed 2
more ( he said there were about 30 when he did it).

AVG is current with upto date definitions and isnt reporting anything.

Norton windoctor reported a few missing short cuts only. Just dling the
latest spybot definitions and then scan again.

Any ideas?

TIA.

"Mart" wrote in message
...
The first thing to try would be to run System Restore and roll-back to
'just before' DST kicked in and see if that improves things. (Fortunately,
it's only a week ago and as long as you've not added or removed too much
you should be OK).

My guess is that DST is only coincidence - something else may have
changed.

I didnt get as far as the system restore. I ran spybot and it didnt find
anything further. I cleared out his old cookies and temp internet files and
when I checked the display properties I was able to select his favourite
theme OK.

So its a bit of a mystery. I'm assuming it was a combination of the 2
tracking cookies Adaware deleted plus the manual deletion of remaining
cookies? I repeated the AVG full scan and it hadnt reported any registry
changes so hopefully his pc is clean (for now!!)

)

Spikey wrote :-

So its a bit of a mystery. ....
..... so hopefully his pc is clean (for now!!)

.. I have done an advanced scan disk from safe mode
(system areas had quite a few problems fixed)

Mmm.. I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on the state of the hard drive
for a while.

Try a couple of (thorough) scandisks (or better still, run it in Real Mode
DOS - without a surface scan) over the next few days and then settle down to
the 'normal' regime if things look OK. Run them over night if necessary -
won't do any harm - but be a little bit wary about letting it 'fix errors'
(surface scan= write) until or unless you've secured your data.

Mart



"Spikey" wrote in message
...

"Mart" wrote in message
...
The first thing to try would be to run System Restore and roll-back to
'just before' DST kicked in and see if that improves things.
(Fortunately, it's only a week ago and as long as you've not added or
removed too much you should be OK).

My guess is that DST is only coincidence - something else may have
changed.

I didnt get as far as the system restore. I ran spybot and it didnt find
anything further. I cleared out his old cookies and temp internet files
and when I checked the display properties I was able to select his
favourite theme OK.

So its a bit of a mystery. I'm assuming it was a combination of the 2
tracking cookies Adaware deleted plus the manual deletion of remaining
cookies? I repeated the AVG full scan and it hadnt reported any registry
changes so hopefully his pc is clean (for now!!)

)

"Mart" wrote in message
...
Mmm.. I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on the state of the hard drive
for a while.

Try a couple of (thorough) scandisks (or better still, run it in Real Mode
DOS - without a surface scan) over the next few days and then settle down
to the 'normal' regime if things look OK. Run them over night if
necessary - won't do any harm - but be a little bit wary about letting it
'fix errors' (surface scan= write) until or unless you've secured your
data.


Will do.

There is nothing critical on it anymore . He is mostly using his laptop(xp)
and I have his data all backed up (foreign language to him). To be honest
its begging for a nice format and clean install.

Thanks for your replies.

)

Spikey wrote :-

To be honest its begging for a nice format and clean install.

Some would argue - quite vehemently - that to start over is not necessary
and not really a good idea as everything should be 'fixable' in WinMe. Be
aware also that the MS WinMe update site is 'playing-up' and *may not* be
there for ever!

Me? - I tend to take the line that *it can save an awful lot of time* from
'pratting about'. You pays your money, you takes your choice!

If you really want to do a clean install, take a look at (and print out) the
"cleanhd.txt" file in the win9x folder on your WinMe CD. Study it carefully
and be sure you have a note of your 'productid' code (the15 digit code that
is supplied with your CD) and - if your WinMe CD is an 'upgrade' version
(rather than a 'full version') - you'll need some proof of a 'previous
version'.

Remember too that ALL data will all be erased when you format the disk.
Might also be worth taking a look at "Reinstalling ME over itself"
http://www.crashfixpc.com/reinME.htm

Good luck

Mart


"Spikey" wrote in message
...

"Mart" wrote in message
...
Mmm.. I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on the state of the hard drive
for a while.

Try a couple of (thorough) scandisks (or better still, run it in Real
Mode DOS - without a surface scan) over the next few days and then settle
down to the 'normal' regime if things look OK. Run them over night if
necessary - won't do any harm - but be a little bit wary about letting it
'fix errors' (surface scan= write) until or unless you've secured your
data.


Will do.

There is nothing critical on it anymore . He is mostly using his
laptop(xp) and I have his data all backed up (foreign language to him). To
be honest its begging for a nice format and clean install.

Thanks for your replies.

)

I have been waiting on the fix for Spybot as well. This machine always shows
6 remaining as well. On another machine it takes all of the immunizations.
My best guess is the order programs were installed affected whether or not
those 6 install.
Norman
"Mart" wrote in message
...
Spikey wrote :-

To be honest its begging for a nice format and clean install.

Some would argue - quite vehemently - that to start over is not necessary
and not really a good idea as everything should be 'fixable' in WinMe. Be
aware also that the MS WinMe update site is 'playing-up' and *may not* be
there for ever!

Me? - I tend to take the line that *it can save an awful lot of time* from
'pratting about'. You pays your money, you takes your choice!

If you really want to do a clean install, take a look at (and print out)
the
"cleanhd.txt" file in the win9x folder on your WinMe CD. Study it
carefully
and be sure you have a note of your 'productid' code (the15 digit code
that
is supplied with your CD) and - if your WinMe CD is an 'upgrade' version
(rather than a 'full version') - you'll need some proof of a 'previous
version'.

Remember too that ALL data will all be erased when you format the disk.
Might also be worth taking a look at "Reinstalling ME over itself"
http://www.crashfixpc.com/reinME.htm

Good luck

Mart


"Spikey" wrote in message
...

"Mart" wrote in message
...
Mmm.. I'd be inclined to just keep an eye on the state of the hard
drive
for a while.

Try a couple of (thorough) scandisks (or better still, run it in Real
Mode DOS - without a surface scan) over the next few days and then
settle
down to the 'normal' regime if things look OK. Run them over night if

necessary - won't do any harm - but be a little bit wary about letting
it
'fix errors' (surface scan= write) until or unless you've secured your
data.


Will do.

There is nothing critical on it anymore . He is mostly using his
laptop(xp) and I have his data all backed up (foreign language to him).
To
be honest its begging for a nice format and clean install.

Thanks for your replies.

)

"Mart" wrote in message
...
Some would argue - quite vehemently - that to start over is not necessary
and not really a good idea as everything should be 'fixable' in WinMe. Be
aware also that the MS WinMe update site is 'playing-up' and *may not* be
there for ever!


I definitely think XP is "friendlier", its certainly stable (well mine has
been) and I havent been tempted to do a fresh install yet. With ME it
seemed in fixing 1 problem you gained another, ending in a frustrating
chain of events. It did seem as though a fresh install was sometimes the
only way to deal with it.

I have all the updates to disk , I will check before doing anything
"drastic". The OS is an embedded one and came with all sorts of unnecessary
and problematic software and has never been very stable. I have a spare
full retail version of ME which is redundant as I am using XP pro (not an
upgrade). So would be removing the partitions (including the embedded one).
I'm holding off at the moment as hubby (who has an xp laptop) is dithering
whether to get rid of the pc altogether.

Thank you for your reply.

)

"Norman" wrote in message
...
I have been waiting on the fix for Spybot as well. This machine always
shows
6 remaining as well. On another machine it takes all of the immunizations.
My best guess is the order programs were installed affected whether or not
those 6 install.

I hadnt noticed the 6 not immunizing before, I just happened to be watching
the screen as it did it, so its probably been happening for some time.
Certainly both laptops and my desk pc (all XP ) haven't experienced the
problem.

I'm unsure whether its unable to immunize these 6 or its immunising them and
it's a reporting problem? I dont think it will be too critical either way,
as it should remove the adware on the regular scan.

)