ghost in the machine...please help a newbie
Saturday, January 22, 2005 at 11:37 am
Windows 2000 Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by joseph bernardi
(1 messages posted)
Hello
Several strange occurrences have me bewildered.
I am running 2000pro/733mz/256kram/firefox browser/cable connection/norton internet
security and antvirus/adaware.se/spybot search and destroy.
1. I attempted to do a system backup through windows, but I when I selected my
cd-rw (E:) drive, and inserted a disc as instructed, an error msg;'e: is not a valid
drive, or you do not have access' appeared. I clicked ok and aborted the attempt.
2.When i rebooted the next day, i discovered that the customization i had done
to the desktop had disappeared, and it seemed as though i was booting up for the
first time. The desktop was back to default status, EXCEPT that shortcuts i had added
were still there(winmx,firefox,adaware,spybot search and destroy, nero startsmart).
3. I opened 'my documents' shortcut, and it was empty! I had saved all downloaded
music files there.
4. The person who built the computer gave me a lot of valuable advice...he was
able to direct me around, until we found my 'missing' files. They had somehow been
transferred to a different location on C: - to user/documents and settings/documents/my
music.
5. Thinking (and here is where i learned a lesson...if u don't know, don't act
like u do) that somehow NERO was the culprit, i uninstalled and re-installed it).
During the re-installation, an error message 'files are missing. please re-install
nero' appeared. I obeyed, but received the message again. I exited; then i noticed
the 'Nero Smartstart' icon and opened it, only to receive the identical error message.
So, i did a search and found all the nero components actually installed ! I then
created shortcuts. However, when i opened the progams using the shortcuts, the installer
appeared and attempted to begin the process over again! So, i went back and attempted
to open the programs from the start menu...FINALLY, AMEN i could now use them (WHEW
!)
6. I made nero media player the default for all media files. I then inserted an
audio cd into E:. Nothing happened. I reinserted. Nothing. So, I used windows explorer,
and discovered that, yes, the files were being read (they were lined up as tracks,
with the green 'play' button for each.
7. Ive noticed now that both ie and firefox are displaying pages much slower than
before. Im not sure if this is a cable provider issue, or somehow related to the
'ghost' and these other events. In addition, windows media player has slowed down
considerably...although i did visit windows update and downloaded the latest security
updates, one of which was aimed directly at the player itself. Since then , i have
switched to nero and firefox,(j/k could this have had any adverse effects? Is windows
upset because i dropped ie?(j/k) I did an full system scan with norton, adaware and
spybot, and all is clean(according to them).
I (and my buddies whose brains must be scarred from all the picking i've been doing!)am
tapped out. I have used a help book, "Master Windows 2000 pro Visually', which has
been invaluable. It can't troubleshoot problems like this, though, so i am greatly
relieved for being directed to this site, and hopeful that i can get some assistance
from one of you kind folks...sorry for the length, but i hope all the details will
answer in advance some questions they might prompt.
Thanks for being patient!
I like windows 2000, except for as noted, everything is smooth...i actually traded
in xp for it.
Regards,
joe
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