Hey Richard - How nice it is to hear from you once again.

Rest assured this is most likely [i:1s75nosp]not[/i:1s75nosp] something your beloved Shirley has invoked.....most likely suspect is a bad registry key.

Is the computer in question a Dell?? Have to know that first and once we have that information can offer a quick and simple solution for you mate.

cheers now.....JIM

Hey Richard - I thought it might be....the computer a Dell that is.

1) Go to [b:9duj63hq]Start[/b:9duj63hq] and then [b:9duj63hq]Run[/b:9duj63hq].
2) Into the run dialogue box type[b:9duj63hq] msconfig[/b:9duj63hq] and hit [b:9duj63hq]OK[/b:9duj63hq] or 'enter'.
3) Across the top of the System Configuration Utility window you will see 7 headings; click on the [b:9duj63hq]Startup[/b:9duj63hq] tab.
4) Now look for this entry [b:9duj63hq]/I:ENG[/b:9duj63hq] and if you find it remove the checkmark (tick) from the little box adjacent to that entry.
5) Click [b:9duj63hq]Apply[/b:9duj63hq] and then [b:9duj63hq]OK[/b:9duj63hq]
6) Restart the computer.

If you could not locate that entry please do the following:

1) Click on this link and go to the website: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.co.....tweaks.htm
2) Scroll down to item number [b:9duj63hq]260[/b:9duj63hq]. On the [b:9duj63hq]right hand side[/b:9duj63hq] of the page, adjacent to item number 260, you will see [b:9duj63hq]System32 Folder Opens Upon Boot[/b:9duj63hq].
3) Click on that entry to download and save to computer.
4) Run the script; Double click on the file you just downloaded then click on the [b:9duj63hq]Open[/b:9duj63hq] button.
5) Restart the computer.

Please post back if neither of those solutions work mate....one of them [i:9duj63hq]should[/i:9duj63hq] fix the annoying little beggar.

cheers and beers (hugs for Shirley),
JIM

Twould...a perfectly legitimate portmanteau

Okay Richard....shame neither of those things worked. One more easy fix to try and then it's on to the difficult stage:

Go to this site and download the Dell patch from here: http://support.dell.com/support/downloa ... leid=98306

Install the patch and then restart the computer.

If that doesn't work please do this for me: Go back into [b:27l09gq6]msconfig[/b:27l09gq6] as per the steps in my initial reply, only his time click on the [b:27l09gq6]Services[/b:27l09gq6] tab. Place a checkmark in the box to "Hide all Microsoft Services" and then click on the [b:27l09gq6]Disable all[/b:27l09gq6] button. Click [b:27l09gq6]Apply[/b:27l09gq6] then [b:27l09gq6]OK[/b:27l09gq6] and restart the computer. Let me know if that stops the windows32 folder from popping up please.

good luck....JIM (fingers, toes, everything crossed )

Hey Shirl - You are being too hard on yourself mate...if ya don't have a go, ya ain't gunna learn nuffin'!!

That was my best English....Richard will be cringing

Well I must admit to getting to the point where I am starting to run out of ideas. This problem is generally caused by an errant registry entry but the message you are getting after running Kelly's script suggests that may not be the case here. That leaves us with a service or startup item as the most likely suspect and we have all but eliminated that possibility too.

We'll try one more simple setting; Please go to [b:1v0fimv9]Start[/b:1v0fimv9] and then [b:1v0fimv9]Control Panel[/b:1v0fimv9] and from there open [b:1v0fimv9]Folder Options[/b:1v0fimv9]. Click on the [b:1v0fimv9]View[/b:1v0fimv9] tab (across the top) and scroll down to locate this option.."Restore previous folder windows at log on". The little box adjacent to that setting should be empty, if there is a checkmark (tick) in there remove the checkmark and restart the computer.

If there is already no tick in there, read on McDuff:

Do you have screen capture software installed? Can you go back into msconfig for me, click on the [b:1v0fimv9]Startup[/b:1v0fimv9] tab and post a screen shot here of all the items in that list?

Here is a link to a Microsoft article which suggests a fix for this problem, you will see it requires editing the registry. It sounds really complicated but would you be confident enough to follow the steps if I helped you through them?
http://support.microsoft.com/?.....bid=170086

cheers Shirley,
JIM

Hey Shirl - Okay...good on ya mate!! It's not as complicated as it sounds.

First off we are going to back up the registry just in case one of us makes a mistake ....better to be safe than sorry.

To back up the registry follow this guide:

1) Click on [b:2sdhg2qy]Start[/b:2sdhg2qy] then [b:2sdhg2qy]Run[/b:2sdhg2qy].
2) Type [b:2sdhg2qy]regedit[/b:2sdhg2qy] into the Run dialogue box and then click [b:2sdhg2qy]OK[/b:2sdhg2qy].
3) Click on [b:2sdhg2qy]File[/b:2sdhg2qy] and then [b:2sdhg2qy]Export[/b:2sdhg2qy].
4) In the "Export Registry File" window, type in a suitable name for the backup and select a save location you can find easily, 'Documents' by default.
5) Make sure the 'Export Range' (at the bottom of the window) is set to [b:2sdhg2qy]All[/b:2sdhg2qy]
6) Click on [b:2sdhg2qy]Save[/b:2sdhg2qy].
N.B.[i:2sdhg2qy] Should you ever need to restore the registry, locate the back up file (.reg), right click on it and select [b:2sdhg2qy]Merge[/b:2sdhg2qy]. You'll be asked if you really want to do that, click [b:2sdhg2qy]Yes[/b:2sdhg2qy].
[/i:2sdhg2qy]
Do that first and then follow these steps:

Open up the registry editor; Follow step numbers 1 and 2 above.

It's important to note that when inside the registry editor any item with a plus sign in a little box next to it can be expanded to reveal sub entries....just left click on the + to expand.

1) Expand [b:2sdhg2qy]HKEY_CURRENT_USER[/b:2sdhg2qy] then scroll down locate and expand [b:2sdhg2qy]Software[/b:2sdhg2qy]. Now scroll down again and locate and expand [b:2sdhg2qy]Microsoft[/b:2sdhg2qy], then scroll down locate and expand [b:2sdhg2qy]Windows[/b:2sdhg2qy]. Now scroll down locate and expand [b:2sdhg2qy]Current Version[/b:2sdhg2qy] and you should see the [b:2sdhg2qy]Run[/b:2sdhg2qy] entry. Left click on the folder icon next to [b:2sdhg2qy]Run[/b:2sdhg2qy] and a list of registry values should now appear in the right window pane. Please supply me with the details of all those entries.
2) Close up all the expanded items again by clicking on the little minus signs.

All that process (of scrolling down, locating and expanding ) is simplified by putting it this way: [b:2sdhg2qy]HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrent VersionRun[/b:2sdhg2qy]

From here on, for simplification, that is the format we shall employ.
Next:
1) Navigate to [b:2sdhg2qy]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun[/b:2sdhg2qy]
2) Click on the folder icon next to [b:2sdhg2qy]Run[/b:2sdhg2qy] and please supply me with the details of all those entries (from the right window pane).
3) Close up all expanded items again by clicking on the little minus signs and then close the registry editor.

Once I have that information to hand I will know whether or not we are dealing with an incorrect registry entry.

It's a bit of a rigmarole Shirley but without me being able to actually see the entries first hand it's about the only means available.

cheers.....JIM