[periwinkle]

This has happened twice in the last two weeks. I'm not sure why I didn't post the first time it happened. This time, I was typing an email when all of a sudden the screen went completely black. No warning at all! No whirring sound, no stalling that I could see, no overheating, nothing! The screen went black and the computer did not respond to ctrl+alt+del. I tried several times, but absolutely nothing worked. The computer was still on because the little fan (I installed) was still running and the power button was still glowing.

I have no idea what could have happened. I checked the eventvwr, but I really don't understand what the errors mean. In the eventvwr, under Applications, there was an error that said VSS under the Source.

Then, while I was typing this very email, the computer hung up again!!! I was doing everything I could not to have to reboot. When I got it back, the Topic Title & Topic Description had disappeared along with the text I'd started typing.

Again, in the eventvwr, it showed an error coming from DCOM. I don't know if my hard drive is finally giving up the ghost, but this is really scaring me!! The thing is - there is no warning. No overheating, nothing. I don't know if Nero caused the problem - it stopped responding while I was typing this email and that's what I was trying to make quit. Luckily this time, I was able to get Nero to quit after typing ctrl+alt+del about 20 times.

Any ideas what the problem could be? Is there any other way I can check to find out what error is causing these problems?

[Advertisements]

I forgot to mention that I had to turn the computer off at the power strip when the screen went black. The computer didn't respond at all, so that was my only recourse.

Also, under the eventvwr, the DCOM error was under the System category. I really wish I knew how to find out the errors and then to be able to diagnose them. These latest hangs have really worried me, as there is no indication that I can see of why this might be occurring. I do know that the second hang was probably because of Nero not responding, but the first one left me completely in the dark.

[periwinkle]

I forgot to mention that I had to turn the computer off at the power strip when the screen went black. The computer didn't respond at all, so that was my only recourse.

Also, under the eventvwr, the DCOM error was under the System category. I really wish I knew how to find out the errors and then to be able to diagnose them. These latest hangs have really worried me, as there is no indication that I can see of why this might be occurring. I do know that the second hang was probably because of Nero not responding, but the first one left me completely in the dark.

[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

If you do not have an XP CD you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

Check for updated video adapter software, install it if available or re-install the existing software

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this.

This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

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

[periwinkle]

Keith,

Thank you for responding so quickly! I didn't get an email prompting me about the response, so I didn't know if anyone had responded. I had to manually check Geeks to Go. Did something change with the email notifications? I never received anything at all even now - 16 hours later.

I already have TuneUp Utilities and I run this about every other day, so it's the computer is already optimized. I did find errors in the Registry Scan and removed some extraneous files in the Disc Scan.

I did the Prefetch and got rid of those files. When I ran the Disk Defragger, it said I didn't need to defrag. I did just defrag about two weeks ago. I defragged it anyway. Next, I did the sfc /scannow, and a little window popped with a progress meter, but after it finished, I got no info from it. It didn't prompt me to do anything. It just finished quietly and closed. I have not rebooted since then, as I have been doing a lot of internet research. So I'm not certain, but I have 3 disks that are Bootable Restore CDs. This is what eMachines provided to me. My computer came equipped with XP on it. It already has both SP1 & SP2. So, I'm not sure what to do at this point.

[Retired Tech]

You could check you have the latest version of Nero

http://www.filehippo...nero_7_premium/

sfc /scannow either asks for a CD or completes and closes if there are no missing files

Reboot only if you need to, or you need to switch it off

Setting a restore point could be worth it

Click new messages, top right, then e-mail settings