1:11 PM 25/11/2005

Had an unusual startup problem with my WinME system.

My computer would not shut down properly. Normally, when I select 'shutdown', my computer would powerdown and shut off automatically. Then, one day, it decided not to. It would go to a blank screen and just freeze up.

When I restarted the computer, 'scandisk' would start up everytime claiming an 'improper shutdown'. If I select to 'resart' from the logoff screen, then the computer seemed to have restarted ok but the 'scandisk' kept popping up claiming 'improper shutdown'.

I installed a new printer, a Lexmark X74 all-in-one, that is, a printer, scanner, and a copier all in one. I assumed that it might of been the problem at first, although I used the printer a number of days before the problem started. And I wasn't prepared to give it up without a fight.

I assumed it might be my printer because, even now, it screws up my display, slightly, every time I use it.

So I decided To go online, yet again, to try and determine what the problem was.

What did I find out:

• info link: ScanDisk Runs Even Though Windows Shut Down Correctly - http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=273017
• More info: http://aumha.org/win4/a/shtdownme.htm
• I was instructed to download this patch. http://download.microsoft.com/download/winme/update/11956/winme/en-us/273017usam.exe
• Create this reg file. Highlight and Copy the information between the lines but not the lines themselve. Open notepad and then paste it in. Save it as 'shutdownme.reg', actually you can call it what you want as long as you rename the .txt extension to .reg. Then just double-click on this file called 'shutdownme.reg or right-click on it and chose 'merge' from the menu.

  ---

  REGEDIT4 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] "PowerDownAfterShutdown"="1"

  ---

Did any of this work you may ask. NO!! Then why am I telling you this? What works for one may or may not work for all. What did work?

Because my computer wasn't shutting down properly, I was concerned about damaging my Windows setup. I only recently restored it from a backup because it got screwed up. And I wasn't prepared to go through it a second time.

First I booted up in MSDOS mode. I know you are saying - You can't do that with WinME, well you can if you download and run this patch Dosfix3.exe: http://www.overclockers.com.au/techstuff/a_dos_me/ . This is one I used for awhile now. When I start up my computer now, instead of going directly into windows, a menu comes up giving me the option of:

• 1/ Start Windows
• 2/ Start MSDOS

STARDARD WARNINGS!! I am not responsible for any damage done by following thesse procedures. To try this program download Dosfix3.exe, double-click on installer and choose a folder to unstall it in. Then copy all files to a floppy disk. Boot up with a boot or startup disk and then switch disks with the one with the Dosfix3 files on it. Type 'runmme' and follow instructions.

It also has a undo feature if you want to remove it. One more thing you should know. Windows doesn't liked to be changed. It always seems to complain about custom changes by breaking somewhere else, in this case, You will not be able to boot up in 'safe mode'. To do so you would have to run the program again and reverse the procedure.

Otherwise a boot disk comes in real handy.

Anyway, once booted up I ran 'scandisk' and did a full surface scan. Trying to do it within Windows is a real pain in the butt. It revealed 145 bad clusters. I still don't know if this was the cause of the problem or the result of it but it solved my problem.

MSDOS mode is the perfect and sometimes the only way to fix Windows problems. Curse Microsoft for removing it.