Hi everyone... I'm new to this site and this will be my first post (among many to come I'm sure). I've run across a problem I've not seen before... certain "system" windows won't stay open. For example, when I try to open the MMC... I get a 3 or 4-second flash of the screen then it disappears. Same with device manager screen. Background: I recently reformatted the hard drive, loaded Win XP Pro and updated with SP2. Everything was working fine (I thought) until I tried to add this PC to a network and couldn't access the MMC. My first instinct was to reload the OS but since I have already installed the SP2 updates... it won't let me reload the "older" version Win XP (without the SP1 & 2 updates).

Any suggestions?
Tee

Hi there,

Welcome to PCHF! :-)

My first guess would have been spyware but you said that you updated and stuff. Ya might want to download some antispyware programs and a firewall (if you havent already). There are some good ones you can fownload from here.

http://www.pchelpforum.com/downloads-members-only/

Anyway, I'm sure someone that will be of some real help will be around sooner or later.

"Mod in testing"
PraiseJah

Unfortunately I don't have internet access due to some kind of conflict, which I can't troubleshoot bec I can't see the device manager window. I know I don't have connection bec it won't Ping from cmd prompt. The box also doesn't have a floppy! Grrr... computers can be a pain!

I'm thinking I may need to reinstall Win XP ... but that would involve me reformatting and starting over since I don't have a winxp with sp2 to overwrite the existing OS now installed. Any thoughts?
Tee

Hello

I'm afraid I dont have any other ideas, the only thing I can suggest is that if you do have to reformat, I've had a lot of goof exeriences with formatting it the way they show you here. (link below) it partions the OS and the Programs seperate so that it runs faster but I've also found that if you have to wipe your computer you can do it without lossing everything (ex: you can wipe the OS without lossing the files. or vice versa) I really like it, but thats only my suggestion. Sorry I cant help anymore.

http://www.pchelpforum.com/installat...ard-dirve.html

PJ

Hey teemee,

I would not reccommend a reformat, that should always be kept as a last resort.

Let me PM a tech for you .

Hey there teemee and welcome to the forums,

Could you try doing the following:

• Insert your windows XP Pro disk
• Click on Start - Run and type SFC /SCANNOW (press enter)

This will run a program which will check to see if any parts of windows are corrupted.

It definately just sounds like something is corrupted, if the above doesn't work then try the following:

• Start - Run - CMD - type chkdsk c: /f (press enter)
• It should ask you whether you want to schedule this the next time your PC boots, say YES.
• Now restart your PC and let it run through the scans.

Lastly have you tried to use the 'Last know good configuration' from the Boot menu?