Corrupt files and errors in Windows XP HOME

[Nab]

hey,

sometimes when i run a program i get the following error message:

\WINDOWS\prefetch\launcher.exe-2242bdb4.pf is corrupt and unreadable

furthermore, when I try and run defrag i get a similar error message around halfway through it and it stops the defrag.

does this mean my hard drive is failing?

thanks,
nab

edit: also getting a lot of "The instruction at "0x7c8edf9c" referenced memory at "0x7c8edf9c". The memory could no not be "written". Along with Data Execution Prevention errors.

 

[SimMike2]

I googled launcher.exe and it is associated with spyware. So if most of your errors seem to originate from this, trying running spy remover software and antivirus.

Defragging is totally overrated for speeding up hard drives or anything else, especially since hard drives have gotten so much faster the last few years. I would never defrag a system that is already acting flaky.

Read this thread for some good programs to clean up your OS:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=33&threadid=2004933&enterthread=y

 

[Nab]

SimMike2,

I think launch.exe is my world of warcraft launcher.

edit: chkdsk seem to solve my corrupt problems (not sure how it happened to begin with now) but i'm still getting the errors where memory could not be written. Any help?

thanks,
nab