System crashing what could cause this?

[gplracer]

I have a friend who has windows xp a kyro video card, and a duron processor. For some reason after a week of being installed, the system has major problems. The computer takes forever to boot and sometimes will go through the boot process more than once. There was software for a tv tuner that was not installed correctly. I tried to remove it and it looks like it is being removed but it will not leave from add/remove programs no matter how many times I uninstall it. The system restore will not work either. No matter what day is picked it says it can not restore to that date. The only programs that I am aware that their son installed was neo something (some type of skin for IE) Rhino3d and aol IM. I am sure there are some other things installed that I do not know about. This kid has 100 people on his AOL IM too. There is not telling what went on.

 

[azPNG]

What exactly is the computer doing?? Provide more details about what it does during boot, login, etc. As much information as you can obtain the better. We can help you better with more information. And I dont think 100 people in an AIM list is the problem. But it could be.

linman

 

[gplracer]

I did not think the 100 people would be the problem. I just meant there is no telling what files are being sent back and forth. Of course he says they do not share files (right!)

The computer just takes forever to load at start up. It is real slow. When I installed windows for him this was not the case. Something has happened to it. I am trying to track down the causes. I do know that they tried to install the software for the tv tuner and it did not work so his mother tried to install it about 5 times. She also put some type of surf watch program on there although it was not surf watch. I came over to fix the tv tuner and I noticed that I could not uninstall what she had installed. It is an I/O Magic card and the XP drivers are not out yet. I tried to restore the system but that would not work either. I tried 4 different days. I installed the tv tuner software using the compatability wizzard and it worked fine but the slow start up was still happening. Then they called last night and said that the computer would not boot. It tries to boot and the little win xp scroll box comes up. Then the computer just starts the process over again. It then says that there was an error trying to start windows and gives them an option of restoring to a time when the computer worked fine (did not work) or starting in safe mode. We decided to just reinstall windows XP. I am going back over today to do that. Where do I see the IRQ settings in Windows XP? Could that be part of the problem?