Windows home XP fails to initialize

The problem that I am having is, when I start (or restart) my XP PC I
frequently get the pop-up window stating that the application failed to
initialize. This window pops-up twice right after I log in as an
administrator. The pop-up only specifies:

Windows Application error
Application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000005)
Click OK to terminate application

After that all I get is the desktop background, no short-cuts listed. No
start menu. I can to cntl-alt-del to bring up the Windows Task Manager. That
allows me to restart again. Sometimes it works and sometimes it takes a few
restarts before it works.

I even tried sfc /scannow

to repair the problem, but it has no effect.

I did notice 1 additional thing, when it does not work the process ccApp.exe
is not running. I think this is a Symantec app, but I am not sure why it
would cause XP to fail to start.

I have thought about a Windows repair or a complete Windows install. What do
you recommend?

I just fixed a laptop for a neighbor who was experiencing the same exact
problem you are having. I am a Mac user, but I am learning my way around
Windows quirks and lack of productivity, not by choice but because I
have to now. It's a long story.

Anyway, I have recently become the neighborhood Windows fix-it-guy..all
I said to a neighbor one days was, "I design and develop Web sites" and
suddenly it is assumed I know how to fix all the common problems
related to Windows. I'm not a Windows user, but I know just enough to
be dangerous. I figured Google, MSN, and a phone call or two would be
all I needed...I was right.

I will tell you, as best as I can from memory, what I did to fix the
problem, and hopefully it will work for you.

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Restart the PC and as it restarts press F8 about once every second
or so until the "Windows Advanced Options Menu: appears.

2. Using the arrow keys select "Safe Mode with Command Prompt" and
press Enter. Select the system you would like to start, which is
likely "Microsoft Windows XP Professional" or "Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition" Press Enter.

3. You'll see a bunch of crazy lines of DOS looking code and then the
machine will restart in safe mode. You may or may not be asked to pick
a user, or to login. If given the option, login in as "administrator"
which by default will have a password that is blank. (one of the worst
things abut Windows XP) If you've changed your administrator password,
log in with that pass if prompted to do so. Once you have logged in,
the Command Prompt will appear.

4. Type the following to get started:
chkdsk /?

This will list a bunch of functions you can enter in the command prompt
and a description of what those functions do. For example "/f" "Fixes
errors on the disk" You use the command prompt to tell Windows to run
the desired functions by typing "chkdsk" followed by a " " (space)
followed by the function(s) you want to run.

--

In this case, here's how to (hopefully) fix your problem.

5a. type chkdsk /f/r/x

5b. this will present a message saying "Chkdsk cannot run because the
volume... Would you like to schedule this volume to be checked the next
time the system restarts? (Y/N)" Type "Y" and press Enter.

5c. You will now see a message that says something like "This volume
will be checked the next time the system restarts" which is exactly
what you want. Now type "shutdown" and press Enter.

5d. This will bring up the shutdown functions. From here you will
want to "shutdown and restart the computer" by typing the following:
shutdown -r which will shutdown and restart your computer.

5c. When your computer restarts, you should see the "Checking file
system on C: The type of file system is NTFS"

There will be 5 stages of checks all together. The five stages are the
functions you entered in step 5a. above.

6. After each stage is done - stage 4 and 5 may take a while - your
computer will restart and hopefully everything will be back to normal.

Again, this is recalled from memory, but I think it is fairly accurate,
and should do the trick. There are probably quicker ways to do this
stuff in the Command Prompt, but like I said, I'm a Mac user; I never
have to deal with OS problems like Windows users.

Good luck, and post back to let us all know how it goes. There are a
few other posts here that may benefit from this too if it works for you
as it did for me.


--
Windoze