Problem: Using XP Media Edition, 1GB Ram, recently home networked.  Recently my computer boots "normally"
BUT I can't start Media Center, MSN Messenger 7.5, Internet Explorer 6 or even Word Perfect 12 AND my
printer won't function.  But I can start Quickbooks, Adobe Reader 7, MS Word, McAfee, Zone Alarm Pro,
Netscape 7.2.  When I try to start (open) Messenger, for instance, it shows the sand timer for a second
or two and then goes to the tray with not connected sign.  Trying to open Word Perfect or Internet
Explorer 6, the opening screen appears and then it appears to freeze and then with a cntrl-alt-del it
will show that the program is 'not responding'.  If I try to print, I get a printer problem.  However, if
I wait about 10 miniutes, either of the above programs will finish starting as though nothing happened in
the meantime and the printer is then online.  While waiting, I can run the programs that will load and
when the others finally load, they'll pop up.

I've tried unplugging from my home net.  No effect.  I've tried stopping ZA and McAfee, no effect.
During this wait of 10 minutes or so, memory usage is around 1 %, one percent.  I do not hear the hard
drive accessing (and nor is there any network access that I can tell).  The other computer on the system
is not affected.

This is repeated on every boot up.  I have to wait 10 minutes or so before I can use my Word Perfect.

Any solutions?
Ken Vickery

                  Visit our website regularly for FAQs,
               articles, how-to's, tech tips and much more
                          http://freepctech.com