Add/Remove Programs

[hpharley90]

Hi, I haven't been here in a while....Been playing a lot of guitar and recording music.......but I have a computer issue...I'm still using XP Pro....I just went to open Add/Remove Programs to uninstall some software and it will not open.
I rebooted PC twice. I click Control Panel then "Add/Remove Programs" and window says "Please wait while the list is being populated" but nothing happens.....I have seen that many times in the past and I wait a few seconds and all my programs appear.
But now I waited 30 minutes and nothing happens a couple of times...any thoughts?

The PC runs fast in my opinion with one issue......Lately I get an error telling me Windows Explorer must close for a reason I can't remember at this moment,when I have multiple explorer windows open.

Not having my "Add/Remove Programs" able to populate the list does not indicate that my PC is running good!

Also it is not a virus or malware....I get no pop ups or banners or what not........everything has been and still is very good as far as those issues.... nothing ever detected or a warning of..........

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

This could be a 'red herring' but, at one time, I was experiencing problems with Explorer (and also my USB were dying one at a time). In the end I tried a repair install of Windows and that solved the problems.

[Peru]

It might be a good idea to run Chkdsk:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... xp&spell=1

[hpharley90]

This could be a 'red herring' but, at one time, I was experiencing problems with Explorer (and also my USB were dying one at a time). In the end I tried a repair install of Windows and that solved the problems.

John doing a repair would keep me from losing all my software is that correct?

I want to stay away from the clean install....The repair might be the way..

[hpharley90]

It might be a good idea to run Chkdsk:
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=c ... xp&spell=1

I will do that on the next start up....

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

John doing a repair would keep me from losing all my software is that correct?...The repair might be the way..

Yes, everything on the C: drive should remain intact when doing the repair but, for belt and braces security, I would clone the disc first, just in case.

[hpharley90]

This could be a 'red herring' but, at one time, I was experiencing problems with Explorer (and also my USB were dying one at a time). In the end I tried a repair install of Windows and that solved the problems.

Unfortunately for me I don't have that option (which I just recently found out) on my DELL disc that came with computer to do a repair....
It will just do a clean install...in the past I have probably done a clean install 5 or 6 times...I don't remember over the years......
And I go through this every time because I don't remember if it does a repair or not......and it is time for a clean install once again.......

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

These guides might(?) help:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/917964
http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/13 ... indows-xp/

There are lots of others if you Google.