help with hijack this log

[cauzomb]

Good job so far, depending on how much free disk space you have, you can set your pagefile to a fixed number 1.5 times greater than the 3GB of system ram, however, this might be too high and create a problem by reserving part of your system ram, as address locations for all that virtual memory..

Stick with the 3072 max and 3072 min fixed pagefile size.. Before you set the pagefile size I would first recommend turning it off, then rebooting.. then setting the fixed size, on your drive that has the greatest amount of free space.. After reading through your previous posts, looks like you have quite a bit of free space on your system drive, just stick with drive letter C for the pagefile..

Regarding indexing service; The menu and submenus of computer managment show "services and applications" the indexing service is located in "services and applications" expand the "services and applications" menu by clicking on the plus sign next ot it.. You should see the indexing service in the left hand menu below "services and applications" right click on the indexing service in the left hand menu, then select properties. Ensure that the boxes in "generation" and "tracking" are unchecked, if you made any changes in there select apply after unchecking a box.....

Expand the "Indexing service" submenu by clicking on the "plus sign" next to "indexing service" in the left hand menu.. The submenu for indexing service contains an entry labled "system" expand the plus sign next to "system" entry, then look for a folder called "directories" left click once on "directories" then look over at the right hand menu, there should be list of drive letters, right click on the first "top" drive leter in the right hand menu, then select delete. Do this for each drive letter shown in the right hand menu.. This will not harm your computer, it just removes that "catalog" from the indexing "directories" database. Once you have the "directories" menu empty, you can then delete the "directories" folder. There may be another folder named "properties" try to delete it..

Did you turn off the "indexing service" in my computer/administrative tools/services? if not, do that next, after making the changes in "computer management"

Once Indexing service is set "stop/disabled" Open my computer and right click on C: then uncheck the box for allow indexing files for faster searching.. It should clear the indexing catalog after clicking apply, and may prompt you that a file cannot be moved/changed, select "IGNORE ALL" then OK or continue. Do this for each Hard Disk that you have installed on your PC.

I am curious about your CD burner and software for it.. What brand/model number CD burner do you have, what application is installed that you use to burn CD's.
Is it also a DVD burner?

I found some mention of CDburning software causing issues with shutdown..

What other changes/upgrades/software have you added to your system recently before you had the shutdown problem.

The CD burning application "CDburnerXP" is free and usually works just fine, it can print CD covers, but doesn't support litescrbe. I had to use this because I had B's recorder gold previously, but lost my number to install it, My CD burner had a software disk with I think Roxio EZ but I opted not to use the application because I have read that it might have problems..

Another thing you can do to ensure that the problem isn't related to your CD rom is to place a Disc in the CDrom, close the door, leave the disc in there, then try to shutdown..

Try unplugging any USB accessories that you have installed, that you don't need to use your computer, leave the Keyboard and mouse plugged in..

Check your printer options, see if there are any "unprinted jobs" in the print que, then either print them, or purge them.

[LJborn]

Okay. Set the pagefile min/max to the same number.
Got rid of the directory entries, but can't figure out how to delete the whole directories folder or the properties folder either. I will need some help with that. don't see the option with right clicking, or at the top menu either.

I have TSST Corp CD/DVDW TS-H652L CD/DVD burner. The installed software is Sonic Digital Media Deluxe v7. I do use the light scribe.

Absolutely nothing added to the PC before this problem started. I had run my cleaning programs (CCleaner, Malwarebytes, Superantispyware and Advance System Optimizer3 (now uninstalled because somebody told me it might be a problem - that was the last time I used it) just before backing up onto my Simpletech mini external drive... I can't remember if it was the very next time I tried to turn off the computer, but it was within a couple of days. I have since uninstalled everything I considered superfluous. My computer goes to the 'windows is shutting down' screen very very quickly, becuase nothing is running at shutdown. Then it hangs. After about 10 seconds I could almost swear that I hear a tiny noise, as if it is shutting down, but the power doesn't go off.....

?????

I didn't want to proceed to the next step until you told me what to do about not being able to delete the directories folder.... I am trying to diligently follow instructions!

Thanks again for your patience.

[cauzomb]

Those directories might disapear after unchecking the indexing box in the "my computer" "hard disk properties" and disable indexing service in "control panel" administrative tools, services.. It's been a while since I've done that, so I don't remember exactly what to do, to get rid of the submenu's in indexing service.

I also have a TSST Corp CD/DVD, but I don't use lightscribe. I've read that CDburnerXP does support lightscribe if you have the lightscribe drivers, it will find them, and have support for lightscribe via the "print cover" button. No reason to move to this application if your current application is working.

I cannot find anything specific that would cause your hanging at shutdown, but the steps we are doing will help to improve your computers resonsiveness and reliability.

The part about going quickly to the shutdown screen is helped by not having to look up and play the shutdown audio clip, along with the other things that you have disabled.

I am going to research the applications that you have installed and have mentioned uninstalling, to see if there is any correlation to the shutdown issue, with any of the applications.

[cauzomb]

OK, I'm wondering if there is a hardware/driver conflict going on, preventing windows from shutting down.. Try this: while logged into windows "normal mode" as administrator, open the start menu, then select "RUN" enter the command "shutdown -s -f" without the quotes, then press enter.. If your computer does shutdown normally, there may be a conflicting hardware device driver, or a file missing that was removed by uninstalling some other software.

[LJborn]

Tried the RUN instructions, and still hangs.

I looked on my external drive, and my last full back up was July 10, at which time the computer was NOT hanging up.
the last time I rand Advanced System Optimizer3 was the day before (July 9), according to the system restore point set by that program before it ran.

???I'm thinking since we can't find any culprit, should I do a system restore to July 9th and see what happens?

Another question: Although I upgraded the RAM (4 1gB sticks) in September 2009, this PC is 5 years old. the fan periodically runs REALLY LOUD for a while and then stops. Is this hanging at 'windows is shutting down' just another way for the PC to be telling me that it is dying????

Let me know what you think about the system restore idea.....

[cauzomb]

Going through your log files; if you are willing to do a restore,

RP1113: 5/10/2010 10:47:38 AM - System Checkpoint ~this one, or 5/9, any restore point that you have prior to installing Advanced System Optimizer..
RP1114: 5/10/2010 1:01:22 PM - Advanced System Optimizer

Most of the work to tidy up your pc will be un-done, but it's repeatable and you will have a better understanding of the process via repetitive practice.

You mentioned that you have 4x1GB..

Windows xp can't actually use 4GB without special configurations done by the end users "windows tweaking" and some motherboards are less than stable with all 4 memory slots occupied..

I know this sounds counter productive, but windows generally only uses 3072 MB of physical ram, as will be shown in the system properties even with 4GB installed..

Did you buy the extra ram to do a certain task on the PC?

Try pulling out ONE stick of memory, leaving only three installed...

If you have dual channel DDR2 memory, then you will want to pull two sticks, so that Dual channel is still enabled, to hopefully "increase performance".. This will only leave you with 2GB max system ram installed and 3027MB fixed pagefile....

You will have this limmit on the amount of things that you can do on your computer, spreadsheets may not load if they are "HUGE" but pretty much everthing else should still work, without a noticeable decrease in "performance" and in some instances, the computer is actually faster with less ram, 1-2GB installed with One stick, or two paired in dual channel. Due to the more stable memory/databus..

[cauzomb]

The fan noise could be normal, some PC's automatically control the fan speed, depending on various component's temperatures.

[TurcoLoco]

May I butt in? I have a suggestion if you all do not mind?

On top of Cauzomb's great suggestions, I would like you to download the attached zip file when you get a chance and unzip it anywhere on your system. Then open the folder (Shutdown) and double-click on the batch file called run.bat, it will created about 5 registry files within the same folder.
These files are a backup of your current registry keys that the script will patch which should fix the problem if it is due to the common settings relating to system shutdown in Windows XP.

Note: Please leave those 5 registry backup files alone until further notice.

If it is related to a background system service/process and if you are still using it, my money is on LogMeIn. Remote control tools are known for their performance/bandwidth related drags as well as with their occasional interference with system shutdowns/restarts.

Additionally, after running the registry patch, you will have to reboot your system at least once for changes to take affect.
Even after doing so, there is no change, go ahead and double-click the shutdown shortcut I placed in the same folder to see if it helps. If it does, then it means there is indeed a background process causing the issue.

[LJborn]

I'm going to answer some of the questions, and let you know what I've done so far.The reason I upgraded the RAM was because my PC was running slow (about a year ago) and I was looking at some photo editing software and needed more than the RAM that came with the PC. I got advice about what to do - can't remember where - and found a company that had the right RAM for my 2005 vintage PC, took out the current RAM and installed 4 sticks. Yes, I was told it had to be in pairs, which was why I ended up with 4 sticks which only gives me 3072 physical RAM. Did this last September, and immediately noticed big improvement in the PC. Never did buy the photo editing software though!

I uninstalled LogMeIn back there sometime. Checked after your reply (in add/remove and also in programs list) to make sure not there any more).... I think that was something that some tech support person put on when he/she was helping me - probably years ago - with some problem....

I ran the zip file, turned off, turned back on again, turned off, and then the third time I turned on I also ran the shutdown shortcut. That was fifteen+ minutes ago, and still at "windows is shutting down screen".

Now I am going to manually power off, power back on and do a system restore back just prior to installing Advanced System Optimizer3 which by the way was program recommended by PC Magazine I think; I thought I was doing something good running that, but y'all seem less than enthused....

Life isn't so easy for those of us with a little knowledge, but not enough....

I will report back after system restore is accomplished. First, work awaits!!!

[LJborn]

Okay. I did a system restore back to 5/10/2010, right before a ASO scan (not the first ASO scan, just one you picked). Had to manually power off for the 'restart'. Then uninstalled some programs (including LogMeIn) and turned everything off in the startup folder. Then let the system try to 'restart'.

It did! It restarted!

Of course now I don't really know what the culprit was.

I am going back into the startup folder and put in a couple of things that I need activated, but leave the rest.

Should I uninstall AVG antivirus and install Avira Antivir? Somebody told me AVG could be a problem.

Should I go back and do again all those things you had me do to Services et al? I still have my printed notes.

I would like to be methodical about this....