(Windows XP Media Center Edition, 200 GB HDD [7200 RPM with 2 MB Cache), AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3400+, Supposedly 512 MB DDR Memory, Double Layer 16x Multi-format DVD+/-RW & 48x CD Drives, nVidia GeForce FX 5200 with 128 MB 8x AGP)
Okay, the earlier threads about the supposed-to-be RAM problem were proven to be false, except for some of the claims that said something about my fan. Well, I found out the problem was it was EXTREMELY dusty, which clogged the fan severely. My computer was aired out and it was working perfect for a few weeks.
Starting Wednesday, the computer starting acting... odd. First, everything started acting slow, and the mouse stopped working several times, so I either had to move the slot the mouse was in or use a different one. This had happened a few times before, yet it happened only once every two months.
The next thing I noticed, was that my Norton 2008 Internet Security was checked "At Risk" for Virus Protection, and it ignored Phishing Protection and Spyware protection. Eventually Outgoing Email and Incoming Email scans were both marked "Attention". I went to the settings and enambled them, but every time I did that it unchecked them.
Eventually, I had activated Phishing Protection (as I found out that it was just turned off) and it was marked "Secure". I did the same to my Spyware Protection and then it was marked "At Risk". I could not fix Outgoing/Incoming Mail scanning nor could I fix Spyware Protection. When I tried fixing Virus Protection, Live Update came up and tried to receive updates. It said finished, though when I viewed the results, it said the I could not update the AntiVirus Definitions and it told me to go to the Tech Support link. I went there, and it told me to resynchronize my subscription and run an updater from the site. I did so, and it still didn't update any definitions when I tried using Live Update.
A few other things, though it may have happened in between some events, occurred. I would try to open FireFox (this only happened once) and it said it wasn't recognized as a valid Win32 application. I reinstalled it from the FireFox website using Internet Explorer, and it worked for a few hours. Then the icon disappeared and was replaced with a standard Windows XP program icon. Then FireFox didn't open up from that shortcut. I had to drag and drop a new shortcut from the program files to make it work again.
2/3 times I restart or shut off my computer, it doesn't successfully shut down and it freezes or just stops working at the "Windows is shutting down" screen... I have to unplug it each time it does that because the power button won't work.
I think on Thursday, an alert came up saying C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch was corrupt or could not be read and I would have to use chkdsk (I think that's what it's called) on the computer. I had to restart the computer before I could set a chkdsk because my mouse stopped working again. Then, I had to unplug the power cord because it either froze while shutting off or it was shutting off and it stopped. I started it back up and chkdsk started running. It fixed a lot (I am assuming) but it aborted at the end because it did not have enough space to fix the Volume Bitmap (?) and I had to unplug the computer again because after each time it aborts, it doesn't restart or shut off and I can't press the power button to shut it off. Chkdsk comes up 2/3 times I have to cut power from my computer.
Well, this next thing I am adding may have been my fault, but my computer crashed when Norton was trying to receive updates through Live Update. It crashed because I had IE, FF, and Norton up at the same time. I sent the error report and this time it actually specifically told me there was a RAM problem...
At the moment, I uninstalled Norton and I failed at getting it re-installed the first time because I am assuming it did not reboot correctly as I had to cut power again... I am trying to install it again but it said it had an error and it has been stuck at trying to send the error report for about 10-15 minutes since this revision.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Okay, the earlier threads about the supposed-to-be RAM problem were proven to be false, except for some of the claims that said something about my fan. Well, I found out the problem was it was EXTREMELY dusty, which clogged the fan severely. My computer was aired out and it was working perfect for a few weeks.
Starting Wednesday, the computer starting acting... odd. First, everything started acting slow, and the mouse stopped working several times, so I either had to move the slot the mouse was in or use a different one. This had happened a few times before, yet it happened only once every two months.
The next thing I noticed, was that my Norton 2008 Internet Security was checked "At Risk" for Virus Protection, and it ignored Phishing Protection and Spyware protection. Eventually Outgoing Email and Incoming Email scans were both marked "Attention". I went to the settings and enambled them, but every time I did that it unchecked them.
Eventually, I had activated Phishing Protection (as I found out that it was just turned off) and it was marked "Secure". I did the same to my Spyware Protection and then it was marked "At Risk". I could not fix Outgoing/Incoming Mail scanning nor could I fix Spyware Protection. When I tried fixing Virus Protection, Live Update came up and tried to receive updates. It said finished, though when I viewed the results, it said the I could not update the AntiVirus Definitions and it told me to go to the Tech Support link. I went there, and it told me to resynchronize my subscription and run an updater from the site. I did so, and it still didn't update any definitions when I tried using Live Update.
A few other things, though it may have happened in between some events, occurred. I would try to open FireFox (this only happened once) and it said it wasn't recognized as a valid Win32 application. I reinstalled it from the FireFox website using Internet Explorer, and it worked for a few hours. Then the icon disappeared and was replaced with a standard Windows XP program icon. Then FireFox didn't open up from that shortcut. I had to drag and drop a new shortcut from the program files to make it work again.
2/3 times I restart or shut off my computer, it doesn't successfully shut down and it freezes or just stops working at the "Windows is shutting down" screen... I have to unplug it each time it does that because the power button won't work.
I think on Thursday, an alert came up saying C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch was corrupt or could not be read and I would have to use chkdsk (I think that's what it's called) on the computer. I had to restart the computer before I could set a chkdsk because my mouse stopped working again. Then, I had to unplug the power cord because it either froze while shutting off or it was shutting off and it stopped. I started it back up and chkdsk started running. It fixed a lot (I am assuming) but it aborted at the end because it did not have enough space to fix the Volume Bitmap (?) and I had to unplug the computer again because after each time it aborts, it doesn't restart or shut off and I can't press the power button to shut it off. Chkdsk comes up 2/3 times I have to cut power from my computer.
Well, this next thing I am adding may have been my fault, but my computer crashed when Norton was trying to receive updates through Live Update. It crashed because I had IE, FF, and Norton up at the same time. I sent the error report and this time it actually specifically told me there was a RAM problem...
At the moment, I uninstalled Norton and I failed at getting it re-installed the first time because I am assuming it did not reboot correctly as I had to cut power again... I am trying to install it again but it said it had an error and it has been stuck at trying to send the error report for about 10-15 minutes since this revision.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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