Win 2K getting flaky - fix?

  • Thread starter Thread starter George Marshall
  • Start date Start date
G

George Marshall

Hi all, any thoughts on a fix for this Win 2K install, which used to be
solid, but has been deteriorating?

Symptoms:

* Copy/paste is unreliable; about 10-20% of the time I "Copy" some text
(via either control-C or Copy on the Edit menu), there is nothing in the
clipboard. Sometimes I need to hit ctl-C several times before it
finally "takes". This often, but not always, occurs when copying text
out of a browser window into an Office application.

* Windows Explorer tends to discover an "unspecified" error and re-start
itself more than once a day. This is usually when I single-click or
right-click a file name in the Explorer window. Recently, it has
started giving specific addresses it cannot access as its reason for
restarting.

* Windows frequently gets confused about which window is "on top".
Example: with several windows open, and the top one active, I click an
item in that window only to have it instantly bring another hidden
window to the front, as though it were the active one.

* Another example: I have a frequently-used Word file that has a
password; over half the time I open it, the password dialog box will be
behind the blank document window. If I minimize the doc window, then
maximize it again, the password dialog box appears. This never happens
with a passworded Excel file that I also use frequently.

Any thoughts on what's gone wrong? This was one nicely stable system
for a long time after I installed Win2K.

Versions:
Win2K: SP3, plus current updates
Office: 97, except Outlook and Word are 2000
IE: 5.00.3502.100, SP3 plus updates
System: 3 to 4 GB free space on hard drive, 512MB RAM, about half free
typically, Intel Pentium 700 MHz
Norton and Ad-Aware say my system is clean, no nasty software.

Thanks for any help,

George
 
I would run "Detect and Repair" from under help in Word or any Office App
(have Office CD ready), and run Start>Run> "sfc /scannow" (sans quotes).
The latter will detect and repair any corrupted/missing Win2K files (have
Win2K CD ready).
 
Hi George,
George Marshall said:
Hi all, any thoughts on a fix for this Win 2K install, which used to be
solid, but has been deteriorating?

Symptoms:

* Copy/paste is unreliable; about 10-20% of the time I "Copy" some text

* Windows Explorer tends to discover an "unspecified" error and re-start
Click to expand...
* Windows frequently gets confused about which window is "on top".

* Another example: I have a frequently-used Word file that has a
password; over half the time I open it, the password dialog box will be
Click to expand...

Nearly everything you describe, could be due to sticky keys.
Pop out your CNTRL, WIN, and ALT keys then do a soap and rinse.
They usually snap out with a little prying at the base.
This kind of minor housekeeping can save alot of frustration.

Of course, you may be the neatest, cleanest hacker there ever was.
My 2 cents ...

Mark Pryor
 
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