Desktop does not respond(Don't know what else to call it)

[Rick]

Well, lately(3 weeks or so) my computer has been acting weirdly. After a while of using the computer, if i try to minimise/exit my windows, it doesnt draw the desktop. It's really hard to explain but what ever window i try to minimise/exit it stays up instead of the desktop, it's like it is freezing but if I press alt+tab it all goes away but you can not access anything on the desktop and you cant access My Documents, My computer, My music and so on from the start menu. (I have to get that search thing up, hit the dropdown arrow and go into them like that) I'm not sure whats going on and i can not take a screenshot because it wont let me.
After i reboot, it is fine again.

I'm not sure what is happening but i would like to fix it because its annoying

Im happy to answer anything you would like to know.

-Rick

p.s: I couldn't take a screenshot when it was happening but i took a screenshot of what it looks like.

[Cameron]

Half the stuff on your menu is either REALLY old or REALLY excrement, eg IE and Outlook.  Didn't you think it had something to do with themes or something?  Plus I did ask you to do this, reboot into safe mode and see if it does it in there.

Safe Mode:  Reboot, keep hitting F8, take the menu when it comes up down to safe mode, don't use the networking or command whatever they are, and see if it does it.  And you told me you had XP......

[loial21]

Dude back up and whipe.    then try again.  if persistant   change OS

[Cameron]

Basically what Loial means is get rid of Vista and go to XP.

[Rick]

Basically what Loial means is get rid of Vista and go to XP.

I have windows xp, thats a theme.....

And Cam, are you suggesting leaving it in safe mode all day, because it only happens once or twice a day and not at the same time each day

[Cameron]

Well, see if it actually occurs in safe mode first, and go back to the XP theme, maybe thats why.

[KnacK]

Half the stuff on your menu is either REALLY old or REALLY excrement, eg IE and Outlook. 

huh?

OK when it happens again, bring up task manager and take a look at the top 2 or 3 programs running using the most cpu resources.  This will be a starting point.

Also, right click My Computer, select Manage, then look at the system event logs and see if anything weird is happening.

[Rick]

huh?

OK when it happens again, bring up task manager and take a look at the top 2 or 3 programs running using the most cpu resources.  This will be a starting point.

Also, right click My Computer, select Manage, then look at the system event logs and see if anything weird is happening.

Will do. Also what do you mean by anything "weird" i really don't know anything that were in the logs except for live update(Which i am disabling right now)

[Cameron]

KnacK, that version of iTunes is old, that version of Word is old, IE and Outlook are replaced by Firefox and Thunderbird on all of my computers, and I found out Solitaire is played by his Dad. 

Wierd I think (u correct me here if i'm wrong knack) means look for something out of the ordinary, or look at the logs before it started happening and then when it started happening.  Also you might want to check back on the System Restore thing and see if it finds a restore point where you installed something just before it started happening, etc.

[y00tz]

Wierd I think (u correct me here if i'm wrong knack) means look for something out of the ordinary

Close, the word you're thinking of is 'weird', and it means odd or unusual.

[lekky]

lol, older programs won't disable his desktop... has anyone mentioned running virus scanners?

[KnacK]

Cameron,

People might prefer Open Office, Firefox and Thunderbird to Word, IE and Outlook, but they are all enterprise grade applications (even if they are a few revisions old) and when installed correctly will not cause issues.

He still needs to open task manager and see what his system is doing when it freezes up.

[ch40s]

try opening task manager (ctrl+alt+delete) and go to processes. End explorer.exe then under file>start task. type explorer.exe. This will restart the engine that runs the desktop. The issue problably stems from the theme program you have, having a theme program usually just makes your system slower and gives it issues with the GUI like your running into. If you like the aero theme so much, just get vista, it really isnt that bad.

[Spook]

If you like the aero theme so much, just get vista, it really isnt that bad.

+1, and in my own opinion, vista runs smoother.

[lekky]

depends, some people have no problems with vista, some have lots... at the end of the day for their to be a divided opinion means it must be unstable..

pot luck?

[Cameron]

at the end of the day for their to be a divided opinion means it must be unstable..

And costly to upgrade your computer to cope with it.

[Rick]

try opening task manager (ctrl+alt+delete) and go to processes. End explorer.exe then under file>start task. type explorer.exe. This will restart the engine that runs the desktop. The issue problably stems from the theme program you have, having a theme program usually just makes your system slower and gives it issues with the GUI like your running into. If you like the aero theme so much, just get vista, it really isnt that bad.

I have that theme before all this was happening, like 6-10 weeks before this was happening.
Ill try what you said as well

-Edit: I did recently add some newer themes, ill go back and delete all of them.
Also, i will run a virus scan right now.

[ch40s]

stability issues and hardware/software compatibility issues are different. if you want stability microsoft isnt the answer regardless.

[Rick]

Virus scanner didn't pick up anything and it hasn't happened since i deleted the themes, but I don't think it has gone, I think it will probably come back in a day or two

[KnacK]

Next time it happens check task manager