About a month ago my computer would, during various applications, start opening streams of Windows Calculators.

The Calculators are NOT running any calculations, It's almost as if I am clicking on the Calculator icon in my start menu repeatedly (Like a hundred times in seconds), so many of these calculators open up that the icon at the bottom of the screen morphs into one, I right click and can close Group.

Then, each time I click the mouse, or depress a key, the stream of calculators opens again. I have to reboot the computer several times to get it to stop.

This is the symptom. This is the only symptom (As far as I can tell)

At first I thought it was related to Sim City 4 (a new game we got, and this issue started when playing that game) However, this soon cropped up with other applications.

I thought perhaps it was a hacker or something, so reinstalled the fire wall, and when not on line we unplug the cable.

Still it happened again. So I ran virus scan - Came clean on my system. It happened again, so I went to on line virus scanners, again, no virus. I went to several on-line virus scanners, scanned every drive completely - No virus found.

There is only this one common thread that I can see:

Each time the computer has done this, the temperature in the house has been over 82 degrees F.

Lately we have been having 100F temps, Living in California, where power outages can happen, I do my part and set my A/C at 80-85F and use a fan. Temperatures have gotten higher starting about a month ago - when this issue started.

Is it possible for temperature to have this kind of an effect on my system? I know that for big computers in companies and labs, they keep them cold. Do I now have to refrigerate my PC?

I have a gateway (New this year, got it in January) Pentium 4 chip, CDROM, CDburner, Windows XP I do not know what other information is needed (or even where to get these numbers).

David

I don't think that internal heat would cause a problem with a specific file (calc.exe in this case). More likely excessive heat would cause the computer to shut down unexpectedly.

Heat could cause a problem with "hardware" like your keyboard for instance.

Does your keyboard have a "calculator" button? This is a feature sometimes seen on "multimedia" keyboards. I'm wondering if the keyboard's "Calculator" button is malfunctioning.

You can try using your old computer's keyboard with your new computer and see if the problem goes away.

Perhaps an easier way would be to reprogram the Multifunction keyboard calculator button: (assuming you have one) Multifunction keys image

Keyboard

List of gateway keyboards

Follow these steps to reassign the multi-function buttons.

On the Start menu, select Control Panel, and then click Switch to Classic View.

Click the Multi-function Keyboard icon.

In the Gateway Multi-function Keyboard utility dialog box, click the tab corresponding to the multi-function button that you want to make changes to.

Select a program from the list or click Browse to select a program not on the list.

Click OK to change the function, and then click OK again

It is possible that this could be a virus or malicious script causing this. You could do a search for the text CALC.EXE.

In the search window, put CALC.EXE in the "Containing Text" box. Then any script that uses this filename would be located.

Start/Search/All Files and folders/"A word or phrase in the file:"

Set the search to include hidden and system files.

I did this search on a new Windows XP computer that doesn't yet have Office or Quick Books installed and 14 files were found that contained the text calc.exe. You can ignore these files:
accessor.inf
calc.exe
dosnet.inf
layout.inf
setup security.inf
setupact.log
setuplog.txt
secsetup.inf
setup.inf

Take special note of any files with file extensions like:

.cmd
.js
.jse
.vb
.vbe
.vbs
.wsc
.wsf
.wsh

If any files are found with these extensions, you can try renaming the file and seeing if the problem goes away. For Example, assume you find a file named script.js that contains a reference to calc.exe.

Right click on the file and choose rename.

Change the file from script.js to script.old

Then see if the problem with the calculator goes away. You can rename the file again to restore it if you wish.

I hope something here will help!

Dwight

the multifunctions on this key board are for he media player.

It is a wireless keyboard and mouse though. If that means anything.

I ran the search, the results are:

drwstn32 (I assume this is Doctor watson) Txt doc
DOSNET
LAYOUT (Both of these are in c:\I386) set up info
setupact (C:\WINNT) TXT.doc
setup log (C:\WINNT) TXT.doc
acessor (C:\WINNT\inf) setup information
layout (C:\WINNT\inf) setup information
CAlC.EXE-25544C.pf (C:\WINNT\Prefech) PF file
secsetup (C:\WINNT\repair) setup information
setup (C:\WINNT\system) setup information
calc (C:\WINNT\System 32) Application
Setup security (C:\WINNT\security\templates) setup information

Which one of these don't look right?

Cheers,

David

I'm wondering about this one:

CAlC.EXE-25544C.pf (C:\WINNT\Prefech) PF file

This isn't a malicious script file, but it does indicate a problem has occurred with the calc.exe utility program file. Perhaps uninstalling, then reinstalling the calc.exe file as shown in your other post on this subject might help.

If you're interested in a long explanation of the "Prefech" scheme:
Read About Prefech Go down to the section under: Prefetch

If Uninstalling/Reinstalling doesn't help, please post again and we'll take it from there.

Dwight

Ah - Yeah, sure. That article made no sense to me. If they say so - LOL

So, once I reinstall the calculator, do I remove the Prefetch file, or will the computer automatically ignor it in future?

I'll do the uninstall/reinstall thing.

Thanks - I'll let you know what happens.

David

Well I uninstalled it.

Now it's asking for the Windows XP Home Edition CD ROM.

I a don't have one of those. I have several Gateway CDs for applications and what not, none of these are 'acceptable' to the installer.

Went to Gateway, um, they appear to sell only products such as whole computers. Went to Microsoft, thinking maybe they may have this lovely by itself, my searches came back blank.

So now what do I do?

David

One of the Gateway supplied CD's contains your copy of the Windows XP Home Edition operating system.

I'll need to know the exact model of Gateway computer you have to look up which CD contains the OS files.

It is likely to called a "Recovery" disk or something similar.

By the way, on the dialog asking for the Windows XP Home Edition CD, were there any "Browse" buttons or was there just an "OK" button? If there was just an "OK" button, did you try just clicking the OK button? In some Windows installations, the computer will look for the file(s) it needs on the hard drive if it doesn't see the Windows CD.

Dwight

Well the First option was just to click ok. When it was the wrong disk the computer gently told me I was an idiot, that it wanted the Windows XP Home Edition CD, then it gave me the option to browse.

The Gateway is a 700X, with sound-blaster and a few additional programs to meet my needs.

I do have the Applications CD which says on it:

"Use this CD to reinstall Selected applications such as anti-virus software and multimedia software"

I also have the Drivers Cd to reinstall programs and drivers (also contains selected applications)

Several other CD's came with the machine, Works Suite 2003, Inter video DVD, Sound-blaster, and two others for misc add ons.

I had thought to just follow the instructions on both Drivers and Applications CDs - instead of going through Add/Remove programs, but I figured I could wait to hear what you said.

I just know enough about computers to really mess up systems - LOL

I Figure in the case of the Applications CD I might reinstall the factories Antivirus program, I have already have a competitor's program - I'd hate to install the other accidentally and cause problems that way.

David

Well I did the 'logical' thing and I ran all the CD's that came with gate way.

No calculator, however I did find out that nearly half of the features that were supposed to be installed at the factory had not been, things like the video/monitor adapters (This is an LCD, 17") Which has greatly reduced eye strain.

So not all is lost.

I do not know where to proceed from here.

David

I can't find a page on the Gateway site that explains which CD they provide contains the Windows XP Home Edition files. I suggest you contact them via telephone or email and request the information.

Gateway Contact Information

Also, would you please post back here with the answer they give you? Thanks,
Dwight

Sure thing, I found that same problem in their big book (It's huge) And the fact that they used lots of techno babble (sigh)

I sent them an email, when I get an answer I'll edit, copy and paste it here.

Thanks

Cheers

David

Just curious, are you still having any activity like your were describing since you deleted it?

No, No Calculator means nothing comes up.

Funny how that works

Actually I emailed a Support Tech with all of the ins and outs of this case. He too was 'puzzled' by what could have caused the calculator fault.

The other issue was that there is supposed to be a Windows XP CD that came with my system (Their computer Records show that one was shipped with the computer, my collection of computer CDs is lacking that one).

I strike it all up to my 'Irish Luck' I can tell you many stories of missing parts and pieces with nearly every purchase I have made of technology. This is not a new situation for me.

So for anyone who owns a Gateway and needs to reinstall a component of Win-XP - Gateway does send a CD (normally).

Cheers

David