Computer Question
 

Okay...here's my problem and I will try to describe the sequence of events:

System:
I built it 2 yrs ago
2500XP
ASUS M/B (KT400)
1 gig RAM(PC2400)
Nvidia FX5600 128meg video card
SB Audigy2 audio card
2 Maxtor 80gig HDs(7200rpm 8meg cache)
Sony DRU10A DVD burner
Windows XP SP1(can't get SP2, using educational copy)

The first sign of problems was when I tried to open a folder by double
clicking it and got an error message that stated explorer.exe had a problem
and needs to shutdown, to which I did. This started happening when I would
try to explore folders on the hard drive more and more frequently. Then it
started happening when I would try to run a program. It is happening with
no regularity, just a random event. I start a program- error- shut it down
and start it again and it runs normal. Most times this error occurs when I
explore a folder.

I suspected a virus or other evil intent program. Well, I use AVG antivirus
and keep it updated religiously, so I scanned. Nothing. I used Spybot S&D,
nothing. I used Hijack This, nothing out of the ordinary. So I figure my
system is clean. Hardware problem???

I started uninstalling all non-vital programs. The problem is still there
and happens once or twice a day.

Then...one day I need to burn a CD with data and went through the normal
process. It hung during the burn and I had a heck of a time trying to get
out of it. I tried it again...same thing.

I figured DVD burner went bad and replaced it with a known working TDK
CDRW. Tried the burn again and it hung just like before. Replace the ribbon
cable, no change.

I'm running a web design business on this computer and having a terrible
time completing projects with this problem.

PLEASE HELP ME!

Thank you,
--
Tom

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest."
-Henry Thoreau

"The original point and click interface is a Smith and Wesson"

You might have fallen into the bad caps category. Go to
http://www.badcaps.com/ and see if your symptoms look like those. I started
having issues such as yours and finally found that out of 15 caps like that
on the MB, 13 were leaking and/or had bulged tops. Look for brown spots in
the center of the caps, or running down the board. I replaced all on my
board and it's still running after a couple years.

WT

"Tom" wrote in message
...
Okay...here's my problem and I will try to describe the sequence of
events:

System:
I built it 2 yrs ago
2500XP
ASUS M/B (KT400)
1 gig RAM(PC2400)
Nvidia FX5600 128meg video card
SB Audigy2 audio card
2 Maxtor 80gig HDs(7200rpm 8meg cache)
Sony DRU10A DVD burner
Windows XP SP1(can't get SP2, using educational copy)

The first sign of problems was when I tried to open a folder by double
clicking it and got an error message that stated explorer.exe had a
problem
and needs to shutdown, to which I did. This started happening when I would
try to explore folders on the hard drive more and more frequently. Then it
started happening when I would try to run a program. It is happening with
no regularity, just a random event. I start a program- error- shut it down
and start it again and it runs normal. Most times this error occurs when I
explore a folder.

I suspected a virus or other evil intent program. Well, I use AVG
antivirus
and keep it updated religiously, so I scanned. Nothing. I used Spybot S&D,
nothing. I used Hijack This, nothing out of the ordinary. So I figure my
system is clean. Hardware problem???

I started uninstalling all non-vital programs. The problem is still there
and happens once or twice a day.

Then...one day I need to burn a CD with data and went through the normal
process. It hung during the burn and I had a heck of a time trying to get
out of it. I tried it again...same thing.

I figured DVD burner went bad and replaced it with a known working TDK
CDRW. Tried the burn again and it hung just like before. Replace the
ribbon
cable, no change.

I'm running a web design business on this computer and having a terrible
time completing projects with this problem.

PLEASE HELP ME!

Thank you,
--
Tom

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest."
-Henry Thoreau

"The original point and click interface is a Smith and Wesson"

Have you tried to do a repair installation of Windows XP?

JMK

"Tom" wrote in message
...
Okay...here's my problem and I will try to describe the sequence of
events:

System:
I built it 2 yrs ago
2500XP
ASUS M/B (KT400)
1 gig RAM(PC2400)
Nvidia FX5600 128meg video card
SB Audigy2 audio card
2 Maxtor 80gig HDs(7200rpm 8meg cache)
Sony DRU10A DVD burner
Windows XP SP1(can't get SP2, using educational copy)

The first sign of problems was when I tried to open a folder by double
clicking it and got an error message that stated explorer.exe had a
problem
and needs to shutdown, to which I did. This started happening when I would
try to explore folders on the hard drive more and more frequently. Then it
started happening when I would try to run a program. It is happening with
no regularity, just a random event. I start a program- error- shut it down
and start it again and it runs normal. Most times this error occurs when I
explore a folder.

I suspected a virus or other evil intent program. Well, I use AVG
antivirus
and keep it updated religiously, so I scanned. Nothing. I used Spybot S&D,
nothing. I used Hijack This, nothing out of the ordinary. So I figure my
system is clean. Hardware problem???

I started uninstalling all non-vital programs. The problem is still there
and happens once or twice a day.

Then...one day I need to burn a CD with data and went through the normal
process. It hung during the burn and I had a heck of a time trying to get
out of it. I tried it again...same thing.

I figured DVD burner went bad and replaced it with a known working TDK
CDRW. Tried the burn again and it hung just like before. Replace the
ribbon
cable, no change.

I'm running a web design business on this computer and having a terrible
time completing projects with this problem.

PLEASE HELP ME!

Thank you,
--
Tom

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest."
-Henry Thoreau

"The original point and click interface is a Smith and Wesson"

As JMK so eloquently stated:

Have you tried to do a repair installation of Windows XP?

JMK

No I haven't, but I will now. :)

Note: It locked up a few minutes ago. When I tried a ctrl-alt-delete
reboot, it popped up a box saying "ctfmon.exe was not responding - end
now?", then "explorer.exe was not responding - end now?" I ended them both
and it rebooted.

Thank you,
--
Tom

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest."
-Henry Thoreau

"The original point and click interface is a Smith and Wesson"

Hi Tom

On 20 Apr 2005 17:31:14 GMT, Tom wrote:

As JMK so eloquently stated:

Have you tried to do a repair installation of Windows XP?

JMK

No I haven't, but I will now. :)

Note: It locked up a few minutes ago. When I tried a ctrl-alt-delete
reboot, it popped up a box saying "ctfmon.exe was not responding - end
now?", then "explorer.exe was not responding - end now?" I ended them both
and it rebooted.

Thank you,

Wonder if you can swap out the RAM & see if the problem goes away - I
had a similar set of problems with this PC earlier in the year, and it
went away after swapping out one of the DIMMs.....

Regards
Adrian
Suffolk UK

======return email munged=================
take out the papers and the trash to reply

Hello,

Ominously, I've seen a few Dell PCs in the past year (and less than a
year old) with bulging capacitors.

Kris.

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 11:24:14 -0500, "Wayne Tiffany"
said to us:

You might have fallen into the bad caps category. Go to
http://www.badcaps.com/ and see if your symptoms look like those. I started
having issues such as yours and finally found that out of 15 caps like that
on the MB, 13 were leaking and/or had bulged tops. Look for brown spots in
the center of the caps, or running down the board. I replaced all on my
board and it's still running after a couple years.

WT

"Tom" wrote in message
.. .
Okay...here's my problem and I will try to describe the sequence of
events:

System:
I built it 2 yrs ago
2500XP
ASUS M/B (KT400)
1 gig RAM(PC2400)
Nvidia FX5600 128meg video card
SB Audigy2 audio card
2 Maxtor 80gig HDs(7200rpm 8meg cache)
Sony DRU10A DVD burner
Windows XP SP1(can't get SP2, using educational copy)

The first sign of problems was when I tried to open a folder by double
clicking it and got an error message that stated explorer.exe had a
problem
and needs to shutdown, to which I did. This started happening when I would
try to explore folders on the hard drive more and more frequently. Then it
started happening when I would try to run a program. It is happening with
no regularity, just a random event. I start a program- error- shut it down
and start it again and it runs normal. Most times this error occurs when I
explore a folder.

I suspected a virus or other evil intent program. Well, I use AVG
antivirus
and keep it updated religiously, so I scanned. Nothing. I used Spybot S&D,
nothing. I used Hijack This, nothing out of the ordinary. So I figure my
system is clean. Hardware problem???

I started uninstalling all non-vital programs. The problem is still there
and happens once or twice a day.

Then...one day I need to burn a CD with data and went through the normal
process. It hung during the burn and I had a heck of a time trying to get
out of it. I tried it again...same thing.

I figured DVD burner went bad and replaced it with a known working TDK
CDRW. Tried the burn again and it hung just like before. Replace the
ribbon
cable, no change.

I'm running a web design business on this computer and having a terrible
time completing projects with this problem.

PLEASE HELP ME!

Thank you,
--
Tom

"That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest."
-Henry Thoreau

"The original point and click interface is a Smith and Wesson"

On 20 Apr 2005 17:31:14 GMT Tom wrote in Message id:
:

Note: It locked up a few minutes ago. When I tried a ctrl-alt-delete
reboot, it popped up a box saying "ctfmon.exe was not responding -

http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/pr...tfmon.exe.html

Check out all the comments from the user opinions. I'd try to get rid of
it if I were you.