My mother in law's NEC Computer with XP SP3 has problems starting up, it now starts by showing only the Computer logo screen, where there is one single notice "Press F2 to enter BIOS setup", and it also beeps continuously, and it stops there. After entering a few different commands (any kind) for a while it will boot XP.... Once it works, when I start typing anything, after the second or third letter, without touching it, the small letter "z" will start writing, and just go on writing itself without stopping, line after line.... The computer is 6 years old, and does make some weird noises, which probably come from the HDD.... When I check the task manager I see a process SFCTLCOM.EXE running, using more than half of the processor. Is that a process that is supposed to run like that? I downloaded TrendMicro's Housecall but it could not find anything wrong with it... Anybody has any suggestion? Thanks. HL
SFCTLCOM.EXE is a process belonging to Trend Micro Internet Security. Your MIL might have have it installed or it may be the result of that TM housecall. But there is also malware of that name. So I suggest you do the following: 1) Download and run Malwarebytes antimalware, you can get it for free from its website. Let it clean what it wants to. 2) Download and install MS Security Essentials as the resident AV, uninstall TM if thats the one you have or whatever you have right now. Run a scan with it also. 3) If you have a XP CD, boot from that, get into Recovery console and do a repair from there. You can also get into bios options and load defaults, then save, exit to boot to windows.
That is what I thought at first, but she said that she did not spill anything.... but if it were the keyboard, why would it not boot properly? Also why does the z start after typing a few letters if it were stuck? as it is a notebook it is not possible to test the keyboard, and mainly it should boot, then start acting up.
She has an expensive anti virus autoimatic service, which works quite well. I have tried a few of my own like malwarebytes and avira live and even TrendMIcro to check itself.. no results anywhere.- When I saw the SFCTLCOM in the task manager, I googled it and found the info. TrendMicro has a checking software, and it did not come up with any irregularities when I ran it...
A good test for those times you would like to know if its an OS issue is to build a windows BartPE disc and boot from that and see if the issue persists (saves a rebuild). It affects the POST though so its not likely to be an OS issue. I would still say its something to do with the keyboard based on your description (yes, problems with the keyboard can cause POST to stop). Since its a laptop, you could try stripping it down and reseating the keyboard and any other ribbon cables and see if that fixes it, but i'd think it unlikely.