Problems running programs, installing software, and installing drivers

[’m‚³‚ñ]

Recently, I've noticed how some games won't run at all. For example, the other day, FS 2004 AcoF started to randomly hang on the startup screen. It would just sit there. I would open up the Task Manager, and the process would still be there, but it wouldnt' be using any CPU time. Even after 2 hours, it wasn't doing anything. I uninstalled it, reinstalled it, and to my horror, it did the same thing.

Then, KOTOR, which I just bought, started doing the same thing.

I decided to install SP2, which was a HORRIBLE idea. I think one of my hard drives did a click of death, where it freezes windows, during the install. My mouse kept moving on screen, but I couldn't /do/ anything. ALT CTRL DEL was useless. So, I reparied my current install of Windows using a CD I had laying around.

After 'fixing' windows, I proceeded to launch NForce 5.1 driver install setup. It unpacked the drivers, created the files, but it never launched any actual setup. The process doesn't even start. It also mysteriously killed a bunch of my other windows Processes. I still don't have chipset drivers.

I'm sorta at the end of my rope here. I've got a new hard drive coming which will replace the 10 gig drive I'm using for windows right now, but until it gets here, I really need chipset drivers, and playing FS and KOTOR would be great. This is so frusterating...

I took a walk through symantec.com looking for virii that could be doing this, but I coudln't find anything. I can't remember the URL for Symantec's online virus scanner, and they don't have the link in an obvious place, so I gave up on that. Any ideas what this is? If it's a virus, I'm prepared to whipe everything and just start over again... I'd rather remove it (by hand if I can) and reinstall, but functional computer > semi functional computer that just sucks.

Oh, btw. I tried every version of NForce drivers I have. I have 3 versions, 5.1, 4. something, and 2. something. I also have the install disk, and it wouldn't launch anything either.

System Specs: Win XP Pro
Epox 8RDA3+
FX 5900
512 megs of Geil
Sygate Personal Firewall
Proxomitron
Mozilla

 

[Ice Czar]

any entries in the event log?

googtle symantec online scan
and trend micro online scan

test your RAM, review Corruption 101 and double check its not a power issue

if it aint hardware, and you rule out malware
its likely a borked install, repair installs not being all that great when compared to a fresh install

considering you have a new drive coming, Id do a fresh install to it and try to replicate the problem, if so its drivers or hardware
then configure its security, attach to the internet and then attach the old OS\HDD and scan from it, recover data ect.

and a dual boot wont kill you, they are a cheap investment of 5GB,
and you get a security scanning platform, recovery advantages ect

 

[’m‚³‚ñ]

Thanks. I was able to somehow get windows repaired, then ran Ad Aware 7 with new definitions, and it solved several of my problems.

After that, when installing drivers, it wouldn't run correctly.

Windows started to freeze on boot, so I began to suspect hardware... I unplugged my two SATA drives, and voila, works fine. Now I have my SATA hard drives running off an old AT PSU I have, and everything is (mostly) gravy now.

Will be doing a fresh install on the new drive. Also going to format the old drive and put it into a folding box.