Having a problem with computer hanging (or something)

[haus_kat]

I'm on my older laptop computer atm. The laptop computer I usually use is having a problem right now. I was updating an important document with Windows notepad while I also happened to have Mozilla FireFox open. Suddenly the computer got a problem again which I've encountered once before recently. I went to save my file and the computer wouldn't let me. It would say "(filename) already exists. do you want to replace it?" and when I select yes it waits a few seconds then says that it "cannot create the file" and to "make sure the path and file name are correct". I'm unable to save the file no matter what I try and I'm really upset and don't want to lose everything I've typed. I've tried saving it as a different file name but get the same error. Mozilla FireFox crashed and I closed it out. I tried opening the task manager to stop any other thing from running which might be causing the problem but it won't open. I tried opening Windows WordPad to copy/paste my file there and save it but the computer will not open anything. It's not frozen but is hanging or something. I'm not sure what's wrong with it. The cursor continually has the little hourglass next to it. That computer is running Windows XP. I tried pressing the esc key but it has no effect no matter how many times I press it. I REALLY need to save that file. Can someone help me please?
thank you

[Salmon Trout]

When did you last check the disk drive for errors?

[taquecop]

try oppening the task manager and see what is using the majority of the computers workload in PROCESSES, It may be a process you can terminate, atleast long enough to save the file. Or you could try to email the file, then it would remain saved in your sent folder of your email acount!!

[haus_kat]

I'm unable to open the task manger - or any other program. The mouse pointer moves and I can open a folder but no file or program that I click on will open and the mouse pointer continually has the hourglass next to it (I guess from when I tried opening task manager a few times). Pressing the esc key seems to have no effect.

I left the computer long enough to use this one to type the initial post and when I went back to it, the screen looked as it normally does when the computer is left alone and then you have the type the password to get back in. When I moved the mouse pointer I got a sign-in box but instead of it looking like usual (selecting my name, another user's name or guest) it said the computer was "locked" and I had to type the administrator password to get back into the account I was using (which was the administrator account anyway).

[Salmon Trout]

When did you last check the disk drive for errors?

[haus_kat]

how do you do that?

[patio]

From a command prompt window type in chkdsk /r and hit Enter...
Let it run to completion.

[talontromper]

Are you trying to save this to a memory stick? I've had that error message when I have removed the stick and forgot to reinsert the memory unit.

[haus_kat]

how do i get to the command prompt window? is that when you click on "start" button and then select "run"?

[haus_kat]

Are you trying to save this to a memory stick? I've had that error message when I have removed the stick and forgot to reinsert the memory unit.

No, I wasn't.  The file is in a folder that is on my desktop. I opened the (HTML) file with Windows notepad in order to add more text to the file. I typed several paragraphs, have it worded just the way I wanted, and don't want to lose my work.

[talontromper]

You are half way there. When you hit "run" you type in "cmd" into the run command and do what was said above. Could you email it to yourself?

[haus_kat]

I want to try your suggestion to run a disk check but I'm locked out of that computer. I have it set so that if it is unattended for a few minutes you'd have to type the password to get back in. When I'd left the room to use this computer where it is in another room it did that and when I went back I was able to type my password and get back in. I tried again to save the file but it still wouldn't let me and popped up the error message. I was worried that if it went into screen saver mode again that I might not be able to get back to the desktop so I didn't click "ok" but left it like that, thinking that would prevent the computer going into screen saver mode while I was out of the room. When I went back into the room then I saw the computer had the wallpaper that I use for my desktop but nothing else was visible on the screen, no sign-in box or anything but the cursor and I can't get back to the normal desktop or get anything else to be viewable now and it's still like that. I can move the cursor but that's all. Is there anyway to get into "safe mode" or something and save the file that way?