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2nd Destructive Recovery coming / Help Please

Discussion in 'PC hardware help' started by gerry1, Jan 8, 2006.

  1. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    My computer is a HP Pavillion A250N which has worked flawlessly for the last three years...I do take care of it. About two months ago, it started doing some strange things: a brief grinding noise in the CPU when I turn on and off. Sometimes, but only sometimes got a little slow. Upon closing down, I'd start getting a "Program Not Responding" box first on occasion then all the time. I'd click on "end Now" and computer would shut down normally. After a couple of weeks, wouldn't close down at all and I'd have to just cut the power. Finally, upon booting up it would get up to the desktop and then freeze. HP said the software was corrupted and had me do a "Destructive Recovery". I reinstalled my programs and everything worked fine for about three weeks. It seems to be starting the same thing all over again. A brief grinding noise when I boot up or close out. Now I'm getting the "Program Not Responding" box on occasion but it does close down when I click "End Program" but it's follwing the previous pattern. Soon it will say Program not Responding every time I shut down...and soon, clicking "End Program" won't work anymore. Does anyone have any idea what can be going on here...I'm not terribly savvy in these things. I've used Norton Internet Security since I've had the computer. I update virus protection and do full system scans often. I remove any spyware regularly. I do a general clean up and defrag every couple of months. Any thoughts? (Please, if you respond, talk to me like a techno-dunce! :) Gerry
     
  2. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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  3. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    Thanks ddp, I'll give it a shot in the order you said. (Sorry if I placed my thread in the wrong place...Gerry)
     
  4. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    Hi ddp! I did as you said and in the order you said. It did find six spyware. I'm a little confused though ddp; isn't this a redundant action...I mean, aren't I doing the same thing when I run Norton Internet Security Professional? Just curious. Thanks
     
  5. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    did norton find those same spyware?
     
  6. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    I don't know; I ran it a couple of days before but I don't think so because at one of them was called "wildtangent" which must have come with the computer as I never even opened the program though I have no idea if spyware can be in the recovery. Anyway ddp, thanks a lot for your help; I hope this does the trick ... I sure as hell don't want to do a destructive recovery and reinstall software once a month! Thanks again....Gerry
     
  7. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    wildtanget is spyware & program at same time. look thru the recovery cd(s) to see if there or not.
     
  8. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    ddp:...I'm writing these words with my fingers x'ed but I haven't had a lick of a problem since I did as you suggested. I just wanted to say thank you ... I was having visions of my puter slowly biting the dust. Thanks again, you're a life saver. Gerry
     
  9. ScubaBud

    ScubaBud Regular member

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    ddp, don't you think that the noise is something to consider also? Possible HDD failure or CPU fan going out?


    gerry1
    It might be a good time to do a full back up of your HDD as well.
     
  10. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    @ Scubabud...backup is already done; I've been rather afraid of what might be coming down the road. I'm not getting the "Program not responding" box anymore upon shutting down; seems to be shutting down o.k. (knock on wood). I still get that very brief grinding noise from the CPU though when I boot up and shut down. Fan seems o.k. Thanks
     
  11. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    go into the properties of the drive & go into tools than scandisk. put a check mark in the 2 boxes & press enter. windows will say need to do a restart to do that so do it. it will do a full scan for bad spots on hd & hopefully not!
     
  12. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    Will do! Thanks so much for all the help!
     
  13. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    keep us posted
     
  14. ScubaBud

    ScubaBud Regular member

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    Second that gerry :)
     
  15. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    Hi ddp and ScubaBud! I did as you suggested. It did five different sorts of scans which took about and hour and a half...is that normal? It restarted itself and said it was "clean"; I'm assuming it's a damned good thing that it did.

    I would like your opinion on something. Whenever I get the "Program Not Responding" box, it is always a program called "HP Updates" which seems to be responsible. I know from the task manager that it just runs constantly unless I end it. It is listed in the "Add and Remove Programs" ... I'm wondering if I should just uninstall it; I suspect all it really does is download these annoying HP ads which show up at the bottom of the screen and which clearly isn't your regular pop-up, thing is, I don't know if it serves some other vital function...I really don't think it does, I think it just gets advertising past spam and pop up blockers. Do you think it would be safe to remove it; I have a hunch it's causing some problems, but it's just a hunch. Thanks!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 11, 2006
  16. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    get rid of it to see what happens next.
     
  17. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    O.K. here goes ... I guess the worse that can happen is that I have to go to the recovery discs and reinstall!

    Done! Guess I should know something when I shut down or next time I boot up. One of these days, I guess I should uninstall all the unnecessary junk that came with this computer which I've never ever looked at.

    I'll tell you from my office is something comes up! Thanks again
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 11, 2006
  18. ddp

    ddp Moderator Staff Member

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    teach & learn
     
  19. gerry1

    gerry1 Guest

    Hi ddp & ScubaBud; I'm not too sure if this thread is still good or if I should start another. Well, it's happened again and I had to so another destructive recovery. Went to boot up, screen went black with white print and this time it read .... Windows could not open....power has either been cut or computer shut down improperly (neither of which happened) then it gave me four choices: start in safe mode, start in safe mode with networking, start with last known functioning settings and start normally. No matter which I chose, it did the same thing: there would be a bright blue sudden flash on the screen, it would shut down and restart, a bright blue flash, restart etc.etc. in a continuous cycle which wouldn't stop. I did another destructive recovery and now it's working fine but probably won't for long. Grinding/ grunting noise when I boot up and shut down has grown louder and does does it at other times although rarely. Fan seems to have good air output. Is my hard drive on it's way to being fried? If so, is it worth replacing (I did it once on a gateway and it's a real no brainer ... it was an expensive machine with some extras and would like to save it if I can but if not, who would you say makes the best home PC? Hell, we have two public access rooms at the office: one of old dells and another or old IBS. Under constant use 16hrs a day by the general public, no attempt at preventive maintenance, they're like five years old and not a single problem ever. If I must replace, I need something reliable. What do you guys think? THanks ... Gerry
     
  20. ScubaBud

    ScubaBud Regular member

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    Hi gerry :)

    IMO, a new HDD is always a good investment in any PC since it can most always be used in another down the road as a slave or put in an external case for $30 and used as a backup HDD. So I say it's time to get a new HDD and replace that old clunker first.
     

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