[miscreant]

I turn on the computer, it loads windows fine, it asks me for the network password (i'm not on a network but i have a network password anyways), I enter the password and the password box disappears but then nothing happens...nothing at all, I just stare at the windows background image. what normally happens after i get past the password box is the desktop appears, all the icons pop up, and the bottom menu bar including the start button appears. well for some reason that doesnt happen anymore. i have left the computer on for a whole hour and nothing happens. Even when i start the computer in safe mode nothing happens. in safe mode it doesnt ask me for a password, which is normal, but it just loads the windows background image and nothing else.

some more information: i am running windows ME and what may have caused this to happen is i was forced to turn off the computer the previous time it was on by turning off the power on my surge protector, instead of properly shutting down. i have had a common problem where internet explorer browser windows freeze up, and although i can just open another IE browser window and keep surfing it is annoying having blank browser windows in the background that i cant get rid of, so i often reboot when this happens, but occasionally it wont let me reboot so i have to turn off and on the power instead.

i am certain that no virus has caused this. and the scandisk program that automatically runs after an improper shutdown did not detect any problems.

some more information...

i have pressed ctrl-alt-dlt during, before, and after the password box appears in order to bring up task manager to see what programs are running and this is what i have found:

before the password box comes up I have seen these tasks appear:
Cmdninst
Rundll32
mstask
Statemgr
Mprexe

and just after i enter the password the task that runs is "Explorer", but this only appears in the task manager for a second or two and then disappears. and then there is no task that appears in task manager from then on.

please help!

[bonk]

I would open the tower up and re-seat the memory and video card and blow any dust out of the slots........

While your in there check to see all the fans are spinning including the one on the power supply.

[miscreant]

i will try that, but i dont know if it will help.

when i googled this problem i found lots of people who have dealt with the same thing but with other operating systems where they could still run programs using task manager. but in windows ME is it possible to run programs using task manager?

even if you dont know what the problem might be, in windows ME is there any way to access any part of the computer if you cant get the desktop to appear? the only interface i can access at this point is BIOS and that is useless. it is very frustrating because all of the computer problems i've had in the past i could at least access some part of the computer to fix the problem, but now i am completely shut out. might i have to make a boot disk and would that allow me to somehow get access to something?

[miscreant]

still looking for some help, but i have a new question. i had someone open up the tower for me and remove the memory card and i then removed a lot of the dust inside, but when i tried to slide the memory card back into the slot it wouldnt go in all the way. there are hooks on either side of the card that hold it in place when it is in all the way but as far as i can slide the card back in the hooks dont come up to the slots in the card where they are supposed to hook onto. i have pushed so hard that i am afraid that i might break the card and dont want to push any harder... how hard is it supposed to be to slide these cards in and out? the card slides in easily at first but it is impossible to push it in any further. and im not so stupid as to push in the wrong end.

[bonk]

DO you have the card round the right way....and you don't have to push too hard and it should snap in.....make sure the release catches are up all the way.

Sometimes you tilt the card at one end and the push down on the other.

[miscreant]

i got the card back in but it didnt fix anything. desktop still will not load.

i am getting really frustrated. since i there is virtually no way for me to interact with the computer i imagine that the fix has to start with some sort of boot disk, but i have no idea how to make one or what to put on it.

someone help me

[bonk]

I assume you don't have the Operating System on CD?

Have you tried Safemode ....Re-start the PC and immediately start tapping F8 about every second and a black screen with white writing should come up....

[miscreant]

the same problem happens in safe mode.

someone on another forum has provided me a link to a bootdisk file for windows me, and has suggested to try "scanreg /restore" or "scanreg /fix" once the bootdisk gets me to msdos. i will try that now

[miscreant]

THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. I was able to make a boot disk and then use scanreg to restore to a previous date.

New question. It restored to a date 2 years ago and so it doesnt know that I have the latest versions of certain software such as java, and i have noticed a few other things so far that need updating to how they were a few days ago. Now right before it said it was restoring my system it said it was backing up my files. So is there any way to pick and choose certain things that it will restore back to the way they were a few days ago?

[survivr70]

hi just wanted to know where i can get that link please, i need to reboot my comp too, its also a win me and wont boot up , it just stays on main screen with no desktop logos so i press ctrl as soon as it turns on and it leads to opts for safe or norm , i need to be able to reboot another way, plus i tried going to a later date and it took me to august , as it rebooted it said no changes have been made , still at same sytem and no later dates available to reboot to