Thought Id use this forum to see if anyone might know anything about this.

Problem: My computer is moving unbearably slow (freezes every once in a while), boots slowly, random things fail or crash (error messages everywhere at startup), It seems to freeze when I try to use safe mode, and MOST of the window bars have reverted to windows 95 version from xp.

What I've done to try and fix: Ive scanned for virus and spyware (nothing came up), ive tried a system restore (was useless), Ive tried and failed to use safemode (it froze),

So far I think its some kind of corruption of the system or windows files (im going to try a repair install or reformat as soon as I rember where I put my Windows XP media center CD) other possibilities Ican think of is that my harddrive is corrupted or broken. (I dont think its broken as Ive had some hardware monitoring software to try and detect developing problems)

Other information: I have XP media center as operating system, 250GB SATA HDD, pentium D 820 processor, Nvidia geforce 6600 video adapter, 3 GBs of DDR2 RAM.

Another reason I suspect Windows corruption is that I have a habit of using the manual power shutoff instead of the normal method.

If anyone has any ideas i'd be glad to hear them. (although im not sure how many times ill be able to check this forum as its taken me about an hour and a half to get to this website)

When you say "manual shut-down method" I assume you mean you pull the plug, right?

If that is the case then you have ruined your computer. It must be totally clogged up with boot sector errors by now.

Back-up data.

Reformat.

Way to fail.

"When you say "manual shut-down method" I assume you mean you pull the plug, right?

If that is the case then you have ruined your computer. It must be totally clogged up with boot sector errors by now."

No if I meant pull the plug I would have said disconnect, what I meant by manual shut off is to press the on/off button on the tower. Also pulling the plug would more likely affect the power supply and the most likely cause of boot sector errors are viruses (and the scans turned up negative, although that doesn't necessarily meant there are not any)

"Back-up data.

Reformat.

Way to fail." -ProjektTHOR

Thor, where would I be if I posted in the "COMPUTER HELP" thread and I didn't get portions of what I said retyped in short 1-3 word sentences along with a trollish comment. You are a shining example of what the computer help forum was made for.

Well, just pushing the off button without running the shutdown procedure will still mess up your computer.

You never mentioned any of those things in your comments.

You said you tried a system restore. You never mentioned reformatting your drive. Nor, on that note, did you ever mention backing up your data. Do not talk back to me, ♥♥♥♥♥. :]

The two suggestions I gave you were legitimate solutions. Short of taking your ♥♥♥♥ to Geek Squad or Firedog, you have run out of options. Backup your ♥♥♥♥. Reformat. Reinstall windows.

It's really not that hard.
Pushing the power button only affects the computer if it is a forced shutdown. Most computers these days are designed to automatically sleep or shutdown at the push of the button. A legitimate, warm shutdown with no errors. If you push and hold the button, that's when you get problems (because that is identical to disconnecting the main. Power disconnect without flushing anything out or ending processes).

I long for the day idiots stop pretending they know how to fix things.

That's what I meant.

Calm down Thor.

I long?

Bad pictures come to mind.. Anyway. He did say "WITHOUT RUNNING THE SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE" as in, without doing the whole "Windows is shutting down" thing and just skipping to "off".

Seriously THOR, this is getting stupid. When you reply to someones text, read the freaking text, all of it, and process the words in your brain afterwards so you actually understand what they are saying.

God.

3 Solid, you're a ♥♥♥♥ moron. My suggestions had nothing to do with power-down procedures. All I suggested that he do is backup his data and reformat and reinstall.

Stupid McRetardPants and the OP seem to think that my comments and suggestions had already been suggested and done according to his post.

That is not true. He never once mentioned reformatting (which is not System Restore, for you computationally idiotic folks on this forum--of which is just abut everyone). He mentioned failing at system restore, his virus scanner not picking up anything, and some other ♥♥♥♥ that I didnt suggest because he said he did it already.

Again, the three things I suggested, Backup, Reformat, Reinstall, had not been done, according to his posts.

My comments on power-down procedures were just clarification of what TrouserDemon was saying (because he didn't differentiate them very well, so I clarified it for him).

If you all are too stupid to have a decent grasp of reading comprehension (as is obviously the case 9 times out of 10), thats not my fault.

Oh, and 3 Solid, dont go telling me to read the entire post when you cant even be bothered to make sure the person you're replying to and countering is the same person who made the statement. You've confused me with two other people the last week--so you are hardly in a position to be on that high horse, friend.

Thanks for all previous attempts at aid.

as a recap of progress:

1. I try to run diskcheck on Cdrive (supposed to find and fix errors)

2. diskcheck finds errors and adds more

3. cdiskcheck adds boot sector errors that were not there before.

4. Computer goes into a looping restart

5. I decide to ♥♥♥♥ it all and finally reformat (which ive been trying to avoid)

6. Windows undergoes errors during reformating

7. I try again in vain.....and it worked this time

8. Windows is installed

9. I try to resetup internet connection

And this is when all hell broke lose.
first ill describe my internet work, my home network runs out from the wall into a modem , into a D-link wireless router (where it connects to all other computers in the network) It connects to my desktop via cable directly to the router.

Problem is, windows currently has almost no drivers, no apps, and cannot even tell that a router or internet connection exists. This proves more problemmatic when the router firewall, incription, and the need to not directly hinder the network (which is fairly self sufficent at the moment) I have my password and network info (which is useless seeing as it cant find a router or network) I have my wireless router password (which is also useless as I cant even connect to the router IP address which dosent require internet connection just connection to the router.) And all this adds up to make his even more complicated than when I installed the network the first time.

So... I dont suppose anyone has any experience with connecting to routers after a reformat?

Im going to try to connect directly to the router from a laptop tomorrow to see if I get the same lack of results. Any ideas would be nice, although I know not a great deal of people have networks, D-link router, and reformated windows xp computers. I can try to gather more information and ill try to check back here when I can. And I apollogise if anyof this is incoherent or flooded in typos but I typed this in a bit of hurry to fit some time constraints.

Replace your hard drive.

Since you already have backups and the ♥♥♥♥ seems to be some kind of error literally within your hard disk, get a new one.

Or ignore me, I'm probably wrong.

All signs now point to hard drive failure. You probably had a literal crash, meaning the read/write head actually impacted with the Data platter. Not necessarily a bad thing, but if you wreack the RW head, or hit a boot sector you're ♥♥♥♥.

Cross your fingers you have decent backups, and hit up http://www.tigerdirect.com for a new HDD.

Also, if you reinstall Windows, you have to hunt down all of your original drivers unless you have an OEM CD/DVD that came with your equipment.

Thor, tigerdirect is for fat colege kids. www,newegg.com is for all the cool kids who shoot up heroin and who have unprotected sex with minors! I highly reccomend Seagates, but if you get a 1tb I'll ♥♥♥♥ you in the head. With that much data on one hd, if it crashes, everything's gone. And since I definitely do not have a lot of Piracy on my harddrives, it would be really easy for me to get the data recovered.

Newegg is obviously for fourteen-year old faggotry, then!

Anyway. Consider doing this: Buying multiple drives of the same amount from the same manufacturer. I'd suggest buying 3 or more 100GB drives. That way if one fails, you haven't lost your entire life. If you want to be even cooler, consider investing and learning about RAID arrays so that you can treat multiple drives as one monster drive.

Well I found out what I did wrong with the router.
It seems I installed all drivers except the driver for the Ethernet ports of the mobo. (I think my harddrive is alright for now, it should hopefully last me another year or so)

Got that sorted out, now I just have to call up Microsoft and try to prove I own windows and that I need a new COA key after my computer was reformatted. (which I am sure will turn out to be more difficult than I am anticipating)

Thanks to all who tried to help, and I apologize for any of your time wasted.