Any techies in the building?

[Muddypause]

Fer some reason my computer no longer shuts down in the approved manner. About one time in ten I click on 'Shut Down' and it will go to sleep properly. More often it will get as far as a black screen but no further. Sometimes from this point I can do an Alt-Ctrl-Del re-start OK, but only to face the same problem again. Eventually I just have to turn the power switch off, and go through the whole Scan Disc routine every time I boot up again. Very frustrating.

I haven't installed any new programs; System File Checker says there are no problems with the system files; Scan Disc says everything is OK; Ad-Aware says I'm clean, and the virus checker checks out. I can close down everything running in the background before I click on Shut Down, but it all makes no difference, it just won't close itself down. This is Win98SE; maybe it's wearing out?

Been like this for a month. Anybody got any ideas?

[baldowrie]

had that happened to me on 98, but my computer had a virus that was eating my antivirus..look at your programmes to see if they are fading.


Other that that can't help, if it were XP I say restore back to before the problem

[wulf]

I understand that Microsoft's official advice (even for it's currently supported systems, let alone ones released so far back prehistory as Win98 ;) ) is to periodically reinstall! It could be a good time to think about Linux (partly depending on whether you've got any essential programs that are Windows only).

Wulf

[bwaymark]

Another option would be to go to: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx

and search their database and see what they have to say...

[Camile]

Hi Muddy,


Click on Start -> Run, then type Regedit

Then go in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Shutdown

Change the FastReboot value data from 1 to 0 and see what happens.

If that doesn't help, install the following:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/down ... d/win98se/

And also install this one even if you don't have any mapped drives:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/down ... efault.asp

Good luck,
Camile

[Muddypause]

Yeeeeooooowwwwww! Oww! Oww! Oww!

Excuse me; it still stings a little.

Thanks anyway all who offered suggestions. The patches didn't work, and so a reinstall seemed the sensible option. Only half way through the install, at the point where it says "Now restart your computer", my graphics card packed up and the whole thing can to a grinding halt. Which meant an expensive visit to the repair shop, and a reformatted drive.

It's been a miserable day of reinstalling programs, trying to find lost settings, and thinking up new ways to swear.

I'l be over it in a few days.

[bwaymark]

The gods are telling you to bin the computers and give up technology all together. I'd listen to them if I were you (take it from someone who regularily ignores what they say and has been punished by a lifelong career working with the "£$()*&()*& things). :-)

[Muddypause]

I think you are absolutely right, Ben. Do you know, last night I actually read a book <gasp>

[Muddypause]

BTW, if any Firefox users can help me get FF back in touch with its extensions, and other things that, fortunately, still exist on another drive, I'd be very grateful. I can't remember what I need to do to tell it to look at another location to find its configurations.

[den_the_cat]

if you've downloaded the new version of FF then you probably need to reinstall them - it has a tendency to conflict with some extensions and it seems a teeny bit better with a fresh install....

if you want to try and copy them over its probably something like C:\Documents and Settings\[Your Name]\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\ and then a random filename

[Muddypause]

'S OK, thanks, I got it in the end, Den. Profile Manager sorted it. Profile references are kept in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data, which, of course got wiped in the re-format.

I've also discovered the Pandora keeps it's info about your preferences in C:\WINDOWS\Application Data, too, so all that learning of my musical tastes has been wiped. Anyone else using Pandora (I know Dave, and maybe others do, too) may be advised to make a copy of the relevant files from time to time.

Now, can anyone tell me how to make Pegasus Mail my default mail program? The re-format installed OE, which I don't use and have removed, but now any mail link tells me that there is no default mail program on the 'puter.

At last I'm getting towards the end of the configurations that I need to reclaim, though inevitably some stuff has gone forever.

[bazil]

dude ...i just discovered pandora cause of your pc fault

marry me

my ears are wide open and bleeding

i registered with pandora......doesnt it keep your info in relation with your email???

[Muddypause]

marry me

How much money do you have?

i registered with pandora......doesnt it keep your info in relation with your email???

In fact, yes, you can log on with you email and password. I was just a bit stressed at the time, and didn't notice the obvious. And also, because people like me use false email addresses for such things, I had to scratch me memory a bit to come up with the right one. But it does seem to keep a few files on your computer so that usually the log-on is fully automated.