Tech: Help me fix my computer?

Subject: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 03:57 AM

I just know one of you computer whiz-types is going to be able to help me solve this problem (she said hopefully)

In the past month or so, my computer has been burbing up little boxes that say things like;

Organizer API file:orgapi 32dll
Unable to open (This one pops up every time I turn on the computer)


Easyclip
Error in USER.EXE (This one, when I try to X it out, often closes down all the programs running)


KERNELL32DLL (this one, when I click OK or try to X out shuts everything down and restarts)

So here's the deal. I went to the control panel and actually found all this things in my files, but they come with messages which say I shouldn't tamper (I mean not even open it up to look around) because I might in some way either mess up other important programs or somehow do something dreadful to the system.

But I know there just MUST be a way I can go into these files and either fix or delete them. But I dare not, until someone tells me what the heck I'm up against.

By the way, I have since downloaded a virus program and a anti-spyware program, hoping that maybe they would pick up on these things and fix them, but to no avail. The suckers just pop up when they feel like it and drive me nuts.

HEEEEELLLPPP! Please?

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:03 AM

user.exe and kernel32.dll (I'm assuming you made a typo) are Windows system files. orgapi.dll appears to belong to Lotus Start suite.

I've found one page that says "Suite Start Icons appear on the taskbar when you start Windows. It's required or you'll get error messages like Unable to load Organizer APl file: orgapi32.dll".

Perhaps if your AV is upto date (check it even though you have only just downloaded it just in case it did't auto-update as most do) and show clean, re-insatlling Lotus would provide a solution.

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:11 AM

Corrupted software:

1>Attempt to start in safemode (hold control seek down while booting)
2> Run scan disk and defrag in safemode
3. Totally shut down
4. Restart in safemode
5. Shut down restart

If problem persists reinstall software or seek out patches.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:20 AM

here is a program called EasyClip ...do you knowingly have anything like this? If so, some parameter set in it could be in conflict...like asking it to open a file that isn't there, etc.... hard to say.

the kernell32.dll pops up when? In what kind of box? and what precisely do you mean by "try to X it out"?....do you mean just close the 'box'?

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:36 AM

What Windows version do you run?

If it's 98 or earlier, you might reinstall Windows. With XP, I've been led to believe reinstalling wipes everything else out, so you don't want to do that unless you can do a complete backup.

I have no idea as to NT or 2000.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:47 AM

Gargoyle has it right. Do some cleanup first, and it wouldn't hurt to run an updated antivirus as well as try AdAware and Spybot/Search and Destroy. Sometimes fragments of programs get left behind and complain about being orphans when you turn on the computer. My kids have been known to do what I call "promiscuous browsing," not being very attentive to the links they follow or the games they try out, and I've had to do some major cleanup. I kicked out "Wild Tangent" but some bit of it remained, and what is left now gives a message at startup about not being able to load. It's a program that runs a game my daughter plays, so it will probably reload next time she plays that game.

You can and should do a Google Search on names of files that the computer repeatedly asks for and see if they're really useful or are part of malware trying to send out info.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 11:42 AM

All good advice, thanks...

though gargoyle, I didn't follow any of what you wrote, I think because you assume I have more tech knowledge than I do..for instance, "hold control seek down while booting" I'm afraid didn't register, and neither did the "defrag in safemode".

I did understand, what you said about needing to have the Lotus Start Suite up and running, Jon, which may indeed be why that thing keeps coming up, as the first thing I've been doing when I start up the computer, is to go to the Lotus Task Bar and get rid of it. So I'll try to fiddle around a bit and see it that solves that particular problem.

I really don't think the AV or anti-Ad software is the problem as it hasn't changed for the better or worse since I downloaded it, but I will definitely take the advice to run both programs again to see what I can find.

Bill D, One of the files that seems to pop up regularely is from Easy Clip, and it's a good example of what I mean, because I don't think I actually ever use this, so why can't I just get rid of it? I did go to the file and open it (via scanning it first with AV) and that box just popped up again and said it was unable to open!

This laptop (my friend's) has Windows ME on it. I've never been thrilled with it, but it's not up to me to update it.

"the kernell32.dll pops up when? In what kind of box? and what precisely do you mean by "try to X it out"?....do you mean just close the 'box'? "

It seems to pop up whenever the heck it wants to. Sometimes it won't pop up for days (you know, the pop-up is one of those small gray boxes which just give you the info and then you can either click on OK or close it (which I call Xing it out, sorry.) I HAVE to do something about these boxes, because a little "Ding!" sounds if I don't and won't let me do anything else until I close it, but like I said, that means it'll close down all my open programs, which is a pain.

PS-Gargoyle-"patches"??

PPS- I did just try something for the heck of it-I did a "system restore" to a date which seemed to be before all this started, but to my chagrin, it also uninstalled one of my ISPs, and both of my AD and AV software, and that damn Organizer API file:orgapi 32dll box popped up immediatly ANYWAY, so I went back and uninstalled the system restore...and surprisingly, the box DIDN'T pop up when it came back to where I started! I have NO IDEA what the heck all that means!!

Sorry guys, I'm really trying to keep up here, and I'm really grateful for your input.

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 12:30 PM

OK, EP so it looks like we now lnow the reason for the one error. If you leave the Lotus program running, do you still get the other error messages and if so, what are they?

Oh and do you use the Loutus Smart Suite programs?

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 12:44 PM

No, to the latter,I don't use Lotus at all, and I'm not sure yet about the former.

I just ran a deep scan with my anti-Adware, and quarantined a couple dozen things, but nothing that looked to be connected to my problem, and right in the middle of it, I got another pop-up of USER.EXE saying it had to shut down something or other (I forgot to write down what it said) and this time when I closed the box (without checking the OK), it only closed down one of the programs I had running but left the anti-Ad program alone.

Maybe the computer is just haunted?

;-)

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 12:50 PM

EllenP, I'd suggest you uninstall Lotus and see what happens from there.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Bill D
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:21 PM

and the EasyClip thing..if it's program you have, but don't use...you should be able to just un-install it by opening Explorer..(or whatever file manager you have) and finding a program starting with "unins*** and ending in .exe. Click on it and it will ask you if you want to uninstall. Most programs have something like that....if not, you 'can' just delete the entire folder it is in, thought that can leave registy entries.

The file that pops up could be many things...an attempt to check for updates to itself, a 'hook' into another program that it recognizes...*grin*...the little things have SO many tricks.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:32 PM

Another uninstall method is to go Start/Settings/ControlPanel/Add Remove Programs and take it from there. It is best to try to avoid manual deletions, at least where the program has performed some installation routine.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Com Seangan
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 05:55 PM

Better still. Harness the pony go down to the Post Office and make a phone call.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Nov 04 - 10:05 PM

Let's back up a little. EP, please tell us where you are (UK, US, etc) and a little about the computer software. You said it's using Win ME? That's a fairly unstable application as far as OSs go. What programs do you use? Microsoft Office, other productivity software, shareware, email programs, etc? What firewall and/or antivirus software?

For starters: If you will go to http://www.microsoft.com then navigate from the lefthand column to the "Windows Update" page, you can select "scan for updates" to let it check the computer and suggest patches or updates (what Gargoyle was talking about) it might begin to patch the problem that you're experiencing now.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 12:12 AM

The "popups" appear to be just WinME error messages that indicate that files that were "wanted" by the program failed to load.

MOST such messages result when the Registry calls for the file, although it's not necessarily an indication that the Registry needs fixing, if another cause can be found.

With the Lotus Suite message, assuming Guest (10 Nov 04 - 05:03 AM) found good info, you may need to reinstall the Lotus software to get rid of that message. Some programs do place icons in Start, Startup, and other odd places, and moving an icon can "break" the program. This is not "Windows Compliant" behaviour, but a surprising number of Windows applications are NOT certifiable and still run quite well.

Assuming you have the installation disk(s) for the program, it's usually best to uninstall the "old" before reinstalling the new. There are exceptions to this though, as when your installation disks are an "upgrade version." An upgrade may fail to install if the prior (or earlier installation of the current) version is not present. If there is a concern about it, usually running an install without prior uninstall of the same program/version will not hurt anything. Just watch for any "objections" from the install process. (Some install programs will refuse to run if the "current version" is already present.)

If you choose to remove any program from any recent Windows versions (including WinME) you should ALWAYS look FIRST in Control Panel to see if the program is registered there. If the program is listed in Control Panel Add/Remove Programs you should ALWAYS select the program there and let Control Panel try to uninstall it. The ONLY EXCEPTIONS here are when specific instructions for removal of malware tell you SPECIFICALLY to use another method. The reason for doing this is that Control Panel tries to keep track of shared utilities like print drivers, etc., and is much less likely to remove something that another program uses. Note that especially in WinMe, even Control Panel isn't perfect.

If the original installation of the program didn't use a compliant "Windows Installer," a program may not be listed in Control Panel. In this case, you should look to see if you can find an "Uninstall" script/program in one of the folders associated with the program. While most such programs will be called "Uninstall.exe" a few vendors use "cutesy" names that may not be immediately recognizable. (One well known maker, in particular, calls all their uninstall scripts "Not Recommended.exe.") Sometimes you can right click on the file, select Properties, and find what it's for, but since these files are often "built" during the original installation the "Properties" may be mostly blank.

For the other popups given, it's not possible to tell specific causes from information given, and often not possible without direct examination of a machine. Fairly common causes of such error messages include:

1. Insufficient memory for the number of programs opened.
2. Target files have been moved.
3. Target files have been deleted.
4. Target files have been corrupted and don't run when called.
5. Registry entry corrupted (misspells the filename?).

1. Since you've indicated that some of the popups appear during boot, it's unlikely that the number of windows running has used up all the memory; but a defect in a memory chip could have drastically reduced the available RAM. Since Virtual Memory (VM), the memory scraps that the OS writes to the Hard Drive, is a significant part of "Windows Memory" a too-full or badly fragmented drive can sometimes "suddenly reduce" available running room, especially on a "low capacity" machine. For most recent Windows versions, it's recommended that the "free space" on the C:\ drive or partition should never be less than 10% of the total drive capacity. 20% is better. With some recent Windows versions, it's necessary that the 10% not be split up (fragmented) on the drive.

2. 3. & 4. can be lumped together in "there's something wrong with the files." User changes can sometimes do this, if you move things around in an attempt to "clean up" your system without knowing which files (and/or icons) need to be kept in specific places; but most files that shouldn't be moved should be in program folders and isolated from "working and data files." In some programs, the "result" files are mixed in with program files by default, and "moving one too many" when making a backup or otherwise reorganizing can "lose" a file.

Although it should be fairly rare - and especially rare to have it suddenly affect more than one file, system/program files do get moved around and/or rewritten on the hardrive sometimes, in the process of running the programs. If a file was written to a defective cluster on the hard drive, or was written from a defective RAM chip, a file can become "mangled" or corrupted.

5. Many viruses and other malware attach or otherwise embed themselves in specific types of files, if they are allowed to "execute" on a machine. "Executable" files are a favorite target, and include .exe, .dll, and other "system" files. If you have a good AV program running when the "infected file" arrives, the AV can clean or delete before it gets "installed." If you have EVER CONNECTED TO THE WEB without a running and current AV you probably have had infections.

When you install an AV on an already infected machine, it can delete or clean the file that contained the original malware, but it cannot general "undo" anything that the infection "installed." Many malware agents write changes to the Registry to "call themselves" each time the machine is turned on. If the original file is removed, the Registry still asks for it, and you get the kind of messages you're seeing. Many malware agents create files with names very similar to "real" system files, so very careful attention is often required to separate the two. A virus can "infect" a system file by adding itself to the file. Most AV programs will attempt to "clean" the file first, but if unable to do so, will DELETE any file they can't fix.

Quite a number of system files may appear in several places in Windows, so the fact that you find the filename doesn't necessarily mean that you found the specific copy that the Registry asked for.

In the absence of a specific identification of the malware that may have been removed, manual editing of the Registry is about the only way to get rid of the "call" to a deleted malware file or infected system file. If a needed file was infected, but had to be deleted by the AV to get rid of the infection, or if the file was "damaged" by the AV cleaning, it may be necessary to extract and install a "clean" copy from WinME installation disks.

All of the above is very general, and I'm afraid doesn't give much in the way of specific things to do. Since you know what's been done to/with your computer, perhaps you can find some "likely candidates" in this, that will help refine the help.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 12:35 AM

WOWOWOWOWOW!!! That is a whole lot of useful information, folks!

(JohninKansas, is this your specific field? That's at least a good chapter-load of information, thanks!)

I'm going to the library and make a print out of all this info, so I can follow it as I poke and prod.

But I will say this at the moment, I did not do what I've ususally done when I start the maching and close the Lotus Suite (I only did it to get a little extra room at the bottom of the page) and the usual pop-up didn't appear!!! So yes, it certainly looks like I was my own culprit on at least part of all this.

Since, as I said, this isn't my laptop, I can't remove the Lotus altogether, (though truth be told, my flatmate is a space cadet, who probably wouldn't even notice if I had.)

I think my next stop will be to take SRS's advice and go to http://www.microsoft.com and do what she suggested. Maybe they can help (though I've been to the site before, but didn't know what to do or look for).

Lastly, I'll try your other suggestions, Jon, and JohninKansas, and look to find the exact files themselves for either cleaning or deleting.

I'm so grateful for all your wonderful ideas! I thank you, and this computer (though it may not know it yet) thanks you!


..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:59 AM

Ellenpoly -

Since you implied that you didn't have an AntiVirus program prior to the recent download, it's almost a certainty that you have had some malware on the machine. If necessary files are corrupted, possibly when the AV "cleaned" them, you'll need to look for "How to extract individual files from CAB libraries." The method varies slightly from one Win version to another. You may need to extract a couple of files and copy them to the right place on the machine.

If the files that the machine is looking for were "bad stuff," the fact that you DO get an error message should give some reassurance that the "bad parts" have been removed or disabled. What's left is (maybe) just nuisance stuff. While there's nothing incredibly difficult about editing the Registry, you may want to look for someone with some experience to do some hand holding if regedit is needed to get ride of extraneous file calls.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 03:11 AM

Thanks John. I'll do what I can on my own, and when my flatmate takes this with him to Denver for the holidays, I'll send a note with it for him to show to his cousin, who I think is quite good at this kind of thing.

You've probably right that the computer has picked up some kind of virus, though we've always been careful to not open anything unless it's been scanned via the Norton AntiVirus program provided by our e-mail sites at Yahoo, and that's been the case for ages, even before I installed this other anti-virus program for his C-Drive to hold onto.

But it's so easy these days for things to slip through. I'm amazed at how much is picked up daily via the anti-ad spyware!

Thank you again for all your excellent information!

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 10:18 AM

Well it's been an ongoing search for info and not being very successful!

I went to the Microsoft Tech and Helpline, and tried to download the "Windows Update" and kept being shut down by a KERNEL 32DLL pop-up! It just wouldn't let me download the Window's update...

So then I went into my "search for files and folder" to look for either a text or a file with that name, and NOTHING found...

I then went to MajorGeeks.com who have all kinds of nifty free downloads, just in case you don't know, and downloaded a "Simmstester" which tests my system's Memory (which I was informed from a Google search site, that said the KERNEL32 is all about that..this was something listed dozens of times under "troubleshooting" over at the Microsoft Help website, but not in the form that would help me) and after making a diskette and rebooting from it, the program showed NOTHING. It just said it "Passed", which leaves me exactly...

BACK where I started!!

Any ideas?

I wish this was fun, but at the moment, it's just frustrating.Anyone out there still willing to come with me down this yellow brick road?

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 10:45 AM

EP, as I've been thinking about this I am remembering reasons I got rid of ME on my computer. I think it frequently came up with error meessages and missing files like you describe. Sometimes you can track a version of that particular file down by doing a web search and locating it at some site or other. I have done this on more than one occasion. But I eventually used Partition Magic to split the system up and use a dual platform for a while. I didn't want to completely upgrade to Win2000 at the time (HP wasn't supporting the move with all of the drivers I needed until later, after I'd already set up the second platform).

While you're at it on checking out your software, after the Windows Update, try visiting Office Update (the next link down on the same page) and see if any of that software can be tweaked. It doesn't hurt to update that stuff.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 12:37 PM

I don't know if the system file checker exists in ME (as it does in XP - /Windows/System32/sfc.exe). If it does, you could try running (either from Command prompt window or from Run):

   SFC /scanonce

This checks the windows protected files and if there is a wrong or corrupted version it will retrieve the correct version and replace it.

Mick

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 12:55 PM

NCP-I checked Windows/System32/sfc.exe out and I keep getting stuff about it being spyware and malware. In any case, I don't seem to be able to find it on ME.

SRS, as I said in my earlier post, I couldn't even download the Windows Update, because this damned KERNEL32DLL kept popping up and shutting me down. I will do as you suggested and try the one under it about Office, thanks.

The change of platform, whatever that means, is beyond my knowledge and sounds like beyond my tech ability, I'm thinking.(I'm getting a little wimpy, just because this isn't my machine. If it were, on the other hand, I might well have tossed it out the window by now.)

It's this KERNEL program or file or whatever it is that is bugging me, since the rest seemed to have cleared themselves up by my leaving on the Lotus Suite. But from all I have googled, I'm certainly not alone with having troubles with this.

What I'm really hoping someone will know is a good program I can download off the net that specifically deals with KERNEL, so maybe anyone reading this knows of one?

By the way, the www.MajorGeeks.com website should be bookmarked for anyone who has a computer!

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Bo Vandenberg
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:01 PM

Ellenpoly

Kernel32 is one of the core files for Windows. My own feeling is you have something terminally wrong with your system. If you can get it working to any extent make sure you are copying stuff off the system and label the copies in case of a virus, damage etc... At this point I would not copy over anything that you already copied before this mess began.

The Operative thing to do I'm afraid, is to reinstall unless what is on your box is so important as to warrant heroic measures. My suggestion is that you seek out someone who is comfortable doing this for you if you are nervous about it.

My recommendation is that you remove your current hard drive, if it is the only hard drive in the system. Install to a second clean new hard drive. After the second drive has a working copy of windows, fully up to date and with virus scanners in place, turn off your machine and reinstall your original drive as a second hard drive.

Scan the whole drive for viruses and errors. Move any data you want to preserve to your new disk and go on with your life. Dont be in a hurry to reformat the old disk until you are sure you have all the information you need from it. Useful data is squirrelled away in the strangest places.

When the disk is finally reformated, you can choose to have it as a live second drive or reformat it as a new Windows Install then disconnect all the wiring to it and leave it for when this happens again. Because Windows is far from perfect I recommend the second option if you can afford the space.

Sigurd


By the time you add up the time you spend in 'emergency mode' deep diagnostics are often not very efficient. If you can make backups, do. If you haven't made backups, you have my sympathies. Remember it is not if Windows will fail it is _when_. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:43 PM

Thanks so much Sigurd. I realize that from all my posts it sounds like this is a major problem. So far it isn't. The KERNEL32DLL doesn't come up all that often, it's just that it BUGS me when it does!

I will of course take note of what you've written, but unless anyone else has more ideas (always welcome, I assure you) I'm going to Disable the System Restore (as I was instructed from YET ANOTHER website on getting rid of this) and try to run a de-bugger anti-virus program again and hope it picks it up. Apparently the virus that rides piggy back on this program is called TROJ PAKES.G, so at least I know what I'm looking for (she said hopefully.)

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:34 PM

Just in case you haven't found it, a good source to go to for WinME problems in general is the Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition: Help and Support page. (You may already have been there.)

FOR ALL Win98/WinME USERS: Windows 98 and Windows Me Error Message Resource Center Microsoft KB 315854 gives links to articles listing specific error messages for Win98 and WinME. In nearly all cases specific instructions will be linked if you can find your exact error message, and eliminate ones caused by stuff you don't have. (You will find numerous error messages analyzed that are specific to hardware and programs that are not fully Windows compliant, so ignore the ones that don't apply to your machine.)

Both the "easyclip" and "orgapi" cited are add-on utilities of the kind often installed by people who think that some free gimmick will magically make it unnecessary for them to learn how to use a program. Neither, so far as my quick look could tell, does anything that's not already available in WinME and/or Lotus if you learn how to use the program you already have. While there are a few useful utilities one might want, especially with the older OS versions, these sorts of things are a real problem for support, especially if you provide your own, and can be very difficult to "fix." – But that's just one opinion.

Separate Tech: Win98 and WinME Support

Since Win98 and WinME were declared obsolete, and Microsoft indicated they would be "no longer supported," there has been much confusion about just what is available to users of these and older programs. The original schedule called for an end to ALL SUPPORT for Win98SE and all earlier versions on January 16, 2004. Because of the number of users in "developing countries" who can't (legally) get later Windows versions, there have been a number of "extensions" of limited support. The following link is to a recent Microsoft bulletin that "clarifies" their support intentions.

ANYONE USING Win95, Win98, Win98SE, or WinME should take a look at the recently issued Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Support Extended bulletin.

The bulletin includes links to the "Windows Update Site" where you can still get CRITICAL security updates - free. It appears that "non-critical" updates are available only via "paid support" channels, but at least the paid support has been extended so you can still get them if necessary, for a while. The bulletin also gives a link, near the bottom, to the "Microsoft Support Lifecycle" site where you can get details of the schedule for "phasing out" support of these systems.

Personal Opinion (again):

Microsoft would very much like to get rid of all the older systems, simply because it's very expensive, and in some cases impossible, to support them all. Win98SE in particular has some "security holes" that probably cannot be patched without destroying the operability of the OS. There are, however, large numbers of Win98SE users, and a lesser number of WinME users, in countries to which later systems cannot be legally exported. Microsoft has conceded that they must provide at least minimal support to them, so other users benefit from the extensions.

While the "stated" reason for export restrictions is the "encryption" capability in later programs, the failure of some of these countries to adopt and enforce copyright treaties is also a large factor. Some estimates are that up to 60 percent of OS copies in use in some of these places are probably "pirated copies." As soon as the "dollars" can be reasonably protected, these older systems will probably disappear completely from Microsoft's inventory and support systems. It could happen quite suddenly, but more likely they'll just fade away.

Unfortunately, many machines that run the older versions quite well do not have the resources, CPU/RAM/HD space etc., needed for newer versions, so for many it's not possible to just install a "newer Windows." Many people will require new hardware to get a newer OS.

Stay informed, and start saving your nickels/pesos/euros/shekels, etc. for that new machine.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 03:41 PM

To be honest EP, we all have our opinions and I didn't know your situation when we started this.

Now I know the Laptop is not your own, my advice would be to leave well alone and not bother with MS patches, etc. it seems to me you know hot to avoid one error, that the machine does at least function as it is, the av software is not picking up any viruses. I'd suggest you wait till you talk to your friend.

You could end up creating yourself a lot of problems for no good reason here.

Jon

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 03:56 PM

If you do a Google search on KERNAL32.DLL you find various ways to troubleshoot and fix it. Try one of those before you reinstall or uninstall anything. I have in the past found it very helpful to search on the specific file and poke around in the specialized answers.

Troubleshooting Kernel32.dll errors and Invalid Page Faults looks like it has a lot of information. There is also Troubleshooting Kernel32.dll errors and Invalid Page Faults (Part 2).

www.dll-files.com has a file to download, apparently.

The Microsoft Knowlege Base has a page Definition of Kernel32.dll Error Messages that tells you what each message means, and poking around more, probably has information for repair.

Take some time to read through a few of these before doing anything else. You might save yourself a lot of grief.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Bo Vandenberg
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 12:13 AM

Sorry EP, I thought you were in more desperate straits. I definately wouldn't take on the problems of someone elses computer.

Keep notes of what you encounterred and return the laptop with a list of whatever you did & found. I just get frustrated with Microsoft when around me the Linux machines (once they are set up) just work and work.

Sigurd

Sounds like you've got some good advice from multiple sources. Good luck.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 01:48 AM

OK, thank you all beyond measure!

I've taken it all in (well as much as my addled brain allows) and in the end I think Jon's advice is a good one about leaving it be for the moment,and letting my friend know what I've discovered...especially about Window ME, since I agree that it's time for him to consider upgrading to either XP, or (I would love it) Linux.

And thank you SRS and John and Sigurd for being so patient and offering so much good information! I adore Mucatters!!

..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,MCP
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 04:45 AM

For information: further to my suggestion for using SFC to check core files I've had a look at the MS Knowledge Base, and indeed it isn't included in ME. In ME the System File Protection feature is supposed to prevent core files from being replaced by older/incorrect versions; if they are it "silently replaces them with the correct version, so SFC was deemed unneccessary. SFC does seem to be back in XP though.

Mick

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Ellenpoly
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 04:54 AM

Thanks, Mick. I'll add that to my info list..xx..e

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 13 May 06 - 05:21 PM

When I go into the control panel to remove Tiger Woods 2005, it will only remove 13% and it stops. Message comes up--Component transfer error--The parameter is incorrect. What do I need to do to solve this?

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 13 May 06 - 08:04 PM

I don't find anything specific to the program, but the error message appears in a bunch of descriptions of errors fixed by various SPs SRs and updates.

What Operating System you are using might be helpful, and whether it is current with respect to available updates and patches. Win2K should be at SP4 at least, and WinXP at SP2. Earlier versions are unsupported, so there may not be much you can do about getting current.

The error message may imply that some of the information recorded when the program was installed has been corrupted, or a component of the program has been moved; and the uninstall just can't find something that's on the list to be removed.

You can look in the folder where the program was installed, and see if the program itself put an "uninstall.exe" there. Using Control Panel first is generally recommended, but if that doesn't work the program's own uninstall, if there is one, is the next step.

A "sometimes works" method, when nothing else works, is to reinstall the program, which will give the uninstall utility a new script with the right locations for all the parts and pieces.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 May 06 - 12:36 PM

A perfect 10 goes to our GUEST,Ray who searched the forum, found a suitable proper existing thread, and asked his question! I predict success in eventually uninstalling the program simply based on this ability to navigate Mudcat!

I agree with John, and would suggest simply reinstalling the program first. Sometimes the software will ask if you want to install over the existing program. The answer is "yes," and once it is in place, then uninstall it. To do this, use the Control panel -> Add/Delete Programs approach to do the most thorough job.

SRS

Subject: Help!: Where to get good antivirus?
From: GUEST,sinoBuseReuff
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 03:42 PM

Good day! 

I've got an virus or spyware in my PC 

Now my computer is really slow and shows various pop-ups and stuff, what to do and how to get rid of them?

I really would like to get some help because my PC is full of very important family pictures and stuff.

Viruse name is TJ.Worm32.Heurestic
 

Please help! 

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 03:56 PM

You landed on Mudcat to ask your computer question because you've done a search, no doubt. Doesn't make us the best place to get an answer.

You need to do a search on the worm name at one of the antivirus sites like http://www.symantec.com and see what they tell you. Often they provide a removal tool.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Dec 08 - 02:32 PM

I am currently working to gain access to files that were locked away with a computer crash and reinstalled operating system. My computer now views those as belonging to another user on the computer and won't let me enter the password to get into it. My "favorites" file is locked away in there as well, with many of my usual computer techie sites.

I just visited BleepingComputer.com and find that it has gone from a great place for precise answers to another forum where new users just log on and ask their question without searching. This ends up with no "critical mass" of questions and discussion on a useful thread. It also means that regular users don't bother to answer each new question because they've already answered it (probably several times).

What computer tech sites are Mudcatters using these days to search tech questions? I'll visit Microsoft's Knowledge base, but I often times find some of these sites can cut through to the heart of the issue.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 29 Dec 08 - 11:17 PM

Once upon a time Microsoft had a KB article on what to do about a "forgotten password," but I don't seem to have a record that identifies it. Recollection is that you could create a new user, giving the new user access to all of the old (the lost one) user's stuff. There probably were some extra hoops to go through, but a search at Microsoft for "forgot password" or something similar might turn it up.

Note that at Microsoft, you usually now have to specify "search all of Microsoft" or you only get blogs like the other support sites you mentioned. (SPGWKs)

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: GUEST,DWR
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 02:08 AM

I do beg to kindly differ with SRS. While this is certainly not a site geared to solving computer problems as a primary objective, it is where I think of first of all if I have a problem or want to know something. Actually I do first try to solve the problem myself with my limited knowledge and the help from the appropriate resources, HP, Sony, etc. but it is here that I can almost always count on getting the help I need so that does make this "the best place to get an answer." (even for the stranger who stumbles in)

There are any number of knowledgeable individuals here who freely give of themselves, and that includes Stilly River Sage herself, though I won't mention any others for fear of missing some and I wouldn't want to slight such good people.

Nowadays there are many musical threads that I never open or give up on after the first dozen or so posts, but I ALWAYS open the Tech threads, I think the answers are always given with a kind heart and written in such a way that even the barely literate (computerly speaking) can understand.

So thank you. I may not always say it, but I certainly appreciate the help that you all give. I imagine everyone else feels the same way.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 11:07 AM

The trouble that happens I've mentioned already, people assume this is a good place and they plop down their question wherever and hope someone will come along and take the time to do the research and answer it or have the knowledge and take the time to write it all out. After you do this often enough (we all have) you have the same answer several times on non-sequitur threads that aren't going to turn up easily in a search, you've had one or two visits from that individual and then they're gone, and you test the patience of those who can answer the question. Again. And again.

That poster with that name visited exactly once. Would they have even come back for an answer? A Google keyword search on topics we have discussed may land here at Mudcat. I knew my topic had been discussed here and after posting about my current problem (they're never exactly the same from one occurrence to the next, are they?) I was also able to take time to read through previously posted messages (I had to search my own post archive to find it, a keyword search wasn't working to bring up that thread, and it was 18 months back.)

The fact that we can answer some of these questions doesn't make it the best place to start out. People need to be patient enough to do their own search, to evaluate the potency of the answers on the answer site, and if they do post here for help, report back to pronounce the problem solved and offer a brief description of how they got there. In a perfect world this might happen, anyway.

That earlier post was put up in a matter-of-fact tone but might be read as churlish. That wasn't the intent. Mine was a brief response to a rather general question by a first-time visitor. It was a question from a stranger, versus a non-technical regular, so I wasn't willing to stop and research myself when all he needed to do was search on the virus itself as a keyword.

Now I need to get back to working on my own computer. . .

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 12:31 PM

Permissions are back, but kind of all over the place. Now to figure out waht I want to do with the drives on this computer. Arrggghh! I guess this is why I have a long break from work, eh? To fiddle with this computer.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 04:16 PM

Obviously, once you can access all the files, you copy them to that spare HD you have, then you reformat the old one and - if needed - copy everything back?

I believe you mentioned the possibility of a TB drive. You may have enough "stuff" to make use of one; but having recently (about a year ago) had a backup drive fail while I was putting in the replacement for the drive that failed in the computer, I'd say that especially with that much stuff all in one place you need at least TWO SEPARATE TB drives.

If all of your backups are in one place, you're only marginally safer than if you have no backups at all. The backup drive is no more likely to fail than the main drive, but its also no less likely to fail than the main drive.

My current practice is to use two 250 GB "portable USB" backup drives. The 250 GB is sufficient for all the "documents" on four computers with a total of 6 drives to be all stuffed into either one. Used in alternation, neither backup is more than a couple of weeks old, although I do usually bring them both up to current at least monthly. Using drives designed to be portable (I've got Western Digital Transports, but everybody makes them now), with everything on them, lets me drop one in a briefcase (or in a shirt pocket) when I take the laptop out on the road. I don't usually even bother updating the laptop - just run from the backup while out, and put everything in a \Trip folder for easy synch back home.

My 250GB drives are getting a little toward "full up" now, so I'll probably go at least to 500 GB when I need replacements, but it's really hard for most people to justify a TB size realistically. It likely will wear itself out before you actually need the extra space.

If you do "cumulative" backups, or make a new full-system backup each time, you might actually fill up a TB drive, but if the big drive starts to go flaky you need a separate equally big one to back it up. You're unlikey, I would suspect, to want a TB drive as the system drive in your machine, at least for now(?). And transferring a TB of stuff from one drive to another will take several days even with the best speeds you're likely to get.

Note also that if you use a large backup drive hooked directly to your computer, every AV scan will probably want to scan the big backup. Also, although my Norton Internet Security 2008 didn't, the new NIS 2009 scans all the mapped drives so a full system scan on my computer includes the "documents" folder on Lin's (mounted as my Y:) and the "documents" folder on my kid's computer (mounted as my X:). (But NIS 2009 is much faster, so it actually takes less time to scan them all than it did for just my own 3 drives on my computer with the older version.)

With USB backup drives, I can (and do) unplug them except during backup. Anything that goes on them has been scanned already, on one of the "permanent" drives, so it seems safe enough, and the backups can't be infected if they're disconnected.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 07:13 PM

What computer tech sites are Mudcatters using these days to search tech questions? I'll visit Microsoft's Knowledge base, but I often times find some of these sites can cut through to the heart of the issue.

SRS

Try a forum called Techsupportguy, SRS.

It has a number of near professional elder members, who have found answers to these kind of problems for me.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Dec 08 - 10:05 PM

Don, many of the forums have those kinds of members, I think the ability to reign in the new members is the trick, to keep the information flow lucid. Thanks for the suggestion.

John, I've been going back and forth on the possible design of this system, and at this point am going to make disks of some stuff I want to back up and have away from any hard drives. I have come close to filling the 200G drive on this computer a couple of times (before I got rid of things I didn't really need to keep on it). A drive triple that size is plenty of room and is cheap. And I think the terabyte external drive idea came because that is what I gave my daughter, who has lots of videos on her computer and existing external drive. I'm looking at my Western Digital drive this evening to see what I did with the partitions and see if I can use the other external drive to help move around some of this stuff. I am looking at how much space is required to do a full backup with incremental backups on a weekly basis, to see if that would help solve a future similar problem (simply write it all onto a new drive and put it in the master position if need be).

Thanks for all of your help.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 05:20 AM

A note on backup: Even the reputed professionals don't always understand.

A weekly newsletter just received from a usually reliable computer news/media source offers advice on setting up a new computer, getting rid of all the free crapware, and selecting the "accessories" you want and dismounting what you don't want.

The article offers the "sage advice" that you should partition your monster hard drive and back up the working partition in the other partition. (It was written by a substitute for the usual chief editor who was on holiday?)

Since in my experience 90 percent of drive failures are mechanical, in 90 percent of the cases in which you might really need a backup from which to restore, both partitions will be dead. You won't have a backup when you need it if you follow this advice (although you'll have a nice one until you need it).

It's NOT A SAFE BACKUP unless the backup is on a separate physical device from the stuff you're using. This can be a separate physical hard drive, or CDs/DVDs. I've found DVDs unreliable in longer term storage, and CDs somewhat marginal; and if you have much to back up it can take a lot of them which - means it takes a lot of time to make them. Recovery, especially from DVDs, also is a lot slower than you'd expect if you haven't tried recovering significant amounts of data from them.

Separate Hard Drives probably are best, if you can manage it, unless you have what I'd consider a very small amount of stuff to backup.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Dec 08 - 12:53 PM

I'm going to rework the Western Digital and do a fresh backup once I get this straightened out. I have to keep installing programs that still can't quite make the registry connection. Nero is a nice program for running those big backups, and I plan to at least save all of my data onto a DVD before I start moving all of this stuff around.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Jan 09 - 06:39 PM

I have a wiring question, and since it is wiring for the computers, I might as well drop it in here as start a new thread. This is U.S. wiring.

I have the standard phone (4 pairs) wire and am wiring the Leviton data jacks the way the instructions say, but I don't have the 110 style punchdown thing that seats the wire and also cuts off the outer edge flush with the jack edge. Instead I simply used a narrow blade and gave each wire an extra little "shove" into the slot, and took a wire cutter and trimmed each wire off flush with the edge of the plastic. Is this going to be sufficient to work in the jack? I followed the T568A model (there is also a T568B model) so I will be sure to do the same pattern on the other end of the wire (this is running between my office and my son's computer, so that his computer will be hard wired. The wires will go through the walls and attic. I'm rewiring a phone at the same time and doing the same method.

I'm only doing this one set to begin with, though I have a couple of phones to place in other rooms. The wiring is running all over the attic, radiating out from a gob on the phone company terminus under the soffit on the back of the house. I'm setting it up so one wire runs in from that terminus to a hall closet and they will do a star pattern out from a bridged telephone expansion board. I have a 66-block given me by a friend, but I don't have the clips that go with it and frankly it is just too big for what I am doing here in the house.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 03:33 PM

I'll report in, even though for the time being I seem to be talking to myself.

In the past those "110 style punchdown tools" were in the $50 range and up, but today at Home Depot I found one for about 6 bucks. This Data Shark does the same thing as my sharp screwdriver and wire cutters, just maybe makes the wire cut a little closer on the plastic block.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Jan 09 - 10:51 PM

I wasn't ignoring you Stilly, but there seems to be some "regional variation" in tools and terminology for the telephone stuff.

Home Depot here is one of the few places that seems to stock much in the way of phone wiring, but they also don't seem to have the same stuff that the phone company guys use the most. So far as I've seen it's all but impossible to get the terminal blocks/junction boxes of the "push in" kind at retail here, and I've been reluctant to mug one of the grey trucks just to find out what labels are on them all (and too lazy to look up the styles you mentioned).

And all the phone wire in my house is so old I wouldn't be surprised to find a wooden board with Fahnestock clips in the attic.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Help me fix my computer?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 03 Jan 09 - 08:29 PM

They have 66 blocks and various components at Home Depot.

I had to re-run the wire from the attic to the wall plate, it was part of the connection problem. Now I have to figure out if my old router will play nice and if I can set it up on the computers again. Wired this time to the other computer.

Amazing how much you learn when you're troubleshooting a system. And my friend who got the computer that Olddude sent has been working on that one for a few days. There is no such thing as a "free" computer, you still have to customize it to your needs, so while this is a lot less expansive than buying one new and is much faster than the old one, it hasn't been entirely painless.

I'm going to have to redo the hard drive next week, so I'm not ready to rest on my laurels just yet.

SRS