START button Stops working: Warning: this is a challenge :)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve Pisani
  • Start date Start date
S

Steve Pisani

Hi,

I've got a home network and domain made up of a WinXP, Win2k and one W2k
Server which is a DC for the domain.

My DOMAIN controller behaves strangely for some weeks whereby it seems to
become unstable. Before I go any further, it is a P4 with 2Ghz, 512Mb ram.,
SP4, with latest NAV definitions.

What typically happens is the START button stops working. You press it, and
NO top level menu appears (Run../Programs/ etc..). (In fact this behaviour
is experienced at the moment, and the only thing open is Outlook Express &
Task Manager showing 265k available phys mem, 0%cpu) I can kick off other
applications from say, the desktop or New Task from Task Manager. withbout
any problems, and performance is fine.

The event viewer reports no errors or even warnings for this time.

Previous issues I've had that may be related is that when the Start menu
option does come up, the Programs list does not appear, unless I close some
windows. In other instances if I have say, AD Users and Computers open, a
few IE windows, then attempting to open other windows behave as though all
the memory has been used up (Icons shgow blackened out or not drawn at all,
graphics are not repainted, etc.)

I've not been able to nail it down to any particular program, I've ran NAV
and TrendMicro but both come up clean.

This happens when logged in as any user profile, but never happens if I log
in remotely over a terminal server remote administration session.....

The only recovery is either close some windows, but if you have no more to
close, then, log out and log back it, which is what I'm about to do.

Any ideas ? Maybe a virus not picked up my the main ANTIVIRUS companies ?
Registry problems ?

Thanks for any help,

Steve
 
I recovered from is quote some time ago, but I did the following,
unless someone has got a simpler solution.

I stopped every service that was not required for a repair install,
performed a repair installation of the W2K server, reapplied all the
updates and the like (as the machine was behind a GNAT box NAT
firewall, so was safe), re-enabled all the services I marked as
disabled then re-booted.

Was not the same problem, but what forced me to do this was a very
unstable domain controller. After that lot I neded up witha very
stable domain controller.

Just a solution to consider . . .
 
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