Yesterday I experienced a problem with my computer and just don't know what to do next, although there are options of reformatting or reinstalling windows me. Can you help? The problems are:

Windows ME was not picking up on my mouse.
My desktop was full of large icons which virtually filled the screen.
Some error messages layered over other error messages which prevented me from reading them.
My attempts to manipulate the keyboard, instead of the mouse received intermittent responses, as if the computer was utterly confused, or its 256mb of memory was completely absorbed.

When I got into control panel, I tried to alter the desktop configuration and was advised to restart. On restart however everything reverted back to the haywire setup!

I used the ME start-up disk to get into DOS and ran the PC-Cillin antivirus programme. Although no viruses were detected I received a great number of error messages which were prefixed as:

Error (-89) skip-> no viruses, or as error (-74) skip -> no viruses (the latter mostly in relation to .doc files)

Upon ME restart, I finally uncovered an error message that indicated mouse.vxd could not be found. I used control panel and quizzed 'system manager' which indicated a mouse problem. So I went into add/remove hardware and, after a lot of shilly shallying, managed to get a mouse driver update and 'at last' the mouse was workable.

All the other problems remain however and my mind runs to two possibilities:

Either my granddaughter has run an old DOS based games programme on my computer which has overridden my computer settings.
Or,
I have downloaded an active x, or other patch, designed to eradicate system susceptibility to attack, which has overridden my settings.

I'm at a loss to know what to do next. Windows ME will not allow me to restore the system to a previous date.

Is it possible for me to knock out the existing Windows ME and reinstall? I have a windows ME upgrade. So do I have to install Win 98 again before reinstalling ME? Would that be the best course of action?

Thanks in advance, Trev.

It sounds like you have picked up a virus but it could be Me is just flaking outI would run a different virus program just to be sure. Have you tried a system restore?And yes if this is an upgrade you will need to install 98 again.
And yes a different dos program would mess up the comp.I'm not to good with that but i would think if that were the case you wouldn't be able to even access the computer? I'm sure someone that knows dos programming will be along shortly.

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PUSH TO TEST. RELEASE TO DETONATE.
[Closed captioned for the thinking impaired.]

It appears that your O/S is too messed up to try fixing it piece by piece. A quicker solution may be to back up, reformat, and reinstall.
I'm not sure what your current situation is regarding access to files and folders, but if your system is able to limp along to where you can back up critical files then do so.
Then, reformat the HD with your Win 98 boot disk, reinstall Win 98, and upgrade to Win ME. However, make note that ME is a piece of junk, and you may just want to stick with 98.

If you or the daughter may have downloaded something nasty while grabbing MP3's and you back these up to CD, before you put them back onto the hardrive you may want to scan the cd 1st to save ya alot of headaches. But usually these get picked up in email attachments. And when did Windows Me get upgraded to junk?..lol

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**How TO End Task A FREZZE**
ALT-CTRL-POWER BUTTON

Overlapping error messages, not sure if the AV program scanned everything (looks like it didn't scan certain file extensions), changed desktop settings.....the first thing I would do is to boot into safe mode and look in Device Manager for duplicate devices, like the mouse, the video card etc....and then remove them all, reboot and let Windows reinstall your hardware (make sure you jhave up to date drivers first) Also while in safe mode I would run a more complete AV scan.

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mjc
Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

Thanks everyone for your help thus far. As an afterthought I've just run msconfig and clicked on the system.ini tab. This was all gobblygook for the first three items and there's not much left of the remainder. Any suggestions as to how I restore the system.ini file? Trev.

There are some files so crucial to the system that it is much like repairing a tire. You can slap a patch on the tire, but is better and safer to get a new tire. For computers, that's wiping the hard drive and starting over. Did a Restore CD come with your puter, or did you install ME as an upgrade to 98..so the Restore CD would have 98 on it? Or have you done the installation of operating systems to hard drive yourself? And have mobo drivers available? You will need some form of 98 that you know the "number" for to install the ME upgrade (the upgrade does stop and ask for 98 registration number)..if you so desire..although I too cannot imagine why you would want to. Also, check with hard drive manufacturer for a "zero write" utility for writing zeros to hard drive before reformatting.

Since there is a possibility of a virus, that also makes it rather imperative that you start over. I can't find the specs on it this morning, but AVG (http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_downl.htm#FREE) is a good, free antivirus if you need one. I believe that it works with ME fine..but can't be totally certain.

Yes, AVG does run quite nicely in WinMe...

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mjc
Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.


Please Post Questions in the forums, not my email. Thanks

Originally posted by kayofcircles:
There are some files so crucial to the system that it is much like repairing a tire. You can slap a patch on the tire, but is better and safer to get a new tire. For computers, that's wiping the hard drive and starting over. Did a Restore CD come with your puter, or did you install ME as an upgrade to 98..so the Restore CD would have 98 on it? Or have you done the installation of operating systems to hard drive yourself? And have mobo drivers available? You will need some form of 98 that you know the "number" for to install the ME upgrade (the upgrade does stop and ask for 98 registration number)..if you so desire..although I too cannot imagine why you would want to. Also, check with hard drive manufacturer for a "zero write" utility for writing zeros to hard drive before reformatting.

Since there is a possibility of a virus, that also makes it rather imperative that you start over. I can't find the specs on it this morning, but AVG (http://www.grisoft.com/html/us_downl.htm#FREE) is a good, free antivirus if you need one. I believe that it works with ME fine..but can't be totally certain.

Hi, thanks for writing in. The computer came without an operating system, so I installed ME. I do have a restoration pack of programmes that were shipped with the computer however. I'm not sure what you mean by mobo drivers ?? Do you feel that I should reinstall Win98 then rather than ME?

That restoration pack you mentioned should have the motherboard drivers on it..driver/adaptor for video, sound, whatever..so you should be fine there.

Your other question..ME versus 98..is rather difficult for me to be objective about, but I will try. ME is just kind of buggy..and uses a lot of resources for the Restore business..and the computers I have seen running it are just plain "slow." But, people here at the forum have gotten ME to work well by various tweaks..like disabling the Restore function..and by updating from Microsoft every single possible bug fix. And, if you already have obtained drivers for ME for things like printer, scanner, whatever...and you like ME..then go back to ME. It is "newer" than 98..and they will be phasing out support for 98 soon..so that's a consideration too. As I said, I can't really be objective. My elderly uncle lives so far away from me that I can't go "fix" the non-stop problems he has had with ME..so I associate ME with my internal ARGH! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif

I don't understood the extreme distaste for Windows ME. I have built four machines and have installed ME on all of them. The only times I have EVER had a problem wre because of a BAD installation( my own fault) and using automatic update, which messed up a few of my system files. I just re-installed ME over everything without wiping and reformatting.
Aside from these user-induced problems, I have never had ANY worries with ME, and I find it moves along quite nicely.
Disabling restore is a good idea. It's neat in theory, but doesn't pan out in practice.
I guess it's a matter of taste, though, and I'm one of those rarities who actually doesn't have a strong dislike for ME. Not speaking of self-love here. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/eek.gif http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

A note concerning PC-cillin

I read in your post that you ran PC-cillin and it found nothing. My wife was having problems on her computer. We suspected a virus and ran PC-cillin and found nothing. Then we ran AVG (which I picked up because of all those positive posts about it thanks all) and it nailed it.