Crazy set of new problems

[jambonay]

OK to recap:

1) intermittent yet persistent pop up of windows search dialog box
2) Bing home page appears in reading pane of outlook 2007 in either mail or calender viewing
3) cursor unexpectedly jumps to search box in browser when typing in search terms


I have run all the various scans suggested in this string, turned up the previously mentioned plugin-kolobok.pdf and a few very recognizable cookies.

my current config per your instructions:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name JWA-M70
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Precision M70
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 2.00GHz, 2000 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A04, 3/20/2006
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7600.16385"
User Name JWA-M70\JWA
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 2.00 GB
Available Physical Memory 1.13 GB
Total Virtual Memory 4.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 2.83 GB
Page File Space 2.00 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

 

[Frostmourne]

I'm voting for a fresh clean install.

 

[karlsnooks]

I'm with Forstmourne

 

[RknRusty]

I third that suggestion. It would take longer to figure out what's causing it, probably more than one thing anyway. Put it out of its misery once and for all. And be sure to run the Windows 7 compatibility check before you get started.

 

[Frostmourne]

I third that suggestion. It would take longer to figure out what's causing it, probably more than one thing anyway. Put it out of its misery once and for all. And be sure to run the Windows 7 compatibility check before you get started.

If this won't do it, then your hardware has issues. Win-win!.

 

[gregrocker]

If you're hesitant to do the clean reinstall, then try the http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R as a last resort. It might work.

If you choose to clean reinstall, deep clean the HD using DBAN, free Partition Wizard bootable CD, or Diskpart commands.

To deep clean HD with Diskpart from Win7 DVD, select Repair on second screen, open a Command Line, type:

DISKPART
LIST DISK
SELECT DISK # (replace # with Win7 HD)
CLEAN ALL (This writes zeros so will take a long time)
create partition primary
select partition 1
assign letter=c:
active
format
exit

Reboot into DVD to Custom Install. Don't change any drivers given by installer or Windows Update unless performance dictates.

 

[WindowsStar]

I also vote for a clean install.

 

[jambonay]

Before I reinstall/install I want to add the following piece of information: I just noticed that I don't seem to be able to replicate the problem when the laptop is not docked in its docking station. Could that be the cause? Dell does not provide drivers for windows 7 for this computer and since the docking station is also from dell I wonder if the interaction of those two may be causing the problem. Any thoughts?

 

[fishnbanjo]

Your Docking Station more than likely has a driver associated with it and yes, that could be posing some of your issues. My DELL XPS Gen 1 is not listed as being Windows 7 ready but it runs Windows 7 Professional 32 just fine w/o issues but I have not tried the optional docking station that I have for it since I don't use that at home. I'd try to monitor it w/o the docking station and if you are problem free I'd guess you could try and find a Windows 7 driver for it. If you still have issues a clean install would be the best bet as had been mentioned several times, good luck.

 

[jambonay]

It has been running all morning out of the docking station with no reappearance of the problem....

 

[gregrocker]

Check the Event Viewer>Admin View and Diagnostics-Performance log for clues of what may be happening when it is placed in docking station.

Check also the Device manager to see if the hardware associated with docking station is in error

 

[jambonay]

will do when I get home this evening

 

[Frostmourne]

will do when I get home this evening

Results?

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Remember to post back to let us know how it sorts out.

 

[jambonay]

OK

when I drop the laptop into docking station the issues I have been describing immediately crop up so connecting to the docking ststion does seem to be the problem.

In device manager under devices there is an alert for "JWA-m70" (the computer). Drilling down into device properties under functions there is an alert for the Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-interface which says the device cannot start. Related?

In event viewer> admin view I got this:

: Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Processor-Power
Date: 3/10/2010 5:40:07 AM
Event ID: 37
Task Category: (7)
Level: Warning
Keywords:
User: SYSTEM
Computer: JWA-M70
Description:
The speed of processor 0 in group 0 is being limited by system firmware. The processor has been in this reduced performance state for 8 seconds since the last report.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Processor-Power" Guid="{0F67E49F-FE51-4E9F-B490-6F2948CC6027}" />
<EventID>37</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>3</Level>
<Task>7</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2010-03-10T10:40:07.289062500Z" />
<EventRecordID>9931</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="48" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>JWA-M70</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="Group">0</Data>
<Data Name="Number">0</Data>
<Data Name="CapDurationInSeconds">8</Data>
<Data Name="PpcChanges">2</Data>
<Data Name="TpcChanges">0</Data>
<Data Name="PccChanges">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


not sure where to look for "Diagnostics-Performance log"

 

[gregrocker]

Monitor performance events by clicking WEI score at Control Panel>System, then choosing Advanced Tools for Diagnostics-Performance log.