Ok...A few of my programs (expecially DOS) close out automatically after running correctly for about 5 seconds. I dont know how to stop it from closing like that...can anyone help me out?

In the Shortcut properties for a DOS program, there's a checkbox for Close On Exit. If you disable the checkbox, then when the program ends, you have to close the window. Windows programs do this programatically inside the application. Don

your help worked...but only for DOS...what about the other programs that are closing (example: Norton AntiVirus)

NAV and most other Windows programs close automatically when they terminate (unless there is an error dialog). Make sure you're not confusing a "minimize" action with a close action. If it's on the taskbar, then it's still running. You can re-enable it to the desktop there. HTH Don

they dont just minimize or send error reports. they just dissappear...nothing more nothing less. gone

I experience the same problem: It happens for Norton AntiVirus, regedit and when trying to install patches from Microsoft (e.g. the patch for MSBLASTER). Those windows just close without any user action. Additionally I experience the STRG+F phenomenon (search on websites doesn't work) and links that can't be opened within InternetExplorer (within Opera 7 they do). This all happens on a completely new system, that I installed no 24 hours ago. It has worked without any problems until awaking it (it's a notebook) from a longer hibernation from today in the morning to the afternoon). But Hibernation isn't the root cause, I have an older notebook with Win2k that shows the exactly same symtoms. WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?? (I've already checked both of my systems completey for MSBLASTER - nothing found. I used Symantec's tool and a second one, too. Both tell me, that they have no infected files found).

I am having the same problem with programs closing spontaneously. I think it may be a virus that is embedded in one of the following four files: config.sys autoexec.bat system.ini or win.ini The problem that I have and cannot solve is that when I try to run msconfig, an error comes up that says it cannot read from any of those four files. I can't change the programs that run on the startup, so perhaps a virus is re-infecting all the files I fix every time I restart the computer. Either way, I can't run a scandisc from Norton because the program closes. Neither can I run a liveupdate for the same reason. Any suggestions? (I've already tried uninstalling and reinstalling Norton)