My PC is a bit sick

My PC's a bit sick.

its AS Rock Z 68 Pro3-M Windows 7 Service Pack 1, 6.1, build: 7601

The CD draw wont open and does not appear in the list of drives.

programs I try to install crash as part of the install process.
None of the programs I installed from giveawayoftheday show in the programs list after they have 'activated'

I cant open Itunes after only recently uninstalling and reinstalling it.

Tweaking.com(windows Repair) wont fix it
Superanti Spyware finds PUPs and I get rid of them.
Malware Bytes finds nothing
CC cleaner finds nothing
AVG finds nothing
anycleaner finds nothing
Ncleaner finds nothing useful.
MS fix it just keeps crashing
sysfile fixes nothing
SC Scanow fixes nothing

Thanks for any ideas and suggestions, programs etc.

a reply to: Azureblue

System restore? A point from a while ago?.
I had a mega problem and couldn't sort it so I did a system restore and it sorted it.
I dunno though good luck.

You can try powering down, unplugging drive, powering on, then off, re-plug, then power on. It should find it, or the drive crapped out. They are cheap to replace. PC should find it at power up.

Also, win7 gets wacked out with too many anti virus programs installed. They attack each other.

When I install win 7 on my pcs, I will create a system image on a disc. If the pc gets bad I reformat and reinstall, always keeping important docs etc, on a seperate drive than the OS.

Itunes is buggy. I would do a uninstall and restart of all itunes and bonjour (sp?)services and programs.

Viruses suck because they are often implimented before identified. I run vipre with sucess. And kill bad stuff with spybot s&d and Hijackthis.
link
If it persists, I reformat. I am a bit of an amature compared to some guys on here, but I do all the pc repairs in my fam.

try an paracetamol app :-)a reply to: Azureblue

originally posted by: Azureblue
My PC's a bit sick.

Wipe and reload.

Better than trying to fix too many problems one at a time.

originally posted by: Azureblue

Tweaking.com(windows Repair) wont fix it
Superanti Spyware finds PUPs and I get rid of them.
Malware Bytes finds nothing
CC cleaner finds nothing
AVG finds nothing
anycleaner finds nothing
Ncleaner finds nothing useful.
MS fix it just keeps crashing
sysfile fixes nothing
SC Scanow fixes nothing

You need to be careful when installing and running these programmes, some of these will repair your Registry...... but..... that is like letting a car machanic look at a custom engine, the basics are right, but it can easily be messed up,

a few questions for you:

= When you install software, do you select custom or typical?
= How old is the PC? what is the age of the oldest piece of hardware?
= have you recently installed any programmes?
= have you recently installed any hardware?

It does sound like she is poorly, and has inhereted a few bugs, a system restore may not necessarily fix the problem,

try this as a first, reboot, start in safe mode, login, try the disc drive tray then,

Let me know outcomes,

Peace!

How much free disk space is left on the C: Drive? If there is not enough space, for the swap drive, it will "thrash" on you all day and really slow it to a crawl as well.

I would do the following, in this order:

1. Go to ControlPanel -> System and Security
   
2. Run "Free up disk space"
   
3. Run "Defragment your hard drive"
   

A whacked out CD/DVD can cause some very strange issues. Sounds like a cable short to the DVD. Try replacing the cable . (cheap first step in PD)

a reply to: Azureblue

If you are missing critical drivers that are preventing you from using your hardware, I would suggest a fresh install.

The programs you are using can affect your registry and delete key files required for your hardware to work properly. I've fallen victim to that once or twice.

The easiest solution and likely to give you better performance anyway, is to wipe the drives clean and re-install it from scratch.

~Tenth

a reply to: Azureblue
I know you won't listen, but I suggest you take this machine to a competent tech, and get it fixed properly. Throwing mud against the wall until something sticks obviously isn't working. I can't count the machines I get yearly just like yours, where the client has created more problems than they have solved. They would have saved money if they had just taken it to a professional to begin with. BTW, professional does not mean Geek Squad or Staples.

Good luck. I know it's frustrating.

Answer From a Computer Tech

(I added this part because there are answers here from a few people who appear not to be actual techs.)

originally posted by: Azureblue
The CD draw wont open and does not appear in the list of drives.

This is a common problem with an easy fix. Sometimes the Windows registry becomes corrupted, but the fix is quite simple and takes just a couple minutes.

I highly recommend backing up your registry (once you open it in the steps below) before editing it by going to "File" and then "Export" to your desktop. You can always restore your registry by "Import" if you make a mistake later.


Here's a video showing how to fix the registry errors. The written steps are below the video, which are from Microsoft's website:

1. Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type regedit in the Run dialog box, then press Enter. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

3. In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass[4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318]

4. In the right pane, click UpperFilters.

5. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

6. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

7. In the right pane, click LowerFilters. (Note If you do not see the LowerFilters registry entry, go to the next step.)

8. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

9. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

10. Exit Registry Editor.

11. Restart the computer.

99% of the time, the above fix will get your CD/DVD drive working again. If this fix doesn't work, then your CD/DVD drive is having an issue, whether it be the drive itself, a cable, or the plug on the motherboard that it's plugged into.

originally posted by: Azureblue
programs I try to install crash as part of the install process... or won't show in the programs list after they have 'activated'

This could be a memory (RAM) or hard drive issue. To check to see if you have bad sectors on your hard drive, follow all of the instructions (with pictures) in this Microsoft article here:

support.microsoft.com...


If your hard drive checks out, then testing your RAM should be the next step. While there are programs that can test RAM, none of them are definitive on determining if RAM sticks are bad or not. The only surefire way is to remove all sticks but one and see if you can install programs without issue. If not, then take that stick out and try the next. Repeat with each RAM stick until you determine which stick(s) are bad and replace.

a reply to: _BoneZ_

Show off.

a reply to: _BoneZ_
Good post Bonez. I suspect he has problems that are virus/malware related, rather than hardware related. But hey, what do I know?

originally posted by: Klassified
But hey, what do I know?

You're one that knows plenty. He already stated that he ran multiple anti-virus and malware programs and they didn't find anything.

The CD/DVD drive not showing is a very common problem that has plagued us since XP. The other issues seem hard drive related, but could be RAM related also (so long as there is no virus/malware present).

Remember to shut down your pc before removing any RAM and only touch the edges, not the chips or any gold / copper colour parts...
Even this isn't that simple. You need to also flip the plastic 'holders' (at the top & bottom of each RAM socket) out of the way to free the RAM from the socket(s), and make sure they click back into place before restarting the pc.
(A little knowledge is a dangerous thing)



PS AzureBlue, does the cd/dvd light flash when you start the pc ? If not, it's probably just a cable either worn or come loose.

originally posted by: _BoneZ_

originally posted by: Klassified
But hey, what do I know?

You're one that knows plenty. He already stated that he ran multiple anti-virus and malware programs and they didn't find anything.

The CD/DVD drive not showing is a very common problem that has plagued us since XP. The other issues seem hard drive related, but could be RAM related also (so long as there is no virus/malware present).

Although he said he had run multiple antivirus maleware programs he also stated that installing things crash so who says they are updating.

I would suggest to just disconnect the CD/DVD and see if that solves a lot of other problems before digging in and changing registry.

To test if the problems a hardware or a software one, download a linux live image and burn it to a USB stick and boot from that and then try and copy some data around from the drive and see what happens

originally posted by: _BoneZ_

Answer From a Computer Tech

(I added this part because there are answers here from a few people who appear not to be actual techs.)

originally posted by: Azureblue
The CD draw wont open and does not appear in the list of drives.

This is a common problem with an easy fix. Sometimes the Windows registry becomes corrupted, but the fix is quite simple and takes just a couple minutes.

I highly recommend backing up your registry (once you open it in the steps below) before editing it by going to "File" and then "Export" to your desktop. You can always restore your registry by "Import" if you make a mistake later.


Here's a video showing how to fix the registry errors. The written steps are below the video, which are from Microsoft's website:

1. Press the Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog box.

2. Type regedit in the Run dialog box, then press Enter. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.

3. In the navigation pane, locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlClass[4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318]

4. In the right pane, click UpperFilters.

5. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

6. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

7. In the right pane, click LowerFilters. (Note If you do not see the LowerFilters registry entry, go to the next step.)

8. On the Edit menu, click Delete.

9. When you are prompted to confirm the deletion, click Yes.

10. Exit Registry Editor.

11. Restart the computer.

99% of the time, the above fix will get your CD/DVD drive working again. If this fix doesn't work, then your CD/DVD drive is having an issue, whether it be the drive itself, a cable, or the plug on the motherboard that it's plugged into.

originally posted by: Azureblue
programs I try to install crash as part of the install process... or won't show in the programs list after they have 'activated'

This could be a memory (RAM) or hard drive issue. To check to see if you have bad sectors on your hard drive, follow all of the instructions (with pictures) in this Microsoft article here:

support.microsoft.com...


If your hard drive checks out, then testing your RAM should be the next step. While there are programs that can test RAM, none of them are definitive on determining if RAM sticks are bad or not. The only surefire way is to remove all sticks but one and see if you can install programs without issue. If not, then take that stick out and try the next. Repeat with each RAM stick until you determine which stick(s) are bad and replace.

the fact that you think backing up reg files to the desktop tells alot about your training. while backing up your files is always a good idea however the reg files change everytime you update your windows os. lol have fun with that on windows.

originally posted by: Klassified
a reply to: _BoneZ_
Good post Bonez. I suspect he has problems that are virus/malware related, rather than hardware related. But hey, what do I know?

i agree with this statement! As i have seen rootkits bypass antiviruses. just because you load an antivirus doesnt mean you actually know how to use them correctly. #1 was the computer in safe mode and networking turned off while you loaded the av software and also checked in safemode? did you check the startup programs viruses? did you pull the hardware and install it into another computer to find if it didn't run.

a reply to: digital01anarchy

Glad you stopped by to help him resolve his issue. Thank you for that very informative post.