[confusedfox]

An old pc running windows 98se, which is no longer connected to internet etc, has recently starting having some problems.

1. On start up error message from NAV auto-protect: "Unable to initialise the virus scanning database".

2. Microsoft encarta no longer works. Uninstalled and tried to re-install, but installation grinds to a halt part way through.

3. Tried to install a wireless network adaptor, installation grinds to a halt again with problems reading from cd-drive.

Games such as SIMMS work fine, also can watch dvds without any problems, so doen't seem like cd-drive has failes completely.

Programs such as excel and word work without any problem.

Device manager - looked for yellow ? etc. Only one against Wave device for voice modem. This doesn't seem relevant, have never connected a microphone to this pc, and seem to remember this yellow ! been there for years.

Hard disk quite full: using 8.19gb out of total 9.52gb but once again run at this level for some time.

To release a little more space I was about to delete
i) all files in c:\windows\cookies
ii) all subfolders/files in c:|windows\temp
iii) all files/subfolders in c:\windows\Temp Internet Files
Any reason why I should not?


When last connected to internet I was running Norton av with up to date definitions and I has run ad-aware and spyblaster and was using google toolbar to block pop-ups. Lots of stuff removed by the adware programs but had not removed everything from pc as internet home page was constantly changed.


Sorry for long message but thought it might be useful to provide backgroung info.

Do you think that a) my cd drive has died
b) some of my programs are corrupted and I need to re-install windows etc
c) I picked up a virus just before the pc was removed from the internet connection and
this is blocking access to certain programs.



Any suggestions what to do next would be gratefully received


Confused fox

[Advertisements]

Symptoms of a dying CD unit, those are. Sims doesn't need to read the entire CD, it only reads what it needs to and it sounds like the drive can't cope with extended spinnage.

Sounds like either the mechanics are dying or there's a laser problem on the CD side of the device, as it can play DVDs no problem. New drive I reckon.

[Neil Jones]

Symptoms of a dying CD unit, those are. Sims doesn't need to read the entire CD, it only reads what it needs to and it sounds like the drive can't cope with extended spinnage.

Sounds like either the mechanics are dying or there's a laser problem on the CD side of the device, as it can play DVDs no problem. New drive I reckon.