Tech Support Forum - View Single Post - Vista SP1 laptop gets opaque windows, freeze, C+A+D gives an error.

zgrowler2 · 10-22-2008, 03:06 PM

Machine specs:
SONY VAIO NR385E
Intel Core 2 Duo T1550 1.83GHz
2GB RAM
Vista Home Premium SP1, default settings.

AV: AVG 8.0
AS: AVG 7.5
Firewall: Windows

Starting last night, my computer started getting opaque windows whenever I clicked within one, or to "X" out of one, or to open a link. Start Menu became unresponsive. Ctrl-Alt-Del hangs at the shiny Vista background that says "Preparing security options" or something to that effect, mouse is stuck as Hourglass/blue circle thing. (the machine was fine prior to this)

Reboot in Safe Mode, run AVG AS + Task Manager to check Up Time and processes, locks up halfway through scan. (roughly 12min)

Reboot in Normal Mode, run AVG AS + Task Manager and leave it overnight (it freezes completely, mouse and all, in roughly 20min)

Reboot, startup takes forever, CHKDSK pops up and runs, time is spent "Repairing the unreadable security descriptors data stream." More freeze. Ctrl+Alt+Del produces a black screen.

Reboot, startup is normal, CHKDSK finds and fixes one (1) bad cluster. Up time: roughly 40min.

When I go into Hibernate, the machine reboots and displays the "recovered from unexpected shutdown" dialog as if I had hard reset it.

Multiple reboots later, I'm still getting the opaque windows (not sure what triggers them, but opening/closing windows seems to do it sometimes) and eventual taskbar lockup. Can't end processes through taskmgr. Ctrl+Alt+Del before opaque windows/freeze works fine, Ctrl+Alt+Del after opaque windows/freeze produces black screen, sometimes with "Failure - security options" dialog. The machine is fully functional before the freezing starts; I'm still trying to see what triggers it.

According to http://www.vistax64.com/vista-perfor...eate-dial.html, this has happened to more than a few people. Suggestions thrown out included Checking for conflicting AV programs (I have none unless Windows Firewall turned on me) or replacing the HDD (hardly practical, plus I have no effective method of backing this one up since the DVD burner is on the laptop).

I have tried both AVG and CCCleaner, but neither can finish a scan.

This could not have happened at a more inconvenient time; all my notes for college are on the laptop and not being able to access them is a major pain. Any ideas?

edit: System Restore may work, but IO don't know if I have any recent points. My machine may or may not have been making the scheduled restore points.

10-22-2008, 03:06 PM	#1 (permalink)
zgrowler2 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 9 OS: WinXP SP4	Vista SP1 laptop gets opaque windows, freeze, C+A+D gives an error. Machine specs: SONY VAIO NR385E Intel Core 2 Duo T1550 1.83GHz 2GB RAM Vista Home Premium SP1, default settings. AV: AVG 8.0 AS: AVG 7.5 Firewall: Windows Starting last night, my computer started getting opaque windows whenever I clicked within one, or to "X" out of one, or to open a link. Start Menu became unresponsive. Ctrl-Alt-Del hangs at the shiny Vista background that says "Preparing security options" or something to that effect, mouse is stuck as Hourglass/blue circle thing. (the machine was fine prior to this) Reboot in Safe Mode, run AVG AS + Task Manager to check Up Time and processes, locks up halfway through scan. (roughly 12min) Reboot in Normal Mode, run AVG AS + Task Manager and leave it overnight (it freezes completely, mouse and all, in roughly 20min) Reboot, startup takes forever, CHKDSK pops up and runs, time is spent "Repairing the unreadable security descriptors data stream." More freeze. Ctrl+Alt+Del produces a black screen. Reboot, startup is normal, CHKDSK finds and fixes one (1) bad cluster. Up time: roughly 40min. When I go into Hibernate, the machine reboots and displays the "recovered from unexpected shutdown" dialog as if I had hard reset it. Multiple reboots later, I'm still getting the opaque windows (not sure what triggers them, but opening/closing windows seems to do it sometimes) and eventual taskbar lockup. Can't end processes through taskmgr. Ctrl+Alt+Del before opaque windows/freeze works fine, Ctrl+Alt+Del after opaque windows/freeze produces black screen, sometimes with "Failure - security options" dialog. The machine is fully functional before the freezing starts; I'm still trying to see what triggers it. According to http://www.vistax64.com/vista-perfor...eate-dial.html, this has happened to more than a few people. Suggestions thrown out included Checking for conflicting AV programs (I have none unless Windows Firewall turned on me) or replacing the HDD (hardly practical, plus I have no effective method of backing this one up since the DVD burner is on the laptop). I have tried both AVG and CCCleaner, but neither can finish a scan. This could not have happened at a more inconvenient time; all my notes for college are on the laptop and not being able to access them is a major pain. Any ideas? edit: System Restore may work, but IO don't know if I have any recent points. My machine may or may not have been making the scheduled restore points. Last edited by zgrowler2; 10-22-2008 at 03:08 PM.