First Post, I need help w/ 'puter problem

This is my first post, so hello! I was referred here by another forum.

I have a problem. I can run many office environment programs with relative ease however, I am computer illiterate when it comes to troubleshooting.

I run XP Pro with Norton AV software, Search & Destroy and Spyware Blaster anti spyware. I keep them updated and regularly run them.

I developed a problem the other day with my mouse. I use an optical (non wireless) IBM mouse with a HP Pavilion Computer. I added the mouse months ago and it's worked fine until the past couple of days. When using the mouses scrolling function it would on occasion scroll back to the top withoout any user interraction. I started using the left mouse button to drag the page down to where I wanted to be. This worked for awhile and then it started wigging out and automatically going back to the top of the page. I began using the directional keys on the keyboard unitl it started wigging out doing the same thing. If I held the down key down the screen would just attempt to go down and then bounce back up rapidly. I checked my connections and they appeared to be good. I had "The Weather Channel" local weather loaded awhile back and decided to start using it again. I thought possibly that loading this back on might have been the problem since the problem started about the same time. So I decided to do a system restore to a date last week, I started the restore and left the computer. I got up this morning and my monitor was blank. I could see the mouse cursor and move it around the screen and that was the only function. I shut the computer down to reboot and see if that resolved the problem. It didn't, the HP logo screen would display and then the Windows XP screen would display with the little working bar and then the screen would go blank with only the cursor showing. I shut the computer down again to start in the 'Safe Mode' to see if I could figure out what was going on and I only get the screen with 'Safe Mode' in each corner and my cursor but nothing else.

I've hijacked my sons computer now trying to get some help.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what is happening?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Okay, I got to thinking and I remember hitting the UPC killing power to the computer last night. Doing some searches I assume that I screwed up the registry during the power loss. Could this be the problem? I put the XP disk in and attempted to boot with the disk and it is not doing anything different. Any suggestions?

 

i'm not a guru.. this is just my own experiences...

first, your mouse... check your batteries. mine started to act up and changing the batteries made all the difference.

second, did you ever make the restore discs recommended by Norton and your computer maker? if so, start up your pc with disc 1 in your drive. if not. did you ever do a recovery point save for your computer? (i have and yet to have to use it so.. i'm not sure) if none of the save points have been created. when you first start your computer press F5 repeatly while the first screen appears. this will get you into the recovery console. do your system restore and stay with it. keep an eye on it. this may bring you back to the factory settings. if this fails... maybe someone else can help you or take your tower to a local computer store. (if you have an extended warrenty take it back to the store up bought it from.)

some of the advice you can get from these forums is priceless.. others are worth what you paid for it...

 

Try booting into Last Known Good Confuguration.

 

that is F8 right?

 

Typically, F8 will take you to the boot screen, where you can pick your boot option.

 

I tried that and kept getting the same results.

 

I have the XP CD, installed it, restarted the machine, held F1 changed the boot sequence to boot off of the CD and nothing has changed. It doesn't seem to even be trying to boot off of the CD.
Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

The guy that loaded the Beta version of XP on my computer (without looking at it) seems to think my hard drive is dead.

Does it seem this could be the case?

How do you know if your HD is dead?

 

Hard drive, could be the problem, try setting it as slave on another computer (if you can) and then see if it shows up in disk management on the other computer...

 

Thanks for the reply!

Is that hard to do (hook up as a slave)? I'm computer illiterate when it comes to troubleshooting and repairs.

The problems started because my scroll function on the mouse and then the keyboard started acting up. I decided to do a system restore (back a week) to see if that fixed the probem. I started the restore and went to bed, got up the next morning and that is when my real troubles began. It seems I killed the power to it just before that and wonder if I got the registry screwed up or something.