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July 5th, 2004 21:00

why does Dell installed Encarta encyclopedia 2004 keep freezing?

this is so annoying...........it has been uninstalled and reinstalled twice now.

go to a subject, then click on related topics to show someone, and it just sits there, hangs. have to reboot.

why did Dell put software like this on my new 4600 anyway if it doesn't even work?

9 Legend

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33.3K Posts

July 6th, 2004 10:00

If your PC hangs up and your only option is to reboot with Windows XP, you have more problems than just Encarta.  Windows XP is designed that if an application has a problem, you can, using the task manager end that program and it won't affect anything else. 

What are you doing when you use Encarta?  How many other programs do you have open?  How much memory do you have on your PC?

1 Rookie

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34 Posts

July 6th, 2004 10:00

there are no other programs running when i'm using encarta.

i have 1.5 GB's of Ram.............computer is 3 weeks old.

have only Photoshop 6 and Phaseone C1 LE installed, and never use the new computer on the internet. this has happened since day one................do i need to call Dell?

Message Edited by summerwind on 07-06-2004 06:23 AM

9 Legend

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33.3K Posts

July 6th, 2004 21:00

Yes, I would call Dell support.  One of the features of Windows XP, like NT and Windows 2000, the system is designed, if a program has an error (and it goes to "not responding") you are supposed to be able to just close that program (e.g. from the Task Manager) and go on, not have to reboot, "blue screen", etc.  If you are having to reboot there is a problem - either the software did not get initialized properly and in that case you may have to do a "clean" install of everything or there is a potential hardware problem.

1 Rookie

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34 Posts

July 7th, 2004 00:00

thx fireberd..........OK, i did a diagnostics and there are no error reported.

as of today the Encarta will still hang, but i am able to ctrl,alt+del to exit the program........no reboot.

all else works great and as expected, but i still would like to know why encarta has such a stumbling problem.

9 Legend

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33.3K Posts

July 7th, 2004 10:00

When you uninstalled Encarta and then reinstalled, did you restart Windows before installing?  If not, uninstall Encarta, Restart Windows and then do an install. 

If I remember correctly, Encarta uses a CD to access it's database.  Maybe it's failing accessing the CD?  Also, uninstall your CD (or DVD) drive in the Windows Device Manager and then restart Windows and it will reinstall it.  That seems to fix a lot of flakey disc problems.

593 Posts

July 7th, 2004 16:00

If it is the CD drive that is messing things up, there is an option in the install process that will allow you to move all the files to your harddrive so you don't have to keep putting the CD in all the time. It's something to try anyways.
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