what is needed to run in startup

Trying to help a friend whose computer won't load any further than loading your personal settings screen, but i can get on in safe mode. Found out she hasn't had an up to date antivirus running on it, so i have posted on malware forum earlier, but just found out that her relative ran an antivirus check on Sunday by using an external hard drive and he also deleted some items from startup. Just wondering if this may be the problem that something may have been deleted which is stopping windows loading in normal.

 

try looking in MSCONFIG in safe mode for any strange processes set to start when windows starts.

 

Thanks for your quick reply, i have her computer loaded in safe mode next to me. Just checked in MSCONFIG and in startup is:
smax4pnp
atiptaxx
intelmem
lxbkbmgr
mcupdate
meagent

This is all thats listed.

 

The first four are uneccessary but innocuous. I think you have misspelt the last one and it should be mcagent. This is either part of Mcafee or a trojan which upsets Mcafee. Mcupdate also belongs to Mcafee.

the others are

Smax.... sound card
ATi... graphics
Intelmem .. Intel modem
lxbk... lexmark printer

you can safely stop all of these and do the repair in safe mode.
If you can't do this try 'last known good configuration' from the F8 options list

Good luck

Studio T

 

Thanks for the info, but how do i do the repair?

I've already tried F8 last known good confirguration but its running so so slow, i'd left it running for 3 hours and nothing had happenned.

 

When you have it in last known good configuration mode, open task manager and on the processes tab see which processes is causing your computer to bog down.

 

The principal of repair using msconfig is to stop everything and re-enable them one at a time until you find the culprit. Anything stopped in safe mode will also be stopped in normal mode at next boot.
As you can guess this can be time consuming process so many opt to do a reinstallation, either a clean or repair install which takes about 45 minutes.

The first thing to do is to copy off user data and any folders labelled drivers to a safe place.

then stop (untick the enable box) all the six programs in MSCONFIG and restart in normal mode.

Since you have done some antivirus stuff I would guess that Mcafee is 'broken' and the most likely cause. The two main things not run in safe mode are the antivirus and the graphics drivers.

If you get normal mode working you will need to uninstall Mcafee and reinstall it or AVAST from Major Geeks.

Studio T

 

Thanks for the info, i'll try without antivirus ticked first.
Sorry, but noticed now that the machine is making abit of a strange noise (depending on what its doing), its like 3 clicks then a short little whirl, sounds like its coming from the hard drive, could this mean a faulty HD or is it because its not running properly?

 

Could be either one. Do you have any apps you can run to test the HDD like MHDD?

 

No don't have MHDD.
I've unticked the antivirus in MSCONFIG in safe mode as suggested in previous thread, its now re-starting windows normal boot but its still just hanging on the welcome page. Do you think it'll be best to try a repair install, this doesn't delete your documents does it? Not done this before so presume would have to get the Dell disc for this machine, i can't use my disc?

 

no, the repair won't delete your files. that would be my next step. as for the restore disks yeah you'll need them. I'll help walk you through it if you need it.

 

ok thanks.
As its my friends computer i'll need to get the discs off her, i'll come back when i've got them from her.

 

I have all the discs now

 

ok put in the first one and reboot the computer. when it says press any key to boot from cd press a key and it should startup with some crazy dell program. You can reinstall windows or just repair it. Just choose repair.

 

loaded disc pressed 'r' for repair, now got screen saying:-

"The recovery console provides system repair and recovery functionality.
Type exit to quit the recovery console and restart the computer.

1: c:\windows

which windows installation would you like to log onto
(to cancel, press enter)?

What do i do now??