Desktop freezes on startup

[Trevor]

If my PC boots into Win98SE, it aften freezes when desktop
icons are clickes, or the start button stays depresed and
frozen. I've tried Spybot and Adaware, I use Nortons 2004.
I cannot open into Control Panel at all to remove
programmes, and a reboot is the only option.
When I do the 3 fingered salute (Ctrl+Alt+Del) it shows
usually that Explorer (not responding).
Can I repair explorer?

[PCR]

The START button is part of Explorer. Therefore, boot to Safe Mode, & it
shouldn't hurt to do these...

(1) "START, Run, MSInfo32, Tools menu, IE Repair Tool"

It produces a rather large "Fix IE Log.txt" in C:\Windows. IE & E
are basically one & the same. If this crashes, an over-install of IE is
indicated.

(2) Over-install IE. Try first without, but I believe it will request an
internet connection. Perhaps it is best to let it connect, actually. If
you don't care to get this fancy, just skip to step (c).

(a) Turn off interfering programs. Use http://www.pcmag.com/ 's
"StartupCop" or "EndItAll2". Or "START, Run, MSConfig, Startup tab".
Note what is unchecked, if anything. Then, go to the General tab &
disable the entire Startup Group, by clicking "Selective.." & unchecking
"Load Startup...". Reboot.

(b) Perhaps, if you haven't got EndItAll2, then "Ctrl-Alt-Del" & end
task all but Explorer & Systray. If this goes badly, start again from
top, & skip it next time.

(c) "START, Find, F/F, IE6Setup.exe". Click it in the Find window.
NOTE: If you are IE5, then it's "IE5Setup.exe". If there are more
than one (I have two each), click the one in "C:\WINDOWS\Windows
Update Setup Files" or "C:\Windows Update Setup Files", as applicable.

(d) Re-enable the Startup Group. That will automatically check all
items. Go to the Startup tab & uncheck any noted in step (a). Reboot.

(e) Perhaps go to Windows Update, to see whether it now offers
criticals.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Trevor" > wrote in message
...
| If my PC boots into Win98SE, it aften freezes when desktop
| icons are clickes, or the start button stays depresed and
| frozen. I've tried Spybot and Adaware, I use Nortons 2004.
| I cannot open into Control Panel at all to remove
| programmes, and a reboot is the only option.
| When I do the 3 fingered salute (Ctrl+Alt+Del) it shows
| usually that Explorer (not responding).
| Can I repair explorer?

[PCR]

Here is another way to go...

Can you function in Safe Mode? (Hold F5 as you boot, or hold CTRL for
the Startup Menu, & select Safe Mode from that.)

If you can function well there, then...

"START, Run, MSConfig" & turn off the Startup Group, Config.sys &
Autoexec.bat. (Note: when you later turn them back on, all items in them
will get checked. So, note what may be unchecked first.)

Can function in Normal Mode now? If so, there is some troubleshooting to
do, using MSConfig...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281965
How to Troubleshoot Using the Msconfig Utility with Windows 98
(281965) - This article describes how to use the Microsoft System
Configuration (Msconfig) utility to troubleshoot configuration errors in
Windows 98 and Windows 98 Second Edition.

BUT BE CAREFUL-- better not disable System.ini & Win.ini, because that
can be trouble. Well, if you are sure of your Registry backups, actually
those two can be recovered this way...

(a) Boot to DOS. (Hold Ctrl for the Startup Menu, & select "Command
Prompt Only".)
(b) Scanreg /Restore
(c) Ctrl-Alt Del to Windows.

It will offer five dates. Choose the one of the last successful boot, to
start. These backups are done at boot, not at shut down. This should be
safe to do, if you haven't done anything to files in the mean time. This
will not restore files other than those .ini's & the Registry. It only
restores settings.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Trevor" > wrote in message
...
| If my PC boots into Win98SE, it aften freezes when desktop
| icons are clickes, or the start button stays depresed and
| frozen. I've tried Spybot and Adaware, I use Nortons 2004.
| I cannot open into Control Panel at all to remove
| programmes, and a reboot is the only option.
| When I do the 3 fingered salute (Ctrl+Alt+Del) it shows
| usually that Explorer (not responding).
| Can I repair explorer?