Task bar start up problem

Having recently formatted this computer and it running ok, I have on several occasions over the last week I hadproblems at startup. Everything seems to start up correctly but then I get screens appear all over the computer (see attachment). These screens reflect the icons in my taskbar. I have to close down the computer at the power point, it will not let me do it any other way, and when I restart, or switch off and boot up they do not appear. Have I got a setting wrong somewhere?
Any suggestions please?

This problem is on an Asus M51, running Vista Ultimate and PC Tools a/v

Thank you
Mathilda

 

Hi mathilda.

Are these screens open when you shut down?

Or do you close all open programs before shutting down?

Q

 

Hi - the screens appear after booting up, and will not close when clicking on the red cross (top right) or Alt-F4 to close. The only way to remove them is to turn off the computer at the power button. The normal way by going into start and close down doesn't work as the computer appears to be frozen.

Hope this explains it OK.

Mathilda

 

Sorry, i mean were those programs running the last time you used the computer?

I see one of them is skype and another media centre, where you using those programs last time you were using the computer, and did you close the programs or just let windows do it as it shuts down or goes to sleep?

A simple fix to this problem would be to remove them from the start up menu, and start the programs manually when you want to use them, if you want to do that, download and install ccleaner, and go to the "tools" option and then the "start up" option, and untick any programs you dont want running at start up [only untick ones you know what they are!]

It would aslo be a good idea to run the cleaner and reg' cleaner optons of ccleaner aswell

Ccleaner - http://majorgeeks.com/download4191.htm

Q

 

Thanks for getting back. Your suggestions are helpful. When I close down at night I usually close all programs except those such as Skype and the Antivirus program as shown on the right of the taskbar. I close all open programs.

However as you say Skype is shown as one of the culprits, I like it to start up when the computer starts as I need it for people to contact me, not necessarily the other way round.

The Media Centre - I am not sure what this is unless you mean Windows Media Player which I use in my work.

I do not understand what the other windows are - one starts SkyLi..

I will download Ccleaner and see how that goes, thanks.

 

Have downloaded CCleaner and all is OK, didn't find anything wrong. I have also done a complete PC Tools scan and that is OK too.

Thanks

 

Hmmm?

Could you post a list of all the items that are listed under the start-up section in Ccleaner please.

Q

 

attached ccleaner startup file as requested

M

 

Hi mathilda.

Open CCleaner again, and this time scroll down to the bottom of the ticked boxes on the left, to the "advanced" section, and tick the following boxes.....

Make sure you only tick the boxes i listed!

NOTE: After doing this you may notice, windows open in odd sizes or locations, but just move or resize them to your normal settings and windows will remember them (eventually)

Q

 

Thanks Q - done as you suggested. Actually the computer seems to be behaving itself this morning, will be testing the progress during the day and get back to you.

On another point, my wife and I use different computers, one this Asus M51 notebook and the other is a Fujitsu Lifebook N series. Whilst using the Asus as I need to have a computer working correctly - I am a day trader - my wife has had this Asus which is a Core (TM)2 Duo CPU with a T9300 at 2.5GHz - 2.50GHz, pretty fast, and the Fujitsu is a Core (TM)2 CPU with a T7400 2.16GHz 2.17GHz, she has noticed that opening the home page takes longer on the Asus than on the Fujitsu (both have the same homepage) in fact it takes twice as long, 3 secs to 8 secs, and with that sized processer I would have thought it should be faster. Would you know why this could be please - there were no other webpages open when we did the time test.

Imay need to post this in a different forum, perhaps you could let me know if you are unable to help me.

Anyway thanks for the help on the task bar

Thanks

 

Hi mathilda, yeah let me know how it goes, hope it is remedied

When it comes to opening the homepage, if you want to go into it properly make another thread yes.

However off the top of my head i would say uninstall java [use javara: see below] and flash and the browser in the machine in question, run ccleaner, chkdsk, and have a defrag, then reinstall the browser >> flash >> java, in that order...

With the latest installers (all available from majorgeeks)

Ccleaner - http://majorgeeks.com/download4191.htm
Firefox - http://download.mozilla.org/?product...win&lang=en-GB
Java - http://majorgeeks.com/Sun_Java_Runti...ent_d4648.html
Flash - http://majorgeeks.com/Adobe_Flash_Player_d5163.html
[javara-java uninstaller] http://majorgeeks.com/JavaRA_d5982.html


Q

 

Thanks again Q

I have done as you suggested, uninstallations, defrag, chkdisk etc and then reinstalled the browser, flash, java. I am interested to see you said these should be done in a certain order. Why is this please, and it would be a useful tip for next time I do a format. Should all programs be installed in a certain order, I would be interested to know.

Thanks again for all you help,
Mat

 

You'r welcome mathilda.

The reason i rec' people install >> browser >> flash >> java >> is because of an old bug that got caused by java first [it is probably not needed any more tbh] and most other programs can be installed in any order


Although ther is some argument for having most often used progs located on the beginning of the disc where it has a faster read/write capabilty, sp it is good practise to install the AV first on a new rig as it will always be running, but we are talking proper anal stuff here though, probably barely measureable results.


I suppose the shorter answer would have been: "my idiosyncrasies" :lol:

Q

 

Thanks for that explanation Q - I like your terminology!!

You've been a great help, but will post again later this week and let you know how things are going!

Cheers from Downunder

 

I forgot to say that the home page still takes a little longer to load than on the other computer. One difference in the two besides the processing speeds is that the slower loading computer had PC Tools AV on it whereas the faster loading computer has AVG - could it be that because PC Tools looks at a site each time it loads would cause it to take longer to load?

I would appreciate your thoughts on this please.
Thanks again

 

A different AV is a likely cause indeed, althought ther'e many other possibilties.

I would recommend you replace them both with a better lighter AV regardless of any issue neither are know to be *very* good

This is the best/lightest FREE AV that i know of...
Avira - http://majorgeeks.com/Avira_AntiVir_Personal_-_Free_Antivirus_d955.html

If you wanted to PAY for the best AV IMO (although not lighter than Avira on resources, but it's the one i use)
[They offer an AV and a full security suite, note: i DON'T recommend the full suite!]

Kaspersky - http://esd.element5.com/demoreg.html?productid=300325139

A PAID Quality alternative to Kasperky is NOD32, which i don't like myself, but is just a good.

http://www.eset.co.uk/Products/AntiVirus



And Comodo is a good free firewall, which i use myself on a few rigs..

www.comodo.com [again, DON'T use the full security suite just the firewall this time]

Also please note that both Kaspersky and NOD32 have fully functional 30 day trials, so you can try before you buy if you like

Q

 

Hi Q

Just writing to thank you for all your help and assistance over the last week or two. Having given the problem computer - the Asus M51 - a thorough cleanout with your suggestions and using it most of last week, we have had no further problems. In fact it has worked better than it has for a long time.
We did checkdisk, defragged and put Avira on for the AV and it is working fine.

Because of your suggestions and brilliant help we have given the once over to our other two computers, a Fujitsu Lifebook N series and a mini Fujitsu P7230 and put Avira on both of those as well.

It's all Downunder