thank you...

CrystalClear,

One last thing that we have not tried.

From MSCONFIG, try a SELECTIVE Start-up. Either Begin with 1 or Remove 1 startup item (from the main screen) with each reboot. When the error starts (assumes that you began with 1 & built up to all 4) or goes away (assumes that you began with 4 and removed 1) - you will know where the issue originates.

Am I making sense?

EDIT: I have also PMed one of our Guru's for his input.

ok, when i unticked the "load system services" box (3rd box) it got weird plus i couldn't connect to the internet. now i'm under the "load startup items" unticked status. the script hasn't popped up so far, but i wasn't remembered when i entered the site and i had to login. msn still doesn't remember me.

i'm keeping this state active until you tell me what to do, so i can get back to normal startup.

i had to get back to normal startup... as soon as i did the little fella reappeared ...

Hi Crystal,

Just to make sure I'm on the same page here.. give me a kick if I've missed something at any point. The two issues your currently experiencing are:
1) MSN does not save your logon details.
2) Script errors when you first start Windows.

You may have noticed that a lot of these script errors appear when running Flashget? The reason why you can't see these web sites in the registry or on any startup item is because it comes part and parcel with Flashget. On a normal installation of Windows XP, you wouldn't notice. As far as I'm able tell, there are two things that cause the script error:
- Running IE8 or above.
- Security software attempting to block access to these sites. The blocking is what causes the script error to appear.

See also:
- flashget.com | Web Safety Ratings from McAfee SiteAdvisor
- zcominc.com | Web Safety Ratings from McAfee SiteAdvisor

You'll see Flashget appear under the Startup tab in msconfig. It is said that Flashget was hacked just over a year ago... I don't know how true this is as the company did not admit this publicly. My best advice is that it's not worth the risk > get rid of it! and consider using a different download manager.

As for MSN, there's one thing I would like you to try. The following should cut the problem in two. Is it a Windows issues, or is it a profile/account issue:

- Go to Start > Control Panel > User Accounts
- Create a new account, and call it whatever you like.. maybe "test".
- Click on Start, Shutdown and Logoff.
- You'll see your new test account appear here. Click on it to logon with this account.
- Start MSN and logon and store your password as normal.
- Restart the PC, and logon with the test account again.
- Does MSN save your password?

thank you madmonkey.
well, i uninstalled flashget, but i would really appreciate it if you recommended another equally competent download manager (a free one would be nice)

the zcominc link you gave me, ... i didn't understand a thing (although it was in greek), so i can't help my self with it's information.

as for the creation of a new "test" account, i did that too. guess what! well, the environment was different, (i suppose that this was expected) but there was no msn installed, couldn't find it -at least on my desktop or in the startup "all programs" list. do you think i should try to download it all over again in the "test" environment?

last but not least, most importantly, as soon as the new account opened, the IE script error was there! (flashget was already uninstalled before i logged on to it)

also: if you read the logs of this thread, you will notice i was prompted to and uninstalled IE8 just in case it was the source of the problem. apparently it's not...