Desktop Freezing On Exiting The Internet

[ALGYP]

Hi,
This is my first post, but I have been reading and enjoying the content of pprune for quite some time. I have always been impressed with the content, knowledge and willingness to help others -- so here goes.

I hit a problem on my computer, it would not start up, so I got the local "fixer" in and he salvaged the hard disc contents and got the thing running again. So far so good :).

It left me with this problem for which he has no answer and trawling Google has not got me anywhere either.

I use my desktop icons to go into either Google, to search the internet, or into TalkTalk, to access my Emails, everything is fine and works normally until I exit by using the top right hand "close" button (the white cross in the red square). The application closes and the desktop returns to normal but none of the icons will work (with the exception of the "start" button). I have to use this to "restart" or "shut down" the computer. The other option is to reboot.

Having restarted everything is fine again until I use that darn "close" button again.

I have tried leaving it "frozen" for 30 minutes to see if the problem is time related but it does not appear to be so.

The computer is nothing special has no fancy games or gimmicks on it and
has had nothing downloaded on to it recently, it runs on XP Home.

Any suggestions please, not to technical as the brain cells are getting grey hairs around the edges.

ALGYP

[jimtherev]

Let's start with the assumption that you are using Internet Exploder in one of its forms. (No harm in that - half the world does!)
How about downloading another browser - Firefox seems flavour of the month on here - access the internet in the usual way, and see if you get the same effect? Takes less than a quarter of an hour to set up, and costs nothing.

Either it will work or it won't. In either case, come back and tell us, then someone much more brainy than me will possibly have an answer.
Good luck.

[green granite]

Try running through these questions and see if it helps.

Internet Explorer stops responding, stops working, or restarts (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/pc_ie_intro)

[BOAC]

ALGYP - which antivirus do you run? Are you aware of programmes like Malwarebyes for checking you don't have anything 'lurking' after the 'guy' fixed you? It comes highly recommended and much used.

[ALGYP]

Thanks for the quick responses, I am most impressed.As there are 4 responses I will respond to each.

jimtherev. As your suggestion seemed the quickest I tried it and I am now "freeze free".
I downloaded Firefox and all was well, I then removed it to see if it was pure chance and the "freeze" problem was back. I have reloaded Firefox and all is well, the screen icons work as they should. Thanks.http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

SoCal App. The original problem was that on start up the motherboard info screen came up followed by the Windows XP screen and then a screen of writing which basically said you have a problem try starting in safe mode, lst known good configuration etc.There was no mouse pointer but using the up and down keys I tried all the recommendations to no avail. My instructions to the "fixer" was to salvage as much as possible from the hard disc and he did that very well and returned the computer in a working condition. He found that there were 9 viruses in the system but could not say what had actually caused the problem. I found the "freeze" problem when using it at home and he had to admit that he was at a loss to suggest a solution. No access to pprune.http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif Your suggestions re C: and D: drive are being actioned. Thanks.

green granite.Thanks for the link, I did look through and I have filed the link for future reference.

BOAC. I am now running AVG, but was not doing so before, once bitten etc!. Yes I have always run weekly Malwarebytes, Adaware and now Superantispyware. Thanks.

I have now ordered a laptop and will be using that for internet work and this older machine for word processing and as a backup.

Once again thanks to you all, pprune at its best.