Windows Forum

Ask something
Discussion Locked

WIndows XP Hour Glass

0 helpful
12 replies

by ljackson.desoto

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

Hello-
I have a client and I can't figure out what is wrong with her system. There is Windows 2K and Windows XP loaded and there are two hard drives. When you boot up the when you try to get to the start button or task bar, I just get a continous hour glass. Sometimes it stops, but I don't know why. If you minimize a window it does not show on the task bar. You have to go to task manager and select the program running and switch to. I have run registery mechanic, norton's (no virus), tend micro(no virus), ad-aware (cleaned out a lot), sybot and microsoft's new anti-spyware. It seems like something is trying to load as the resouces go from 20% up to 100% up and down with no programs running. I also turn off everything I could find in start-up. Now the only thing that should be in there is Norton's. I am at a loss as to what to do next. Win XP came installed and I don't think they have a recovery disk. Any suggestions??????? Help!!!!!!!

12 replies

by lmayeda

Do you have the same symptoms if you boot up the PC in SAFE MODE? Run Adaware, Spybot in safe mode and you may as well run the Antivirus software in safe mode too. Run Task Manager in safe mode and click on processes to see the minimum set of processes that are required for the PC to operate. Then, boot up in normal mode and run Task Manager again. Click on the CPU column to see which of the processes are using most of the resources. You may need to check on any unfamiliar process to see if it is spyware or a virus. This should give you a clue as to the problem. Good luck.

by ljackson.desoto

Thank you for the first answer. I should have mentioned, yes, I ran all of the products in safe mode also and you are right, the hour glass does not apprear. I have made a print screen of the processes, but can only recognize the most obvious. Is there any place to go to look up what some of these proceses are? Thank You.

by century data services

Why are you running Win2K AND Window XP on the same machine? If XP came installed, then how did 2k get installed? Sounds like a conflict?

by jamesrl

Processes - www.processlibrary.com has a search engine for processes. Beware though, some viruses including some I've had, use names of legitimate processes.

I also recommend using either MSCONFIG (from Run CMD) or one of the many startup managers that allow you to turn them off and on.

If Windows XP came installed, its likely that they either received a CD or there is a hidden partition with the XP installer on it(with HP for example you hit F10 at startup).

It might be faster to back up all the important files, format the HD and do a clean install of the OS, making sure to install your anti-virus, latest service packs for XP etc. as soon as possible.

James

by matmak

Launch the PC in safe Mode, Add regedit to your starup group under the standard document and settings profile then reboot.

Under registry when it launches check under the following keys to see what is launching (there may be an element of internet searching to identify the startup processes/programs) Hkey local machine > Software >Microsoft> Windows?current version/Run (run Once and Run Services) take a note of those you don't recognise in tis key and check against known Spyware / Virus related processes.

If in doubt ask your client when the last time was that they didn't receive the problem and try a system restore from XP.

From what you describe and if you can manage to lauch taskmgr.exe (following procedure above under safe mode) check to see whether Idle processes are running at above 90 percent they should be on standard machine.

This not being the case the likely hood is you have some piece of spyware running that is utlising the CPU launch spybot again and go into advanced Mode and check under settings enable all checks and run again.

the only other option all the above being satified is a re-install and given that you don't have a recovery disk your options are limited.

regards

Matmak

by ben

I just had to deal with the same issue. The only thing observed worth noting is that Webroot SpySweeper found CoolWebSearch adware. I ran a special CWS tool, but it did not find anything. Webrrot said it deleted CWS but the problem was not solved. Unfortunately, I had to reformat.

This discussion is closed to new replies.