I have a Dell XPS 8500, with Windows 7 Professional, SP1,
with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
and Windows firewall.

Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
Ram 12.0 GB
System type : 64-bit operating system

I also have

I have a Dell Optiplex 780 Tower, with Windows 7 Professional,
SP1, with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
and Windows firewall.

Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
System type : 64-bit operating system

and (external hard drives)

(8500)
WD BLACK SERIES WD2003FZEX 2TB 7200
RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
Hard Drive

(780)
Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
Internal Hard Drive

This concerns the 8500; twice now, yesterday and today
it hung up on me. Yesterday, I left it to shut down and
when I returned today it was still 'in the process' of
shutting down, so I powered it off.

Then today when working with my Dell Imagining it got
hung up again and the Dell Imagining was not responding.
I tried to end it with Task Manger multiple times but it had
no effect. I then decided to restart the computer but again it
got hung up when shutting down and I had to power it off.

Why is my computer hanging up? Is there anything else I can do
besides powering it off? I'm afraid of damaging the HD when
I do that but I see no recourse when it hangs up using Dell Imaging
and/or during restarting and Task Manger has no effect.

Thoughts/suggestions
Robert

--
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

"Robert in CA" <RobCA1@yahoo.com> wrote

|I have a Dell XPS 8500, with Windows 7 Professional, SP1,
| with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
| and Windows firewall.
|

This is an XP group. You might want to ask in
alt.windows7.general. I have a Dell XPS. 615, I think.
Occasionally it just stops taking input, the screen goes
blank, and I have to unplug it. Haven't figured it out,
but I suspect it might be connected with using the
TV as a second monitor.

Slow shutdown can happen with all kinds of things.
You have a lot of bloated stuff running and it's probably all
updating itself. If it were me I'd start by inspecting what's
running and maybe also do some services weeding. Also
check the settings on your security army. Do you really
need all that stuff? If so, how does it run? Many of those
programs default to doing a malware scan on every file
you touch. That's already overkill. If 5 different programs
are doing such scans then most of the CPU time is probably
taken up with scanning. Most or all of the security software
could be set to only check likely probblems: downloads,
email and connected drives.

On 11/12/2021 4:38 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> I have a Dell XPS 8500, with Windows 7 Professional, SP1,
> with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
> and Windows firewall.
>
> Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
> Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
> Ram 12.0 GB
> System type : 64-bit operating system
>
> I also have
>
> I have a Dell Optiplex 780 Tower,  with Windows 7 Professional,
> SP1, with Spywareblaster, Malwarebytes, Avast , Windows Defender
> and Windows firewall.
>
> Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
> Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
> System type : 64-bit operating system
>
> and (external hard drives)
>
> (8500)
> WD BLACK SERIES WD2003FZEX 2TB 7200
> RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
> Hard Drive
>
> (780)
> Seagate Desktop HDD ST2000DM001 2TB 64MB
> Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
> Internal Hard Drive
>
>
> This concerns the 8500; twice now, yesterday and today
> it hung up on me. Yesterday, I left it to shut down and
> when I returned today it was still 'in the process' of
> shutting down, so I powered it off.
>
> Then today when working with my Dell Imagining it got
> hung up again and the Dell Imagining was not responding.
> I tried to end it with Task Manger multiple times but it had
> no effect. I then decided to restart the computer but again it
> got hung up when shutting down and I had to power it off.
>
> Why is my computer hanging up? Is there anything else I can do
> besides powering it off? I'm afraid of damaging the HD when
> I do that but I see no recourse when it hangs up using Dell Imaging
> and/or during restarting and Task Manger has no effect.
>
> Thoughts/suggestions
> Robert

https://dell-picture-studio.software.informer.com/

"Dell Picture Studio 4.0

Nothing more that Jasc Paintshop Pro 7
and Image Expert 2000 rebranded by Dell
"

Your Dell Picture Studio 2.0 could be an
earlier package bundle, including Image Expert 2000.

*******

Your failure to shut down could be:

1) A process that refuses to shut down.
The OS is in control, and after a sufficient
number of suitable 15 second intervals, should
succeed at fixing this.

2) Open registry hive. The OS can't shut down, unless
all registry items are properly put away. The registry
is journaled, so even if you turned off the power,
*some* version of the registry still exists. A modification
was added in WinXP era for this (registry problem), and
rather than being optional software, it was added
permanently to Vista and Windows 7. Consequently,
the registry can't refuse today, whatever they did to
fix that.

3) Something else :-)

The Something Else could include an aberrant behavior
by an AV program, or any number of other things. Anything
which has commandeered the machine, can prevent shutdown.

At one time, the networking stack could hold the OS hostage.
But that was around Win98 era or so. That's because the
networking stack seemed to be its own little blocking
thread of activity. And it could stall or jam up the OS,
if some packet sent, no response came back. But the network
stack has improved a lot since then, and while Win2K
frequently went into a tizzy at shutdown, they eventually
curbed that behavior. The networking stack was probably
OK in Win2K, but they didn't seem to have finished the
job at that point.

Vista was a rewrite, a major one, and the tasking model
likely changed at that point. When the OS project I
worked at, had it's "second version", all the hardware
timing changed on the OS, and when this happens, it
resets all your preconceived notions of what is going on.

I don't see too many good, health reasons, for a
jam-up at shutdown now. It leaves a tussle between
the AV and "something that doesn't belong" as a
possible reason.

You have two accounts on the machine ? Try booting
and logging in as the second account, then test the
shutdown. If that works, then that suggests the problem
is with the other profile. It's beyond my skill level,
to suggest a solution based on the test result though.
I know that one of your accounts was elevated and
the other was a Limited User, for exploit reduction.
But if the results differ between the two accounts,
that doesn't guarantee an answer about the root cause,
it just shows that the problem is Ring3 and account
specific. If both accounts mis-behaved, that hints
at Ring0, kernel, drivers, AV intervention at Ring0
level as if it was a driver.

Paul

It actually happened a 3rd time after I posted but this time I just
reset the 8500 instead of powering off the server. I don't know why
I didn't think of that sooner but still doesn't resolve why the computer
is all of a sudden hanging up when it never had this problem before.

The computer has always been quick and responsive.

Yes, that is correct, it's an earlier version of Dell Imaging I'm using that
came with the 8200 and since I have the disks so I just downloaded it to
the 8500 and 780 and I haven't had any issues before?

btw I did check the usage while on Task Manager and it was 5GB

I'll try logging on and off with the Admin account and see how it works
and let you know.

Thanks,
Robert

I logged into my Administrator Account and ran malewarebtyes
and SuperAntiSpyware scans and browsed the news. I also noticed
it didn't have a home page icon but decided not to mess with it at this
time. After the scans finished I shut it down and it had no issues of
hanging up. Then I powered the server off. I then powered it back on
some time later and logged on to the User Account with no issues.

So that's where I am now.

Robert

On 11/12/2021 9:19 PM, Robert in CA wrote:
> I logged into my Administrator Account and ran malewarebtyes
> and SuperAntiSpyware scans and browsed the news. I also noticed
> it didn't have a home page icon but decided not to mess with it at this
> time. After the scans finished I shut it down and it had no issues of
> hanging up. Then I powered the server off. I then powered it back on
> some time later and logged on to the User Account with no issues.
>
> So that's where I am now.
>
> Robert
>

So it's something related to that account then ?

And you can't use Procmon, because the session never makes
a nice clean exit and you have to RESET the hardware, so there
would be no trace on the next startup to look at.

I don't know how to debug that, except through indirect analysis
of what has been added to the machine. Maybe something was
installed recently. It is probably not a driver, as the
Admin account shut down OK, and both would use the same
driver setup.

That leaves a Macrium Restore... again... to some date.

Paul

It happened again, while I was working in Dell Imaging
but I was able to close it this time with Task Manager.
Then it again happened when I was watching a video on
You Tube. It just hung up in the middle! I had several other
windows open and toggled to each and they were all hung
up as well as Word and Dell Imaging. I couldn't even pull
up Task Manager! So had to restart the 8500 and went
through the usual abnormal shutdown routine to logon.

Is my motherboard failing? Could it be a bad HD? I'm just
guessing here. You read my mind about another Mrimg
restore to an earlier date than 10-2-21?

At present, just to play it safe I just have FF and Word open.

I sure have had more than my share of off the wall problems!

So we'll do a Mrimg restore and hope that fixes it.

Thoughts/suggestions?
Robert

I did a Mrimg restore to 9-2-21 and saved all my important folders/files.

Macrium had an update to Version 8 and looked allot different than the
previous version and I had to wing it. It went into the PE mode again to finish
the restore. I don't have many mrimgs left if this doesn't work. I wish you would
take a look at Version 8 and give me new instructions on how to do backups,
clones and restore on Macrium. I think it would be prudent to make another backup
but there's just too many variables now and I don't know which to choose?.

When I came back online I had these pop-ups. I don't have any Apple products
I'm aware of so I quit the update and the second threat pop-up just came up
when I only had Word and Paint open. Then came up again with a voice which
is the first time that ever happened.

https://postimg.cc/470cm33h

https://postimg.cc/ykcR8sCk

I'm also missing my bookmark icon.

I hope this cures the hanging up.

Thoughts/suggestions,
Robert

Also, could you please give me instructions to create a about:blank homepage icon
in firefox? I've tried to look for instructions but can't seem to find any.

Thanks,
Robert

It seems something went wrong or I mislabeled the Mrimg because it looks like
it's from a year ago not from 9-2-21. I thought it look strange when it came back up.

Robert

Also Google doesn't look the same at all.

Thoughts/suggestions?
Robert

On 11/13/2021 8:15 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> Also Google doesn't look the same at all.
>
> Thoughts/suggestions?
> Robert
>

I would select an MRIMG a bit closer to the
current date. You might have a bunch of stuff to
do over again, by running older images like that.

*******

Google does not have any promotional material or
animation on display. Not at this moment. They
had something a bit darker looking yesterday.

https://i.postimg.cc/wTTT09Zk/Google-Today.gif

Some web pages, if you use an older browser version,
the web site (on purpose) sends "vanilla" pages with
material missing. Google doesn't do that on their own
page, but I'm sure they encourage anyone they can find
to be doing that.

For Firefox, when it starts for the first time
after an update, there might be a picture of the
"Grinder Woman" as promotional material.

*******

Here are examples of setting a blank page for the homepage.

https://i.postimg.cc/pr9ZfwfY/Setting-Home-Page.gif

Paul

Agreed,.. I thought I was choosing 9-2-21 but it sure
looks allot older than that just by my Dell Imaging files.
It's missing something like 20 folders! That can't be just
2 months ago.

I think at this point we should make a backup now
(just in case, because while older this mrimg works,
otherwise I'll loose it correct?) and I don;t have that many
mrimgs left to choose from. Then restore the 8500 to mrimg
11-2-21 that I made after we resolved the speaker icon
problem.

However I need your assistance in using Macrium
Version 8 because its all different and has allot of drop
down boxes but I don't know what to choose? As I said I
was just winging it this last time and trying to follow your
original instructions you gave me but it's all changed and
different now. Plus I'll need instructions so I can do my
monthly backup and would be a good idea to create on after
I restore it to 11-2-21 so we have another mrimg.

Neither of your links worked and I couldn't open Postimage
either because it gave me the same error screen.

It had a yellow band at the top of the screen and below it had a
lock with a red diagonal slash and says:

Your Connection is not secure, and says The owner of i.posting.cc
has configured their website improperly. To protect your information
from being stolen, Firefox has not connected to this website.

This site uses HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to specify
Firefox may only connect to it securely. As a result, it is not posible
to add an exception for this certificate.

Learn More,.....

and below that it has a blue bar with Go Back on it.

Please take a look at Macrium Version 8 for backups and restore and
give me some guidance on how to proceed with the drop down menu's
etc. so I can back this version up before we restore it with a new mrimg.
So many things are not working. I can't use Postimage and I can't log into
my bank account because I'm using an older version and it wants me to
pick from several to download.

This is not good, I need your help to get back to where I was.

Thanks,
Robert

I went to the 780 and both your links worked and also Postimage
However I don't have the home listed in preferences and there's no
way I'm going into config at this point for about blank page. I remember
it being easy to do not all this. I thought it was something like naming
a page about:blank and dragging and dropping on a toolbar?

At any rate I can live with it for the present since were going to restore it
soon after we make a backup.

Thoughts,Suggestions,
Robert

Robert

I'm on the 780; here's some images of the drop down boxes I was
speaking of for backups and restore but I don't see anything for cloning?
Also what happens after you select whichever option? I don't know how
to proceed to do backups or to restore. Please advise on what to choose
so I can proceed to do a backup(so I won't loose the present mrimg) and
then to do a restore and then will make another backup immediately
afterwards so we have more mrimgs but I need your guidance to get started
and walk me through this.

https://postimg.cc/4mpTwQkJ

https://postimg.cc/62FDfyM2

https://postimg.cc/qN0HF642

Thanks,
Robert

Good news,.. I updated Firefox so I was able to login to my bank account
and Postimage works now.

We still need to return to 11-2-21 however. There's too much missing.

Robert

On 11/13/2021 7:48 AM, Robert in CA wrote:

> I wish you would take a look at Version 8 and > give me new instructions on how to do backups... on Macrium

Here is a backup for Macrium 8.

It isn't much different than the other film strip.
Picking the name for the backup has additional options
now, which you don't have to use if you don't want to.

[Picture]

https://i.postimg.cc/4xjBHK62/Macrium8-Backup.gif

Use the "Download Original" button on the page, to
get the original picture back. The site has a 10Kx10K
limit, and I had to chop out a frame to fit the limit,
which didn't hurt anything.

Paul

On 11/13/2021 4:40 PM, Robert in CA wrote:
> Agreed,.. I thought I was choosing 9-2-21 but it sure
> looks allot older than that just by my Dell Imaging files.
> It's missing something like 20 folders! That can't be just
> 2 months ago.
>
> I think at this point we should make a backup now
> (just in case, because while older this mrimg works,
> otherwise I'll loose it correct?) and I don;t have that many
> mrimgs left to choose from. Then restore the 8500 to mrimg
> 11-2-21 that I made after we resolved the speaker icon
> problem.
>
> However I need your assistance in using Macrium
> Version 8 because its all different and has allot of drop
> down boxes but I don't know what to choose? As I said I
> was just winging it this last time and trying to follow your
> original instructions you gave me but it's all changed and
> different now. Plus I'll need instructions so I can do my
> monthly backup and would be a good idea to create on after
> I restore it to 11-2-21 so we have another mrimg.
>
> Neither of your links worked and I couldn't open Postimage
> either because it gave me the same error screen.
>
> It had a yellow band at the top of the screen and below it had a
> lock with a red diagonal slash and says:
>
> Your Connection is not secure, and says The owner of i.posting.cc
> has configured their website improperly. To protect your information
> from being stolen, Firefox has not connected to this website.
>
> This site uses HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) to specify
> Firefox may only connect to it securely. As a result, it is not posible
> to add an exception for this certificate.
>
> Learn More,.....
>
> and below that it has a blue bar with Go Back on it.
>
>
> Please take a look at Macrium Version 8 for backups and restore and
> give me some guidance on how to proceed with the drop down menu's
> etc. so I can back this version up before we restore it with a new mrimg.
> So many things are not working. I can't use Postimage and I can't log into
> my bank account because I'm using an older version and it wants me to
> pick from several to download.
>
> This is not good, I need your help to get back to where I was.
>
> Thanks,
> Robert

The browser issue is related to certificates, and a few weeks back
it was a certificate related to Let's Encrypt that was the problem.

A few browsers, the certificate store is in the browser. Updating
the browser version (like Firefox 93), might solve the problem.

Other browsers use the OS certificate store. The OS (Windows 7)
should check in a couple times a day with Microsoft, to acquire
certificates. The other part of the equation is the schannel
for encryption, and if new algorithms are missing, then you're
out of luck. But as long as TLS 1.2 still works, some of the
older encryption methods for https will still work. So I
don't expect that to be a problem. It would be something
like WinXP that would be in a bit worse shape. And the
browsers don't even run there any more, the candidates.
There are a few forked open source projects for WinXP
browsers, but even they are getting creaky.

But you're on Windows 7, and a bit of updating
and a bit of waiting, it should be fixed. Firefox,
updated, should be a good choice.

If you do a Macrium Restore, of course that
is like using a Time Machine, and the stuff
will be broken again :-) Just, update'em.

Paul

On 11/13/2021 6:25 PM, Robert in CA wrote:
> I'm on the 780; here's some images of the drop down boxes I was
> speaking of for backups and restore but I don't see anything for cloning?
> Also what happens after you select whichever option? I don't know how
> to proceed to do backups or to restore. Please advise on what to choose
> so I can proceed to do a backup(so I won't loose the present mrimg) and
> then to do a restore and then will make another backup immediately
> afterwards so we have more mrimgs but I need your guidance to get started
> and walk me through this.
>
>
> https://postimg.cc/4mpTwQkJ
>
> https://postimg.cc/62FDfyM2
>
> https://postimg.cc/qN0HF642
>
> Thanks,
> Robert

Macrium 8

"Create Backups" plus click "Image this Disk" == Backup

"Create Backups" plus click "Clone this Disk" == Clone

"Existing Backups" plus "Browser for an Image file" == Restore

And the Existing Backups, is graphically a bit messy
looking on my screen.

I thought the staff were learning something about making
better looking screens, but I guess not in this case.

There are multiple ways to open a backup and decide
what to do with it. And that's part of the problem with
how they made that screen. It's just too too busy.
It is a visual distraction.

I think in File Explorer, you could just navigate to
your collection of .mrimg files and right-click one
and select "Restore" from the File Explorer right-click menu.
But again, the graphics jump around a bit, and the tool
is in a big rush.

It's really better in Macrium 8, to just using the "Existing Backups",
because there would be less stuff flashing around.

Paul

Are you suggesting I stay with this? I'm missing so much, I
suppose I can copy/paste from the Mrimgs but what about
all the bookmarks? I would loose allot and I'm still having issues
here. I've lost my about blank homepage again when I updated
Firefox. Seems every time I take a step forward I have to take 2
steps back. I'm trying to load Windows updates but 3 keep failing
and there's an optional update as well. FF is not acting normally
and I checked for about Firefox and it cycling forever looking for
updates. I also got hung up again in Dell Imaging and wasn't about
to bring up Task Manager but I managed to close it. So you see
I'm still having issues.....

All this just came from no where,.... I haven't downloaded anything,..
and my computers are just hanging up for no reason and acting weird.

Robert

Robert

At present I'm unable to login to FF. I checked for updates and it's
Version 94.0.1 but its not working. I'm restarting the computer in hopes
it will help. In passing, I've noticed more and more than there are background
programs that need to close before shutting down.

I hope this works.....Ok it didn't work, FF is not working ! Jeez one minute
it is and next it isn't. See what I mean? I updated it it and now this happens.
What do I do now?

Robert

On 11/14/2021 2:44 AM, Robert in CA wrote:
> At present I'm unable to login to FF. I checked for updates and it's
> Version 94.0.1 but its not working. I'm restarting the computer in hopes
> it will help. In passing, I've noticed more and more than there are background
> programs that need to close before shutting down.
>
> I hope this works.....Ok it didn't work, FF is not working ! Jeez one minute
> it is and next it isn't. See what I mean? I updated it it and now this happens.
> What do I do now?
>
> Robert

We have one observation, that it follows your account.

One account has the behavior, the other didn't.

Perhaps you could create a test account "MisterTest"
and give that a try for a while. Find the control panels
user accounts thing and create an account. Make it an
unelevated account, and see if it behaves itself.

*******

If you've run out of MRIMGs to use, you might have
to do a re-install. Or, visit one of the malware
cleanup services, and see if any of the tools they
have you run, as scanners, can pick anything up.
You would expect things like the free Malwarebytes,
would show something if it was present.

Paul

On Sat, 13 Nov 2021 at 04:48:10, Robert in CA <magineer02@yahoo.com>
wrote (my responses usually follow points raised):
[]
>the restore. I don't have many mrimgs left if this doesn't work. I wish
>you would
>take a look at Version 8 and give me new instructions on how to do backups,
>clones and restore on Macrium. I think it would be prudent to make
>another backup
>but there's just too many variables now and I don't know which to choose?.
[]
Just out of curiosity: why have you moved to Macrium 8? I'm reading this
in the XP 'group (and it isn't crossposted to any others), and I found
my Macrium 5 worked for XP, 7, and early 10 (not current 10). The only
reason I am aware of to move to later ones is USB3 (Macrium 6? I've not
worried much because I don't have any USB3), and better SSD support.
(Current W10 needs at least M7.)

Do you have USB3 kit (both ends of the lead of course!) or SSD(s)? If
not, for XP imaging, I'm just curious about what later Macrium actually
gives you.
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

I was never drawn to sport, to which I attribute my long life.
- Barry Humphries, RT 2016/1/9-15

I moved to Macrium Version 8 because when I
opened Macrium there was a download for it.

Robert

I had (3) important Window updates and (2) optional
updates. They ran all night but none of them succeeded.

I created the Mister Test User Account as you suggested.
It has a blank screen without the Windows logo it came up
with a pop-up that says:

The snipping Tool is not working on your computer right now.
Restart your computer and then try again. If the Problem persists,
contact your system administrator.

I'm still trying to get it to work. I restarted it and it said
Mister Test (locked) and didn't show the other Users at all
How did that happen? See what I mean? Things just happen.

Firefox is not connecting

I still have some older Mrimgs but it seems like everything I do is
messed up and getting worst. Until we know what is causing it to
hang up I would be more comfortable with restoring it to 11-2-21
and see if it still hangs up. It certainly is better than nothing working
at all and we still don't know why? Then if the problem is still present
we can always use one of the older mrimgs but at this point
things have gotten worst not better. I can't even use the 8500 now.

I hope I don't have to start all over again. That was the whole point of
creating the Mrimgs.

Thanks,
Robert