Laptop Acting Strange

[dkryan]

I have an Asus N 53S that is running Windows 7 Home Premium and M/S Office 2010.

I had shut the laptop down to take it to a store to check the sizing for a new carry bag. I'm fairly certain I had shut the laptop down properly.

I did not re-start the laptop until three days later. In the meantime I had disconnected my cable modem because I was turning in the equipment to over-priced Time Warner.

When I started my laptop three days after shutdown, I was able to input my password properly and access my desktop. Surprisingly, all of my desktop icons had disappeared except for the "recycle bin" icon. Also, some of the icons on the task bar had disappeared.

I also noticed in Office 2010 that Excel existed and could be opened but Word was nowhere to be found.

I logged off to re-boot and when the password icon came up, I typed in my password correctly.

What I got instead of my desktop was a message that said "the user profile service failed the logon. User profile cannot be loaded."

What the heck happened?

 

[Alfred_B]

Looks like some files are corrupted. Once that happened to me (running Win 7) when I had my laptop turned on and placed on the passenger seat while driving. My guess is the vibrations caused an invalid read/write that messed up the user profile.

 

[dkryan]

Actually, it was in the trunk, covered by a towel but likely not resting on a towel.

Now the crazy thing is telling me "the screen saver can't run because it requires a newer video card or one that's compatible with Direct3D.

What the ****?

I was thinking of ditching this laptop for an Asus Zen notebook. Much more portable but certainly not the i7 processor and 12 GB Ram that this 17" laptop has.

 

[irad]

If you can bring up Windows Explorer, not Internet explorer. Right click on c: scroll to properties. Click on tools tab. First choice is error checking, button check now. A window pops up with a checkbox "Automatically fix system error" check it. Click start button. It will prompt to schedule the check. Click OK, then reboot. See if it helps. Can also be done in safe mode.

 

[BigD1]

Run system file checker. That will replace missing or corrupt system files.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/929833

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: dkryan
Actually, it was in the trunk, covered by a towel but likely not resting on a towel.

Now the crazy thing is telling me "the screen saver can't run because it requires a newer video card or one that's compatible with Direct3D.

What the ****?

I was thinking of ditching this laptop for an Asus Zen notebook. Much more portable but certainly not the i7 processor and 12 GB Ram that this 17" laptop has.


Is the video on the CPU, or is it using an add on card? If the latter, that little trip could have jiggled the video card loose. Open it up, and re-seat the video card if you keep having video errors. Also, the memory could have jiggled loose too. Re-seat the memory too. Bad or incorrectly seated memory can cause all the problems you are having.

Make sure to run disk check(chkdsk) after you run the system file checker.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2641432

 

[dkryan]

Originally Posted By: irad
If you can bring up Windows Explorer, not Internet explorer. Right click on c: scroll to properties. Click on tools tab. First choice is error checking, button check now. A window pops up with a checkbox "Automatically fix system error" check it. Click start button. It will prompt to schedule the check. Click OK, then reboot. See if it helps. Can also be done in safe mode.


I believe I stumbled through the steps above. The window gave me two boxes so I clicked them both. I shut down and re-started.

The "normal" desktop and icons came back. My Word program is still missing. I can reload Office but I'm trying to figure out why it went missing to begin with.

I went to "event viewer" and under "Disk diagnostic- operational," there were no events.

 

[dkryan]

I ran a check disk (at least that's what I thought I ran) and after it ran for a while and re-booted, my Word program re-appeared.

Bizarre.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Not strange if you keep all the updates enabled. My Windows system operation has things like files and error-checking enabled and scheduled for once a month.

Only three items I disable automatic updates and check manually every two weeks.....
1) Firefox
2) Flashplayer
3) Sumatra PDF

Sumatra hardly ever comes out with an updated version. There's no reason to have the system check for it so often. I could probably get-by only checking Firefox and Flashplayer for updates once a month.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Only three items I disable automatic updates and check manually every two weeks.....
1) Firefox


Firefox releases are every 6 weeks, darn near like clockwork; and any incremental intermediary releases in between are often a security release, which might be best pushed to your browser!

 

[Triple_Se7en]

...... or the best push and the "right now download/install" is not necessary by me. I'll wait the additional two weeks if need-be.

However every once in a while the old Flash version creates friction when videos appear at websites...... things like that. When I sense a stall / freezing on video production..... things like that, I open the Flash page to download earlier than scheduled by me.

Any two week lapses I've had with Firefox has not given me any flak on my computer. I've never been dealt any disruptive malware with my practice.

You go by scheduling...... I don't. If I ever have a problem, I'll switch. But I've been doing this since the early 2000s. So my track record speaks for itself. If you desire to use more computer resources than what's really necessary, go right ahead. I don't surf any danger zones and nowhere I travel on the web has been hacked big enough to reach my computer.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
You go by scheduling...... I don't.


I don't go by anything: I use Ubuntu and get updated software across my entire OS when it has been released and tested.

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
So my track record speaks for itself. If you desire to use more computer resources than what's really necessary, go right ahead.


What an unnecessary use of computer and human resources to have to concern oneself over updating individual pieces of software manually! ;^)

I know I will very soon regret this; but would you mind detailing for me how I am "using more computer resources than what's really necessary" by having software auto-update rather than going around to all of these different web sites checking for, downloading and manually installing updates?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

I'm surprised the almighty computer whiz you claim to be, can't figure it out.

Keep studying uc50. If you like more unnecessary things running on your computer, please don't suggest everyone else try it. If my computer maintenance habits bother you, then please put my "Triple Se7en screen name on Ignore.

We will both sleep better then.

 

[ClutchDisc]

Originally Posted By: uc50ic4more
I know I will very soon regret this; but would you mind detailing for me how I am "using more computer resources than what's really necessary" by having software auto-update rather than going around to all of these different web sites checking for, downloading and manually installing updates?


I would love to understand this as well. My software all auto updates (through the update manager for the entire system) and I have never seen it use more computer resources than is necessary. I love how I only get the updates once they have been tested - I remember recently there was an issue with flash and the update for Linux was held back because of it. Once the issue was corrected, they then released the update to the update manager. It is quite convenient to get all of your updates for the entire system directly through the update manager, after they have been tested first. I can't imagine the pain it would be to check for those updates online, every time.

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
I'm surprised the almighty computer whiz you claim to be, can't figure it out.

What I have figured out is that you are the most valuable asset in proving Cunningham's Law . Please do not ever stop posting! You're the perfect catalyst for dialectic examinations of all sorts of things that may never have been discussed otherwise. It doesn't bother anyone, and you are not under attack.

In fact, I am still waiting for a response to my regretfully-solicited query about how exactly bulk and pushed software updates waste computer resources unnecessarily as opposed to the whiz-bang, well-studied method of delaying potential security updates by manually going around to different web sites, finding and downloading executable installation files, then installing them all individually, one at a time. I am eager to learn! (But I cannot learn anything from platitudes like "Jeepers, I still can't believe you don't get it": I need real information I can study.)

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: ClutchDisc
My software all auto updates (through the update manager for the entire system) and I have never seen it use more computer resources than is necessary.


It doesn't: Software updaters are simple scripts that run either at user login-time or, in the case of individual applications on Windows or Mac systems, at run-time. They simply poll a server and compare the installed version number with the current one on the server; calling either the software updater application or library to run if applicable.

Using the software update manager in most Linux systems running a common desktop environment will allow you to handle upgrades and security patches different to ensure the security patches get your attention. Each of these updates are accompanied by changelogs that briefly explain the nature of the update. For systems I have set up for others I usually set the manager to check for updates every two weeks, but to alert for security updates immediately. All of those users - none of whom are technically proficient - know just to hit the "Install" button and they're good.

I have found it frustrating when using Windows and Mac systems when an application decides - seconds after I open it and am preparing to use it - to shove an update notification in my face, without any explanation about the nature of the update. What is particularly egregious is when that notification simply provides you with a URL to go get it yourself! I have update-checking disabled on the Mac that I use in a recording studio because of those intrusive notifications; and because, given that the system is rarely ever connected to a network, security updates are not mission-critical. Like Triple_Se7en I just run the system updater manually every now and again. (All of the production software is Apple, so the Mac's system updater essentially *is* a Linux-style system updater, for all intents and purposes.)

 

[uc50ic4more]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
If my computer maintenance habits bother you, then please put my "Triple Se7en screen name on Ignore.


You're being a little dramatic. Can you indicate at what point I did or typed something that led you to believe anything you did or do is bothersome to me? I responded to a post of yours with some additional input; the raison d'etre of a message forum... Maybe that bothered *you* a little bit? I can't imagine you posting all of this insulting stuff without being a little sensitive about something:

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
I'm surprised the almighty computer whiz you claim to be, can't figure it out.

Keep studying uc50. If you like more unnecessary things running on your computer, please don't suggest everyone else try it.


That's not very nice at all! And you didn't even accompany it with a response. You took time out of your day to be mean but didn't even include an actual point of discussion.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

There's nothing mean in my post. What's mean is telling someone their successful computer maintenance habits are wrong.

There are posters in this forum room that can't sleep well at night, without coming here and disagreeing first. I replied because I recognize such posters and singled (1) out.

Besides, if this UC poster was such a computer whiz, he wouldn't be here. He would be real-world working.... making money.

Carry on fellas....... without me. I haven't the time for amateur computer whizs' that try to either create unnecessary work for myself, or add unnecessary resources and programs to my computer.

There's a Common Sense Factor involved here and many times (cite an example) the Indians have more of it than their Chief.

 

[uc50ic4more]

I am sorry I hurt your feelings, Triple_Se7en. I will try to be more tactful in the future when participating in discussion.

 

[hatt]

Updating was vastly superior when I was using Mint. Windows always wants to update something at the most inconvenient times. Then you have popups, restarts, long boots, etc.