Programs' Settings Disappearing

[gui_m]

hello! i've recently been having a problem where when i open some programs, their previous settings have been forgotten. For example, Winamp just today opened with default skins and all the personal configurations i had done were (i.e. hotkeys, etc.). Same happened with WinRAR and GetRight already, happens rather randomly. What could be making some programs do this sometimes?

thx

[firefoxthebomb]

check for spyware and viruses and get back with us.

[gui_m]

i am pretty paranoid about spyware and viruses so i am well protected and sure that's not the problem.

Could Windows Washer (i installed it recently) be erasing some settings files?

[KAndle]

I don't use Window Washer but I would think that it would keep happening to the same programs over & over again if Window Washer is doing it. Try All-In-One Secret Maker. It is a good free spam marker and history cleaner.

[Buzzard]

I have an idea what the probem is, but no solution.

Maybe someone else might though.

My best guess is that windows is not shutting down correctly.

I had a faulty hard drive, that would clunk once, then spin back up.

My windows would freeze for about 5 seconds then carry on as normal.

If I got a 'delayed write failed' message and rebooted, all my settings such as zonealarm program access etc were lost and I had to reconfigure everytime.

If I had to reboot my pc as a result of it locking up, the same thing happened.

[wullieb1]

i am pretty paranoid about spyware and viruses so i am well protected and sure that's not the problem.

Could Windows Washer (i installed it recently) be erasing some settings files?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

depends on what settings you have for Windows Washer. Can you ignore the folders that these programs reside in and see if that makes a difference.