major problem with windows xp/computer

[meadowlands]

My computer was working fine up until Monday. My problem is is when I booted my comp up yesterday, norton comes up with some odd error about not being able to scan e-mail or instant messenger for viruses, and my internet on just this computer will not work. Now this happened with my other comp when the hard drive was failing. The computer will also at some reboots take forever to get into windows.

Sometimes when I try to get into network connections or my computer, it will just hang or I get the flashlight icon scanning. I was able to back up most of my stuff, but when I tried to reformat, it kept saying to close all windows and I ended every program I could think of.

I also tried a system restore to Saturday when it was working normal, but I have had no luck. Is it something with windows or is another HDD going? I'm thinking of just RMA'ing the HDD and do a whole new install. My only other option is to use a Linux Suse disk I have and boot from that and see if it works. Here are my specs:
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Athlon 64 3200+ | Asus A8N5X mobo | 5.1 surround soundcard | 2 GB Corsair PC3200 Ram| 250gig Hitachi Hdd/60 GB WD HDD | 420w PS | EVGA Geforce 7800GT | Logitec 5.1 surrond sound speakers w/subwoofer z-560 | |

 

[breeze812]

Not being a wise guy... but since I did this a few years back....
... see if you installed the hard drive upside down.

I did it once because of the IDE ribbon I had at the time. Didn't realize it would matter. The drive started clicking a bit after a few months. Then it affected the system similarly to what you are describing.
I mention this because it souds like this is the 2nd drive you may have lost. Perhaps this is why.

No offense meant if this is as absurd to you as it was to me.

 

[meadowlands]

Na, I had removed the hdd and checked the connections and put it back in. It seems like the problems get worse, as I am thinking the HDD may be failing. Like I would click on start, and the pop up will not go away after opening something else, "my computer" scanning for drives and stuck in a loop etc.


My initial problem was when I booted up my comp yesterday. Norton came up with an error saying that it cannot scan email/messaging. When I tried to go online, it quickly gave me the page cannot be displayed. I initially thought it was a router problem, however I basically tried everything from reseting the router to re installing tcp/ip. Using the cmd prompt, I tried ipconfig and it came up that it could not configure the ip and that it was an internal problem.

From here is where more problems arose. The computer would boot, then just show my wallpaper for about 2-3 minutes before my icons appeared. Attempting to access network connections resulted in a hangup. Accessing "my computer" resulted in the flashlight icon scanning the area where my drives should be showing.

A system restore had little effect, still leaving me without internet and making it almost impossible to access anything and not closing the previous window, leaving an ink mark of the previous window.

I'm basically down to doing a scandisk and trying a repair with windows. My other option would be to use a bootable linux disk I have.

lastly, RMA the drive and do a fresh install.

 

[meadowlands]

ok, I ran the hard drive diagnostic with no errors. I ran scandisk with no errors. I tried using the internet under my linux live cd, that did not work. I am wondering if it is my motherboard?

 

[breeze812]

Again... I can't really give you good help on this problem. Hopefully someone else will post something for you.
But.... if you have another hdd to drop in... maybe try loading an OS and see if things work. At least you could figure if it is or isn't the hdd.... and then possibly consider the mobo.

Or... other than a system restore... do you have an OS you can try loading onto the hdd after doing a clean format to it? Who knows what sort of virus's are going around these days! I just reformatted my system because I had some issues vaugly similar...in that Yahoo and MSN messengers would open and sign in.... but then they either froze or went to 'white' windows.... and Outlook was doing the same thing. And certain java websites also would not open.

Sorry I cant be more helpful. Good luck!

 

[meadowlands]

Well right now I wiped my hdd and am reinstalling windows. I did boot off my linux live cd, but was unable to get out to the internet. Maybe I did not set something up but I would assume it would just work. At least I know if this does not work it could only be one thing, the motherboard.

 

[Zoron]

It doesn't matter which way you install the drive... it will fail at some point. Like any other mechanical component, hard drives fail. It's not a matter of if, but when. Placing it upside-down, rightside-up or on it's side makes no difference.

 

[meadowlands]

Reinstalling windows fixed the problem. However I am still perplexed about the problem. If it was not a virus, what could have cause my comp to not be able to initialize tcp/ip and cause all the slow loading problems?

 

[Zoron]

Corrupt NIC driver or protocol stack probably.