Posts by gerbil

Umph.. you are a very tolerant chappie... :)
You know what the error means... that a pointer is referencing an incorrect location in memory.... and I am assuming that it is not happening very often, so it is not likely to be a corrupt device driver or other software. I think that only leaves a sporadic hardware error. You got around to running memtest86+ [after a year... I drew from that the feeling that the problem wasn't keeping you from sleep]... so maybe your hdd is hiccuping [chkdsk might help, or a hdd diagnostic from your manuf's site?]; try running without your vid card if your sys has onboard graphics; remove any other non-essential hardware; cables and plugs - reseat everything, check that your IDE drives have correct cable and jumper placement.
Yeah.... Um.. you have done rootkit [GMER] and malware {MBAM] scans?

Sysprep? You mean you tried this command in a Start, Run box in Safe Mode?:
rundll32.exe syssetup,SetupOobeBnk
-that should reset activation timer. To restart the activation process you could [again in Safe Mode] try editing HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\WPAEvents\oobetimer to 0, and then RUN:
%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe /a.
Searching, though, shows those solutions are required after a Repair, not a fresh installation. If it is indeed some security chip on the mb you may find a reset option inside BIOS.

Things I would suspect....
Memory. Get memtest86+ from .org, load it to some medium and boot cold from that. The site has informative reading. Run it for half an hour at least; you don't want even a single error.
You mention POST restarting by itself [before XP starts loading] - this points to a power problem - if some mb voltages are seen to go out of range [a warm-up voltage swing] a cpu reset signal is generated > your sys restarts. Check your PSU voltages from cold [it must be connected to a load [eg. the mb] to work at all; a tech will have a device which when plugged in will give readings of all voltages... a minute's work]. He won't see a spike with it, though. And it could be the monitoring chip on the mb hiccuping.. easiest is to swap out the PSU for a check.
But the PSU scenario doesn't sit well with the XP driver loading screen running on now.... and that SafeMode entry failure points to a registry problem, or failure to load/read the hive properly > hdd failure. Run a diagnostic [bootable] from your hdd manufacturer's site.
The most basic starting componentry you can go with is one mem stick, cpu, psu, mb [and video card if no internal graphics on the mb] - add pieces [with power off] from there to test : hdd, video, other pci, kbd.
Could be a chip on your mb or …

Just a note... if your monitor came without a support disc then it means that the software to operate its controls [picture adjustment, source etc] are hardwared inside. Mine came with a disc, software to load - without the sys fired up I cannot adjust a thing on my monitor, there is not even any display to view.
But the picture... that comes from your video driver, you either loaded that with the chipset software or for your vid card. The DVI output is supplied by that driver, a monitor knows what to do with it.
Your problem.. could well be dodgy memory, caper has pointed you up on htat ; have you considered heat? Any slightly intensive activity is shutting you down....

To ease the chore of cleaning, get CCleaner. Set it to open and/or run by rclick context in the Recycle Bin [as you install it, you'll see what I mean]. Maybe personalise it by visiting the options tab to include any other files/folders.
Prefetch? Leave it alone.. old stuff gets cycled out, & XP uses a file in there to order stuff on your hdd.
Cheers.

Hi. A file with a name like that is probably not what you want on your machine. A search for its base-name brings up nothing. In looking for it, have you set the criteria so as to show hidden system files and folders? [explorer, tools tab, folder options, view tab, uncheck Hide prtoected op sys files], then do a search.
Does it show in Task Manager as a running process? Then Process Explorer [google that] will locate it [rclick on process, go properties for full pathname].
Still cannot locate it? Then run Malwarebytes Antimalware, and GMER. For instructions, sites to dl from, check in the Viruses forum sticky section [stuff to run before asking for help post].
What did you use to spot the loading of it?

Yes, it is possible. You could simply clone the old installation, that is, the drive it resides upon, to your new hdd, but that would take across all the clutter of old files etc. Advantage is.. no need to repeat updates. Other option is to freshly install XP to your new drive and update it... it REQUIRES disconnecting the old hdd while you install and first start the new OS but afterward it is no problem to run the new OS [it will give itself the C: letter as homedrive] with the old hdd connected [it will, for itself, reassign the drive letter of the old C: drive]. You would have to validate the new XP using your old licence which in turn would be invalidated. Copy across files you want.
Cloning means no need for validation because it's the same installation, just moved, and you can run the two independently [not a lot of point to doing that, though].
I find that by judiciously using a few softwares that an XP installation will run cleanly indefinitely... CCleaner, Mydefrag and Pagedefrag. Put files that change often onto a seperate drive [all temp inet files/folders for all browsers, system temp folders, download locations etc.

From Telus FAQ[who allow Outlook as an email client...]:
4. Are there any limitation restrictions on the file size transfer (email size)?
Messages are limited to 10MB to ensure quality of service.
"So, it wouldn't go through and it blocked any other e-mails from going through as well."... Yep, it likely was first in the queue to be sent.

Copy them to a cd and mail them to him. Gotta be faster than 15KB/sec.

Hmmm.. if they cannot do it, then it is possible that the files' entries in the MFT are corrupted. Try running chkdsk /r as a precursor to deletion.
A tool to enable you to do all this outside of the windows environment is NTFS4DOS.exe. It contains chkdsk and other commands, including /del for files. The pgm was originally an Avira offering, but they discontinued support. It's still out there. The original pgm creates a bootable floppy, but there are bootable cd and UFD versions.

Driver updating, yet another example of how people allow computers to take over their lives. If everything is working as you would like it/expect it, Device Manager reports no problems, and there is no amazing, new feature offered by an update then a driver update will not necessarily deliver anything. Check the update changelog - many updates will not apply to your situation. An example might be a change to ensure compatibility with some new widget that your sys doesn't boast, or to fix an obscure chance error that you've never experienced.
Sure, when you buy a piece of kit the driver software that comes with it may be a bit ropy.... a rush job just to get the hardware on the shelves [I'm a cynic] and an update might get more from the thing, but often, no.

thumbs.db files will not show unless you uncheck the Hide protected opsys files option in Explorer, Tools > Folder options > View.
In that same panel you can check the Do not cache thumbnails option - thumbs.db will thereafter not be created/renewed, but old thumbs files will remain - manually delete them from all subfolders.
Somewhere you have a bad file... format is incorrect and Explorer, Media Player break when they load that folder. Both apps build a catalog of contents when you select a folder; Media Player creates a low res preview of each file. Hmm...
You need to find the corrupted files, if that is the problem. Move the suspect files from My Pics to another, new folder. When MP and Explorer work correctly copy back blocks of files until something breaks.
Give VLC a shot.

Or you may prefer to allow CCleaner to remove most cookies by leaving that Cookies box checked. Then go Options, Cookies, and select the cookies you wish to not have deleted [the ones with your log-ins, for eg].

Java 6 Update 29 is the latest; you can remove all others.
So is your problem thumbs related? I'll assume that it is.... [because if you have thumbs view selected in explorer then it will open that db file when you select My Pictures; at that time explorer wil also retrieve a list of files and folders in My Pictures from the disk, but not open them].
Try opening explorer in some other folder, go View tab, and select Details. Then try navigating to My Docs > My pictures folder... and delete the thumbs.db file, and also in all subfolders. If again you wish to use the thumbs view in explorer the db will be regenerated.
Did not work? Explorer crashed again? Try using IE instead.. Open Internet Explorer, in the address line type %homepath%
Rclick My Documents icon, choose Open., then rclick My Pictures, choose Open. Delete thumbs.db there and in subfolders.
Did that work?
Explorer generates a thumbs.db in folders from pictures whenever you choose to display thumbnails... I have them disallowed [via Folderr Options, View, Don't cache thumnails] so it never builds those files.
If all that fails, then get Unlocker:
==This is a general purpose force-deleter, Unlocker: http://filehippo.com/download_unlocker/
Dclick the exe to install it, check only the explorer extension box; it then runs from the rclick context menu.
To use in this case, go All Programs and then …

Got CCLeaner? Check Tools....

"so I burned this ISO on a dvd as a bootable through nero".
Don't use the Make a bootable disk option in Nero, use the Burn an Image option. If the iso is bootable, then so will be your disk.

.

Ummm...
What is all this?:

Library E:\Program (*** hidden *** ) @ E:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE [2236] 0x6C330000

---- Files - GMER 1.0.15 ----

File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549 0 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\@ 2048 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\bckfg.tmp 840 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\cfg.ini 191 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\Desktop.ini 4608 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\kwrd.dll 223744 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\L 0 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\L\jrsepaim 216400 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\lsflt7.ver 5175 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U 0 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U\00000001.@ 2048 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U\00000002.@ 224768 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U\00000004.@ 1024 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U\80000000.@ 1024 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U\80000004.@ 12800 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\1506587549\U\80000032.@ 97792 bytes
File E:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB59985$\2289860673 0 bytes

---- EOF - GMER 1.0.15 ----

A pity you did not try the software I suggested. It lists accounts and permits to change/remove XP account passwords. Simple as, totally effective.

Unlocker.exe. Free.

Hi, figx. If you power off your router/modem for a few seconds your ISP will likely assign to you a new IP, as Crunchie said. Most customers have dynamic addresses, from your standpoint I would assume that you are one such. You can check that by using an IP lookup such as www.whatismyip.org - visit that site before and after power is cycled.
If your IP changes, he's lying. If you have a good firewall like Comodo, then he can query your IP [if he has it] over ports all day, even ports your system has opened and he will not get through.
Comodo is free, it is the best, it is an unmitigated pest. Why? Because it informs you/asks your indulgence about every little thing. Programs don't get installed, actions with security implications don't happen, unknown executables don't run, connections are not made without your permission. You have to appreciate what it does for you to get the most from it.
A good free AV is Avast. Might be the best free AV.
Even if he has already placed software on your sys, Comodo will warn when it wishes to connect.

I use cd080802.exe.

" When I clicked the "OK", the "Unable..." box disappeared and "Log On to Windows" was fully presented."
-at that point are you unable to remove Administrator from the box [backspace it out] and type your own username?.... and can you then log in? If so, use control userpasswords2 again, recheck that box, set an Administrator pw if you so wish. Or clear it...
I much prefer to use net user in the cmd window to alter accounts.
Run net in a cmd window... and so on. You have full control of accounts from here.

Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Microsoft Corporation 5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) 32-bit

Mm... i'm a bit out of touch with specific malware issues, but this one is a perennial problem which I believe can be cured with Malwarebytes:
==Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
from: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html
or: http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe
=Dclick that file, mbam-setup.exe, to install the application,
-ensure that it is set to update and start, else start it via the icon, and UPDATE it.
Select "Perform QUICK Scan", then click Scan; the application will guide you through the remaining steps.
ENSURE that EVERYTHING found has a CHECKMARK against it, then click Remove Selected.
If malware has been found [and removed] MBAM will automatically produce a log for you when it completes... do not click the Save Logfile button.
Examine the log: if some files are listed as Delete on Reboot then restart your machine before continuing.
Copy and post that log [it is also saved under Logs tab in MBAM].

Ah.. you chaps have beavered away on these issues, i see.... no more banned IP messages, and once again clicking on the name of the last poster to a thread in the forum page takes you straight to that post.
I can live with getting slammed back to the forum headline page upon login.
Thank you....

Ah... yeah, it's tough... modern electronics cn have so low a tolerance to mishandling.

Mmm... I generally use an Opera Speed Dila to go to the http://www.daniweb.com/hardware-and-software/microsoft-windows/windows-nt-2000-xp/10 forum, and when I see a post I'm interested in responding to I log in there [into that post], but the last few months the login behaviour has changed - I get banged straight back to the http://www.daniweb.com/forums/ page upon login completion.
About the same time this ended : the ability to go directly to the page with the last post by clicking on the last contributor's name in the title page. Sigh...

:). Seg faults..
If that was a software error occurring while running Windows, you would have received a Windows Stop Message [a blue screen] because of the memory access violation.
Could be issuing from a corrupt (hardware) device driver? Anyway, that's a coding error somewhere.
Don't like chkdsk not completing.... you might go the the hdd manufacturer's site and download their disk diagnostics software.
Good luck.

The last couple of days this site has been throwing "Sorry. The administrator has banned your IP address. To contact the administrator click here" whenever I try to enter the Microsoft Forums, also directly enter http://www.daniweb.com/hardware-and-software/microsoft-windows/windows-nt-2000-xp/10
I can circumvent it by logging into another forum and then navigating to the above latter page.
It happens with Opera, FF, and Tor-FF, so is not really an IP addy issue? With Tor-FF I could be comng from NY or Amsterdam or most anywhere, really... atm I am using an ISP in Goteborg, Sweden not Australia.
Before I log in I can navigate to Hardware & Software Cat, but clicking on Microsoft gives the message. If I log in on some other page.. eg.. H&S Cat, then I am free to go deeper. Interesting... a new forum behaviour.
Cheers.

Hi.... yes, pulling the battery for say, 5 minutes, will reset the CMOS, or there may be a jumper [perhaps beside the battery] to do it instantly. A minimum working set to test the mb would include just a memory stick, CPU, PSU and a monitor [plus a vid card if no integrated graphics]... just those should allow you to see the POST if the mb is good. If then the monitor remains dark there is a critical failure that we may only guess at.
I note your point about the power indicator lamp - they generally show that several supplies are all in range.
PSU = power supply..

" and boot into repair mode and then run a CHKDSK"!!
Boot into Recovery Console and....
chkdsk /r

You don't say which Zotac model. If Intel based with integrated graphics, or with a video card, it's rather hard to see how a USB-originated failure could affect that unless it has totally destroyed the southbridge.
With a board failure involving a spark [yikes] all you can try is to reset the CMOS memory, check vital auxiliaries like kb, mouse, monitor, memory and CPU in other compatible systems...

Whoops. Vinod, I should have told you that to see desktop.ini files you must go [in an explorer window] Tools tab > folder options > View tab, and uncheck temporarily Hide Protected Opsys Files. That will reveal desktop.ini in those locations. Delete them; Windows will rebuild the files at next startup. And advisedly recheck that hiding option...

A search with this string: shell32.dll,-21787
...shows that it is an issue known to Microsoft.
As they say here... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330132
...simply search for and delete desktop.ini file in these folders:
systemdrive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
systemdrive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs
systemdrive:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu
-your systemdrive is likely C:

Cheers.

"the computer turns on fine, no beep, no error, and no nothing." If POST cannot start then there won't be any errors or beeps.
"old USB mouse and it wasn't working so I took it over to my lab desk and I had a USB extender and hooked it up and put a power charge on the USB part and it made a little spark of electric" ... From your description of what you did I cannot tell what happened, but you either fried a local power source/regulator or an interface/input buffer circuit. This is about when you check the warranty and beg for forgiveness, or check your bank balance. Frankly, considering technician hourly charges, mbs out of warranty are rarely worth investigating.
When we do something silly, realise it too late but don't get bitten we should always pause to celebrate quietly.

Got a pic of those caps?
As for the error, try running chkdsk from the REcovery Console:
chkdsk /r

I see what you mean. This is what is happening: you are seeing the solid colour of your wallpaper background in a box sized to suit the icon labels. This box is a window that shows the background layer beneath your current wallpaper, the car and wall; to remove that transparency effect you must CHECK the drop shadow box AND unlock web items.
Else you can either tone down the colour of your background to something you like via desktop properties, or resize the picture to occupy a central portion only.

Aw, heck. Most things in an XP computer happen under the auspices of an account, that is, some account or other will be responsible and carry out those actions. This is simply for security purposes.. responsibility. Account privileges vary greatly, restricted as to level and to area of action eg local service acc and network service acc. Microsoft has tightened the privileges of various accounts. But the System... that rules... it is what runs before you login, and after, it has the highest privileges. Except for the owner, who can pull the plug an toss the System onto the junkheap. No user account approaches that level of privilege or access.

Hi. It looks like the partition table [at least] is damaged, hence the drive showing as Unallocated in that pic. You're going to need a tool to investigate the disk structure and then to repair/rewrite the partition table. This is it: TestDisk at http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download
Download it, unzip it to its own folder.
Do you remember the basic disk structure? NTFS [or FAT], primary or logical partitions, how many and their names? That's not vital... it just helps.
Right, before you start TestDisk find testdisk_win.exe inside the win folder - rclick it and create a shortcut, drag that onto your desktop. Good; dclick it to start the pgm.
It is important that you read and understand the information/notes on each screen.
It's up to you whether you create a log of actions... I don't bother. On the next screen use arrow keys to select your disk; hit the
Enter key to Proceed if the disk is listed correctly.
Hit Enter again for Intel/PC selection; enter again for Analyse.
At this point the display may show your correct partition structure, but I imagine that's unlikely... so enter Quick Search.
I could go on, but perhaps you wish to feel your own way... it's a matter of recognising your partitions are correctly identified and typed, that the file tables are readable, that boundaries add up... if you need help with it, just come back. Post some screens.. the Analyse result, the Quick …

If you mean that you downloaded the whole Windows XP SP3 OS then you won't get help with installing that on this site. If you downloaded the SP3 upgrade file, KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe, then yes, you can install it from a pendrive. But why not copy it onto your hdd first?

Mmm, I saw something like that some time ago, it made it devilishly difficult to enter the password on the machine, pressing keys and backspacing incorrect letters out. I seem to remember it was a malware "bit of fun", and that MBAM solved it.
==Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
from: http://www.majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html
or: http://www.besttechie.net/tools/mbam-setup.exe
=Dclick that file, mbam-setup.exe, to install the application,
-ensure that it is set to update and start, else start it via the icon, and UPDATE it.
Select "Perform QUICK Scan", then click Scan; the application will guide you through the remaining steps.
ENSURE that EVERYTHING found has a CHECKMARK against it, then click Remove Selected.
If malware has been found [and removed] MBAM will automatically produce a log for you when it completes... do not click the Save Logfile button.
Examine the log: if some files are listed as Delete on Reboot then restart your machine before continuing.
Copy and post that log [it is also saved under Logs tab in MBAM].

Yep, ProcMon from Microsoft Internals. You will learn to use its filter options pretty quickly... http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb795533
Anyway, a good course once you are familiar with ProcMon is to start the ProcMon app, immediately dclick your app and then once the message pops stop PM's capture which began automatically upon startup. And get busy with judicious filters.

What's happening is that the Opera cookie file was poppping in two places [the default folder and its parent folder], both files a bit different in content. I deleted both files, problem solved.
At the moment it is not using the default location, only its parent folder.. I guess that's why CCleaner was missing one file before. But why Opera was writing to the "extra" file and then not letting an instruction from Daniweb remove an entry I don't know.
I deleted the cookie file again, and upon opening Opera it again builds only in the parent location; CCleaner deals with it correctly now, also??!! .
I'll drop them a word at Opera... they're hot on stuff like that.

This key...
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
should have Explorer.exe as the Shell entry:
"Shell"="Explorer.exe"
That starts explorer automatically when you log in.

Hmmm...you've pointed me in the right direction, perhaps, caper. FF and IE don't see me as logged in, but Opera does [still...]. So it could be a cookie failure in Opera.
... and so it was. One was stuck, retaining the login after I "logged out"; CCleaner wasn't removing it, either... I don't know why not. But a more direct approach worked.

Is there a reason, perhaps related to the Opera browser, which keeps me logged in even after I perform the Log Out/All cookies cleared routine?

Whether you can read your multisession discs on another drive seems to come down to the quality of the drive you use to burn.
Nero and multisession burns... works just fine, to allow you to add files [pics] in another session, however you must make sure you are actually ADDING to the previous session otherwise you start a new session and will require software like Isobuster etc to see files on a previous track - make sure Nero shows you the files you have previously burned, and so can add to them. Nero Express interface may be easier for you.

I'm sayin nothin, boss....

After about a year the activation service should automatically allow major changes to identified components in your system, including the network interface device in your mb which is considered one of the key components cos of its individual MAC. Why? M$ understands that ppl upgrade, or stuff dies, or gets whacked by lightning. Inside 4 years I've changed the mb twice and hdds once on this sys with the same XP; activation upon re-installation has been without hitch. I have no idea why it is not the same for you. NIC MAC, Paddy whack... you're not Irish?