ME system freezing

ME will only boot in safe mode. Lost mouse capabilities but when screen
hasn't frozen i can use keystrokes. Looked thru previous posts, downloaded
exe from bootdisk.com & was able to do a system restore [only had choice of
going back to a restore point from back in Dec 04.] Booted normal first time
but system hung and now back in safe mode only and getting frequent freezing
when trying to restart now.
Trying again tonight but thought someone might have some tips esp with the
mouse issue.

Thanks for your time

If you really have used system restore to roll back to Dec 2004 I suspect
you've now managed to thoroughly trash your system. The reason being that
I doubt that your hard disk is big enough to record and archive all the
changes that you have made to your system in the last nine months. So
having a checkpoint nine months old suggests that either system restore
has been broken for many months or alternatively that you have rarely used
or switched on your PC in those nine months.

However I'm just a little intrigued though as to how you managed to use
system restore from a boot floppy? Did you perhaps use scanreg /restore
instead? If the latter there is just a chance that you can fix your
problems by booting to Safe Mode and using system restore. If however you
really did use system restore I think that this is a time when I would get
out my backup and restore my system to the latest backup. You do backup
your system regularly I hope?
--
Mike Maltby



luvbuffalo wrote:

ME will only boot in safe mode. Lost mouse capabilities but when
screen hasn't frozen i can use keystrokes. Looked thru previous
posts, downloaded exe from bootdisk.com & was able to do a system
restore [only had choice of going back to a restore point from back
in Dec 04.] Booted normal first time but system hung and now back in
safe mode only and getting frequent freezing when trying to restart
now.
Trying again tonight but thought someone might have some tips esp
with the mouse issue.

Thanks for your time

Thanks for your feedback. I've read a lot of your posts in other sections
which have been helpful.

Hardly any changes to this mildly used PC: HD is 20G only 7G used. I
summarized events in my original post. I used floppy for startup then exited
the help screen and used scanreg/ restore at c:\ which is where there were
two Dec 2004 dates listed there.
Should there have been dates for each time i turned on the PC?

Same steps last night except when scanreg/restore I also had options for
Sept 26 date which is when i was initially having ME problems. But I
selected this date and received a message the " you have restored a good
registry" then PC restarted and I got the blue screen with VxD dynamic link
call: VSDATA95(01)+0002FC36 to "0028", service 800A message. Clicked to
Continue Y and then Y again.

System ran scandisk but then appeared to start in safe mode [didn't say so
onscreen], mouse, internet & other programs weren't working.

Able to start/run/msconfig and tried deselecting load VxD but when restarted
same problems as before. At some point i also got a message that environment
variables were found in the legacy files autoexec.bat and/or config.sys and
the variables were moved to windows registry. I just can't rememer where in
the sequence this came up.

Then ran start/run/msconfig and deselected sys.ini, selected win.ini and
load VxD and system restarted - appeared to be safe mode but mouse is
working, internet is accessible but sluggish, and i was able to burn some cds
with data files. However the system still is like molasses and i suspect is
operating in an unstable condition.

You're probably sick of hearing this but even though i have data files
backed up, i do not have a system image or system backup from when windows ME
was working fine [a week ago]. The info on entire system backups for novice
users can be confusing and I don't even know which utilities I could have
used which would have backed up a system that is 7G of prgrams and files when
I only have a cd burner.

I've been reading posts on the discussion groups and microsoft support pages
to get me to this point so far.

I need to figure out what's wrong with the sys.ini files or it looks like i
might have to do a reinstall?

"Mike M" wrote:

If you really have used system restore to roll back to Dec 2004 I suspect
you've now managed to thoroughly trash your system. The reason being that
I doubt that your hard disk is big enough to record and archive all the
changes that you have made to your system in the last nine months. So
having a checkpoint nine months old suggests that either system restore
has been broken for many months or alternatively that you have rarely used
or switched on your PC in those nine months.

However I'm just a little intrigued though as to how you managed to use
system restore from a boot floppy? Did you perhaps use scanreg /restore
instead? If the latter there is just a chance that you can fix your
problems by booting to Safe Mode and using system restore. If however you
really did use system restore I think that this is a time when I would get
out my backup and restore my system to the latest backup. You do backup
your system regularly I hope?
--
Mike Maltby



luvbuffalo wrote:

ME will only boot in safe mode. Lost mouse capabilities but when
screen hasn't frozen i can use keystrokes. Looked thru previous
posts, downloaded exe from bootdisk.com & was able to do a system
restore [only had choice of going back to a restore point from back
in Dec 04.] Booted normal first time but system hung and now back in
safe mode only and getting frequent freezing when trying to restart
now.
Trying again tonight but thought someone might have some tips esp
with the mouse issue.

Thanks for your time

So you did use scanreg /restore. Your original post said you used system
restore, something which is impossible from a DOS prompt unlike scanreg
/restore and is a totally different beast from scanreg /restore.. Hence
my confusion, comments and questions.

Regardless of however rarely used restoring a nine month old registry is
invariably going to cause problems even if not major as it will contain no
details of any changes made to your system or software installed or
upgraded in the last nine months. That you have no later backed up
version of the registry is itself worrying unless you have, unwisely in my
opinion, chosen to disable the regular creation of a registry backup the
first time you switch on your PC each day.

Your VSDATA95 error. This is a Zone Alarm error. Try booting to Safe
Mode and uninstalling Zone Alarm however I don't know what is going to
happen if you have made any changes to ZA in the last nine months.

I think at this stage however I should repeat part of my original post.
That is to boot to Safe Mode and use system restore and pick a checkpoint
created around the time the problem started and not one from nine months
ago. If, in fact, you have a nine month old system restore checkpoint
then this would suggest that system restore is also broken just like the
separate mechanism used to create the backup copies of the registry used
by scanreg.

I need to figure out what's wrong with the sys.ini

Sadly I haven't a clue as to what you are referring to here. I feel
system.ini (not sys.ini) is unlikely to be a factor in the problems you
are having. Zone Alarm seems to me to be much more likely a cause of the
problem.

Best of luck,
--
Mike Maltby



luvbuffalo wrote:

Thanks for your feedback. I've read a lot of your posts in other
sections which have been helpful.

Hardly any changes to this mildly used PC: HD is 20G only 7G used. I
summarized events in my original post. I used floppy for startup
then exited the help screen and used scanreg/ restore at c:\ which
is where there were two Dec 2004 dates listed there.
Should there have been dates for each time i turned on the PC?

Same steps last night except when scanreg/restore I also had options
for Sept 26 date which is when i was initially having ME problems.
But I selected this date and received a message the " you have
restored a good registry" then PC restarted and I got the blue screen
with VxD dynamic link call: VSDATA95(01)+0002FC36 to "0028", service
800A message. Clicked to Continue Y and then Y again.

System ran scandisk but then appeared to start in safe mode [didn't
say so onscreen], mouse, internet & other programs weren't working.

Able to start/run/msconfig and tried deselecting load VxD but when
restarted same problems as before. At some point i also got a
message that environment variables were found in the legacy files
autoexec.bat and/or config.sys and the variables were moved to
windows registry. I just can't rememer where in the sequence this
came up.

Then ran start/run/msconfig and deselected sys.ini, selected win.ini
and load VxD and system restarted - appeared to be safe mode but
mouse is working, internet is accessible but sluggish, and i was able
to burn some cds with data files. However the system still is like
molasses and i suspect is operating in an unstable condition.

You're probably sick of hearing this but even though i have data files
backed up, i do not have a system image or system backup from when
windows ME was working fine [a week ago]. The info on entire system
backups for novice users can be confusing and I don't even know which
utilities I could have used which would have backed up a system that
is 7G of prgrams and files when I only have a cd burner.

I've been reading posts on the discussion groups and microsoft
support pages to get me to this point so far.

I need to figure out what's wrong with the sys.ini files or it looks
like i might have to do a reinstall?

Sorry about my confusion system restore vs. scanreg/restore.

I'll do as you're suggesting for booting in safe mode and look for a restore
point. It seems I can manually create a system restore point but this is
not happening automatically. How would I go about diagnosing this problem?
Zone Alarm was downloaded only a month ago, no system restore point shows
this though.

As far as the registry backup, I didn't disable anything (not intentionally
anyway). Where should I check why the regular creation of a registry backup
the first time switch on your PC each day isn't occuring.

If I get my system working properly I want to make sure I fix this and the
system restore.

Yes I meant system.ini - I was reading my shorthand notes from last night
as I was typing the post. Thanks a bunch. You're an invaluable resource for
us.

"Mike M" wrote:

So you did use scanreg /restore. Your original post said you used system
restore, something which is impossible from a DOS prompt unlike scanreg
/restore and is a totally different beast from scanreg /restore.. Hence
my confusion, comments and questions.

Regardless of however rarely used restoring a nine month old registry is
invariably going to cause problems even if not major as it will contain no
details of any changes made to your system or software installed or
upgraded in the last nine months. That you have no later backed up
version of the registry is itself worrying unless you have, unwisely in my
opinion, chosen to disable the regular creation of a registry backup the
first time you switch on your PC each day.

Your VSDATA95 error. This is a Zone Alarm error. Try booting to Safe
Mode and uninstalling Zone Alarm however I don't know what is going to
happen if you have made any changes to ZA in the last nine months.

I think at this stage however I should repeat part of my original post.
That is to boot to Safe Mode and use system restore and pick a checkpoint
created around the time the problem started and not one from nine months
ago. If, in fact, you have a nine month old system restore checkpoint
then this would suggest that system restore is also broken just like the
separate mechanism used to create the backup copies of the registry used
by scanreg.

I need to figure out what's wrong with the sys.ini

Sadly I haven't a clue as to what you are referring to here. I feel
system.ini (not sys.ini) is unlikely to be a factor in the problems you
are having. Zone Alarm seems to me to be much more likely a cause of the
problem.

Best of luck,
--
Mike Maltby



luvbuffalo wrote:

Thanks for your feedback. I've read a lot of your posts in other
sections which have been helpful.

Hardly any changes to this mildly used PC: HD is 20G only 7G used. I
summarized events in my original post. I used floppy for startup
then exited the help screen and used scanreg/ restore at c:\ which
is where there were two Dec 2004 dates listed there.
Should there have been dates for each time i turned on the PC?

Same steps last night except when scanreg/restore I also had options
for Sept 26 date which is when i was initially having ME problems.
But I selected this date and received a message the " you have
restored a good registry" then PC restarted and I got the blue screen
with VxD dynamic link call: VSDATA95(01)+0002FC36 to "0028", service
800A message. Clicked to Continue Y and then Y again.

System ran scandisk but then appeared to start in safe mode [didn't
say so onscreen], mouse, internet & other programs weren't working.

Able to start/run/msconfig and tried deselecting load VxD but when
restarted same problems as before. At some point i also got a
message that environment variables were found in the legacy files
autoexec.bat and/or config.sys and the variables were moved to
windows registry. I just can't rememer where in the sequence this
came up.

Then ran start/run/msconfig and deselected sys.ini, selected win.ini
and load VxD and system restarted - appeared to be safe mode but
mouse is working, internet is accessible but sluggish, and i was able
to burn some cds with data files. However the system still is like
molasses and i suspect is operating in an unstable condition.

You're probably sick of hearing this but even though i have data files
backed up, i do not have a system image or system backup from when
windows ME was working fine [a week ago]. The info on entire system
backups for novice users can be confusing and I don't even know which
utilities I could have used which would have backed up a system that
is 7G of prgrams and files when I only have a cd burner.

I've been reading posts on the discussion groups and microsoft
support pages to get me to this point so far.

I need to figure out what's wrong with the sys.ini files or it looks
like i might have to do a reinstall?

How would I go about diagnosing this problem?

Let's deal with one thing at a time. If your system won't boot you have
more important problems to resolve first.

I'll do as you're suggesting for booting in safe mode and look for a
restore point. It seems I can manually create a system restore
point but this is not happening automatically.

So if you can create a manual checkpoint (presumably in Safe Mode) when
was the last checkpoint created? Unless no more than a week perhaps at
the most two weeks ago I think you can forget about system restore solving
your problems in the same way you can forget about scanreg /restore.

With luck you might be able to get your system running OK, or at least
good enough to boot into Normal Mode after which we can deal with any
other problems you might have.

As far as the registry backup, I didn't disable anything (not
intentionally anyway). Where should I check why the regular creation
of a registry backup the first time switch on your PC each day isn't
occuring.

As I've already mentioned, let's deal with one thing at a time.

So my suggestions would be to:
a) Boot to Safe Mode, remove ZA.
Can you now boot into Normal Mode? If not, what errors do you see?
Next
b) Boot To Safe Mode and use system restore
Can you now boot into Normal Mode? If not what errors do you see?

Best of luck,
--
Mike Maltby




luvbuffalo wrote:

Sorry about my confusion system restore vs. scanreg/restore.

I'll do as you're suggesting for booting in safe mode and look for a
restore point. It seems I can manually create a system restore
point but this is not happening automatically. How would I go about
diagnosing this problem? Zone Alarm was downloaded only a month ago,
no system restore point shows this though.

As far as the registry backup, I didn't disable anything (not
intentionally anyway). Where should I check why the regular creation
of a registry backup the first time switch on your PC each day isn't
occuring.

If I get my system working properly I want to make sure I fix this
and the system restore.

Yes I meant system.ini - I was reading my shorthand notes from last
night as I was typing the post. Thanks a bunch. You're an
invaluable resource for us.