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Windows Startup error message


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#1
sue.words

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When I switch my (desktop) computer on it gets stuck during its booting up process at a point when it is showing this message:
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C:\Documents [in blue band across top of box]


Windows cannot find 'C:\Documents'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search.

OK
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I click OK and the message disappears and everything is all right after that. (At least I have no evidence as yet that anything is malfunctioning.) This error message makes me uneasy but is in itself only a minor nuisance.

=====================================================================

I did have a vaguely similar problem with my laptop: it was sometimes (not in precisely the circumstances I've described above) displaying a message about a fault with HP Resident [something] Play. Should it send a message to report the problem. When I Googled the error message I found the suggestion to type 'msconfig' in at Start, Run, and then to uncheck something. (Sorry I cannot remember exactly what the message was or exactly what the something was that I had to uncheck.) Whatever it was I had to uncheck, it was not identical to the name quoted in the error message. Anyhow, I followed the advice (it may have come from G2G) and it cured the problem.

I tried to see if I could apply this approach to the error message I'm getting on my desktop, but I don't know what to look for in the list generated by 'msconfig'. Certainly there's nothing there that looks as if it could be connected to 'C:\Documents'.

I have tried searching this site but can't find a problem that looks close enough to mine to make me feel safe about following the advice given. Please does anyone understand what may be wrong with my desktop and can they advise me what to do?
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#2
happyrock

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run msconfig again...lengthen so everything is showing...get a screenshot and post it for us....
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#3
sue.words

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Sorry to be ignorant but howdo I post a screenshot here? (I didn't think it would work but I did try copying from the Word document where I've put it on my computer and pasting it here!) I had to do two shots, one of the top half of the list and one of the bottom.
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#4
happyrock

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first...your not ignorant...this just something you have never done before ia all...
Step 1: press...prnt scrn key

Step 2: Open paint .. click start ... programs ... accessories ... paint

Step 3: left click in the white area...then press ctrl + v

Step 4: click save ...click on desktop on the left hand side...name it in the upper box...save it as a .jpeg in the lower box...

Step 5: to post it in your reply...below where you type your reply...click on browse...select the screenshot...click on the green button...upload..when its done it will say it uploaded successfully...click add reply...it will then show up in your post...
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#5
sue.words

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I have done screenshots before but I couldn't see how to upload the attachment onto the G2G site.
I tried to follow your instructions but couldn't see the Browse and Upload buttons you mentioned.
Then I realized that I had not enabled scripts, and when I did that at last I could see them!
Now I have managed to upload the two screenshots. Hooray!

Attached Thumbnails

  • Screenshot_1.JPG
  • Screenshot_2.JPG

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#6
happyrock

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uncheck everything but avg and rundll.exe if you have a raid setup...if your not using raid on your computer you can uncheck it too..
reboot...when you get to your desktop a small pop up will say you have changed the way windows starts yada yada yada,,..DUH..
put a checkmark in the box on the lower left that says don't show this message again...
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#7
sue.words

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I am writing this on my laptop so that I can leave the desktop as it is until I have consulted you.

I took your advice and unchecked everything in Msconfig except avg. I was a bit uneasy because after I had clicked ok and then Reboot (or whatever, can't exactly remember the order of things), I had a little window with a SpyBot heading asking for confirmation of - the unchecking? - of lots of things. (The message said something about registry entries, which was why I was alarmed.) But I pressed on saying ok to the unchecking (if that's what it was) of everything.

When the computer rebooted itself the wretched message I quoted in my first posting still appeared, exactly as before.

Is this what you would expect?

The pop up you said would come has done and it is there still as I write this.

Is it the case that the error message will not go away until I have checked this last box, and next time I boot up I will not see the message? Or is the cause of the error message not what you first thought?

Do you think I should definitely check the "Don't show this message again" box now?
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#8
happyrock

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Do you think I should definitely check the "Don't show this message again" box now?

yep and reboot again...
if you get the error message again after rebooting then go to the control panel...administrative tools...event viewer...double click on applications...see whats red or yellow...copy and paste any errors or warnings here...
I also advise to disable tea timer in spybot S&D...the how to is here...at least until we are all done

Edited by happyrock, 05 March 2009 - 05:03 PM.

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#9
sue.words

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Thanks, happyrock. Have checked the box as instructed. Must go to bed now but will report results (if any) tomorrow.

Thanks again
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#10
happyrock

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where are you in the world...its 3 PM here in the san diego area
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#11
sue.words

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I am in England (near the border with Wales). It was about 11 pm when I said I was going to bed.

When I switched on the computer this morning there was no sign of the error message! Yippee!

The last sentence of your last posting was:
"I also advise to disable tea timer in spybot S&D...the how to is here...at least until we are all done".

Now that we know that my original symptom has been dealt with successfully, do you still think I should take this advice?

Thank you so much for all your help. I very, VERY much appreciate it.
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#12
sue.words

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It must be dreadfully stressful doing this kind of thing as a job. I used to have a local computer helper who made a career change because he was actually getting ill from the worry. I used to have to give him endless cups of black coffee when he was here and I got to be hesitant about phoning him because I didn't want to add to his problems!

Wonderful things, computers, but powerfully destructive in their ability to exasperate us! (I love happyrock's thing about hardware and software!)
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#13
happyrock

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your welcome...and thanks for letting us know... :)

tea timer has caused some problems in the past and if you really want that kind of thing running to let you know if ANYTHING tries to make changes to your registry..get billp's WinPatrol here its more stable and has many other features...

It must be dreadfully stressful doing this kind of thing as a job

nope..the real downside is you have to spend so many hours reading trying to stay up to speed on the newest hardware ,software and security that I really don't have time for any "fun" reading...and haven't for about 6 years now
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#14
sue.words

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Shame about the reading...

I have now installed WinPatrol. should I now uninstall SpyBot?
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#15
happyrock

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no...they do different things...you will still use spybot to scan for malware...its just now a on demand scanner
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