Author Topic: Weird Window When Computer Boots Up (Read 35,126 times)

moranacus · « **on:** June 04, 2009, 07:04 AM »

I never seen this before and have no idea what this is.
I turn on my computer and when it gets to the point where its
blue and says WINDOWS this box appears in the middle of the
screen with an ! point in the middle and a YES and NO button
to push. It says nothing else and the computer won't finish
loading until I select YES or NO.
I hit NO both times and the computer finishes booting up.
I'm scared to see what would happen if I push YES.
Anyone have an idea what this is????

J-Mac · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2009, 08:07 AM »

Might help to see a picture of it. Since it happens during bootup you will have to take a pic with a digital camera and then upload it here.

Jim

moranacus · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2009, 08:49 PM »

Sorry but I don't have a way to do that at the moment.
The ! is actually at the top left of the box inside a yellow triangle.
The symbol actually looks like the one that appears in the task bar when
there are updates for Windows XP and other programs.

mwb1100 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2009, 10:34 PM »

I'd try using something like Autoruns to disable startup programs - see if the problem goes away. If it does, you can re-enable startup items in small groups to see when the window reappears to narrow down what's causing it.

J-Mac · « **Reply #4 on:** June 05, 2009, 04:40 AM »

Quote from: moranacus on June 04, 2009, 08:49 PM

Sorry but I don't have a way to do that at the moment.
The ! is actually at the top left of the box inside a yellow triangle.
The symbol actually looks like the one that appears in the task bar when
there are updates for Windows XP and other programs.

Well it would help. Tough to diagnose with no details, like a pic of the dialog box or at least a detailed description of it. Is it a standard looking Windows dialog? BTW, what are you running - XP? Home or Pro? SP1, 2, or 3?

Is there a title bar, blue XP classic coloring? Does anything say "Error" anywhere in the dialog - or title bar if there is one? Have you looked at the Event Viewer, system and application logs? Any errors listed there that correspond to the same exact time?

Just offhand it sounds like it could be related to the login screen or something generated by csrss.exe.

Jim

moranacus · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2009, 06:59 AM »

I'm using Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2.

rgdot · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2009, 07:15 AM »

Have you checked the event viewer? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427
XP Pro is control panel--->administrative tools

Might show warnings or errors in the different logs (system)

argv · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2009, 07:16 AM »

Does it appear when booting in safe mode?

moranacus · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2009, 07:25 AM »

The box doesn't show up in SAFE MODE.

Here is a detailed description of what the box looks like:
The box size is 2 inches long and the width is 1 1/2 inches.
There is a windows colored blue area the runs all the way
across and goes 1/4 of an inch downwards.
In the top left in the blue area is a small white square.
In the top right there is the normal red X in a square
that you would use to close a program but the area is
grayed out so you can't close is.
The rest of the box inside is white.
In the middle left of the box there is a a yellow
triangle which each side measures 1/4 of an inch.
There is a black ! in the middle of the triangle.
On the bottom left there is a 3/4 long and 1/4 wide
rectangle that is white inside with the word Yes in NORMAL
not BOLD print.
The bottom right has an exact same sized rectangle as the left
but it says No in NORMAL not BOLD print.

argv · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2009, 07:31 AM »

You should check in the services.msc which services are allowed to interact with the desktop, it can be a service

moranacus · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2009, 07:37 AM »

I don't know why it would just start doing this.
It just started today.
I'm going to run some scans and see if anything comes up.

moranacus · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2009, 07:46 PM »

I ran a complete scan using Trojan Hunter, SuperAntispyware and
Avast and nothing showed up.
Could this have something to do with me clicking to show hidden files????
I was trying to find the Application Data directory in Documents & Settings.
I since went back to hiding hidden files.

J-Mac · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2009, 08:16 PM »

Quote from: moranacus on June 05, 2009, 07:46 PM

I ran a complete scan using Trojan Hunter, SuperAntispyware and
Avast and nothing showed up.
Could this have something to do with me clicking to show hidden files????
I was trying to find the Application Data directory in Documents & Settings.
I since went back to hiding hidden files.

No, this has nothing to do with hidden files. You need to check the Event log and see what errors are shown at the time of boot up. rgdot posted a link above if you are not familiar with the Event Viewer in XP.

Jim

moranacus · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2009, 08:37 PM »

I looked in the events viewer and under applications it had an warning at 1:24PM.
When I clicked on the info it said the following:
Your windows product has not been activated with Microsoft
yet. Use the product activation wizard within 5 days. This was event number 1005.
I have no idea what this means.
I also downloaded a ran a scan with ADWARE PROFESSIONAL and it found a severe
problem but when I removed it I still had that stupid box when the computer
booted back up.

J-Mac · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:00 PM »

The error is a message from Microsoft telling you that your copy of Windows is not activated. That also means that it will - or perhaps already has - been limited in features. You need to go here and activate the product. You can also read more about this here.

Have you recently changed any hardware on your computer? Or reinstalled Windows? Those actions can cause Windows not to be activated. In those cases activation can be as easy as clicking a link on Microsoft's web site, or a call to explain what happened to Microsoft. I have had to do this and it was fast and easy.

Of course if your copy of Windows is not an suthentic copy, then you do have a problem!

Jim

moranacus · « **Reply #15 on:** June 05, 2009, 09:09 PM »

My Windows XP got corrupted abput a month ago.
I had the whole hard drive wiped and WINDOWS XP Home Version with SERVICE PACK 2
was installed.
It is an official WINDOWS XP and I have a label on the top of my computer that shows this.

J-Mac · « **Reply #16 on:** June 06, 2009, 04:16 AM »

Quote from: moranacus on June 05, 2009, 09:09 PM

My Windows XP got corrupted abput a month ago.
I had the whole hard drive wiped and WINDOWS XP Home Version with SERVICE PACK 2
was installed.
It is an official WINDOWS XP and I have a label on the top of my computer that shows this.

No problem. Just follow the instructions at the Microsoft link I posted above. If it doesn't re-activate onlinethen it has a number where you can call them. It's painless. Just have the info on the label - it is also on the Windows CD and sleeve - when you try. If you call they will ask for the key and what happened. Then they'll activate it for you.

Jim

moranacus · « **Reply #17 on:** June 06, 2009, 06:57 AM »

I was told by someone else that something I can't detect (not sure what) its doing something
to my Windows XP making seem like its an invalid version. Is there a reason why I should
have to do this again when the tech that repaired my computer did this already????
I can't take these computer problems any longer!!!! I just paid $243 on May 11 to have my hard drive wiped and Windows XP reinstalled and I already have a problem.

J-Mac · « **Reply #18 on:** June 06, 2009, 07:44 AM »

Quote from: moranacus on June 06, 2009, 06:57 AM

I was told by someone else that something I can't detect (not sure what) its doing something
to my Windows XP making seem like its an invalid version. Is there a reason why I should
have to do this again when the tech that repaired my computer did this already????
I can't take these computer problems any longer!!!! I just paid $243 on May 11 to have my hard drive wiped and Windows XP reinstalled and I already have a problem.

Well the tech may not have reactivated your copy. Or possibly installed a non-authentic copy - but let's not assume that.

All you have to do is go to that Microsoft page and see if your copy is activated. If not they will activate it. This is not a big deal. If you are going to continue using a computer, you need to get used to this. Probably won't be the last time!

Jim

moranacus · « **Reply #19 on:** June 06, 2009, 08:02 AM »

Don't you sleep????
Thanks for you info!!!!
I never had to do this before!!!

moranacus · « **Reply #20 on:** June 06, 2009, 08:37 AM »

When I try to use Activate Windows nothing happens.
When I checked if it was valid at the Microsoft site I get the
following message:
Windows Activation Required.
Windows must be activated in order to determine if the Windows product key installed on this computer is genuine.

J-Mac · « **Reply #21 on:** June 06, 2009, 01:51 PM »

You went to this site as advised above? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/916247

Jim

wr975 · « **Reply #22 on:** June 06, 2009, 02:25 PM »

> I just paid $243 on May 11 to have my hard drive wiped and Windows XP reinstalled and I already have a problem.

There could be two things.

This tech guy installed a VLK version of Windows. Microsoft blacklisted some widespread VLK keys recently, so there...

Or you got some malware.

Anyway, this person who cleaned and installed Windows XP for you, messed up. Call this person and demand to have these issues fixed, for no cost. This can be done by remote desktop software and probably takes few minutes only. A not working Windows XP version or leaving someone with administration rights + no protection against malware isn't worth $243 at all.

J-Mac · « **Reply #23 on:** June 06, 2009, 04:20 PM »

Quote from: wr975 on June 06, 2009, 02:25 PM

> I just paid $243 on May 11 to have my hard drive wiped and Windows XP reinstalled and I already have a problem.

There could be two things.

This tech guy installed a VLK version of Windows. Microsoft blacklisted some widespread VLK keys recently, so there...

Or you got some malware.

Anyway, this person who cleaned and installed Windows XP for you, messed up. Call this person and demand to have these issues fixed, for no cost. This can be done by remote desktop software and probably takes few minutes only. A not working Windows XP version or leaving someone with administration rights + no protection against malware isn't worth $243 at all.

Of course it is possible that the tech reinstalled XP from moranacus's own disk. If the hard drive was wiped it is possible that XP is seeing this as "changed hardware" or thinks it may have been installed on a different computer. If the dialog isn't showing the right text in it the tech might not have noticed it. Or the dialog may not have started popping until 30 days after the reinstallation.

Don't want to hang the tech just yet!

Jim

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #24 on:** June 06, 2009, 04:35 PM »

I'll 2nd that (wr975), No machine ever leaves our shop without activation and all security updates installed. Make Them Fix It.

It takes all of 3 sec to verify activation, that should not have left the shop.