Arrrgh....I don't understand this!

[Gooberlx2]

I can't figure this out. My start menu will sometimes lock and die....
Basically it:
- refuses to expand the "All Programs" item
- sometimes "blacks-out" the programs list (like in screenshot) and sometimes not.
- Tells me I can't add a shortcut when I click on "Run..." (screenshot2)

screenshot.JPG
screenshot2.JPG

I can't figure out what causes it, as there seems to be no regular sequence of steps to trigger it (atleast none that I've noticed).

I've tried messing around with my startup programs, services, crap running in the background (which isn't alot), etc...to no avail.

I'm clueless. When I restart the computer my quicklaunch tray will be gone, as well as any custom things I've put on the taskbar.

This also happened on my last computer/laptop (also a Dell).

Current rig:
Dell Dimension 8400
p4 3.2 w/ HT
1GB DDR2
160GB SATA HDD.
200GB external USB2 HDD
Nvidia 6800

The Laptop:
Dell Inspiron 4100
p3-m 1.0
512 or 640MB (can't remember which) PC133
20GB HDD
200GB external USB2 HDD
Nvidia Geforce2go

Similarities between the two systems: Dells, intel pentiums, Nvidia graphics, same external USB2 HDD, formatted and reinstalled WinXP (MCE2005 on the 8400) to get rid of pre-installed bloat (and removed their little "utility" partitions, logitech cordless MX Duo...can't think of anything else.

I thought maybe it was AVG, but it's happened on the 8400 even without AVG installed.

I'm clueless, please help.

 

[Saga]

Does this always happen when running TurboTax?

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: Izusaga
Does this always happen when running TurboTax?

no....it just happened to be what i was doing when i took the screenshot. never done turbotax before, and it was never installed on the laptop

 

[Gooberlx2]

I guess I should add that it doesn't happen all that often, and by that I mean it doesn't happen like everday....just every so often, and it's annoying as hell. I can't really be any more specific than that. I suspect maybe that there's something erroring out in the OS and I never see it.... *shrug*

 

[Saga]

Right click start button > Properties > Classic Start Menu. See if the problem continues. If so might be an odd XML error.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: Izusaga
Right click start button > Properties > Classic Start Menu. See if the problem continues. If so might be an odd XML error.

When I do that it's even worse. I'll click on "start" and nothing will happen.

edit: In anycase, I'm gonna restart and get everything back (for the time being), 'cause my girlfriend needs to use the computer to do her taxes as well.

I certainly hope that someone has seen this or atleast knows of this problem ocurring, 'cause I've have little luck troubleshooting it, or even finding anything similar on the 'net.

 

[Saga]

Hold the Windows Logo Key down and hit E to open My Computer. Click on Control Panel > Taskbar and Start Menu Properties. Select the Start Menu tab and click Classic Start Menu. Apply.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: Izusaga
Hold the Windows Logo Key down and hit E to open My Computer. Click on Control Panel > Taskbar and Start Menu Properties. Select the Start Menu tab and click Classic Start Menu. Apply.

I did that, and it changed from XP to classic, and THEN the "start" button did nothing. When I changed it back it went back to the "black boxed" XP menu, but atleast "start" did something.

 

[Saga]

Apply the following Windows Hotfix from KB832414 - this may resolve the visual error. Certain updates and a few thousand copies of XP (and even a pirated copy or two) contain broken XML updates which is resolved with this patch compliant with all Operating Systems 2k-XP Pro.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta...-4872-b7a7-6bbd384ba8e9&displaylang=en

 

[intogamer]

bugged

 

[Saga]

Originally posted by: intogamer
bugged

Thank you for your completely relevant and undeniably pertinent input onto assisting this user in finding a resolution. I don't know how we could have done it without you.

 

[Gooberlx2]

hmmm....when I try to install the update this comes up.

It then tells me to check a log (c:\windows\dahotfix.log):

[04:37:06]: Welcome to the Microsoft Data Access Components Hotfix Installer.
[04:37:06]: Windows Version Information:
Type: WinNT/2000/XP
Version: 5.1 (Service Pack: 2 ("Service Pack 2"))
Terminal Services: No
MUI Enabled: No
[04:37:06]: Parsing Command Line options.
[04:37:06]: Opening .ini file: C:\DOCUME~1\xxxx\LOCALS~1\Temp\IXP000.TMP\dahotfix.ini
[04:37:06]: Loading System Setup Engine (SETUPAPI.DLL)
[04:37:06]: Checking system dependencies.
[04:37:06]: Processing .ini file data and building job list.
[04:37:06]: Initializing Job Queues.
Job queue root: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DataAccess\dahotfix
[04:37:06]: The registry value (SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion, "CommonFilesDir") was found. Setting the directory path to "C:\Program Files\Common Files".
[04:37:06]: Job #1 added to job list.
[04:37:06]: Standard user interface mode enabled. Creating user interface components.
[04:37:06]: Creating Main Dialog.
[04:37:06]: Setting Main Dialog visible.
[04:37:06]: Beginning Windows Message Pump.
[04:37:11]: Creating worker thread to handle installation of files.
[04:37:11]: Executing PreInstallActions for package.
[04:37:11]: Loading function CheckForMSXML30 from internal function list.
[04:37:11]: Checking to see if MSXML 3.0 is currently installed on the machine.
[04:37:11]: Dll existance verified, reading version.
[04:37:11]: Target Dll version: 8.50.2162.0
[04:37:11]: Comparing SP version at target: 50 to 40 at source
[04:37:11]: ERROR: SP version Check failure.
[04:37:11]: MSXML 3.0 is NOT installed on the machine.
[04:37:11]: The action CheckForMSXML30(40) returned FALSE.
[04:37:11]: This action was deemed critical, skiping other actions in this package
Either all of the PreInstallActions for this package returned FALSE, or there was a fatal error while executing an action.
The package will not be installed. This error will not halt the setup process.
[04:37:11]: Destroying Job Queues.
[04:37:50]: Ending Windows Message Pump.
[04:37:50]: Destroying Main Dialog.
[04:37:50]: Checking state of setup at end of installation.
Setup was NOT successful.
[04:37:50]: Shutting down Hotfix Installer.

I've got all the latest service packs, security updates, etc installed via windowsupdate. So is this needed?

 

[oog]

i just helped a friend of mine resolve this problem. in his case, it was his logitech webcam software that was causing the problem. do you have a logitech webcam installed? i found a link when i googled for "black start menu".

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Gooberlx2
hmmm....when I try to install the update this comes up.

It then tells me to check a log (c:\windows\dahotfix.log):

[04:37:06]: Welcome to the Microsoft Data Access Components Hotfix Installer.
[04:37:06]: Windows Version Information:
Type: WinNT/2000/XP
Version: 5.1 (Service Pack: 2 ("Service Pack 2"))
Terminal Services: No
MUI Enabled: No
[04:37:06]: Parsing Command Line options.
[04:37:06]: Opening .ini file: C:\DOCUME~1\xxxx\LOCALS~1\Temp\IXP000.TMP\dahotfix.ini
[04:37:06]: Loading System Setup Engine (SETUPAPI.DLL)
[04:37:06]: Checking system dependencies.
[04:37:06]: Processing .ini file data and building job list.
[04:37:06]: Initializing Job Queues.
Job queue root: SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DataAccess\dahotfix
[04:37:06]: The registry value (SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion, "CommonFilesDir") was found. Setting the directory path to "C:\Program Files\Common Files".
[04:37:06]: Job #1 added to job list.
[04:37:06]: Standard user interface mode enabled. Creating user interface components.
[04:37:06]: Creating Main Dialog.
[04:37:06]: Setting Main Dialog visible.
[04:37:06]: Beginning Windows Message Pump.
[04:37:11]: Creating worker thread to handle installation of files.
[04:37:11]: Executing PreInstallActions for package.
[04:37:11]: Loading function CheckForMSXML30 from internal function list.
[04:37:11]: Checking to see if MSXML 3.0 is currently installed on the machine.
[04:37:11]: Dll existance verified, reading version.
[04:37:11]: Target Dll version: 8.50.2162.0
[04:37:11]: Comparing SP version at target: 50 to 40 at source
[04:37:11]: ERROR: SP version Check failure.
[04:37:11]: MSXML 3.0 is NOT installed on the machine.
[04:37:11]: The action CheckForMSXML30(40) returned FALSE.
[04:37:11]: This action was deemed critical, skiping other actions in this package
Either all of the PreInstallActions for this package returned FALSE, or there was a fatal error while executing an action.
The package will not be installed. This error will not halt the setup process.
[04:37:11]: Destroying Job Queues.
[04:37:50]: Ending Windows Message Pump.
[04:37:50]: Destroying Main Dialog.
[04:37:50]: Checking state of setup at end of installation.
Setup was NOT successful.
[04:37:50]: Shutting down Hotfix Installer.

I've got all the latest service packs, security updates, etc installed via windowsupdate. So is this needed?

Download and install this then run the hotfix again.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: oog
i just helped a friend of mine resolve this problem. in his case, it was his logitech webcam software that was causing the problem. do you have a logitech webcam installed? i found a link when i googled for "black start menu".

it's been awhile. I've been away. I do have a logitech webcam installed, as a matter of fact. I'll remove it right now. Hopefully that'll help....I'll also try MrChad's solution.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Well, dead thread, but I though I'd update people and let them know that the start menu "crash" seems to have dissappeared (***knock on wood***) since I've uninstalled the Logitech software (but kept the drivers).

I'm just hoping this thread'll help someone else out in the future...and perhaps a logitech employee might peruse through, see this thread, and fix their damn software.