Need help with a troublesome win xp install.

Problem # 1 In my house we recently set up a wireless home network so that we could share a cable connection. So to make sure my computer was clean I reformatted my partitions and reinstalled windows xp. Before I installed the network adapter software I installed a firewall and also threatfire to make sure I had some protection. So I am reasonably sure that maleware was not the cause of the problem. I do know that there were alot of updates that windows update wanted me to install and after I downloaded, installed and restarted my computer. It was slow starting up and when I finally got past the welcome screen I could not get anything to run. The only thing I could do at the time was move my mouse around on the screen. I tried this several times each time ended up pushing the power button on the computer itself because I could not even get windows to go through the restart sequence. I am now on my second install and I can't do any more patching because when I do I end up going back to my last good configuration. I can't even get into windows safe mode. I have run ccleaner, lexxun regscrub and a disk defrag program as well as spybot(spybot did not find anything) and adaware(adaware only found 2 entries only one of which I am not sure about I will attach the log file.)Anyway I am not happy with the way my drive is partitioned so I am not going to keep this install any longer than I need to. But I also need to figure out what went wrong before I try another reinstall. Which brings me to my next questionL

Problem # 2 I am looking for a freeware tool to partiion my drives I need to be able to use it as a bootable DVD. So that I can reformat and repartition my drives the way I want them. I was using cdxp as my burner and I was trying to get it to make partition logic a bootable image. But even thoughI tried to configure it so that it would burn it as a bootable image it would not work for me. I am not sure that it was all of my cd burner programs fault admittedly I am not too familar with the different formats that cd burners use Iso, Jolliet etc... in fact about the best I can do so far is just plain burn an image into a cd/dvd anything beyond that I have not been able to figure out.

Here are the stats of my computer:
Hardware--> Compaq computer that I have upgraded. It was all oem but not anymore.
AMD Sempron 3100+
1 gig of ram
nvidia GeFource 7600
Cmedia Sound card
D-link extreame n desktop adapter<--for my network and internet connection.
Software ---> Microsoft windows xp Proffessional
Firewall---->Online armor
Anti virius--->avast home editon
Malware---> ThreatFire
My Reg cleaner--->Lexun RegScrub Xp
Disk Defragger---->Ausologics Disk Defrag
I also have Spybot Search and destroy and Ad Aware
I am using network magic to manage our network

This is not a complete list of my programs. But if any wants to know anymore let me know and as always I say thank you in advance for the help.

 

1) After updates, the 1st time windows starts up, it will take a while. The updates aren't done yet. Especially those from MS.

2) Google "pc wizard", fine out about your harddisk manufacturer, go to their site, download their tools for preparing the harddisk. I cannot tell you the name as every manufacturer uses a different name.

 

I am aware of that. But this is beyond that. I am lucky to get it to start up at all and as I stated in my previous post alot of time windows wont start up at all. I cant even get into safemode. I end up on the screen with the menu options for safemode and I have to choose the one that says "Revert to your last known good configuration."

Ok I googled it and it looks like a benchmarking tool :confused Did you want me to give you a logfile for it or something?

I have a Western Digital HD

P.S. Just when I thought that I had no malware Aol's spyware scanner found "Command Services" on this comp. I still cant figure out how ad aware did not pick it up. I still dont think it was responsible for my current problems because it did not show up until today.
BTW. My Sig is just a joke please give me as much info as it takes to solve this problem.

 

i would start with the basics. have you done a low-level format on your drive? you can either use western digital software for this, and/or i think darik's boot and nuke does this as well (if not, it will be sure you h/d is totally wiped)? what about western digital s/w, to test your h/d?

Cmedia Sound card <-- is this a pci card, or built in audio?
D-link extreame n desktop adapter<--for my network and internet connection. <-- is this a pci card?

i'd uninstall anything, that isn't necessary, and then reload the os. then, if you'd like slowly reinstall your programs (i normally install, 1-2 programs, then reboot, etc - unless it prompts me to reboot on their installation). could it be that you need more ram (too many applications/programs running)? do you have a spare h/d you can try (to eliminate your h/d)? - g/l, sos

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Dariks_Boot_and_Nuke_d4596.html <-- Darik's Boot and Nuke 2007-04-29 Beta (Please clearly label your DBAN boot media because it is dangerous.)

 

Ummm..not sure what a low level format is.:confused

I have data on one of my HD partitions that I want to keep. So DBAN would not work because I would loose all that data. Unless you know of somewhere I can safely store it. I will have to look that software over.

Both of these are PCI cards.

I really want a good partitioning program that I can boot from a cd before I take this step. I have some really odd partition problems. I use to have a 10 gb partition for the operating system but that got kind of cramped after about a year. I had trouble defragging it properly. So when I did my first reinstall. I deleted that partition. But my copy of win xp would not allow me to install it into another partition unless I first formatted that 10 gb partition I could not even reabsorb it back into all the free space. I want to consolidate all the unused space and then repartition the drive but again my copy of win xp will not allow me to do that. That is why I want a good partitioning program. I am just concerned about why windows needs that partition as well and what will happen if I finally get it repartitioned the way I want it to be. Will I even be able to reinstall windows to the partition I create. Under normal circumstances I would say yes, but this is not normal. I also have been wanting to put Linux on this comp. So I need a partitioning program that will allow me to format a partition for Linux. Although my first priority is to get this computer functional again. So if there is a partitioning program that will do that but wont allow me to format a Linux partiton. I take it anyway and work on linux later.

I do have a spare hd but I have no room for it in this computer. Bad case design and I cant afford another case either.

P.S. Thanks for responding

 

bah, i messed this up (double post)...

 

low level format (if i'm saying it right), writes zeros to your h/d, making it like brand new (when you bought it).

I have some really odd partition problems. <-- if you had an external h/d, you could copy all your data onto there, and fix you h/d, by wiping it clean. or what about burning it to cd/dvd (of course checking to make sure it was a good burn). - sos