Windows Startup

[meiklesmith]

Hi,

I'm pretty new to this so please bear with me!

I have a Time PC.
Once I start my pc up, everything loads up fine but once it 's done a pop up box appears with the following message:

a yellow triangle witha black exclamation mark on the left and on the same line in bold, 'Devices or applications disabled

then it goes:

'CD Recording Software' will cause Windows to become unstable. Windows has prevented these drivers from loading.
Click here for more details.

I then click where it says 'Click here for more details' and a new page appears with links to 'Easy CD Creator' sites, Roxio and Window Media Player sites. Now I did load up an Easy CD Creator disc as I couldn't seem to use my CD Writer drive but I realised I hadn't enabled my drive to record, anyway, so I uninstalled Easy CD creator.

So, I've recently installed Nero Smart 6 and basically the PC doesn't seem to like it even though I have used Nero a couple of times and it does work, but I am experiencing a lot of unexpected behaviour with my PC and on occasions totally freezing my PC and unable to restart my pc without switching it off at the wall.

Basically, what I would like to know is how I can get rid of this pop up box that appears evertime i switch my pc and I would really appreciate if anybody could help me!!

Many thanks

Smudge

[NHH]

Hi there Smudge, apologies for the delay in replying ... it doesn't usually take me this long to check the forum....

Anyway, this message you are getting is Windows XP telling you that some software or a driver that you've installed is not compatible with Windows XP and it will be disabled in order to protect the operating system.
This is most likely because you've installed some old, pre-XP software or a driver intended for another operating system.

If this only started happening when you installed Easy CD Creator then that will be the problem. If you've uninstalled it but you are still having problems then it has either left something on the computer or it has changed a Windows driver.

To see if there is a startup component causing the problem, do the following;
Click on Start, & Run, type in msconfig and lcik the OK button.
This will launch the 'System Configuration Utility', in this utility click on the Startup tab. This will show you all the programs that are set to startup when you start Windows. If you can see something that may be related to Easy CD Creator then remove the tick... if not then try the 'Disable All' button then reboot you PC.
When Windows restarts you shouldn't get your message.
Then try enabling the startup programs one by one and rebooting to test to see which one is causing the problem.

Also try cleaning up the Windows registry to clear out any remaining regkeys left by uninstalled software, CCleaner is a good, free program that will do this.

Now ... once your dodgy software has been cleared up, if you're still experiencing other problems there are a couple of things I'd suggest;
1. Do a complete virus scan online to see if your installed anti-virus program has missed anything out... (especially if it's Norton ), you can run an online virus scan by clicking on the Housecall logo on the right of the front page of Nethomehelp.co.uk.
2. You can run the System File Checker which will usually fix any OS problems. Run this by doing the following;
>>Click Start, Run and type in sfc /scannow and follow the prompts. This may ask you for your Windows XP CD.

Good Luck

[Smudge]

Hey Vin,

Thanks for the reply and advice : the good news is I have no virus on my PC after running an online virus check using Housecall !!

The not so good news is that I'm still seeing that box even after using the System Configuration Utility and 'disabling all'

Also, I tried to run the System File Checker but I have no Windows XP disc as it all came already installed with my Time PC.

Downloaded the CCleaner as well but to no avail either!

Hoping you have some more advice...........!!!

Many thanks

Smudge

(Seve recommended this website, very impressive!!)

[NHH]

Hi Smudge...

It sounds as if you tried to install Easy CD Creator 3.5 or earlier which is only for Windows 98.

In the case that you've already uninstalled the program, Microsoft have documented the fix HERE....
Or follow the instructions below....

• Click Start, and then click Search.
  
• Click All files and folders.
  
• In the All or part of the file name box, type cdr*.sys.
  
• In the Look in list, click Local Hard Drives C:, and then click Search.
  
• In the right pane of the Search Results dialog box, rename the following files if they are listed:
  
  Cdr4_2K.sys
  Cdralw2k.sys
  To do this, right-click a file, and then click Rename on the shortcut menu that appears. Rename the .sys file extension to .old, and then press ENTER.
  
  
• When you are finished renaming the files, close the Search Results dialog box.
  
• Click Start, and then click Run.
  
• In the Open box, type regedit, and then click OK.
  
• Navigate to the following registry subkey:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E965-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}
  
  
• In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, right-click the UpperFilters value (if it is present), and then click Delete on the shortcut menu that appears. Click Yes on the Confirm Value Delete message that appears.
  
• In the right pane of the Registry Editor window, right-click the LowerFilters value (if it is present), and then click Delete on the shortcut menu that appears. Click Yes on the "Confirm Value Delete" message that appears.
  
• Navigate to the following registry subkey:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdr4_2K
  
  
• On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the "Confirm Key Delete" message that appears.
  
• Navigate to the following registry subkey:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdralw2k
  
  
• On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the "Confirm Key Delete" message that appears.
  
• Navigate to the following registry subkey:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdudf
  
  
• On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the Confirm Key Delete message that appears.
  
• Navigate to the following registry subkey:
  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UdfReadr
  
  
• On the Edit menu, click Delete, and then click Yes on the Confirm Key Delete message that appears.
  
• On the File menu, click Exit.
  
• Restart the computer.

[Smudge]

Hey Vin,

Sorry to be a pain in the you know what, but I followed the instructions you sent but the dialogue box is still appearing on starting up Windows.

After I went in to All files and folders, typed in cdr*.sys ; the only files that came up were :

cdrom c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers 47kb
CDR4VSD c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers 60kb

The Cdr4_2K.sys and Cdralw2k.sys did not come up.

I followed the rest of the instructions and navigated through the registery subkeys but they were not in there to delete??

Have you any more assistance you could pass on to me?

Many thanks


Smudge

[NHH]

Well ...

Getting thin on the ground for solutions, but Roxio's Knowledge Base has a solution for your very problem.
Unlike Microsoft's solution concerning EZ CD Creator 3.5 on XP, Roxio's solution covers the same problem occuring with EZ CD Creator 4, Click Here to check it out.
I haven't really fully looked into the differences between the 2 solutions but give it a go.

Failing this, Windows will most likely have to be reinstalled to finally get rid of the problem (and use a different burning proggy in future).
The ones that I personally think are good are DeepBurner (on the downloads page), CDBurner XP (also on the downloads page) & CD Mate.

Good Luck