I hate my computer!

[conkermaniac]

Could someone explain to me what is wrong? I am using Windows 98.

There appears to be some programs that are slowing down my computer. Whenever I try to startup the computer, it generally takes 10 minutes + to finish loading. I've suffered through this for, I'll say, about half a year. Recently, it's been running programs without problems, except for the occasional "unresponsiveness," to which I just press Ctrl+Alt+Delete and close a program (that sometimes happens to be unresponsive without being marked as thus, surprisingly enough).

However, today, a problem arose. Whenever I try to log in, the computer pretty much just freezes. I don't understand it either. It just doesn't load properly. I can still move the mouse cursor around but I can't click on anything. I try pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and after pressing it two times, the Blue Screen of Death comes up saying "The system is busy." Sometimes, it comes up with another message saying "WARNING! Some programs may be unstable." I just keep mashing buttons until eventually the REAL Ctrl+Alt+Del box comes up. Generally, I will try to close the program that says "Not Responding" (strangely, it changes every time). And the computer freezes again. Other times (very rare), I might actually be able to close the program and continue running.

Please help...Any suggestions?

[Giancarlo]

Your registry may be severely corrupted or you may have massive ActiveX entry problems. I suggest you reinstall Windows.

[cheatpark]

What percentage of your hard drive is filled up? When my hard drive is full my computer usually starts to go weird.

[conkermaniac]

It's a relatively old computer. It only has 5 GB...I used about about 3 of those. Could the age have anything to do with it?

[cheatpark]

It's quite possible. How old is it?

[Giancarlo]

Originally posted by conkermaniac
It's a relatively old computer. It only has 5 GB...I used about about 3 of those. Could the age have anything to do with it?

Well I think 2GB is still an adequate amount to have left. There are larger hard-drives that are dirt cheap... 10GB ones going for nothing... check out pricewatch.com.

[cheatpark]

Hmmmm. When was the last time you formatted the hard drive?Defragmenting it might make a difference.

[Robert]

If every time you hit CTRL+ALT+DEL and a different program becomes unresponsive, there is a good chance you may have a virus. I'm just saying.. i would reinstall windows OVER windows and see what happens, if that doesnt fix it, a nice clean format and installation of windows couldn't hurt.

[niv]

That's what happened to my old box running Win98FE--do a clean install or attempt to clean your registry. This usually happens after you install and uninstall a lot of programs.

[roly]

Format the HDD, re-load Windows.

[[lhomme]]

Btw - you should generally have at least 20% of your harddisk free - which you do, so that isnt the problem.

[Giancarlo]

That is why I think it might be severe registry or activex problems.

[GregT]

here is the soultion to all of ur problems in 9 easy steps


1. Go to store

2. Buy "Redhat Linux 7.2"

3. Go home

4. Push eject button on CDROM drive

5. Place CD-1 in tray

6. Push the eject button again to insert cd into computer

7. Push power button

8. Install & Configure Linux

9. Enjoy :classic2:

[Giancarlo]

Or get Win2k. It takes a while to load... but that is the beauty of it, it loads all of the registry properly. And it is worth the wait. Win98 on the other hand starts up and shuts down without closing the registry carefully enough. That is why it sucks.

[meow]

Originally posted by conkermaniac
Could someone explain to me what is wrong? I am using Windows 98.

There appears to be some programs that are slowing down my computer. Whenever I try to startup the computer, it generally takes 10 minutes + to finish loading.
Before you start reformatting I would check the easy stuff. Check what programs that start with windows and stop them from doing that. Uninstall fonts you don't use frequently and load them only when you need them. Get rid of screen savers and wallpapers.

[Todd]

Originally posted by Expedition
here is the soultion to all of ur problems in 9 easy steps
1. Go to store
2. Buy "Redhat Linux 7.2"
:D Can we give away moderator for the day duties based on the best joke? ;)

It's not due your computers age, I've seen 486 systems running small time servers without a problem and those are surely older then your system. It's more likely to be a good old Windows mistake.

It sounds like you already ended task on any programs that were locking up and seeing as though that didn't work I advise following Roberts advice by reinstalling Windows without formatting. It's probably just a windows mistake but here are two things I would do.

1. Scan the system for viruses using an online scanner such as: http://housecall.antivirus.com (IE required)
2. Download Startup Cop and disable all programs that start up other then those that have to be there. It'll speed up the start up time slightly: http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,,77594,.html

It's a good idea to run the scan disk and disk defragmenter at least occasionally but that isn't your problem.

Windows 95 / 98(SE) / and ME were never good at ending programs cleanly through End Task. Often your system would become unstable after ending task on a program so using Windows 2000 or XP would be better from that regard. Other then the above information it's hard to diagnose it further without being there to see when and where the problem happens and what startup files might be causing the problem.

If you want to try fixing it in safe mode hit F8 right after the BIOS finishes initializing your hardware and says Starting Windows 9X or something to that affect. If you don't want to time that then hold your control key down, then when the list of choices comes up choose Windows in safe mode.

[niv]

FYI, on some machines, safe mode won't work.

[Todd]

Really? I didn't know that. Have any information on what machines it has problems with? I thought Safe mode was a default feature that worked with all distributions of Windows. Or did you mean it may not work depending upon the problem? Thanks.

[niv]

On some machines, when coupled with certain versions of Windows, it'll just crash when entering safe mode. That's what happened with my PII 450 box from 1997 and Win98.

[trenzterra]

It could be the amount of programs you have. On my old PC I have a big bunch of programs and takes 15 minutes to load(hangs alot too) and I reinstalled, took only 1 minute to load.

[conkermaniac]

Well, guys, thanks for the responses! I live in China, so I can't get an English edition of ANYTHING (I don't even have another copy of Windows 98 and I have never had 2K anyway). Linux sucks as an operating system because it does not have some of the most important programs I need, so that rules it out already. Which means...I have to use the version of Windows XP that my dad got at the APEC conference (everybody who attended the summit got a copy). Even though I hate this d***ed OS, at least it's better than any version of Linux...Maybe I'll use Linux when I get older (I still haven't found any program that matches Word or Excel on ANY operating system).

[Akalon]

conkermaniac - when you press ctrl+alt+del do you notice a couple of weird apps running there? When you just get into windows, press ctrl+alt+del and close any unusual programs.

I'm saying this because there was these 2 programs running in the background making my AMD 1400 run about as slow as a 486 and I didn't know what the ---- it was. So I reinstalled Windows 2 times, cos the first time, it totally ----ed up. Then I finally realised what the problem was after reinstalling and mucking around with my computer for about 8 hours. :mad:

[conkermaniac]

Yeah, there are some weird programs running in the bg. I used to just close them, but now I can't even get into Windows without the screen freezing up.

[meow]

Reboot into safe mode and stop them from starting with windows,
(How many times can the same thing be said? - But I started! :p)

[niv]

Originally posted by conkermaniac
Linux sucks as an operating system because it does not have some of the most important programs I need, so that rules it out already.
Someone hasn't heard of WinE...unless your reference to "important" programs is games.

[invalid]

Originally posted by Expedition
here is the soultion to all of ur problems in 9 easy steps


1. Go to store

2. Buy "Redhat Linux 7.2"

3. Go home

4. Push eject button on CDROM drive

5. Place CD-1 in tray

6. Push the eject button again to insert cd into computer

7. Push power button

8. Install & Configure Linux

9. Enjoy :classic2:

Yeah, i totally agree!!!! ever since i got linux my life has gotten happier every single day. It's really not as hard as some people make it seem to be... just be patient, the hardest part is holding back your excitement while its comming in the mail.

If your seriously interested go to www.cheapbytes.com and get mandrake. Its like 5 bucks and its super easy to install

[Bruce]

If you really want Linux, I can't understand why you'd pay for a copy, unless you on dialup or something. I get my copies from http://linuxiso.org and burn them.

[Akalon]

Originally posted by Bruce
If you really want Linux, I can't understand why you'd pay for a copy, unless you on dialup or something. I get my copies from http://linuxiso.org and burn them.

Well then they are most likely on dial-up..

[ExoWorks]

Yeah, go to store and buy lin---- .. or download it from ----inglin----.com, its free because there is nothing good in it.
Microsoft kicks lin---- into the bin :biggrin2: :biggrin2:

[roly]

Originally posted by Akalon


Well then they are most likely on dial-up..
he toild me hes on dsl or something on msn
i don't think he has a burner

[Akalon]

He probably didn't know that you can use ISO's without burning them then :p

[Hobbes]

1. Backup your computer.
2. FORMAT C:\ (Yes)
3. Reboot
4. Run Windows 98 Setup
5. Reboot
6. Copy Win 98 files to PC
7. Reboot
8. Install Win98 Files
9. Reboot
10. Setup System
11. Reboot
12. Restore System
13. Install Micro"soft" software
14. Reboot.

Tadaa! I just did that (and rebooted a whole 543 times) and my computer hasnt' crashed or died since. Its that durn corrupt registry!