I started with the command chkdsk C: /f /r /x and it said it couldn't run it because the drive was in use. Okay, so i figured out how to do the checkdisk and system file checker stuff. I'm nott out of ideas yet - the next will be to run the System File Checker to see if Windows has issues of its own.

When that's run, it would also be worth finding the RAM (memory sticks) and if there are more than one of them, removing one to see if things improve and if it doesn't, putting that stick back and removing the other. That will run the Checkdisk facility and the /r switch asks it to fix any errors it finds. If you can bring up a Command Prompt, type I'm leaning towards suspecting your hard disk and adding Windows updates would only make matters worse by putting added strains on that disk. Let's leave resetting for a moment and try some fixing posibilities. Do you think this would help or should I avoid any unnecessary updates? In the system options menu it dies say that there are several windows updates that can be done on my computer even though I have it setup for automatic updating. I have managed to at least get my Steelseries engine to recognize my keyboard again by uninstalling and reinstalling a couple times but the computer itself is still running really slow. I did try to go into the system restore option in settIngs after login as well but it just pulls up the same 'reset' option there too, and on other troubleshooting guides the 'msi factory settings' option is supposed to be on that screen too so it's just like it's disappeared on mine for some reason. It only says MSI on that screen with no info for another Function key that can be pressed. I was hoping there might be an offer to reset the machine back to the day it left the factory. When you first turn on the machine, on the first black screen, sometimes there are references to Function keys to press for certain actions, before the Windows system starts up.

How to do a msi burn recovery