Computer Problems

[Methos]

My computer is really acting up. I updated to Vista about a month or two ago for reference.

Sometimes the computer will boot up to a black screen and do nothing. If it makes it to the desktop, it'll be a black screen with my task bar and the crap on the side (slideshow, clock; forgot what its called). Occaisionally I get an error saying that windows internet explorer is having problems and needs to close, yet I don't use IE. I use firefox and firefox is working just fine.

If I try and update using IE the page won't close and takes forever to load and even than, it doesn't always work. It says there is one update available, but so far I haven't been able to install it.

Other programs seem to act up, though with no obvious reason. Everything is running fine right now (firefox is the only window open), though I do have the black desktop.

Any ideas?

 

[Zelig]

Did you do a clean install of Vista, or an update straight from XP?

Also, FWIW, the "crap" on the side can easily be disabled, right click > properties > "Start sidebar when windows starts".

 

[GrandAdmiral]

This may be a long shot but I had a friend with the same symptoms(don't know anything about your configuration). Turns out her hard drive was almost full because when she upgraded she didn't reformat and it saved her old installation in a a directory. We deleted it and everything was fine. So I would check and see if your hard drive is almost full. Other than that post your hardware specs. (video card, ram, cpu). The other time I saw something similar it was a bad driver for a usb wireless access point.

 

[Methos]

Did you do a clean install of Vista, or an update straight from XP?

I had reformatted my computer than reinstalled XP, than immediately upgraded to Vista.

This may be a long shot but I had a friend with the same symptoms(don't know anything about your configuration). Turns out her hard drive was almost full

I've still got a 135 gig free, so it isn't that.

I talked to the Geek squad at Best Buy and they believe my OS has crashed entirely. Meaning I'll have to format and reinstall my OS. I'm tempted to go back to XP. This is a dual core 3.4 gh computer, so it should be able to handle it.

I think first I'll try and use the vista disk to "fix" my current system. If that doesn't work, than its from the beginning.

I'll wait until tomorrow, as I have to do the HOF update tonight. So please, post any more suggestions. I really don't want to reformat and reinstall everything.

 

[warpus]

I had reformatted my computer than reinstalled XP, than immediately upgraded to Vista.

That was a bad move.

I say you format and install Vista directly.

 

[Methos]

That was a bad move.

Can you expand on that please. I'm curious why? I realize a clean install is better, but I'm curious if there's more to it than just that.

My reasoning was so that I could reinstall all my drivers the easier way (through XP) and than once the computer was back to running condition, than upgrade to vista. If that's not the case, than I'll try going straight vista.

 

[warpus]

Well, it's usually a good idea to do a fresh install.. It seems that an XP 2 Vista upgrade isn't all that bad, from what I've been reading, though..

but if it was up to me, I'd be wiping clean and installing from scratch.

 

[Methos]

Last night while trying to make sure everything important was backed up on our external drive, I noticed it wasn't working. It was showing that the drive was there, but also said there was nothing there.

All the wires were connected right, but the external drive just wouldn't work. When I shut the computer off the external drive stayed on and acted like it was still running heavy. I finally just unplugged the power supply to the drive. My wife has said that so far the computer is working fine today.

I wouldn't think that a problem with our external HD would cause such massive problems with our OS. I could see the OS causing problems with the drive, but not the opposite.

Is it possible for the external HD to cause the OS to act so messed up?

 

[Strider]

Is it possible for the external HD to cause the OS to act so messed up?

If there are system files on it then it's possible.

 

[Methos]

If there are system files on it then it's possible.

None that I'm aware of. It only contained data backup and not OS backup.