EVGA forum suggested updating BIOS. I couldn't see how that would help and it didn't. I have been playing with the RAM sticks; moving them around, testing them one-by-one; putting in only one or two instead of all four; etc. Nothing. The RAM seems to be OK as all sticks have passed every test and both Windows and the BIOS sees all 8 GB.
Format and reinstall windows, you still have the acronis image if it don't solve any problems, you could have reinstalled your system and all your software in the time spent up till now trying different things.
Don't you just love Windows? Try this. Click Start. In the bottom windows where it says search programs and files, type event viewer . When event viewer shows in the upper window, double click it. Now you can double click some of those areas and read what it says. If in doubt, you can right click a line and select properties for a little more detailed information. Good luck.
OK, but, one last thought before I have to start over (and I really don't see how a reformat and reinstall will fix this if my working image from three weeks ago did not). The only thing that has changed with hardware or configuration between the time when things were running fine and now is that I did update the firmware in my D-Link DIR-655 router. That thing has so many settings that I have no idea where to begin looking, but, could there be some firewall settings or something that is preventing certain apps from launching? The ones I am having the most problems with are my FTP client, Window Media Player, installation programs that may want to connect to the Internet to update/download lastest install files, etc. Could this have any bearing on the problem?
No I don't think that's the problem. First try looking to the logs like bluebilly said, if that doesn't shed light on it than reinstall. Is it an oem pc or did you build it yourself/added hardware to it yourself?
@ Hoopster i would still try fresh install you say your system was running ok when you did the backup image now you restore with the backup and still have problems you could still have a virus in that image that could have been a time bomb and just activates after so many days or certain date.
Just checking but did you update Malwarebytes, Avast and Spybot before using them? Also do you have any firewall software installed? Try, if you can, removing SuperAntiSpware or a t least turning off its resident shield. Also, have you attempted to launch these security programs via run as admin? What happens in safe mode/safe mode with networking?
Just a quick update. I left for a vacation shortly after my last post in this thread; so, of course, I did not reinstall the OS and apps. In fact, I have done nothing with the computer at all. I got back today, turned it on, and everything worked fine. Every program that failed to launch for three or four days now works fine. Go figure! I am really scratching my head on this one.