Suddenly, desktop icons freeze computer..and other issues.

[TLF]

When I try to start the game I get a Runtime error that says An application has made an attempt to load the C Runtime Library incorrectly.
Please contact this applications support team for more information.

If I click the OK button to dismiss the message, the game starts.

Then, when I exit the game all of the icons on my desktop have been rearranged.

I am running win xp sp3.

I am also, recently, having problems with the icons on the desktop and sometimes just using windows explorer to look at files and folders.

If I right click on some icons the computer will freeze, I get a Dr Watson message about needing to shut down and I have to pull the plug to get it to shut down.

Sometimes I can right click but if I try to delete the icon the computer freezes.

Sometimes I can right click, choose properties then as soon as I click the comparability tab the computer freezes.

Only some icons do this, but they do it constantly.

Sometimes just browsing folders with windows explorer causes freezes.

Also, recently, I found that some of the games that used to work OK were now having problems, like Europa Universalis Rome, which has a map rotate feature, the map will no linger rotate.

I thought it might be the video card (ATI Radeon 5450), so I tried updating the drivers and even uninstalled it and went back to the onboard graphics.

All of the problems are still there.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Cyc]

Restore to an earlier restore point?

Empty your start menu?

Clean up your C Drive?

What does your Anti-Virus program say?

[TLF]

I tried system restore first.
It said that it couldn't make any restore points work.
It would get 1/2 to 2/3 through the restore and then stop and restart the computer with a message that it couldn't do the restore.

I have never had that happen before.

I uninstalled every program and game that I can easily reinstall, did a full scandisk and fix and I defragmented.

The problem remains.

I just tried your suggestion to clear the start menu.

I right clicked on the start button clicked properties and saw a clear button and clicked it.

I still have the problem.

Sometimes just opening windows explorer will cause the Dr Watson message and freeze the computer.
Sometime when windows explorer opens it will flash and close back to desktop without a freeze.

[Cyc]

Well, when I said clear your start menu, I wasn't talking about the menu that pops up when you click on the start button. That's what you cleared. I was talking about your start up list. The list of programs that automatically start up when you start your computer everytime.

But I'll tell ya what. Why don't you call your local computer expert, and ask him to take a look at your box. You may have a bad hard drive. You may have your system restore turned off. There could be other problems that are not too complicated, but need someone knowledgeable to take a look at them. You can even go online and ask some computer gurus to help you. But you'd be taking your chances there too. Best to call someone local and find out if it's better to get a new box or work on what you have.

[tR1cKy]

my guess is a botched XP system, possibly due to a virus. try a format + reinstall.
if the issue persists, then it's likely to be a hardware problem.

[Cyc]

Originally Posted by tR1cKy

my guess is a botched XP system, possibly due to a virus. try a format + reinstall.
if the issue persists, then it's likely to be a hardware problem.

I was going to recommend the same thing (or use the "restore to factory condition" option). But TLF doesn't seem very computer savy, so I recommended him getting some local help. Plus, he seems to have a lot of programs on his hard drive that he can't easily replace after a format.