hello I'd be very gratefull for any help.

I installed a program on a friends computer. it worked fine for 5 minutes then the computer switched itself off.

so after several attempts to switch on again, I can't get windows to run.
I open the task-manager (the only available option) and see that the CPU is running at 100%.

There were 36 Programs/Applications running

I tied to stop the 1 demanding program, but that's not an option.

There seems to be nothing that I can do other than take it to the "expert" who may or may not be able to help, but will certainly charge me for his services.



IDEAS, anyone?

Dial A Geek
or
Nerd Central

Get it up and running

go to start

in the run box type "msconfig"

go to the startup tab

untick everythin that you don't want to start automatically

restart the computer and hopefully all the crap won't be running


You can also do the same on the services tab.

Also try defragging the harddrive
[Edited 10/22/09 5:58am]

apparently you have installed a virus or at least it sounds like it

purpledoveuk said:

thanks for the reply but I can"t go to start
as long as start has something to do with windows.

I can't get windows explorer going

Also for defragging the harddrive, don't I need to initiate this action from an up and running windows?

purpledoveuk said:

My dad has been complaining about how slow his pc had been running so i went into msconfig to try and configure an absolute basic power up for him.
The problem being im not sure what half them are...obviously tinternet needs to work but i dont really want to bugger about with things im not sure about.
Ive had to tell him that basically Vista is a lot slower than XP which he was used to and he will have to live with it.
I ran defrag for him and thats sped it up slightly seeing how he's had it for 2 years and never ran defrag before

muirdo said:

Vista is a lit slower because if all the stupid gimmicks lime see-through menus and animation....you can turn off all of those in the preferences but it does look
a bit plain.

Can't really do too much damage with the Startup section of msconfig because all it does is stop things starting automatically. For example Qucktime is always ready to go at startup as is iTunes etc etc....it's not necessary.

Even after you've restarywd it'll ask you if you are happy with the settings and will continue to ask you until you tell it not to.

Rightly said:

[Edited 10/22/09 7:05am]

can you boot it in safe mode?
[Edited 10/22/09 9:33am]

That's a bummer. Good luck!

Imago said:

unfortunately I haven't got the pc here with me to try these things out.

I remember only having options with the task manager.
the windows system that should be running on it is XP pro.

Boot Is when you have a windows installation cd, right ?

Rightly said:

no.

When a computer turns on, during the initial bootup, before the Windows Operation System is up and running, there's a sequence of events that take place (normally in a black and white DOS screen---it's very fast now so some folks don't pay much attention to the lettering or what it says).


Anyways, when it's booting up, the black and white screen gives you a choice to bootup regularly (which it defaults to and most people don't notice), or off of the "last known good configuration" or "safe mode"



Windows will then launch according to one of these 3 configurations.


Most of the time the "Last known Good" configuration is a life safer for software that was recently installed and corrupted your Windows Registry Hive (groan ), because Windows saves a copy of the Hive each time you shut down.
THe issue is I'm 90% certain that the computer has already been shut down, and "last known good" only means the last time you logged in--the last known good login . You can try it, and it may work for you.



But if it doesn't
Try booting it in safe mode. Safe mode allows you to go into Windows with very minimal services running (and drivers loading).



I'm 90% sure you have a virus.