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Thread: Strange boot-up problem

  1. #11
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Spyder~

    Yes, I couldn't even cancel the scandisk in normal mode............it had already frozen.

    I increased the page buffers from 12 to 32 and that didn't help (that can help with some msgsrv32 problems )

    I use WinPatrol partly as a diagnostic tool as it lets you suspend programs then turn them back on a the click of a mouse.

    Please let me know how you get on

    Cheers

  2. #12
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    Lately, I haven't with the exception of in safe mode. In safe mode is where I've been doing all my testing and figuring things out.

    Yes, I couldn't even cancel the scandisk in normal mode............it had already frozen.
    Same. Anyways, I'm going to be experimenting and trying different things out today and I'll letcha know what I come up with later on in the day, k?
    Space For Rent.. =]

  3. #13
    Right turn Clyde Nokia's Avatar
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    With windows 98 there is a File Verification Utillity in the tools menu within System Information that checks all of the windows installation files to see if they have been modified from the original installation - i am presuming that this is also in Win Me ( i didnt use it long enough to be able to remember if it's there)

    I make this the first thing I do when some one has a problem along these lines with a 98 box. It only takes 5 mins or so to complete and you would be suprised the ammount of time this has worked!

    ZA may have inadvertantly changed a boot file/path and could be causing the problem??

    Always worth a shot IMHO!!

    gl

    //IIRC there is also an option within the msconfig in win 98/me to disable scan disc completley on boot up? Maybe scan disc is causing it???

  4. #14
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    Nokia: Thanks, but I think once I'm fully woken up I'm going to uninstall ZoneAlarm and see what happens from there. Your probably right, it altered a boot file/path however being me means being the person finding out WHICH file/path that is Anyways.. I'm off to make some coffee and then spend today figuring alot out.
    Space For Rent.. =]

  5. #15
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hi Spyder~

    I think that I might have made some progress.

    I went into WinPatrol and re-enabled ZoneAlarm (all programs are at v5.1.011.000) I gave it "restart" a couple of times, which worked.

    I then "shutdown", powered off and powered back up again, and that worked! NO sign of scandisk trying to run

    The process seems to have set ZA to boot later in the cycle, and I am wondering if that might have something to do with it? At this stage it looks like a boot conflict but I have this funny hunch that the problem actually starts with the shutdown process, which would possibly explain why we get scandisk running automatically? something must be telling it that Windows was not shut down properly.

    I have noticed on several forums where ZoneAlarm "freezing" problems are discussed it sems to be a common suggestion to uninstall and do a "clean" reinstall, which would change its position in the boot cycle as well, I suspect.

    I have no idea what is causing the conflict but my prime suspects are:

    1. e-Trust EZArmor AV
    2. Spybot S&D Resident Protection
    3. Ashampoo pop-up stopper

    Íáéó*é*áé**ó*ááé

    I don't know what causes THAT! (see above) I have to send the post then edit it to clear the problem...........It is like the keyboard suddenly gets a life of its own.

    Cheers

  6. #16
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    Hrmm, if something is telling ZoneAlarm that the system didn't shutdown properly, what does that have to do with it completely freezing at bootup? Still a lot of questions unanswered but what I've dug up is that there's no way we can audit anything in ZoneAlarm that has to do with scandisk, right? So technically it's a software problem that detect's a certain something (yet to be figured out) which trigger's a response from ZA saying to run scandisk automatically on bootup.

    Perhaps ZoneAlarm itself was disabled/turned off in a way it shouldn't, thus it think's the system malfunctioned and shutdown improperly? I dunno.. but even if, that wouldn't explain scan disk automatically running on EVERY bootup.
    Space For Rent.. =]

  7. #17
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    Hi Spyder~

    It is the OS (Windows) that detects the improper shutdown, not ZoneAlarm. I guess that it is looking for indicators that all services/apps have closed properly, and is not getting them.

    I am not sure why it freezes if you try to boot in normal mode but will run properly in safe mode. I guess that is some sort of timing / memory conflict problem. After all, safe mode boots with the minimum of drivers and apps, hence, the lowest probability of conflicts.

    I am back on running mine with ZA switched off. I think I will try a complete re-install of ZA next.

    I will keep you posted

    Cheers

  8. #18
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    Yeah, safe mode boots with sometime no drivers (I think?) and the chance is lowered by alot. Maybe Windows is detecting that (for some reason) Zone Alarm isn't shut down properly/closed properly. I'm not sure, but definitely keep me posted.
    Space For Rent.. =]

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