Windows 7 Windows : "This application has stopped working"

[Shireen]

Hi,
When I boot up my computer, it starts just fine, through the welcome screen and all. Just when I enter my home screen and my applications begin to start, my laptop activity hangs. I can move the cursor around, and any icon I click gets highlighted, but when double click on anything, the message shows up under the header 'Windows': " This application has stopped working....wait for the application to respond....shut down application yada yada."
If I end the application, the taskbar and icons all vanish, and then come back, still unresponsive.
And oh, through all of this, whenever I drag the cursor down to the taskbar, it always shows the waiting swirly circle.
What should I do? I run my computer in safe-mode, it worked just fine. Is it my startup programs?

 

[Fixer1234]

When you say, "Just when I enter my home screen and my applications begin to start", do you mean applications that auto load as part of startup or applications that you manually open immediately after startup?

If it is applications that auto load, then you are right, it is something in your startup. If it is specific programs that you manually open after startup, or a combination of programs that you routinely open after startup, the place to start looking is there.

The likely problem is either a corrupted program or two conflicting programs.

If you are not familiar with how to go about identifying the problem program, please clarify the question about when the problem starts so we can give you an appropriate procedure.

 

[Pauli]

Agree with Fixer. If you can place a date on when the problem started, you might try a restore point, Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Recovery > Open System Restore >

This will not harm your computer, but you might want to check for afflicted programs, so as to know what you may have to reinstall. It won't affect Windows.

Plus: One of the basic issues could be that your disk(s) are fragmented. How old is your computer? Have you defragged it "regularly"? Together with registry issues, it may cause a computer invalid.

You run your computer in safe mode? If you do that, the application that has stopped working, may simply have stopped working as it doesn't work in safe mode. Eh? And if the program that has stopped doesn't stop you working, why not uninstall / delete it completely?

Regards.

 

[Shireen]

@Fixer1234: I meant the applications that auto-load as part of the start-up, i have turned unchecked all programs I feel could be causing the problem. You mentioned conflicting programs, should I remove my antivirus? I already have the Microsoft Security essentials application.
My issue is not a constant one, It occurs, I restore my laptop to an earlier setting,and then its good for a few days.

 

[Shireen]

@Pauli: I'm using a refurbished laptop right now, running Windows 7 starter. I'll defrag, pronto, but my laptop doesn't have a lot of data to begin with. I got it less than a month ago, so there isn't a lot that I could accumulate during that time. My use is strictly minimal, the most I do with this laptop is maybe watch movies, listen to music or write/edit documents and presentations.
I removed the program I thought was causing the problem from my computer and it was good for a few days, but now again it has become a pain. I restored it hardly 25 minutes ago

 

[Pauli]

You're safe to run Windows 7 for several hours, if you have the security updates. You might try to shut down ALL your security programs just to see how it works.

 

[Shireen]

On it .

 

[Fixer1234]

@Fixer1234: I meant the applications that auto-load as part of the start-up, i have turned unchecked all programs I feel could be causing the problem. You mentioned conflicting programs, should I remove my antivirus? I already have the Microsoft Security essentials application.
My issue is not a constant one, It occurs, I restore my laptop to an earlier setting,and then its good for a few days.

You never want two AV programs running at the same time. They trip over each other. Many AV programs will give you a message when you install them that you need to disable MSE if the installer detects it. If you have MSE and another AV program both load at startup, that is almost guaranteed to be your problem. Pick whichever is the better AV program and have that be the one that runs in the background. Run any other AV programs to do specific scans (run it like any other program, have it do its scans, then close it). The issue is two programs both trying to pre-screen activity in real time (what happens when they run in the background). Running a scan just looks at existing files that are sitting on your computer. If you want to run scans with several different virus checkers (each can be better at finding different problems), run them one at a time rather than concurrently. They are very resource intensive and compete for the same resources. Running them concurrently won't save time and you won't be able to accomplish anything else while they're running.

 

[Pauli]

True what Fixer says: AV programs hunt each other; actually increasing your security, since all security programs do in fact act as spyware / trojans that take a deeper look in your computer > other AVs you may have controlling, react to it. You should be careful not to have more than one running actively; you may have others passive, only running scans on demand. The composition may be a task, but generally all present security programs do their job, quite well. The debate of "best AV" is most probably a non-ending one.

 

[Shireen]

So what you are basically trying to say is that I should only be running one antivirus actively, so I'm not really tech-savvy, so I un-installed MSE, and I'm keeping my other antivirus. Hopefully that would resolve the problem. But then again, I don't know if it worked until I get a hung/stuck screen again :-/

 

[Fixer1234]

You only want to have one AV program auto-load during start-up. Those run in the background catching stuff before it happens. You can open another AV program and have it run a scan on what is already on your computer without disabling the program running in the background. For those kinds of scans, don't try to run two different virus checkers concurrently, run them one at a time. I don't use MSE, but from what I understand, it isn't bad. Also, it will probably "play well with others", which can be a problem with some other programs like Norton and McAfee. A good strategy might be to use MSE as the one you run in the background and then run other programs to supplement on a regular basis, like at the end of each day or every few days (or if you suspect the computer might be infected).

 

[Pauli]

One more point of view, presented by a F-Secure top notch in an interview, The best option is to have your whole security pack come from one provider. That is, don't build a jungle of various programs, use one maker to provide AV, Firewall... everything. That way, it's more or less synchronized. Running various scans independently, is quite another matter. But don't have a dozen security software running all the time, they'll just collide.

To repeat my repetitions: I have no connections to F-Secure, financial or other, I don't use their software - this is not a statement of distrust.

 

[Fixer1234]

The best option is to have your whole security pack come from one provider.

The folks at Microsoft wholeheartedly agree and they're more than happy to do that for you.

ps -- I have no connection to Microsoft, financial or other, and this statement is not an endorsement or criticism of any product or person, living or dead ("living or dead" refers to "person", not "product"). In fact, if anyone misinterprets, misunderstands, or takes this or any prior statements the wrong way, I hereby deny I ever even said them ("them" refers to "statements", not "anyone").

 

[Pauli]

Eh, I may be slightly over sensitive about these connections...