Computer Randomly Deleting Software??

U

uNsaiN

n00b
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Messages
14
I just got my computer put together about 4 days ago. Lately I have been noticing stuff disappearing. I don't have the default calculator anymore. I have searched my C: drive for it and couldn't find it. When I go to start > programs > accessories > entertainment it says none. I know I am supposed to have at least Sound Recorder in there. Also one of my desktop folders seems to be missing. Have you guys ever heard of anything like this? I am checking my PC right now for viruses. I REALLY don't want to have to reformat everything.

EDIT: No viruses found. I am also missing Internet Explorer now. This is really pissing me off. How can programs just disappear??? :confused:
 
thefordmccord said:
Bad hard drive??
Click to expand...

I'd suspect this...

Is it possible that you have strong magnets nearby? My science teacher killed his comp during a Magnet Lab by having a neodymium magnet in his pocket when he went to look something up on the net.. :rolleyes:
 
Just noticed all my games (hearts, solitare, etc.) are all gone now too. If speakers have magnets in them, then yes I got a huge magnet next to my PC. Like a couple inches away. If speakers do have magnets then would it only mess with my hard drive when my speakers are on, or all the time? Also, if the speakers are the case, is my hard drive messed up forever now? Or should a system restore fix the problem?
 
I have only seen stuff like this happen on seriously corrupted windows installations.

I would do a reinstall or perferably a reformat.
 
If it matters, when I installed Windows, I chose to do a quick format instead of the full format. I planned on reformating my hard drive.
 
It's nonsense to suggest that magnets can erase the contents of HDDs. First of all, to erase magnetic media, you need a variable field (polarity changing N times/second). Magnets (except for AC electromagnets) produce a static field.
Second, there's a magnet inside every HDD which is strong enough to crush your fingers if you got two of them.

Now, as for the issue at hand, if you're absolutely certain that applications are vanishing, there are a number of possible causes:

- bad HDD => run the manufacturer's HDD diagnostic tool
- bad RAM => test the RAM with Memtest86+
- bad PSU => test all rails with a DMM while the system is on
 
If there is nothing critical you should do a full formart writing zeroes to the drive and then do a regular ntfs formart during the install process.

The bigger question is why/how did you windows installation get so corrupted?
 
Well its definately not my friends because I don't have any. LOL, Just kidding. I have had one friend over to my house and I never left him alone with my computer. I haven't used any Instant Messengers either. I tried getting the diagnostic tool from samsung and running it for my HDD, but it couldn't even auto-detect my HDD. The program says it works for certain models, but I don't know which model mine is, I got it from Newegg. I downloaded Memtest and ran it for a while and it just showed a screen with a bunch of wierd stuff repeated down the screen. I haven't noticed anymore programs disappearing lately though.
 
Is there anything wrong with the PC? Any errors ... missing dlls? What's your internet connection? And how is it set up? Wireless networks?

Somebody could be messing with you ... if it's a bad HDD ... you should have have some errors by now due to missing files ... if you're only missing files that are not critical to windows ... that's too much of a coincidence ...
 
uNsaiN said:
I tried getting the diagnostic tool from samsung and running it for my HDD, but it couldn't even auto-detect my HDD. The program says it works for certain models, but I don't know which model mine is, I got it from Newegg.
Click to expand...
Is the HDD on an onboard PATA channel?
I downloaded Memtest and ran it for a while and it just showed a screen with a bunch of wierd stuff repeated down the screen.
Click to expand...
If you mean 'weird stuff repeated down the screen' as in 'a list of errors scrolling down the screen', then you've got a serious case of bad RAM.
 
primea said:
Is there anything wrong with the PC? Any errors ... missing dlls? What's your internet connection? And how is it set up? Wireless networks?

Somebody could be messing with you ... if it's a bad HDD ... you should have have some errors by now due to missing files ... if you're only missing files that are not critical to windows ... that's too much of a coincidence ...
Click to expand...

I haven't gotten any errors that I can remember lately. I got cable internet. I have the internet going into my cable modem, then into a wireless router, but I'm connected to the router with CAT5. Wireless is for the room down the hall. On a related issue, Just when I noticed programs missing, I was unable to access the files on the other computer I am sharing. Usually when I click My Network Places, I can get into the folders I am sharing with the other computer, but now I can't.

Elledan said:
Is the HDD on an onboard PATA channel?

If you mean 'weird stuff repeated down the screen' as in 'a list of errors scrolling down the screen', then you've got a serious case of bad RAM.
Click to expand...

The HDD is a Samsung ATA133 160GB with 8MB Buffer. Also, I went to the properties of the C: drive and ran the error checking thing under tools, and it said it didn't find errors with my HDD. I will run the Memtest and let it run for more then 5 minutes and write down what I see and post it here.

EDIT: Here's the same 5 lines repeated down the screen.

@X:100B
AX:020D
BX:0000
CX:0006
DX:0000.
 
check the router if there are other people connected (if the router is capable of logging) somebody could be connecting to your wireless router and just playing around ...
 
Please tell me, you at least pasword protected the router? Your manual should tell you how to access the router programming ... usually 192.168.x.1 ...
 
OMG I am such a n00b. Okay was just googling around and found someone who lost there games on some forums and read how to fix it. So I went to Add Remove Programs, Add Remove Windows Components, checked the stuff I wanted, games and everything wasn't already checked. And now everything is there and after it finished it a balloon popped up saying D-Link Router Found. I still can't see my folder on my other computer that I'm sharing over the network, I'll have to mess around with it some more.

Thanks for all the help though guys. Sorry to waste your time.

OF COURSE its password protected. I'm a n00b not an idiot. lol.

EDIT: Just redid the Home Network Wizard thingy, works pefect now. I can access that folder just fine now. I love these forums. No matter what crazy problems people have, you guys always tyr your best to help. One more question, though it will probably make me the biggest n00b on these forums, is, what does the OCP stand for in [H]ard|OCP? It's been bugging me since I started coming here.
 
uNsaiN said:
@X:100B
AX:020D
BX:0000
CX:0006
DX:0000.
Click to expand...

either those are ram addresses or i'm a bluebird with a frog for an uncle. lemme go get my a+ cert book (it's what i use for a memory) and i'll tell you what those correspond to.

EDIT: d*** dos memory management screwed up my head. those aren't mem addresses at all- they're cpu registers!
 
as posted above: i was wrong. those aren't memory addresses at all. they are in fact x86 cpu registers. part of your l1 cache is corrupt.
 
uNsaiN said:
@X:100B
AX:020D
BX:0000
CX:0006
DX:0000.
Click to expand...

@X register, section # 4107 (address 100B)
AX register, section # 525 (address 020D)
BX register, section # 0 (address 0000)
CX register, section # 6 (address 0006)
DX register, section # 0 (address 0000)

i would suggest returning that CPU as terminally damaged, unless you know how to repair a chip ;)
 
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