No Config Settings Are Being Saved!

[Katelynn7]

This one has me stumpt! I have an Asus K8V-MX MB and an AMD 1.6Ghz Sempron with 1GB Kingston ddr ram. I did a clean install with WinXP. (X-tremely P-oor) I also loaded XP Office along with other graphics programs. My headache: I will start Word, configure and save the settings, exit out of Word, start word again and none of the settings that I changed were saved. This is the same with Outlook Express! All basic system settings are OK such as logon, folder configs, and other ctrl panel settings.

I installed Paint Shop Pro 4, rebooted, installed the PSP upgrade to 4.1.2, and NONE on the features for 4.1.2 are present.

I had no problems with Win2K Pro which would suggest no bios or hardware errors, and that it must be something with XP.

I setup 2 users both with administrative status. I ran a ram diagnostic program from microsoft (beta) for 24 hours with no errors. I am also using tweakui for XP.

I am at a total loss. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

 

[linney]

Does TweakUI have any type of Paranoia setting that is causing this?

See if you temporarily disable some of your security type programs whether that helps?

Try using some of these programs from "Safe Mode with Networking" and reboot and check whether you have lost any saved settings.

310353 - How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310353&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

316434 - HOW TO: Perform Advanced Clean-Boot Troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

310560 - How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310560&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[BadBigBen]

I did a clean install with WinXP. (X-tremely P-oor)

Probably you did this without formatting the C: partition, which would indicate that you did your homework Xtremely Poor...

reason: XP sees that folders and drives, are owned by a previous owner, and that the new users (including the admin) do not have rights to change things...

solution: Take ownership of the Drive or Drives (if you have more than one)...

How to take ownership of a file or a folder in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

skip down to the FOLDER section and consider the drives to be a folder...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[Katelynn7]

BigBen, Using the OEM diagnostic disk "Data Lifeguard Tools" from Western Digital, I did a low-level format twice! After which I cleared the cmos, ran the high level format then installed the OS.

linney, I installed tweakui on the previous install... the second install, I installed XP ONLY and nothing else. I then installed PSP 4, then the upgrade with the same result! I may need to flash the bios since the bios date is 11.23.05. Thoughts on the bios flash? Also, I remember with Win 98/ME they used the ESCD for additional bios info. Does XP use something similar? Thanks for the links!

 

[BadBigBen]

Katelynn7 - now that is at least reassuring that the drive had been nuked... that leaves permissions out of the picture...

Now, Word saves settings and the like in a file called normal.dot[/d], with WORD not running, find any instance of this file and rename it to abnormal.dot or normal1.dot or anything you like... Word will recreate this file when it is restarted...

if you cannot find the file, then you may have to turn on viewing of system files in order to find your normal.dot. To do so, open Windows Explorer, and go to Tools-Folder Options. Choose the View tab, and choose to Show Hidden Files and Folders.

For more information on normal.dot and Word 2000, see the MS Technet Article at

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q214215/

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[linney]

I believe that current computers have ESCD ("Extended System Configuration Data" area) but don't quote me as I am not a hardware person.

This will show you how to reset such a beast via the Bios.

Fixing The Hardware Foundation

http://windowssecrets.com/L051027-04-Fixing-The-Hardware-Foundation

As to flashing the Bios that would be the last thing to try, whereas the risk of failure is slight, it is there. Does your Bios (Motherboard manufacturer) have a later Bios update available, do they have any software to recover from failed flashes. The biggest (I imagine) cause of problems is a loss of electrical power at some point in the flashing.

Too bad you can't make use somewhere of a new hard drive, then you could completely eliminate the current hard drive as a possible cause without shelling out for such on a possible whim or guess. It is just so common for failing hard drives, failing RAM, to kick in with these odd sort of problems which defy other logic.

 

[guitarzan]

My two cents; the issues you describe indicate a corrupt profile, which isn't logical on a fresh install of XP... aside from hardware issues indicated by those above, I can only think of two other things:

1. Paint Shop Pro 4.x is quite old... like, 1997 old. Is it possible that this app is causing the problems ??

2. Is the media that you are installing XP with a legit Windows XP CD? Or was it purchased through ebay, copied by someone, etc.?

If you haven't lost patience with trying/retrying stuff, I would reformat/reinstall XP... then the latest drivers for your motherboard, video card, NIC, etc. And Windows Updates to Service Pack 3 (not sure what SP you are starting with).

When that's done, use Outlook Express as the benchmark... if it behaves normally, then install apps one at a time and test behavior after each one.