On my other computer I recently downloaded DX9. After it finished downloading the computer went to its windows start up screen and will not do anything past that when i start it up.

 

When I start it up I go to the windowsME start up screen and it freezes, when I touch any button the computer does not respond. But when I touch the shutoff button it immediatly goes off, instead of the normal few second delay. Any ideas? I have called around but every place I call wants to charge me a ridiculous amount of money to even look at it. The computer is only 2 years old, my warranty is up, but I would like to fix the problem myself if I can.

 

The computer uses Mccafree(sp?) virus scan.

Have you tried booting into Safe Mode (keep tapping F8 at the POST until a menu appears)? From there you can uninstall DX9 to see if that resolves the problem. Most boot failures of this type are attributable to graphics hardware or driver problems which are usually bypassed when booting into safe mode.

 

I doubt this is a virus, more likely an installation has screwed up somehow.

DX9 will not be a virus - however, if you got it from a dodgy or otherwise unheard of site then it could have also installed a virus. however your descriptions sounds unlike any virus ive ever heard of.

 

if you were running a decent AV in the background it would not have allowed a known virus to have been installed anyway.

 

"try booting in safe mode,

I doubt this is a virus, more likely an installation has screwed up somehow" -- mossoi

i agree with that (a lot!).

 

possibly your computer cannot handle DX9 for some reason. by the way there is DX9a DX9b and DX9c, which did you get????

Installing DX9 probably broke Windows. This is easy to do, because it's a core part of the OS. If part of it didn't install quite properly you'll have all kind of trouble.

 

Boot into safe mode and reinstal DX9, reboot and prey.

I cannot even boot in in safe mode.

 

The only way I can get a response is to do step by step confirmation, then I process the system registry I get a message :

 

Please wait while setup updates your configuration files. This may take a few minutes....

 

( a few minutes later)

 

Windows could not update the file %1 from %2

%1: %2

 

Anyone have any idea what that means?

The problem could be your wininit.ini file. The best thing to do is either delete or rename it by booting the PC into a command prompt. There's more information about this here: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=283069

 

Take a look at the other articles listed on that page, they could also be useful.

nice link mossoi, whenever you get a critical windows or system error message, always do a google search... follow advice of the website if that doesnt work there are other alternatives to try and fix your problems which i know of. however i would advise you to do that first... then if it dont work, post here again and ive got more ideas for you

Thanks a ton for that link! That is exactly what my computer is doing, however it says to enter the windowsME start up disk and do a restore from there, but I do not have the ME start up disk

 

Is there a way I can get into command prompt when windows will not start?

ok, how you can have windowsME and not have the disk... you either gave it away, lost it, or is illegal version! (or you just dont know you have it! it would have come when you bought the computer)

 

(I HAVE XP) when i had problems with a corrupt windows file i ended up using a win98 boot disk which took me straight to DOS.

note i (with XP) used 98 boot disk. try this. to obtain a 98 boot disk either make one if you have a computer on windows 98 or i spose i can give you a copy of mine, but i'd need your email address (and not hotmail or any other email service which has a crappy atachment limit).

maybe you could use an ME boot up disk if you have one.

 

the fact is that im sure you must be able do get into DOS mode, but the fact is that if you dont have the ME CD (which you use to (re)instal the ME operating system (OS)) or boot up disk then your kinda buggered!!!

using either of those disks - one will be a CD labelled Microsoft Windows ME OS reinstal or something or a floppy disk which you probably would have had to make yourself you cant do much.

if you do have the ME CD or can get hold of one run your computer from the CD (by changing the BIOS).

 

all of my ideas involved using the original ME OS CD or a boot disk.

 

what happens if you press F8 or del or whatever it is to get into safe mode when you turn the computer on?

ok, how you can have windowsME and not have the disk... you either gave it away, lost it, or is illegal version! (or you just dont know you have it! it would have come when you bought the computer).[/Quote]

 

I looked everywhere for it, it might have been lost in the move, I have the windowsxp disk for this computer. That doesn't help me though

 

what happens if you press F8 or del or whatever it is to get into safe mode when you turn the computer on?

 

It doesnt go past the windowsME main screen.

when you first turn on the computer immediately press and hold F8. if not try tapping F8 key continually, you should be able to get into the start-up menu.

from there select safe mode, if that dont work try command prompt only, and if that dont work try safe mode command prompt only.