Windows error messages

[ethel]

I'm using a Compaq Intel Celeron 633mhz with Windows ME. Lately, the computer keeps freezing and when I try to close programs with the Task Manager, I usually end up with the dreaded blue screen and error messages. Although the message says that I can return to Windows, I usually can't and have to manually turn off my computer and restart and wait for scandisk, etc. I periodically use AdAware, Spybot and McAfee Virus scan but it seems that these don't make a significant difference anymore. I might be crazy but it seems to me that I've had more trouble since installing MSN Messenger 7.0, but maybe I'm just looking for a scapegoat. I'll try reinstalling it too.

Is there a place where I can look up these error messages to see what they actually mean? Is there a quick (and inexpensive) fix?

Thanks for any help!

[glc]

You can try a system restore back to a date when it was still running okay.

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/inst...em_restore.htm

[ethel]

I turned off my system restore quite some time ago because the scans took so long to go through it all. I'm not sure that I'd like to go back so far to do a system restore. I'd really like to see what the error messages stand for and just try to fix those problems.

Thanks for replying!

[Ob1]

use this site to pinpoint your dreaded BSOD error:
http://aumha.org/win5/kbestop.htm

[glc]

Ob1, that page is only for NT/2K/XP, the poster has ME.

[Dark Nova]

this is a 3 part question

1) when you get the blue screen of death what does it say?
2) how long you had your computer?
3)when did this start?

[GaryRouth]

Hi all

ethel - if you post the error here, we may have seen it before & might know a quick repair. So more information can help (sorry I'm being a little redundant - others have mentioned this already).

Also, if you wish to track down the error yourself, you can always simply copy it word-for-word and enter it in a Google search. You can try the same method at the "Microsoft Knowledge Base" search, too, if you like to hear the side of the folks who made the error message in the first place http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1 And here's the link that Ob1 probably meant to send, from the aumha.org site's list of error messages for Win95/98/Me http://aumha.org/win4/kberrmsg.htm ---> the aumha.org list is sort of a "tip-of-the-iceberg" list of some of the most common errors.

And, if I can add just a little extra thing to check: if your system is stable enough to run an online scan, try visiting TrendMicro's new online HouseCall scanner - it's been improved = it is more thorough than ever: alerting you to problems with present virus and spyware infections, along with any Windows/or Application vulnerabilities that you might need the Security Updates for. Housecall is at http://housecall.trendmicro.com

Visit Windows Update to grab Security patches for Windows, and if you have MS Office (any version), click on the "Office Family" link in the toolbar - this will take you to a site where you can see if your Office has Security patches you need to install.

Hope it's a happy camper again soon.
. . . Gary