Lol, Major Malfunction...*cries*

[Angelofpain1105]

Ok, I was on the computer and it was running fine, I go to work, come back and the first thing I hear is the computer is messed up...*sigh* I live with people who don't know how to work a computer but are to ignorate to not do stuff they dont know and they're explaination is "I know what I'm doing" *deep sigh* Ok so I turn on the computer and I have Verizon Fios Internet which is like cable internet (if you didn't know) I bring up Windows Explorer and it says Unable to locate server. Well, Go to bring up the task bar and to my suprise the taskbar will not come up so I try going into properties...no help there, so I cick on ToolBars and put the Addresses in there. Well! My taskbar comes up I than turn OFF the Address button and attempt to open another Windows Explorer Still nothing so I minimize it and it doesn't even go on the taskbar...Its like nothing shows up on the taskbar I can open control panel and it doesn't show up...nothing does. I tried System Restore says Windows can not open the program please restart your computer and try again. I did and retryed it...nothing...I scaned it with Nortons and AVG I tryed to see if there was a program running that stopped it (threw task manager) but none of that found anything. I can't get my accounts page to open up. I can't get Network Connections to open up...I'm telling you this is horrible...and I dont know where my system restore disk is to restore it =( Is there anything I can do? Lol, I know thats alot...and I may have left some stuff out but I think u get the idea...lol. Oh, and when I asked what he was doing he said he was trying to make a account on Ebay.../slap lol. I'm running on a Emachines but it is Windows XP its about 2 yrs old =)

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope someone will be able to help me, ty!

[Shenan Stanley]

Angelofpain1105 wrote:
> Ok, I was on the computer and it was running fine,{;} I go to work,
> come back and the first thing I hear is{, "}the computer is messed
> up...{"}*sigh*
>
> I live with people who don't know how to work a computer but are
> to{o} ignorate {sp: ignorant} to not do stuff they dont {sp: don't}
> know and they're {sp: their} explaination {sp: explanation} is{,}
> "I know what I'm doing{.}" *deep sigh*
> {http://esl.about.com/od/grammarintermediate/a/cm_neg.htm}
>
> Ok{,} so I turn on the computer and I have Verizon Fios Internet
> {, }which is like cable internet (if you didn't know{.}) I bring up
> Windows Explorer and it says Unable to locate server. Well, {I} go
> to bring up the task bar and to my suprise {sp: surprise} the
> taskbar will not come up so I try going into properties... no help
> there,{;} so I cick {sp: click} on ToolBars and put the Addresses
> in there.
>
> Well! My taskbar comes up I than {then} turn OFF the Address
> button and attempt to open another Windows Explorer{.} Still
> nothing so I minimize it and it doesn't even go on the taskbar...
> Its like nothing shows up on the taskbar{,} I can open control
> panel and it doesn't show up... nothing does.
>
> I tried System Restore{;} {it} says Windows can not open the
> program{,} please restart your computer and try again. I did and
> retryed {sp: retried} it... nothing... I scaned {sp: scanned}
> it with Nortons and AVG{;} I tryed {sp: tried} to see if there was
> a program running that stopped it (threw {sp: through} task
> manager) but none of that found anything. I can't get my
> accounts page to open up. I can't get Network Connections to
> open up... I'm telling you this is horrible... {;}and I dont {sp: don't}
> know where my system restore disk is to restore it =(
>
> Is there anything I can do?
>
> Lol, I know thats {sp: that's} alot {sp: a lot}...{,}and I may have
> left some stuff out but I think u {sp: you} get the idea... lol.
>
> Oh, and when I asked what he was doing he said he was
> trying to make a{n} account on Ebay... /slap lol.
>
> I'm running on a{n} Emachines but it is Windows XP{;} its {It's}
> about 2 yrs old =)
>
> Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope someone will
> be able to help me, ty!

Next time, formatting and other considerations might be nice. <vbg> I've
tried to break it up/clean it up (your original message) to help make sense
out of it in my quote of your posting above.

First - you may wish to reboot into Safe Mode and try System Restore from
there.

If that does not work, then it sounds like you may have been infested with
some spyware/adware. Your answer may not be AntiVirus - but AntiSpyware
applications. What I would suggest at this point is downloading, installing
and utilizing these three applications (in order, one at a time, reboot
between each one):

- SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/downloadfile.html?productid=SUPERANTISPYWAREFREE

- Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

- LavaSoft AdAware
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2007/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5&cdlpid=10045910

Follow that up with a download/installation and running of CCleaner:
http://ccleaner.com/download/builds/downloading-slim

You may need to utilize an alternative browser to get some of those - as I
do not know the current status of Internet Explorer. I suggest Firefox:
http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-2.0.0.11&os=win&lang=en-US

If doing those things does not seem to fix anything - boot into Safe Mode
and logon as the user "administrator" with whatever password is on that
account (if you didn't set one - it is likely blank - meaning there is no
password - just leave the password field blank if asked to enter one and
press ENTER.) Create a new user, reboot and logon as that new user. Does
that new user have the same symptoms as the original one?

Come back and follow up so we know your status. I would definitely be
looking for those restoration CDs.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

[Angelofpain1105]

I'm sorry about that being all jumbled together.
I downloaded all 4 of those (I already use Firefox).
All of them found a good bit of things, and was able to delete everything.
I logged back on and still had the same problem, I went in safe mode created a new profile and deleted to other new.
Sadly I'm still having the same problems.
I've done everything I can think of.
I believe I'm just going to take it and have it reformated because I can't find the CD's ='(...Thats gonna be the best way to fix it (in my opinion)
Is there anything else I should try before taking it to get it reformatted?

Thanks

[Angelofpain1105]

I logged back on and still had the same problem, I went in safe mode created a new profile and deleted to other new.

I deleted the old one =). sorry about that

[Shenan Stanley]

Angelofpain1105 wrote:
> Ok, I was on the computer and it was running fine,{;} I go to work,
> come back and the first thing I hear is{, "}the computer is messed
> up...{"}*sigh*
>
> I live with people who don't know how to work a computer but are
> to{o} ignorate {sp: ignorant} to not do stuff they dont {sp: don't}
> know and they're {sp: their} explaination {sp: explanation} is{,}
> "I know what I'm doing{.}" *deep sigh*
> {http://esl.about.com/od/grammarintermediate/a/cm_neg.htm}
>
> Ok{,} so I turn on the computer and I have Verizon Fios Internet
> {, }which is like cable internet (if you didn't know{.}) I bring up
> Windows Explorer and it says Unable to locate server. Well, {I} go
> to bring up the task bar and to my suprise {sp: surprise} the
> taskbar will not come up so I try going into properties... no help
> there,{;} so I cick {sp: click} on ToolBars and put the Addresses
> in there.
>
> Well! My taskbar comes up I than {then} turn OFF the Address
> button and attempt to open another Windows Explorer{.} Still
> nothing so I minimize it and it doesn't even go on the taskbar...
> Its like nothing shows up on the taskbar{,} I can open control
> panel and it doesn't show up... nothing does.
>
> I tried System Restore{;} {it} says Windows can not open the
> program{,} please restart your computer and try again. I did and
> retryed {sp: retried} it... nothing... I scaned {sp: scanned}
> it with Nortons and AVG{;} I tryed {sp: tried} to see if there was
> a program running that stopped it (threw {sp: through} task
> manager) but none of that found anything. I can't get my
> accounts page to open up. I can't get Network Connections to
> open up... I'm telling you this is horrible... {;}and I dont {sp: don't}
> know where my system restore disk is to restore it =(
>
> Is there anything I can do?
>
> Lol, I know thats {sp: that's} alot {sp: a lot}...{,}and I may have
> left some stuff out but I think u {sp: you} get the idea... lol.
>
> Oh, and when I asked what he was doing he said he was
> trying to make a{n} account on Ebay... /slap lol.
>
> I'm running on a{n} Emachines but it is Windows XP{;} its {It's}
> about 2 yrs old =)
>
> Thank you for taking the time to read this and I hope someone will
> be able to help me, ty!

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> Next time, formatting and other considerations might be nice. <vbg>
> I've tried to break it up/clean it up (your original message) to
> help make sense out of it in my quote of your posting above.
>
> First - you may wish to reboot into Safe Mode and try System
> Restore from there.
>
> If that does not work, then it sounds like you may have been
> infested with some spyware/adware. Your answer may not be
> AntiVirus - but AntiSpyware applications. What I would suggest at
> this point is downloading, installing and utilizing these three
> applications (in order, one at a time, reboot between each one):
>
> - SuperAntiSpyware
> http://www.superantispyware.com/downloadfile.html?productid=SUPERANTISPYWAREFREE
>
> - Spybot Search and Destroy
> http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
>
> - LavaSoft AdAware
> http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-2007/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5&cdlpid=10045910
>
> Follow that up with a download/installation and running of CCleaner:
> http://ccleaner.com/download/builds/downloading-slim
>
> You may need to utilize an alternative browser to get some of those
> - as I do not know the current status of Internet Explorer. I
> suggest Firefox:
> http://www.mozilla.com/products/download.html?product=firefox-2.0.0.11&os=win&lang=en-US
>
> If doing those things does not seem to fix anything - boot into
> Safe Mode and logon as the user "administrator" with whatever
> password is on that account (if you didn't set one - it is likely
> blank - meaning there is no password - just leave the password
> field blank if asked to enter one and press ENTER.) Create a new
> user, reboot and logon as that new user. Does that new user have
> the same symptoms as the original one?
>
> Come back and follow up so we know your status. I would definitely
> be looking for those restoration CDs.

Angelofpain1105 wrote:
> I'm sorry about that being all jumbled together.
>
> I downloaded all 4 of those (I already use Firefox).
> All of them found a good bit of things, and was able to delete
> everything.
>
> I logged back on and still had the same problem, I went in safe mode
> created a new profile and deleted to other new.
>
> Sadly I'm still having the same problems.
> I've done everything I can think of.
>
> I believe I'm just going to take it and have it reformated because I
> can't find the CD's ='(...Thats gonna be the best way to fix it (in
> my opinion)
>
> Is there anything else I should try before taking it to get it
> reformatted?

If you can beg/borrow a copy of Windows XP that is the same as yours (OEM
likely, Windows XP Home, Professional or ...?) - then you can try a repair
installation. That way you replace the system files with known good ones
but keep all your stuff intact. *use your product key!!

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

After that you have to get your updates working...

Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update,
from Microsoft Update, or by using Automatic Updates after
you repair a Windows XP installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html