Startup/Shutdown Problems (Hangs)

[boothy128]

I have recently purchased a custom PC. I believe that I have messed it up in some way from installing a cracked version of office 2007. No virus scanner picks up a virus but the problem occurs immediately after installation.

 

The PC will power on and there will be nothing on screen sometimes.

Other times it starts up fine.

Sometimes it hangs (freezes) when in the middle of shutdown.

 

I had an error message a couple of times saying that a program called "Taskeng.exe" (which controls closing programs when you shut down, I Think) was not working.

 

I have uninstalled the office 2007 - no change

I have system restored - no change

I am afraid to re-install windows because if it fails to restart properly during installation then I will have to kill the power at the mains and brick the comp. This has happened to me before and I had to send it back to get fixed.

 

PLEASE HELP!!! Make suggestions fairly simple please, I'm not an uber techy

 

 

OS: Vista 32 bit

Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600

Asus P5N-E SLI (nForce 650i chipset, SLI, Firewire)

2.0 GB Kingston RAM DDR2 667mhz

500GB S-ATA HDD

NVidia GeForce 8800GT 512MB

PSU 600W

[Tony D]

Very hard to diagnose. I doubt the Office 2007 is an issue. But I've been know to be wrong.

 

Can you talk to who you bought this custom PC from as it may be a hardware issue?

[RandyL]

Hi boothy;

Taskeng.exe is part of Windows task scheduler. Disabling this service should resolve the error but is not recommended. Especially with Vista. For one thing the scheduled restore points in Vista is dependent on it. Which running task is producing the error is hard to say.

 

Like kelly said this might be a hardware issue. Or that error might be a clue. Whether it's related to the Office issue or not is anyones guess. Software of that nature is fraught with danger. For one thing the uninstall may not be clean.

 

If it were my system I would reinstall Windows because who knows what code may have been on it. Did you not get Vista disks when you got your computer?

 

For future reference there are free office programs that won't corrupt your system. OpenOffice is the one I use on Vista. http://www.openoffice.org/

 

RandyL

[boothy128]

Thanks for your comments guys,

 

I have had this problem a couple of times with the same PC. Its been back to Dino PC twice. Every time it comes back they say its nothing hardware related, and that it must be a software error. When I got the PC back this time I was careful when installing everything and did it slowly. Everything was working beautifully until the Office 2007 installation, which is why I'm sure that it's corrupted something.

 

RandyL - I did get the windows disks but, again, I have had this problem before and when I rang the guys at Dino PC they said to reinstall windows. Halfway through the installation process the computer needs to restart but it cant because it will either hang or turn off and not turn on again, thus bricking the computer.

 

Its fine if I leave it on, but it can't stay on forever...

 

And I really want to play portal!!!

 

any help is much appreciated

 

Thanks!!

[RandyL]

Hi again;

Like I said if you're sure it's related to the dubious software that we don't offer support on then your system may be corrupted beyond repair. Since it's impossible to tell what it may have done and since you experienced these SOFTWARE issues before then your only real option is to restore your OS. If you have the disks this should not be a problem if something goes wrong.

 

After a reinstall of Windows only install legitimate software and make sure your system meets the RECOMMENDED requirements and not just the minimum.

 

For instance;

Portal specs are Recommended: processor (3.0GHz or better), 1GB RAM, DirectX 9

Do you meet these?

 

Hacked programs are not supported by us or Microsoft and these issues could be the cause of all your problems repeating themselves including the error you stated.

 

Reinstall Windows and be more careful in the future as to what else you install. This is the only viable option that we can offer.

 

RandyL

[boothy128]

Hey Randy, thanks again for your post. I'm well aware of dubious software. Its through necessity and lack of funds that I have to sometimes get a piece of software like Office through backhanded methods.

 

I'm thinking, the copy of office worked fine on my last system. I just though that the custom PC would be weaker against a virus because its not exactly tried and tested by being produced thousands of times.

 

But if its not the Office, what could it be? I will do anything to avoid the reinstall you see. I just don't trust turning this thing off. I MIGHT NOT GET IT RUNNING AGAIN!!! :S

 

Cheers again

 

Mike

[boothy128]

Oh, and yes. My computer is way above min spec for portal. I was just saying that I want to play it. Completed it today! very good indeed :)

 

If it helps, my PC runs beautifully except for startup and shutdown. Maybe this points more towards hardware issues?

 

Mike

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I'll ask you one question Boothy, when did you buy this pc?

 

You state that you bought it recently.

[boothy128]

December - you'll say send it back. Its been back twice already. When it comes back the same thing happens. I can't do that if its software related, only hardware. so what do you think it is?

[Guest Wolfeymole]

I'll suggest this Boothy, you have installed illegal software on that pc so now the warranty is bypassed, would you agree?

 

I have looked at Dino PC and they appear to be a reputable company on the face of it.

 

If they discovered a bogus version of Office on there I'm not surprised they sent it back.

 

RandyL - I did get the windows disks but, again, I have had this problem before and when I rang the guys at Dino PC they said to reinstall windows. Halfway through the installation process the computer needs to restart but it cant because it will either hang or turn off and not turn on again, thus bricking the computer.

On any reformat all system info should be wiped but you managed to reinstall somehow.

 

If you have uninstalled that illegal version of Office then send it back.

 

If it comes down to a simple hardware issue and the pc was sold with a problem then quote the Sale of Goods Act 1979 to them, unfortunately you say it worked ok until you installed Office.

 

Such is life mate.

[boothy128]

wolfymole, perhaps my warranty is void now. that would just be the proverbial cherry.

 

I did a little of my own investigative work on Dino PC, apparently they're ran by two guys who messed up a similar company, lost all their money and left their previous customers hanging. Nice to know AFTER I bought the PC *sigh*

 

Anyways, they've never seen my comp in a working condition whenever I've sent it back. Whenever I have this problem (Startup/Shutdown) they say that I should reinstall windows...and every time I've tried it, it bricks the PC. (Power but nothing on screen) They however somehow get it running again and send it back.

 

I would rather fix this myself than have to wait 8-9days for them to sort it out.