[HP742n]

I have an HP742n with Windows XP. It's been perfect until recently. I always do a "disc clean up" by right clicking on my C:/ and selecting. Recently, I noticed that when trying, it freezes up on the beginning "scanning for compressed files" phase. I've waited up to a half hour. AFter trying, files open and close slowly when I use the explore.

I recently installed Norton Anti-Virus 2006; I have no viruses according to that. I use Spybot Search & Destroy too - no issues found. I have noticed, however, when I try to use the secure shredder (Spybot's file cleaning feature), that freezes up too. I'm certain the problem is related. I uninstalled my Norton; same problem. Reinstalled & no improvements. I used the Microsift recovery feaure and went back a few weeks - no difference. I'm at a loss and very iritated. Can anyone help me out?

As a side note: I'm worred that I might have deleted an important file by mistake. I had a free online centipede game and thought it might have had a virus, causing this problem. It had a number of files starting with "CENT" and I killed them all (there was no uninstall feature).

Edited by HP742n, 03 June 2006 - 12:36 PM.

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Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

[Retired Tech]

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

[HP742n]

Keith;

Thanks for the fast reply, but no luck. I followed the instructions exactly as stated. I killed 44 files when I ran prefetch. I did the sfc /scannow and got a gray window with a progress bar that just went out when finished. I rebooted after running it.

I don't know if this matters, but my HP didn't come with a Windows XP disk. I have a D:/ where it's supposedly loaded? I think it's a recovery drive or something? My Spy-Bot and Norton Antivirus 2006 are new, but I uninstalled and noticed the same issue with the DISC CLEAN-UP freezing in the 'COMPRESS OLD FILES" initial phase. I hear it work for about 5 seconds then things go quiet and it freezes. The Spy-Bot "secure shredder" does part of that same cleaning and also freezes.

I'm hoping you and/or others have other suggestions. I'm pulling my hair out of my head.

I'm going to tell you about two other observations that recently evolved just in case they're part of the problem:

1. About a month or two ago, went booting up, I get a DOS looking window that performs a "CHECKING FILE SYSTEM" on my H:/ (which is a separate WD 80g drive I installed a few years ago. It happens every time I boot and actually, would like to stop it. Further, when I try to defragment my H:/, I get a window that says it can't because a "Chkdsk is scheduled to run" on that disk. The window tells me to run Chkdsk /f. So, I went and did it, but then I get a DOS window that tells me it can't be done because "the volume is in use by another process." If they mean my H:/, I don't belive that's true. It's like a catch-22!

2. Every time I go to certain websites and when I clicked on the highlighted blue text on your reply, a WINDOWS INSTALLER box opens and attempts to re-install my Microsoft Office 2000 Premium. I have to click cancel a few times to get it to stop. That's been going on for a long time. Prior uninstall and reinstalls of Office 2000 didn't work.

My life would be better if I could resolve these problems!

[Retired Tech]

Click start then run, type cmd then press enter

At the command prompt type fsutil dirty query c: (or the relevant drive letter). This queries the drive, and more than likely it will tell you that it is dirty.

Next type CHKNTFS /X C: The X tells Windows not to check that particular drive on the next reboot.

Reboot, it should load to the desktop

Once Windows has loaded bring up another CMD prompt and type Chkdsk /f /r c:

This should take you through the 5 stages of the scan and will unset the dirty bit.

At a command prompt, type fsutil dirty query c and Windows will confirm that the dirty bit is not set on that drive.

[HP742n]

Thanks Ketih. My H: disk check and defragmenting issue is resolved.

I'm just still having trouble with my DISK CLEAN-UP. I've followed all advice in this topic so far and apparently, I don't have any missing protected files and no viruses (according to NAV 2006). Any other advice?

Also, if anyone knows how to resolve that WINDOWS INSTALLER / Microsoft Office 2000 issue, I'd be greatful! That's an old irritation that's been around a while.

Edited by HP742n, 03 June 2006 - 08:25 PM.

[Retired Tech]

A quick check is to open Word, click help, click detect and repair, tick restore shortcuts

[HP742n]

That restore shortcuts trick got ugly. I lost my toolbar and word. Had to reinstall MS Office 2000 and my Word 2002. One thing I remember from doing that is when I installed my Office 2000, I always got about 7 error windows with these "ERROR 1919" warnings. I bought the Office & Word 2002 software OEM years ago. When I reinstalled my Word 2002, I got the same error windows. I have to hit "ignore" to get the installation complete. I bet that's why this installation attempt starts when I go to certan websites, but I don't know why???

I also get the impression that it's NOT linked to my DISK CLEAN-UP issue, which is my only other problem at this point.

[Retired Tech]

If backing up e-mails has been taken care of

Uninstall Office

Run Windows Clean Up on the Office programmes, the download link is here:

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;290301

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, (all files will highlight), right click any file, click delete, confirm then reboot.

Click start then all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then also from system tools, run disc defragmenter

Download, install and run Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up disc clean up

Run Tune Up registry clean up

Disable the anti virus programme then click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, the screen will lose colour during the process which can take a few minutes and then needs a reboot

Check the anti virus programme is running

Those will have cleared the drive of obsolete software errors

These are suggestions for making the most of the free trial

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot.

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

Install Office 2000, choose complete install and leave the installation files on the drive

Install Word 2002, choose complete install, leave the installation files on the drive

Reboot

Run Microsoft Update

http://update.micros...t.aspx?ln=en-us

Is .net framework installed

[HP742n]

Well;

I did everything and some of it even twice. The Tune Up is good stuff and that helped my computer run better, but I still have no Disk Clean Up. Likewise, I can't use the secure shredder on my Spybot. One thing I noticed is that the Disk Clean Up will work normally in my other drives, but NOT C:/.

The word exe installed in Office. Is that OK?

I really apprecitate the advice and guidance very much. But if you can think of anything else or how the heck to find my Word 2000 App., let me know.

P.S. How does one know what or what not to kill in the Windows Install Clean Up??? It's got a lot of stuff listed, but I don't know what most of it is..

Edited by HP742n, 04 June 2006 - 07:47 PM.

[Retired Tech]

You can use Windows clean up on any programme listed only after using add / remove to uninstall it, it is concerned with removing installation files

If Word was installed with Office 2000 it should upgrade if you load Word 2002, however, to use Word as the e-mail editor in Outlook, Word has to be the same version as Outlook, so you may want to consider the advantages of that

Does Tune Up disc clean up run on C

[HP742n]

Yes, it does. But I'd like to get Windows Disk Clean Up in order. Again, I appreciate you taking me on as a "patient!"

Edited by HP742n, 05 June 2006 - 04:35 AM.

[Retired Tech]

If sfc /scannow does not replace the necessary files, the options are:

Use Tune Up for the month then install CCleaner and only use the disc cleaner part of it, it has a registry cleaner which should only be used if you take the back up option before using it to fix anything

Run a repair install of XP which will leave programmes, settings and data in place but should resolve it

[Retired Tech]

If you click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then it may fix anything on the drive which prevents files from being installed properly

You will get a warning it cannot run in use, so type Y to confirm for next start up, press enter and reboot, it will take an hour or so to get to the desktop, do not disturb this

You could then run sfc /scannow to see if it has helped

[HP742n]

I'll give it a try.

I just noticed that after all this tweaking, my Outlook Express 6 doesn't give me the option to reduce the size of photos anymore when emailing them. I used to right click on a photo and hit send to email recipient. I got a box that asked me if I wanted to send a smaller version. Do you know how I can get that back?

[Retired Tech]

Click start then run, type regsvr32 /i shell32 then press enter