Rapid fire beeping at startup and cpu spike

First time post for me so please excuse the noob mistakes. I'm running an amd 450 mhz machine with win 98. (2nd edition I believe). Upon startup almost as soon as the first drivers start loading my machine starts to beep ( rapid fire out of control). No errors show up while the drivers are loading. Once the machine is up and running it intermittinly hangs ( as the cpu spikes according to norton). The longer it runs the more it hangs until it finally locks. On some programs with open promps the computer will automatically dash out the space.(you can delete this and then fill in the required imformation and the program will work fine.) I have run adaware and spybot and norton utilities. I have removed the drivers to my sound card , cd writer and turned the graphics excellerator off with no positive results. When I bring the computer up in safe mode I don't have thie problem.

Perhaps the keyboard is faulty?

For example, if I helpd down the space-bar on my keyboard during startup, the PC would beep like crazy until I let go again.

If it doesn't happen in safe mode, then maybe it is related to the drivers. Have you got a "special" keyboard? (e.g. lots of function buttons along the top?) If so, try substituing for a known good keyboard, then boot into safe mode, then remove the software that comes with your other keyboard and then reboot into normal mode.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gutted

Perhaps the keyboard is faulty?

For example, if I helpd down the space-bar on my keyboard during startup, the PC would beep like crazy until I let go again.

If it doesn't happen in safe mode, then maybe it is related to the drivers. Have you got a "special" keyboard? (e.g. lots of function buttons along the top?) If so, try substituing for a known good keyboard, then boot into safe mode, then remove the software that comes with your other keyboard and then reboot into normal mode.

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Thats a good point it does beep like I have a key stuck. My keyboard is just a typical plug and play I will swap keyboards and see if that makes a difference.
I don't have any special software for it though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homer80

Thats a good point it does beep like I have a key stuck. My keyboard is just a typical plug and play I will swap keyboards and see if that makes a difference.
I don't have any special software for it though.

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related to keyboard - Your problem may also be in the Keyboard connector (Ps/2 or AT) on your computer.

Cheers,
Gabriel

I changed keyboard and the beeping stopped. But the cpu still spikes and with win98 I cant tell whats using the resources. Norton utilities cpu moniter definetly confirms the spiking and eventual lock. I removed as many drivers as i could with no possitive results. I used the task manager to shutdown as much as I could and it still spikes.

What happens when you boot into Win98 safe mode?

If it doesn't spike (and lock up) then you know it's either:

(a) an application or other software that has been loaded on since the OS was built; or
(b) a driver that you;ve not been able to remove

Do a search on google for "Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel". Download and install it, then run this once you've booted into safe mode. It will tell you everything that is configured to run at startup including stuff in autoexec.bat, config.sys, system.ini and also in various sections of the registry.

DON'T UNCHECK/DELETE ANYTHING UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR!!!

Post back here with information from the startup control panel, and between us we should be able to slim down the startup process and hopefully identify "likely suspects" and disable them to see if it cures the prob...

Dan.

"Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel". Folder contents
hklm/run
AtiCwd 32
HPHAIMON (Hp driver)
Load Power Profile (rundll.exe program?)
Scan Registry
Task Manager
Wsys.exe


hkcu/run
AIM

run once
nothing

services
load power profile
scheduling agent

start up
nothing

Thats what I have in the folders, once again it doesn't lock in safe mode
I hope you see something. Thanks for your help.

Why not use msconfig?
It comes with win98, so you don't have to download anything.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Homer80

"Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel". Folder contents
hklm/run
AtiCwd 32
HPHAIMON (Hp driver)
Load Power Profile (rundll.exe program?)
Scan Registry
Task Manager
Wsys.exe


hkcu/run
AIM

run once
nothing

services
load power profile
scheduling agent

start up
nothing

Thats what I have in the folders, once again it doesn't lock in safe mode
I hope you see something. Thanks for your help.

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Wsys.exe is a Trojan.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99624.htm
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99971.htm
http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/anal...manifesta.html

Is your Virus software updated?
Try AVG if you do not have a Virus software installed.


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Homer80,

Sorry - I didn't initially see that it runs fine in safe mode ;)

Apart from the trojan identified by vip2, you might also want to try disabling your AOL Instant Messenger to see if that helps (it listed as AIM). You can always re-enable it again once we resolve the problem.

I've been trying to find info on aticwd 32, but have had no luck yet. I'll report back here if I find anything. (Leave it as it is fo now though).

Dan.

Just found some info on aticwd32.

Apparently it's related to your graphics card - if you DON'T have TV-out, then you can uncheck this item. If this has any positive impact, maybe you could download latest drivers and reinstall the VGA?

Dan.

There is a worm allright, but therre is also one routuine I specialy dont like: the HP utility. For two times now I have had to disable that stupid HP drivers from startup in two diferent machines that had Norton installed. Both times the problems started with slow, very slow system simptoms (CPU 100%). Once i disabled the hp software from startup (you keep printing with no problems, those hp utilities are dum things jus to to give you functions usualy nobody uses) everithing started working fine.
I sugest you clean the worm and with msconfig (just type it on the run menu, followed by 'enter', the go to startup tab and disable it/ or you coul open services in Administrative Tools/Control Panel and chose the HP service, propreties and choos 'disable') stop HP routine from running on startup.

Greetings from the country of Sun

Thanks again for all the help guys. The trojan is the problem (altough I unloaded the hp driver also) I unchecked it in the startup control and I have no problems. My anti virus isn't getting it tough. So I'm gonna have to dive into the registry and start digging. :flame: Any tips will be helpfull!

Careful if going into the registry... Probably best to get an app to do it for you.

Ad Aware is good, as is "HijackThis". If you download and install both, then run each in turn, that should do the trick for you. The trojan is most likely malware in which case HijackThis should sort it even if Ad Aware can't remove it.

Both apps are great though - and free. When used together they totally rule.

Dan.

(Disclaimer: other anti-spyware tools are available)