XP - nothing runs

[Guest guy]

I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

SP2 AFAIK)

the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

 

I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

 

As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

ideas?

 

Guy

[Guest guy]

RE: XP - nothing runs

 

"guy" wrote:

> I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

> SP2 AFAIK)

> the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

> results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

> I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

> much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

>

> I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

> to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

> to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

>

> As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

> ideas?

>

> Guy

 

Further info, I can run Windows explrer by right clicking on the start

button, but can not use this to run anything else.

 

Task manager does run via Ctrl Alt Delete and shows th following processes:-

System Idle around 99%

explore.exe intermittently 2%

taskmgr.exe steady at 1%

 

no other processes running

 

Guy

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: XP - nothing runs

 

guy wrote:

> "guy" wrote:

>

>

>>I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

>>SP2 AFAIK)

>>the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

>>results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

>>I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

>>much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

>>

>>I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

>>to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

>>to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

>>

>>As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

>>ideas?

>>

>>Guy

>

>

> Further info, I can run Windows explrer by right clicking on the start

> button, but can not use this to run anything else.

>

> Task manager does run via Ctrl Alt Delete and shows th following processes:-

> System Idle around 99%

> explore.exe intermittently 2%

> taskmgr.exe steady at 1%

>

> no other processes running

 

System Idle at 99% is normal, what do you do when you're "idle"? And

what do you do if you are 99% "idle"? System Idle at 99% means that the

System is only spending 1% of its time working.

 

Having only three processes running is not normal, in reality your

system should not be working at all with only the 3 processes shown

above, several critical system processes are missing from the list.

 

I suspect that you have viruses or other malware or you have security

software that is overly aggressive and hiding important information from

the Task Manager... or the installation is simply borked! Log on as an

administrator and at the command prompt issue the following commands,

pressing <Enter> after each:

 

cd\

net start >c:\running.txt

tasklist /svc >>c:\running.txt

 

Make sure that you use a double redirector (>>) with the Tasklist

command or else it will overwrite the information from the first

command. Now find the file C:\running.txt and post the contents here.

If you are running XP Home the Tasklist command may fail, post the

contents of running.txt anyway.

 

John

[Guest guy]

Re: XP - nothing runs

 

 

 

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> guy wrote:

>

> > "guy" wrote:

> >

> >

> >>I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

> >>SP2 AFAIK)

> >>the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

> >>results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

> >>I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

> >>much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

> >>

> >>I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

> >>to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

> >>to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

> >>

> >>As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

> >>ideas?

> >>

> >>Guy

> >

> >

> > Further info, I can run Windows explrer by right clicking on the start

> > button, but can not use this to run anything else.

> >

> > Task manager does run via Ctrl Alt Delete and shows th following processes:-

> > System Idle around 99%

> > explore.exe intermittently 2%

> > taskmgr.exe steady at 1%

> >

> > no other processes running

>

> System Idle at 99% is normal, what do you do when you're "idle"? And

> what do you do if you are 99% "idle"? System Idle at 99% means that the

> System is only spending 1% of its time working.

>

> Having only three processes running is not normal, in reality your

> system should not be working at all with only the 3 processes shown

> above, several critical system processes are missing from the list.

>

> I suspect that you have viruses or other malware or you have security

> software that is overly aggressive and hiding important information from

> the Task Manager... or the installation is simply borked! Log on as an

> administrator and at the command prompt issue the following commands,

> pressing <Enter> after each:

>

> cd\

> net start >c:\running.txt

> tasklist /svc >>c:\running.txt

>

> Make sure that you use a double redirector (>>) with the Tasklist

> command or else it will overwrite the information from the first

> command. Now find the file C:\running.txt and post the contents here.

> If you are running XP Home the Tasklist command may fail, post the

> contents of running.txt anyway.

>

> John

 

 

 

 

Thanks John,

 

I tried this on my own box and got pefectley sensible results, however on

the dead one the command window just opens and then closes immediatlely:-(

also I do not have internet acces on the dead box (IE will not start) so i

would have to re-key all of the text file into my box and send from here.

McAfee Virus scan is running but I dont know how up to date it is.

 

cheers

 

Guy

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: XP - nothing runs

 

guy wrote:

>

> "John John (MVP)" wrote:

>

>

>>guy wrote:

>>

>>

>>>"guy" wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>>I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

>>>>SP2 AFAIK)

>>>>the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

>>>>results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

>>>>I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

>>>>much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

>>>>

>>>>I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

>>>>to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

>>>>to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

>>>>

>>>>As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

>>>>ideas?

>>>>

>>>>Guy

>>>

>>>

>>>Further info, I can run Windows explrer by right clicking on the start

>>>button, but can not use this to run anything else.

>>>

>>>Task manager does run via Ctrl Alt Delete and shows th following processes:-

>>>System Idle around 99%

>>>explore.exe intermittently 2%

>>>taskmgr.exe steady at 1%

>>>

>>>no other processes running

>>

>>System Idle at 99% is normal, what do you do when you're "idle"? And

>>what do you do if you are 99% "idle"? System Idle at 99% means that the

>>System is only spending 1% of its time working.

>>

>>Having only three processes running is not normal, in reality your

>>system should not be working at all with only the 3 processes shown

>>above, several critical system processes are missing from the list.

>>

>>I suspect that you have viruses or other malware or you have security

>>software that is overly aggressive and hiding important information from

>>the Task Manager... or the installation is simply borked! Log on as an

>>administrator and at the command prompt issue the following commands,

>>pressing <Enter> after each:

>>

>>cd\

>>net start >c:\running.txt

>>tasklist /svc >>c:\running.txt

>>

>>Make sure that you use a double redirector (>>) with the Tasklist

>>command or else it will overwrite the information from the first

>>command. Now find the file C:\running.txt and post the contents here.

>>If you are running XP Home the Tasklist command may fail, post the

>>contents of running.txt anyway.

>>

>>John

>

>

>

>

>

> Thanks John,

>

> I tried this on my own box and got pefectley sensible results, however on

> the dead one the command window just opens and then closes immediatlely:-(

> also I do not have internet acces on the dead box (IE will not start) so i

> would have to re-key all of the text file into my box and send from here.

> McAfee Virus scan is running but I dont know how up to date it is.

 

The command window opens and closes immediately? You are supposed to

run the commands from an open command window, the command(s) should

either run or it should return an error message, it shouldn't terminate

the command session and close the already open command window. If the

dead box has a floppy send the output of the command to the floppy, or

you might be able to send it to a flash drive. There are critical

system services missing from the process list and if they are indeed not

started it is a miracle that the installation even boots to a desktop!

Do you have a Windows XP CD? You could use the Recovery Console to make

sure that the 6 critical services are enabled, these services are:

 

- Csrss.exe (Client/Server Runtime Server Subsystem)

- Lsass.exe (Local Security Authority Subsystem Service)

- Smss.exe (Session Manager Subsystem)

- RpcSs (Remote Procedure Call Server Service)*

- Winlogon.exe (Windows logon process)

- services.exe (Windows Service Controller)

 

* RpcSs is not critical in its own right but hardly anything runs

without it.

 

If these services were disable or had their start values changed then

some sort of malware is probably at fault. Another explanation might be

that some files are missing or damaged or that the disk is weak or

failing. Running a chkdsk on the disk may help but be warned that there

is always a risk of data loss when chkdsk is run. Of course, you could

always try booting to Safe Mode with Command Prompt and run System

Restore from there and see if you can restore the machine to an earlier

working state.

 

John

[Guest guy]

Re: XP - nothing runs

 

 

 

"John John (MVP)" wrote:

> guy wrote:

>

> >

> > "John John (MVP)" wrote:

> >

> >

> >>guy wrote:

> >>

> >>

> >>>"guy" wrote:

> >>>

> >>>

> >>>

> >>>>I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

> >>>>SP2 AFAIK)

> >>>>the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

> >>>>results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

> >>>>I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

> >>>>much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

> >>>>

> >>>>I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

> >>>>to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

> >>>>to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

> >>>>

> >>>>As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

> >>>>ideas?

> >>>>

> >>>>Guy

> >>>

> >>>

> >>>Further info, I can run Windows explrer by right clicking on the start

> >>>button, but can not use this to run anything else.

> >>>

> >>>Task manager does run via Ctrl Alt Delete and shows th following processes:-

> >>>System Idle around 99%

> >>>explore.exe intermittently 2%

> >>>taskmgr.exe steady at 1%

> >>>

> >>>no other processes running

> >>

> >>System Idle at 99% is normal, what do you do when you're "idle"? And

> >>what do you do if you are 99% "idle"? System Idle at 99% means that the

> >>System is only spending 1% of its time working.

> >>

> >>Having only three processes running is not normal, in reality your

> >>system should not be working at all with only the 3 processes shown

> >>above, several critical system processes are missing from the list.

> >>

> >>I suspect that you have viruses or other malware or you have security

> >>software that is overly aggressive and hiding important information from

> >>the Task Manager... or the installation is simply borked! Log on as an

> >>administrator and at the command prompt issue the following commands,

> >>pressing <Enter> after each:

> >>

> >>cd\

> >>net start >c:\running.txt

> >>tasklist /svc >>c:\running.txt

> >>

> >>Make sure that you use a double redirector (>>) with the Tasklist

> >>command or else it will overwrite the information from the first

> >>command. Now find the file C:\running.txt and post the contents here.

> >>If you are running XP Home the Tasklist command may fail, post the

> >>contents of running.txt anyway.

> >>

> >>John

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Thanks John,

> >

> > I tried this on my own box and got pefectley sensible results, however on

> > the dead one the command window just opens and then closes immediatlely:-(

> > also I do not have internet acces on the dead box (IE will not start) so i

> > would have to re-key all of the text file into my box and send from here.

> > McAfee Virus scan is running but I dont know how up to date it is.

>

> The command window opens and closes immediately? You are supposed to

> run the commands from an open command window, the command(s) should

> either run or it should return an error message, it shouldn't terminate

> the command session and close the already open command window. If the

> dead box has a floppy send the output of the command to the floppy, or

> you might be able to send it to a flash drive. There are critical

> system services missing from the process list and if they are indeed not

> started it is a miracle that the installation even boots to a desktop!

> Do you have a Windows XP CD? You could use the Recovery Console to make

> sure that the 6 critical services are enabled, these services are:

>

> - Csrss.exe (Client/Server Runtime Server Subsystem)

> - Lsass.exe (Local Security Authority Subsystem Service)

> - Smss.exe (Session Manager Subsystem)

> - RpcSs (Remote Procedure Call Server Service)*

> - Winlogon.exe (Windows logon process)

> - services.exe (Windows Service Controller)

>

> * RpcSs is not critical in its own right but hardly anything runs

> without it.

>

> If these services were disable or had their start values changed then

> some sort of malware is probably at fault. Another explanation might be

> that some files are missing or damaged or that the disk is weak or

> failing. Running a chkdsk on the disk may help but be warned that there

> is always a risk of data loss when chkdsk is run. Of course, you could

> always try booting to Safe Mode with Command Prompt and run System

> Restore from there and see if you can restore the machine to an earlier

> working state.

>

> John

>

>

 

I have tried chkdsk - it wont run, just like all the others

 

As apparently there is no critical data on the box -I think it is just used

for browsing the net, I have gone the whole hog and deleted the partition,

reformatted and am currently reloading Windows. If that does not work I will

fix it with a big hammer!

 

thanks for you help anyway

 

cheers

 

Guy

[Guest John John (MVP)]

Re: XP - nothing runs

 

 

 

guy wrote:

>

> "John John (MVP)" wrote:

>

>

>>guy wrote:

>>

>>

>>>"John John (MVP)" wrote:

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>>guy wrote:

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>

>>>>>"guy" wrote:

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>>I am attepting to fix a friends Dell Laptop which is running Windows XP (not

>>>>>>SP2 AFAIK)

>>>>>>the intial problem is that running any program IE, Notepad, Works etc.

>>>>>>results in the '... has encountered a problem and needs to close' dialogue.

>>>>>>I have tried various things, safe mode etc. with no effect (I can not do

>>>>>>much as nothing runs!) and have now reinstalled XP.

>>>>>>

>>>>>>I now get the same dialogue for Apoint.exe on booting up, however attampting

>>>>>>to run any program now simply results in a brief change of the mouse cursor

>>>>>>to an hourglass, for maybe 1 to 2 seconds.

>>>>>>

>>>>>>As I can not run ***anything*** I am at a loss as to how to proceed, any

>>>>>>ideas?

>>>>>>

>>>>>>Guy

>>>>>

>>>>>

>>>>>Further info, I can run Windows explrer by right clicking on the start

>>>>>button, but can not use this to run anything else.

>>>>>

>>>>>Task manager does run via Ctrl Alt Delete and shows th following processes:-

>>>>>System Idle around 99%

>>>>>explore.exe intermittently 2%

>>>>>taskmgr.exe steady at 1%

>>>>>

>>>>>no other processes running

>>>>

>>>>System Idle at 99% is normal, what do you do when you're "idle"? And

>>>>what do you do if you are 99% "idle"? System Idle at 99% means that the

>>>>System is only spending 1% of its time working.

>>>>

>>>>Having only three processes running is not normal, in reality your

>>>>system should not be working at all with only the 3 processes shown

>>>>above, several critical system processes are missing from the list.

>>>>

>>>>I suspect that you have viruses or other malware or you have security

>>>>software that is overly aggressive and hiding important information from

>>>>the Task Manager... or the installation is simply borked! Log on as an

>>>>administrator and at the command prompt issue the following commands,

>>>>pressing <Enter> after each:

>>>>

>>>>cd\

>>>>net start >c:\running.txt

>>>>tasklist /svc >>c:\running.txt

>>>>

>>>>Make sure that you use a double redirector (>>) with the Tasklist

>>>>command or else it will overwrite the information from the first

>>>>command. Now find the file C:\running.txt and post the contents here.

>>>>If you are running XP Home the Tasklist command may fail, post the

>>>>contents of running.txt anyway.

>>>>

>>>>John

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>Thanks John,

>>>

>>>I tried this on my own box and got pefectley sensible results, however on

>>>the dead one the command window just opens and then closes immediatlely:-(

>>>also I do not have internet acces on the dead box (IE will not start) so i

>>>would have to re-key all of the text file into my box and send from here.

>>>McAfee Virus scan is running but I dont know how up to date it is.

>>

>>The command window opens and closes immediately? You are supposed to

>>run the commands from an open command window, the command(s) should

>>either run or it should return an error message, it shouldn't terminate

>>the command session and close the already open command window. If the

>>dead box has a floppy send the output of the command to the floppy, or

>>you might be able to send it to a flash drive. There are critical

>>system services missing from the process list and if they are indeed not

>>started it is a miracle that the installation even boots to a desktop!

>>Do you have a Windows XP CD? You could use the Recovery Console to make

>>sure that the 6 critical services are enabled, these services are:

>>

>>- Csrss.exe (Client/Server Runtime Server Subsystem)

>>- Lsass.exe (Local Security Authority Subsystem Service)

>>- Smss.exe (Session Manager Subsystem)

>>- RpcSs (Remote Procedure Call Server Service)*

>>- Winlogon.exe (Windows logon process)

>>- services.exe (Windows Service Controller)

>>

>>* RpcSs is not critical in its own right but hardly anything runs

>>without it.

>>

>>If these services were disable or had their start values changed then

>>some sort of malware is probably at fault. Another explanation might be

>>that some files are missing or damaged or that the disk is weak or

>>failing. Running a chkdsk on the disk may help but be warned that there

>>is always a risk of data loss when chkdsk is run. Of course, you could

>>always try booting to Safe Mode with Command Prompt and run System

>>Restore from there and see if you can restore the machine to an earlier

>>working state.

>>

>>John

>>

>>

>

>

> I have tried chkdsk - it wont run, just like all the others

>

> As apparently there is no critical data on the box -I think it is just used

> for browsing the net, I have gone the whole hog and deleted the partition,

> reformatted and am currently reloading Windows. If that does not work I will

> fix it with a big hammer!

>

> thanks for you help anyway

>

> cheers

 

You're welcome.

 

John