windows problem - any ideas?

[karlfranzen]

Hello forum group
I am having a problem with my pc
I run windows 98

The problem effects every program that requires a file/open, even Windows Explorer does not work, it shows a blank screen, or a frozen screen showing only an incomplete directory (only C drive in My Computer, but i have four drives).

Symptom: Everything seems to work at first. i can surf the web, i can open programs. but as soon as i ask to open a file on my machine, poof, the machine freezes. as soon as i touch the small black triangle indicating a call for the directory.

I can still do ctrl/alt/delete and stop the frozen program from which i called for a file, but the problem is very all encompassing. no program will allow opening of a file.

Sometimes if i reboot a few times it will work! i can see everything, i can open any file...but only for a minute or two. then it freezes up again.

I wish i knew more about the machine to deal with this sort of thing, any ideas?

 

[Lorand]

When explorer freezes, it remains frozen for good, or only it takes a long time to show the content of the folder?

 

[karlfranzen]

pc prob

it freezes for good
-kf

 

[Lorand]

Check if this problem persists in a third-party file manager (like this one: http://www.altap.cz/salam_en/freeware.html).
Also I recommend a spyware and virus scan of your system.

 

[karlfranzen]

i ran a complete viral scan and came up clean. i'm a bit hesitant to upload any new programs into my machine, but did already have Powerdesk, which also did not work.

but now i tried erasing all my temporary internet files. this seems to have helped... but it may be temporary... could that have been the problem all along?

 

[karlfranzen]

oh well
that turned out to not be it. my machine just froze again...
any chance of any words of wisdom on this thread/