Shut Down And Saving Your Settings

[SUNNYSIDE]

First problem started after opening OE, computer would freeze at Shut Down at the Saving Y Settings. Would have to manually shut down.

Updated XP SP2/ OE, everything worked for '1' day,

Presently, Shut Down continues to freeze, after getting online 'once' cannot reconnect, have to Shut Down manually and start over.

Another suggestion I tried that worked for 1 day, at the Properties for My Network Connection, unchecked the "Show Icon in Notification area..'
would appreciate any help,
Thanks, Sunnyside

[maui_mallard]

Hey,

I had a similar problem, except after I manually shut down the computer and turned it back on and it wouldn't go to my desktop, I had to go into Safe Mode to get my files....then I re-installed windows I had no choice.
So thats what I would suggest....

[dcc]

Have you run any scans for nasties?

[SUNNYSIDE]

Have you run any scans for nasties?

thank you for replying, just getting time to check back. Yes, I've done all type of scans... and I have Register Mechanic upon opening each time.

All that I research say it's an XP problem but have yet to find the 'perfect' solution.

[maui_mallard]

All that I research say it's an XP problem but have yet to find the 'perfect' solution.

If its an XP Problem then maybe it might need a windows update???

[dcc]

Have you tried last good configuration?

[gerbil]

and if dcc's suggestion doesn't whip it into shape, try running the system file checker... start > run sfc /scannow -have your xp cd handy to load, or load it before you enter the command.
Why do you run Reg Mech at startup? to me it sounds like a perfect way to arrange time to make a cup of coffee.... every startup... Look, for a typical sys with a moderate selection of apps you are looking at 25 - 30 megs of registry. If you ran a cleanup once a month it might make, oh..., 1 - 2 kB of corrections. That is nothing at all in the computing scheme of things. A decent puter whizzes thru the registry in milliseconds. Anyway, that's just my opinion...

[SUNNYSIDE]

If its an XP Problem then maybe it might need a windows update???

Yes, an update with the SP2 was one of the Windows solution to this problem. I updated everything I could. It worked for one day??
Then I also closed the Windows Welcome screen, worked for one day....??? it's really baffling to me.

[SUNNYSIDE]

and if dcc's suggestion doesn't whip it into shape, try running the system file checker... start > run sfc /scannow -have your xp cd handy to load, or load it before you enter the command.
Why do you run Reg Mech at startup? to me it sounds like a perfect way to arrange time to make a cup of coffee.... every startup... Look, for a typical sys with a moderate selection of apps you are looking at 25 - 30 megs of registry. If you ran a cleanup once a month it might make, oh..., 1 - 2 kB of corrections. That is nothing at all in the computing scheme of things. A decent puter whizzes thru the registry in milliseconds. Anyway, that's just my opinion...

Thanks gerbil for your suggestions. I had done the SP2 updates last week as was suggested on Windows site and as I was telling dcc, it worked for one day... just enough to give me a breath of relief-thinking it's cured... only to laugh at me the next day!

But I will try this too. I'm not that 'computer wiz' on this side of problems, so appreciate any help.
Why I run Reg. Mech? Months ago when I was having problems, this was a suggestion. Now it just automatically comes up each time I get on the computer. Yea.... time for a cuppa!
just a question.... you said to have my CD in when I do this scan.... ?? Am I going to need to use it or is the computer just going to automatically pick up what it needs from the CD?

[dcc]

Did you try the system restore? If you haven't and are going to be sure that you go back to a date that preceeds your porblems.

[SUNNYSIDE]

Did you try the system restore? If you haven't and are going to be sure that you go back to a date that preceeds your porblems.

thank you dcc for continuing to try and help me. Originally when I started with the problem happening only when I opened OE, yes I did do a Restore but I was still left with the problem. I know.. it's
Exasperating!

[gerbil]

""just a question.... you said to have my CD in when I do this scan.... ?? Am I going to need to use it or is the computer just going to automatically pick up what it needs from the CD?""
=== this is the genuine Microsoft XP cd i am referring to here...
Windows will ask for the cd if you do not have it inserted already. And i find that i have to press <enter> many, many times while it runs.... but that is all, so yep, it's automatic. heh. . There is a way out of this once you are back on your feet with your sys for future sfc runs, and that is to copy the whole contents of the i386 folder on the xp cd into your pc. Warning:- it occupies about a 1/2gig of space. This folder is also in so-called OEM xp cd's... it may be hidden but it is there.

[SUNNYSIDE]

""just a question.... you said to have my CD in when I do this scan.... ?? Am I going to need to use it or is the computer just going to automatically pick up what it needs from the CD?""
=== this is the genuine Microsoft XP cd i am referring to here...
Windows will ask for the cd if you do not have it inserted already. And i find that i have to press <enter> many, many times while it runs.... but that is all, so yep, it's automatic. heh. . There is a way out of this once you are back on your feet with your sys for future sfc runs, and that is to copy the whole contents of the i386 folder on the xp cd into your pc. Warning:- it occupies about a 1/2gig of space. This folder is also in so-called OEM xp cd's... it may be hidden but it is there.

thanks gerbil... I appreciate all your attempts to help. I know this probably sounds all 'simple' to you but it's a bit over my head. :eek: I did attempt to do the scan but got a screen that said the XP I've now updated is not the same as the one on the disk. So, I stopped at this point, afraid of messing up something. I will work at what you gave me to do, but wait till I can have someone at my side to guide me along, that way I can learn and do at the same time! thanks again for your patient attempts!

[gerbil]

Oh, Lord, yes the screen was correct! naturally! I clean overlooked the fact that you had done an SP2 installation/upgrade from a download. That XP cd is now not much use for the time being [but do not throw it away, it can be updated too by slipstreaming later - another subject...] because many files would be outdated by the upgrade. Look, it's really not a great idea to install SP2 onto a broken/infected/troubled system. Microsoft warn against it.. and in the end it may come down to uninstalling SP2, fixing the puter so it runs correctly, and then reinstalling... Bad things are often delivered via email, if it is in fact a malware problem. Did OE when you had it open that day give any hint of running problematically itself?
Meanwhile stop Reg Mech from running at startup by starting it, go to Options tab, and disable automatic startup via the dropdown menu, Save and close.
Now i must think some more on your problem...

[gerbil]

oh dear, that last line sounds awfully pompous.... sorry.. :)
I spose it would not hurt to post a Hijackthis scan result? First you could download this trial pgm, Blacklightbeta, and run it.
http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/ post results if it finds things.
Done a panda online scan? http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan? ..link is "Free online virus scan" at top right.... follow thru all steps... if it finds anything post the log. It certainly pays to run a cleaner first to slim down the result log.... try this one:
CCleaner from http://www.ccleaner.com/ ...put it in a new folder. You should aim to keep this one for general use. I set it from the install checkboxes to only open from the recycle bin. It's neater that way. Run Ccleaner from the recycle bin rclick menu [if you set up CCleaner as i suggested, rclicking the bin icon should give you the run Ccleaner option...]. Use the default setup. Then do the Panda scan... and finally the HT scan.
HT is here:- http://216.180.233.162/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe

[SUNNYSIDE]

Oh, Lord, yes the screen was correct! naturally! I clean overlooked the fact that you had done an SP2 installation/upgrade from a download. That XP cd is now not much use for the time being [but do not throw it away, it can be updated too by slipstreaming later - another subject...] because many files would be outdated by the upgrade. Look, it's really not a great idea to install SP2 onto a broken/infected/troubled system. Microsoft warn against it.. and in the end it may come down to uninstalling SP2, fixing the puter so it runs correctly, and then reinstalling... Bad things are often delivered via email, if it is in fact a malware problem. Did OE when you had it open that day give any hint of running problematically itself?
Meanwhile stop Reg Mech from running at startup by starting it, go to Options tab, and disable automatic startup via the dropdown menu, Save and close.
Now i must think some more on your problem...

You're funny! Ok boss.... Yes, I have already stopped the 'daily' run of Reg. Mech. I only updated to SP2 because "that was one of the 'solutions' given for this "Shut Down/ Saving Screen freezing". but I have no qualms about uninstalling it, etc.
Funny you should ask about OE having any other things that happen once this started............. WHY YES.... you may be on to something.. I forgot about this because it was months ago. One day, it was a clear blue sky and a soft breeze was silking it's way through the trees when.............. oppps......... sorry I lasped into 'too much' reflection! ;)
Ok, it went like this.... I opened OE and all my inbox folder's mail were gone! When I then tried to click on one of the folders, then the folders disappeared..O-O-O-O!!!. a box came up saying "too low on memory..." and something else but I can't remember now. The only thing that was left in OE was my address book.
I just started all over again and within that time, is when the Saving screen started to freeze. I naturally was concerned about a virus, etc. but my AVG was showing no indication of this. I usually try and be careful about not opening email I don't know the source, etc. It was at this time I started up Reg. Mech.
But yes,........ that was the beginning that has only escalated into IE now doing the same thing. I have noticed something of late too, don't know if this means anything. 'sometimes' I can open OE, close it, open IE, later after disconnecting, if I'm on the computer for a while after, when I Shut Down, it'll shut down like normal.??? go figure!:rolleyes: Okay, thanks again!

[goldeagle2005]

Did you also check to see the applications that are running? Use msconfig and disable all apps except your antivirus software from startup. See if this helps.

[gerbil]

gee, don't you go away with the fairies too! Ok, skip the virus stuff, you're onto it. OE. It's a core part of windows, pretty much like IE is. And when it gets a tummy rumble, the whole plot gets an ague. Time was, it hated the mail folders getting too full, and I don't think much has changed. They somehow seemed to suffer corruptions. When they did all hell would break loose. M$ came out with many guidances to unload the mail folders into other folders. A simple thing is to empty the Deleted mail folder, Sent mail folder... and copy wanted mail, unread mail to another folder unrelated to OE.
[the mail folders have the extension .dbx, and lie in your login name folder.... mail is stored in a coded [not actually compressed, unless you allow it] text stream, the only separator between individual messages is the from: line. You cannot read them cos they are not plain text. If the coding gets corrupted then the whole file is unworkable as far as OE is concerned...].
Ways out of this are many. Keep in mind that you cannot just read the mail from the files without OE.
-you can copy out each email and delete the originals.
-you can copy each .dbx file to another location outside OE for storage/backup.
-you simply copy them back to the original location to deal with them [mind, you must overwrite the file that is in there already, so it would be lost... but you copy that out first, don't you?]
-so shuttling files is the key. Deletion is the better idea....admit it... most of your mail is junk.
To get rid of any possible corruption, or do a mass, wilful mail deletion, just delete all [or any of] the .dbx files [once you've saved the diamonds]. To the bin with em! Cos the sweet thing is, OE WILL JUST CREATE NEW ONES. Remember that.
So. I'd uninstall SP2, fix up OE [by dealing with the mail first and then deleting all the .dbx files], i guess free scans don't hurt a lot to do so why not do em?, and once all looks ok go ahead and reinstall SP2.
A lil bit more... if you do that procedure but the sys is still not stable/working like it should, don't do the SP2 reinstall but get back and i'll tell you how to rebuild just OE from your XP cd.

[gerbil]

Pretty much if windows is asking you if you would like to compress your mail, DELETE!. Or copy the .dbx files and then delete. Cut them back until it stops whining.
Another thing... i don't know your setup, but my OE mail folders are not in Docs and Setts. I moved em away from windows into another partition, a temporary storage partition which duly gets defragged often. Windows surrounds itself with temp files and other files which change on a daily basis, which all interferes with how windows likes to stretch out n relax inside its own partition, self-organised into convenient chunks so that the most used bits are in the most easily accessed spots. Defragging the sys files breaks that up...
Sorry, too much info, I'll go away now..