Computer help!

Kramerman · May 3, 2003, 14:21

Help!

My computer hardly ever boots up anymore! It takes a bowl of goat blood and a virgin sacrifice to get it up adn running now.

Details for anyone that can help:

Problem 1)
When the computer boots up, after the Windows ME loading screen, the desktop used to load. However, now the screen just stays black.

The computer isnt frozen, when i ctrl alt dlt in the message box it says the Msgsrv32 program is not responding, every time.

Problem 2)
When i leave the computer idle for a long time, when i come back the computer is frozen, usually with my screen saver up.

I believe these two problems to be related, but im not sure.
I've searched the internet for problem/solutions for the Msgsrv32 program, and ive learned a lot about it, but none of the problem/solutons yet seem to apply.

someone please help! The problem seems to be getting worse. Im afraid soon my computer may not even start up.

Kman

alva · May 3, 2003, 14:26

Never use screensavers, modern monitors don't need them anymore and often are the cause of crashes.
-
Try restarting in save mode and try a "system restore", if that is not availlable, install ME over your current instalment to "freshes" it up.
Best solution, upgrade to XP, I don't think I have had an hard crash(programs have crashed, but Windows stayed active) in almost 2 years (except when corel was installed, and when I had a HD faillure )

SpencerH · May 3, 2003, 16:17

I think I went through this a few years ago. After fighting with it for weeks, my solution was to backup/format/ and re-install.

If I had XP I'd install it.

Kramerman · May 3, 2003, 17:09

XP isnt a viable option at the moment, but i will try the other things.

Thank you very much.
Additional help from anyone else would be further appreciated.

ceroomaster · May 3, 2003, 17:13

ME bites. It causes me all sorts of headaches.

Msgsrv32 is something to do with MSN Messenger isn't it? Maybe if you can start up, load up MSN Messenger and disable the "Run this program when windows starts" on Tools>Options>General it might get rid of that problem. No guarantees though. Someone correct me if MSGSRV32 info is wrong...

Edit: spelling, ironically it was 'correct' spelt incorrectly

Kirnwaffen · May 3, 2003, 17:23

Note that upgrading to XP may not be the solution to problem 1. I have XP and experience the same problem.

Kramerman · May 3, 2003, 18:00

Quote:

Never use screensavers, modern monitors don't need them anymore and often are the cause of crashes.

What was the poriginal point to screensavers, anyway? Ive always wondered this, and just assumed it was for saving power or somethn.

Kramerman · May 3, 2003, 18:03

Quote:

Msgsrv32 is something to do with MSN Messenger isn't it?

It may do this, but from what Ive read, it is aprogram that is always running in the background, performing some of Windows's routine functions, like error alerts and network log ins and stuff. Ive looked into some of these areas, and cant find anywhere that a problem may be arrising.

Im hesetant to reinstall windows, as i did it only a month ago after two years of owning the system. I had to for many reasons that were solved after reinstalling. My computer was great up until this problem seemed to come out of no where earlier this week.

Giancarlo · May 3, 2003, 18:06

Try Windows 2000 Professional.. it runs smoothly for me...

Anyways my monitor goes automatically blank even after a screensaver is on after fifteen minutes because of industrial guidelines.

Zopperoni · May 3, 2003, 18:12

K-man, try this: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;306616

Urban Ranger · May 4, 2003, 09:49

Reformat and install from scratch.

Willem · May 4, 2003, 12:05

Quote:

Originally posted by Kramerman

What was the poriginal point to screensavers, anyway? Ive always wondered this, and just assumed it was for saving power or somethn.

They were designed primarily for buiness computers that display the same screen on the monitor for long periods of time. When that happens, that particular image gets burned permanently into the phospors inside the tube. Those are the substances that allow an image to be displayed on a monitor. So changing to another screen would leave a trace of the old image on the monitor and make it difficult to see anything else clearly.

Now though, with the power management options that are available, the monitor will simply turn itself off, making screen savers obsolete.

Except for acid heads that like trippng to the patterns.

Panag · May 4, 2003, 13:02

hi ,

reformat after a wipe with this > www.cyberscrub.com

have a nice day

faded glory · May 4, 2003, 15:20

Same under win98. Every time I booted msqrv32 would crash. The solution was indeed a total format C: and reinstall of windows. Back up anything useful..

"What was the poriginal point to screensavers, anyway? Ive always wondered this, and just assumed it was for saving power or somethn"

It is for power save...

FYi, on newer breads of ATI and Nvidia video cards screensaver loops have actually DESTROYED the
card. The geforce FX especially is plagued with this problem.

faded glory · May 4, 2003, 15:23

Windows ME was possibly the worst OS ever made.

Willem · May 4, 2003, 16:26

Quote:

Originally posted by faded glory

It is for power save...

Then why are they called "screen savers"and not "power savers"? There's no energy being saved if the monitor is still on and displaying graphics, at least nothing substantial enough to make a difference. Their main function was to prevent a screen image from getting burned permanently into the monitor. That's why the images/patterns they use are constantly moving.

jdd2007 · May 4, 2003, 17:15

while people who know computers are looking at this thread, is there a way for me to find out what is clogging up my (admittedly very small) hard drive space?

Kirnwaffen · May 4, 2003, 17:28

Run disk cleanup. That should help a bit. Other than that, you juct have to go through, file by file, and see where the mess is. (run Adaware as well. The files it finds aren't typically very big, but they can significantly impede performance, and send information about you to people you don't necessarily want to have it.)

Willem · May 4, 2003, 18:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Kirnwaffen
(run Adaware as well. The files it finds aren't typically very big, but they can significantly impede performance, and send information about you to people you don't necessarily want to have it.)

Spybot is a much better program IMO. I just ran both this week trying to clean up my brother-in-law's computer. Spybot cleaned up a couple that Ad-Aware missed, plus it has far more configuration options and the ability to block spy-ware from entering the system in the first place.

Urban Ranger · May 4, 2003, 23:22

Quote:

Originally posted by jdd2007
while people who know computers are looking at this thread, is there a way for me to find out what is clogging up my (admittedly very small) hard drive space?

Temp files, porn (

), games you no longer play, MP3's, movies, crap left behind when you deinstall programs.

Zopperoni · May 5, 2003, 07:40

...and spyware!

Panag · May 5, 2003, 10:48

Quote:

Originally posted by Urban Ranger

Temp files, porn (

), games you no longer play, MP3's, movies, crap left behind when you deinstall programs.

hi ,

cyberscrub eats them all , .... uninstall with it is really uninstall

have a nice day

Urban Ranger · May 5, 2003, 22:55

I used to use a program called Cleansweep, made by Quarterdeck, for deintstalling Wintel programs. What it did was it first took a snapshot of the system right before you install the program, then another one right after. So the difference (registry keys, etc.) is what it'd remove when you deinstall the program. Unfortunately, Quarterdeck was bought by Symantec and the program is no longer maintained.

Kramerman · May 6, 2003, 01:36

ok, i wiped my hard drive, and reinstalled my ME OS. So far so good. It was a pain in the ass backling up my files when i originally wiped my drive, that is why iput it off so long. But since i already had everything abcked up, it was a piece of cake this time.

Kramerman · May 6, 2003, 01:57

while there is a thread on computers, what are worms? i got this program trial called spy stoppers, which basically blocks spyware, cookies, pop ups, etc. and one thing it blocks is worms... just curious what those are... sound serious. I wonder how many ihad before I wiped my drive? As of now, ive had this program for just a couple days and its blocked 163 worms....

Dr. A. Cula · May 6, 2003, 03:05

It may also be a hardware problem. Try opening up the computer and see if the CPU cooling fan is spinning. If it's spinning but it's making grinding noises (or any loud noise), it still needs replacing as it's about to die and it already doesn't do it's job well.

Urban Ranger · May 6, 2003, 03:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Kramerman
while there is a thread on computers, what are worms? i got this program trial called spy stoppers, which basically blocks spyware, cookies, pop ups, etc. and one thing it blocks is worms... just curious what those are... sound serious. I wonder how many ihad before I wiped my drive? As of now, ive had this program for just a couple days and its blocked 163 worms....

Worms are self-mobile attack programs. They move through the Internet and exploit known vulnerabilities. True worms are far and few in between, mainly because it takes a very high level of expertise to write one. The archtypical worm is the Morris Worm, written by Robert Morris and unleashed on the Net in 1988. This is the incident that prompte the formation of CERT (computer emergency response team).

As for your program, I think it's just faking it. There aren't even 163 worms out there.

faded glory · May 6, 2003, 03:47

Spybot is l337 for getting spyware. Ad-aware tends to miss things and even find things outta nowhere! (ex: Run Spybot, then adaware right after

)

Anyway. The easiest way is to go to Control control, Remove/add programs and do it from there. (Presuming you have unistall disk)

May I also recommend MSCONFIG?? Stop **** from starting up in the first place. If you are in win2k env. MSCONIG will still work. Just download it somewhere.

"Then why are they called "screen savers"and not "power savers"? There's no energy being saved if the monitor is still on and displaying graphics, at least nothing substantial enough to make a difference. Their main function was to prevent a screen image from getting burned permanently into the monitor. That's why the images/patterns they use are constantly moving."

Well by all means it DOES save power. Technically (if the option is checked. No im not referring to sleep mode). Theres also the matter of work related situations...

Mr. A "hmm..I think i need to go take a **** ill be back in 30 minutes. The screen saver will kick on and it will be safe from prying eyes. Now all i need is a password"

Back to the MSQRV.exe. I would just be curous to know if you were also using Earthlink? At the time I was using my x's earthlink and thats where the problem came up. Damn thing...