[rba333]

Hey Guys,
This is my first time on this site so if someone could help me out I'd really appreciate it. I'm having a problem that I've never seen of or heard of before. I'll have my computer running for like 20 minutes or so and then all of a sudden my start menu and all of the shortcuts don't work anymore. I can get the start menu to pop up, but all of the shortcut links wont work and when I put my mouse over the All Programs arrow it doesn't allow anything to pop up. Another thing that always happens at the same time is that a lot of the icons on the computer disappear. For instance the Help & Support, Search, and Run icons all disappear and the My Music and My Picture folders appear without their special icons, just as regular folders. It allow doesnt allow me to open any .exe files such as Mozilla. Any help would be great. Thanks.

[Advertisements]

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

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

Check the anti virus 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

[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

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

Check the anti virus 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

[rba333]

I just finished the disc defragmenter and am trying to run the sfc/scannow. I put the Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack CD in and ran the sfc/scannow. All I can see is a black window flashing across my screen really quick and then disappearing. Any reason why this isn't working?

PS Thanks for helping me with this. I really appreciate it.

[Retired Tech]

Right click the taskbar, click task manager, click file, new task, type sfc /scannow (with the space), click OK

[rba333]

Got it, thanks. Continuing with the original directions now.

[rba333]

Edit: Found what you meant.

Edited by rba333, 28 July 2006 - 03:49 PM.

[rba333]

I finished with all of your directions. I guess all I can do now is just sit and wait a little to see if it works. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for all of the help.

[rba333]

It didn't work. I was just sitting here as usual and the same problem came up again. Any other ideas?

[Retired Tech]

You can use this guide to repair XP

Possibly, you will need to press the start button and keep tapping the delete key, (possibly F2) until the PC enters set up. Change the boot order to CD ROM Drive then hard drive, press F10 then press enter, load the XP CD then type Y then press enter, as it reboots, look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

You will need your XP product key to complete this

If you have audio / video files which are subject to DRM you should check with the provider for known issues with performing an XP repair install

XP Repair Install

Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system

After running XP Repair you will need to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[rba333]

Thanks, I'll start working on this.

[rba333]

Just completed the last set of directions. Again I'll just sit and wait a little bit to see if it works. Thanks for the help.

[Retired Tech]

Did you get all the updates?

[rba333]

Doin it as we speak, thanks for the reminder.

[rba333]

And now finished with that, just doing the restart.

[rba333]

Problem is back again. Second thing didn't work either.