Technical Test Thread

I vouch for SAS and Malwarebytes, both very trustworthy programs, both can be run from a USB stick.

I  just did a detailed post suggesting a course of action but RSPB said "sorry, our site has a problem, it's been reported" and I can't face doing it again so I'm going elsewhere to ask some questions.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't found Mary's original post.

Windows XP boots to normal-looking desktop but is totally unresponsive from then on.  Yes?  And there's no real evidence of a virus, no dodgy site visited, no dodgy attachment opened, yes?

scylla   Here is Mary's original post

Thank you, TIGER to the rescue as usual :-)

As Mary is not here, what do you think if I post it on a forum where I know a professional PC repairman gives advice?

I had a similar problem but on Windows 7, it was software-related and easily cured because I knew what was causing it - I'm just saying, we don't need to despair that the hard drive is at fault.

@scylla.. Lol Tiger beat me to it (Link to O of Mary):)

I always think it is worth following through on an original posters question, as it will usually help at some future date for anyone else with the same problem.

If it happens suddenly for no apparent reason, often it can be traced to a virus or a recent download. this maybe the case with Mary as she had recently updated McAffee.

Which is why I was suggesting to get the Full Scans done, to  first try and get her able to unfreeze things. But Hey Ho!! what do I know :):)

I'm sure Mary would follow your sound advice if she could, Kate.

I feel she should be able to use a USB stick to run something helpful on the frozen PC.  But maybe some instructions entered in the Start>Run box would succeed in getting the system to sort itself out.  I wish I could remember half the stuff I've been told umpteen times :-(

Hopefully Mary will update us soon. Fingers crossed!

Thanks again to everyone all for your help and understanding of how stressful this is.     

The situation is disastrous now.       We managed to do Run and make an adjustment in MSconfig (or something like that)  which got most of the programs unfrozen again, so I then started to backup my email account, then we decided to remove Macafee from the computer, as this only started after it was updated, and were able to remove it.  In between times we were getting all sorts of different messages, and at one time when powering up it did a Check Disc itself, this time Section 1 came up clear, section 2 had a few index errors, and Section 3 had a whole host of things but the machine was so quick it powered down after that, and couldnt possibly see what they were.

Then we loaded on Microsoft Security Essentials and went to bed last night leaving it running a full scan, OH was up through night so switched machine off as all looked OK.  This morning when we powered the machine up, it was almost wiped clean, No My Documents/photos/music all empty, no shortcuts, looks like its was almost back to factory settings, except it still had Google Earth on desk top, and few printer scanner icons, and one programme that I use, all other programs gone, no email or anything.    So have decided to try and take it back to factory settings, but its not letting us do that again, we thought it may be that the F8 - 10 keys were not functioning on the new keyboard, so have installed the old keyboard again and its still not letting us using the F10 key to take it back to factory settings.       Now I wish that we had kept it running even if it was just limping along, until I was sure that every single item was backed up, but with hundreds of thousands of files its not easy.      

If I get a new computer will need new software for that operating system, which means that all my backed up files will not work with a new operating system and this is the big nightmare for me.        Will keep you updated but for now I dont know whether to sit down and cry or just tear my hair out.      

Hi Mary. The data will not be deleted. It will be there somewhere. Have you looked into the caddy option?

No Tiger not looked into that yet, think we would need to know what we were doing to do something like that.   Its all so frustrating when its dragging on and on, Sunday night didnt go to bed until 2.30 am, then up yesterday at 8 am and sat all day at computer trying different things to get it going again, now we are even worse off than we were.   So fed up with it all. 

Unknown said:

No Tiger not looked into that yet, think we would need to know what we were doing to do something like that.   Its all so frustrating when its dragging on and on, Sunday night didnt go to bed until 2.30 am, then up yesterday at 8 am and sat all day at computer trying different things to get it going again, now we are even worse off than we were.   So fed up with it all. 

I know it may not think it now but it is the most fantastic experience for you.

I feel sure that the caddy option would have worked but it really requires someone who is comfortable removing hard drives.

Your problem is that your machine is very sick and is trying to repair itself. Sometimes that may be too difficult.

If you were to get a new computer with say Windows 7 then most of the software you have now will probably run.

It does look as if you will need a new computer since the one you got is dated.