Cursor is frozen, need help big time!

LindaP · 04-30-2005, 11:22 AM

I started having problems with my computer, a COMPAQ with Win98 a couple days ago (I am using hubby's laptop to write this). All of a sudden the cursor would start jumping all over the screen, opening windows, etc. I used Spybot and Adaware and cleaned up some seemingly minor stuff. That didn't help. I then read that it might be the mouse, so I put on a different mouse. That didn't help.

I thought I had virus protection through Earthlink, but used Spysweeper which said it found some stuff. I decided to buy it and downloaded it to my computer. Now the cursor is frozen. I have tried to boot into safe mode, but it doesn't seem to recognize the F8 key. The cursor works when the Start up menu is loading, but freezes as soon as Spysweeper is loaded.

Does anyone have any suggestions short of reformatting the drive? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Geekgirl · 04-30-2005, 11:49 AM

Hello and Welcome to TSF

Your system may be infected with trojans/viruses.

You need to stop Spysweeper from starting at boot. Then you may need to reinstall it.

What I would do only because you can not boot to safe mode nor boot normal without freezing is place the hard drive in another computer and use Housecall to scan the drive. I would also remove spysweeper from the drive and try a fresh install.

So you don't know if you had an anti-virus program installed ?

LindaP · 04-30-2005, 11:57 AM

I think that Earthlink provides protection according to their site. I've never had anything more than some of the junk from using the internet. I've been using Mozilla Firefox for almost a year. I don't open email that I don't know the sender.

I don't have another computer available and wouldn't know how to remove the disk anyway. Is there something other than the F8 key that interrupts the boot up? The diskette drive also doesn't work, so I can't boot from a start up disk.

Geekgirl · 05-01-2005, 09:12 AM

DId the diskette drive also just quit on you or has it always been bad? You have a working cd-rom?

Without a working drive to boot from I'm not sure there is anything we can have you try to get you back up and running.

The main object is to get Spysweeper from loading at startup which seems to be what's causing it to freeze.

Personally I wouldn't trust any ISP's anti-virus and would most definately install one on my own computer.

LindaP · 05-01-2005, 11:57 AM

I managed to get Spysweeper stopped by doing CTL-ALT-DEL in the startup process and cancelling the task. I was still freezing so I removed Spysweeper completely. This morning I was able to run Housecall and it found no problems on the system. The computer seemed to be operating okay so I re-installed Spysweeper. As soon as I opened it, the computer froze. I removed the whole thing again and will contact their support tomorrow.

The diskette drive hasn't worked for awhile. I think I need a new computer!

Thanks for your help. I still don't know what is causing the computer to freeze, but it's working for now. Is it possible the mouse is going bad and that is causing my problem?

Geekgirl · 05-01-2005, 04:17 PM

Its possible Spysweeper is conflicting with another program you have installed. Do you have AOL, I know AOL has a program that is a spyware removal program that didnt play well with Spyware Guard program.
I would say if it doesnt freeze with Spysweeper installed and it freezes with it installed there's your culprit.

Try using Spybot S&D and see if you get conflicts. It is a good program and I believe serves the same purpose.

If you tried another known working mouse and it did the same thing it is not a mouse problem.

04-30-2005, 11:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
LindaP Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP	Cursor is frozen, need help big time! I started having problems with my computer, a COMPAQ with Win98 a couple days ago (I am using hubby's laptop to write this). All of a sudden the cursor would start jumping all over the screen, opening windows, etc. I used Spybot and Adaware and cleaned up some seemingly minor stuff. That didn't help. I then read that it might be the mouse, so I put on a different mouse. That didn't help. I thought I had virus protection through Earthlink, but used Spysweeper which said it found some stuff. I decided to buy it and downloaded it to my computer. Now the cursor is frozen. I have tried to boot into safe mode, but it doesn't seem to recognize the F8 key. The cursor works when the Start up menu is loading, but freezes as soon as Spysweeper is loaded. Does anyone have any suggestions short of reformatting the drive? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Last edited by LindaP; 04-30-2005 at 11:24 AM. Reason: spelling and clarification

04-30-2005, 11:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,183 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	Hello and Welcome to TSF Your system may be infected with trojans/viruses. You need to stop Spysweeper from starting at boot. Then you may need to reinstall it. What I would do only because you can not boot to safe mode nor boot normal without freezing is place the hard drive in another computer and use Housecall to scan the drive. I would also remove spysweeper from the drive and try a fresh install. So you don't know if you had an anti-virus program installed ? __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

05-01-2005, 09:12 AM	#4 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,183 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	DId the diskette drive also just quit on you or has it always been bad? You have a working cd-rom? Without a working drive to boot from I'm not sure there is anything we can have you try to get you back up and running. The main object is to get Spysweeper from loading at startup which seems to be what's causing it to freeze. Personally I wouldn't trust any ISP's anti-virus and would most definately install one on my own computer. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

05-01-2005, 04:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,183 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	Its possible Spysweeper is conflicting with another program you have installed. Do you have AOL, I know AOL has a program that is a spyware removal program that didnt play well with Spyware Guard program. I would say if it doesnt freeze with Spysweeper installed and it freezes with it installed there's your culprit. Try using Spybot S&D and see if you get conflicts. It is a good program and I believe serves the same purpose. If you tried another known working mouse and it did the same thing it is not a mouse problem. __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

04-30-2005, 11:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
LindaP Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP	I think that Earthlink provides protection according to their site. I've never had anything more than some of the junk from using the internet. I've been using Mozilla Firefox for almost a year. I don't open email that I don't know the sender. I don't have another computer available and wouldn't know how to remove the disk anyway. Is there something other than the F8 key that interrupts the boot up? The diskette drive also doesn't work, so I can't boot from a start up disk.

05-01-2005, 11:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
LindaP Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3 OS: WinXP	I managed to get Spysweeper stopped by doing CTL-ALT-DEL in the startup process and cancelling the task. I was still freezing so I removed Spysweeper completely. This morning I was able to run Housecall and it found no problems on the system. The computer seemed to be operating okay so I re-installed Spysweeper. As soon as I opened it, the computer froze. I removed the whole thing again and will contact their support tomorrow. The diskette drive hasn't worked for awhile. I think I need a new computer! Thanks for your help. I still don't know what is causing the computer to freeze, but it's working for now. Is it possible the mouse is going bad and that is causing my problem?