Start button not working!

Trying to help my father long-distance so hopefully will make sense of this for anyone who can help. Computer seems to boot up fine. Using WinXP Home. From the desktop, when the START BUTTON is clicked, it quickly flashes and the menu goes away quickly. Tried restarting in SAFE MODE to get to System Restore but System Restore will not go past the intial page of selecting restoration to an early point. Checked My Computer and System Restore is activate. When he tries to shutdown the computer it does not react at all. The only way to shutdown is by the power button. We have checked Windows Task Manager and found no applications running. I have looked for anything that might be running but can find nothing. I did not stop any running process as I do not want to stop something that is vital to the operation of the pc. So far after several hours we are still with the same problems. If anyone understands and can give advice I would appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

 

Nothing in task manager listed as not responding?

Steve

 

Task Manager has no applications running or not responding. After turning off the pc with the power button and then restarting problems still exist.

 

If I understand right, Dads having two problems?

One, clicking start for menu but menu screen flashes quick then disapeers?

Two, when turning off PC the power button on the front of the case does nothing, to power off the PC he must use the power switch on the back of the PC?

The second go to Control Pannel/Display Properties/Screen saver/Power/Advanced then under Power Buttons select the option to suit yourself.
Another thought, has he tryed to hold power button for 4 seconds, in his Bios may be option for 4 second dely to power down?

Menu screen flashing, maybe mouse is wacked out? I'll think about that one.

 

I will have him try what you suggested but these are problems that just started on Monday. Previous to starting the computer Monday morning, everything worked fine. If I have him right click the Start button and go to properties,and change from Classic View to the XP Start Menu, there are no problems . Still can't get System Restore to operate. Checked to see that it had been activated. If we get it to open, it will not proceed to the Calendar to select a date to select a restore point. I think if I could get that to work problems could be corrected.

 

To fix the Start button, go to Start, run and type in regsvr32.exe jscript.dll then click OK. (You can do this from Classic View if that's the only thing that works)

For the other problems, try System File Checker.

Again in run type in sfc /scannow (note there is a space after sfc), then click OK. You will need your Windows CD.

 

Thanks-I will see if he can try what you have suggested. I will post results.

 

I did as you suggested and found that several files needed replacing or corrected from the WinXP CD. Also found out that my wireless mouse was causing some of the disturbances. Really appreciate the troubleshooting help and advice.

 

Just my .02 cents, I hate and despise wireless mice. Well, wireless anything, I should say! Which includes, keyboards, networks, etc.

They cause to many issues.

SFC /scannow is not the best method to fix things, UNLESS the XP cd was a cd that had prebuilt in SP2, otherwise you are copying over files that are NOT SP2 related files.

If all issues are resolved, I'd run windows updates, if no windows updates are found, I'd re-run SP2 installation, then re-install all updates.

Just my .02 cents!

Just another item. Another way to open the start menu is by pressing:

CTRL + ESC

 

You don't have to have SP2 to use System File Checker.

Anyway, you should have posted days ago.

Posting with 20/20 hindsight after the incident doesn't really offer any help.

And that was my 0.02 cents.