Can't access "My computer, Control Panel and others.

To begin I am trying to repair a Compaq Presario desktop for a friend. The problem is I can't access anything on the desktop except Lavasoft adaware. I go to start and I can't access my computer, IE, his ISP connection, or pretty much anything but a few games he installed. I had seen a post with a similar problem and one thing mention was to create a new user account. I was able to do that thru "safe mode ", but even under the new account I still can't access anything. When double-clicking on an icon or single-clicking in START whatever I am trying to open "tries" to open then quits---the hourglass spins and sometimes the program will just about open then quits. Also, when shutting down the computer I get a screen that says END PROGRAM-EXPLORER.EXE This program is not responding . I click cancel and have that same screen 2 to 5 more times before it shuts down. Also, I did a system restore back to July, 05 and there is no difference.

Ideas, opinions??

Of course it is WINXP I don't think he has SP2. Computer is a 2002 model.

Later. Pepse.

 

In cases like this my first suggestion is always to boot to safe mode.
How to boot to safe mode
First do this using his username and password. If it works fine in safe mode , then it is a device or program which loads in normal mode, but not in safe mode. We can troubleshoot from there.

If it still has the problem, reboot to safe mode, but this time login with username Administrator. If he never password protected this one, just leave the password block empty. If he did and forgot it, boot to his profile , hit the windows key + R and type control userpasswords2 in the run box and hit enter. Choose change administrator password .

If things work fine in administrator in safe mode, but not in his profile it is his profile which is corrupted, Create a new account with new username and password. We can tell you how to take possession of files to rescue his data, or how to copy this working profile over his damaged one so his should work.

If the admin profile still has this problem in safe mode, it is probably a windows problem and you will need to use first system file checker to see if it can find the problem and if that does not work consider that you may need to do a reinstall (wait , do not proceed until we have exhausted alternate methods).

 

As I said, I was able to get into "Safemode" with no problems and everything works in there. While in Safemode I created a new user account. When restarting the computer I can go to his account, the account I created or Admin and nothing will work. So, I agree it could be a software problem. And I don't have his Compaq software, but I will have him get it to me. Although it doesn't sound too promising from what you say. It is probabre that I can find someone with a WinXP CD that I could borrow to get me thru this mess. BUT, a major problem devolped late last night. I can't even get into windows as I get an error that states: "Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM You can attempt to repair this file by starting Windows Setup using the original setup CD-ROM. Select 'r' at the first screen to start repair ".

I googled the error and it appears to be a corrupt file in regedit. A link in one of the posts took me to Microsofts site and it mentions on how to correct this problem, BUT being an OEM system it says not to use the procedure as in effect it will cause a lot of problems in the registry hive.

First of all is it possible that this new problem is related to the other problem?? Second will the OEM CD do me any good in the situation I'm in?? Third is it possible to save anything he has that he needs??

Also, since I am aware that XP is very particular about hardware let me mention that I had the owner just bring me the tower. I am using an old HP keyboard, HP mouse, and HP monitor (I changed mouse and monitor after this error occured, no diff), also I installed a Compaq PC100 64meg DIMM stick (removed it after the error, no diff).

Here is the link to which Google took me to: http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/16946/
Hope all of this helps. Also, here is the link from that site to Microsoft for correcting the error; http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en;307545 .

Later. Pepse.

 

OK, that is something to go on. I was thinking of mounting the drive in another compter as a slave and see if I can access it. I will let you know when I get the Compaq CD.

Later. Pepse.

 

Am I the only one who suspects malware? There have been cases of malware BHO's that cause this problem.
Not sure if there is a sticky thread on this forum for the preferred procedure to remove malware, and I don't really want to cross post from another forum.
Hopefully someone will post a link, and maybe you can have someone download and burn the suggested software for you from a different computer.

 

Thanks Pete
Pepse, have a look Here


EDIT:
A couple more links that may be of interest:
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I would try what PeteC suggested and mounting the drive temporarily as slave in another computer. then Defrag the drive to try and see if that helps. and If the other computer can access the drive you should copy over the data and burn to CD/DVD for later. if the data is needed before that drive goes bad. sounds like it may be a hard drive going bad to me.

 

Since everything works in Safe Mode, I would have to rule out that it is a bad hard drive. It is possible, but unlikely.
Definately want to run chkdsk if we can ever get it booted to the recovery disk.

 

I finally got the software for the computer. This is what he gave me: Compaq Restore Plus, Compaq Operating System CD Microsoft Windows XP Home, and 2 other CD's of which are Restore Supplemental Software (Productivity Applications) and Restore Supplemental Software (Additional Applications). So, should I slave his hard drive and see what I can save or should I put in one of these CD's and see what we can do?? And if so which one should I start with and what commands do I use??

Later. Pepse.

 

I would boot to the Compaq Operating System CD Microsoft Windows XP Home CD, and follow Pete C's advice in his first post,(chkdsk) then we can go from there.
If you can get into Windows and get Start > Run to come up, type in "sfc /scannow" (Without the quotes) with the XP CD in the drive

 

OK, I ran the WIN XP disc and did "chkdsk /r /f" and it wouldn't work. The reply was something about that command isn't valid, or whatever. Then I did chkdsk /f , same answer. Then I looked at the CHKDSK link in Pete C's first post and seen chkdsk /p, and that worked. It scanned the drive and came back to the C:/WINDOWS prompt. So, I did chkdsk /r and it took a loooong time to go through the hard drive but when it was done it would give me the C:/WINDOWS prompt. So, I rebooted the computer and took theCD out and I ended up with the error screen of the WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM , like what I mentioned before. So, nothing happened by doing this. I re-did the recovery CD using the CHKDSK /R again and it made no difference. So, at the moment I ain't any closer, unless I need another command to use.

Oh, there was never any mention of errors or anything else wrong.

Later. Pepse.

 

I would now boot to the Recovery CD and try a Repair Install
Another link

 

Well, it won't do a repair. All I can do is install it. So, that tells me that the hard drive is corrupt or whatever. Now my next problem is to try and save whatever files I can for the customer. The problem I have is that I put his HDD in my computer, and another one, and neither computer will recognize his HDD in WINDOWS. BIOS in both computers of mine recognize the HDD but that is the only place it is recognized. Any opinion as to why WIN98 is not recognizing this HDD?? I know in the past I've had multiple drives on a computer with no problem. So, what gives here??

Later. Pepse.

 

Yeah, I've got another 40G I can put into the Compaq and set it up with his software and then copy over. If I have any more probs after that I'll post.

Thanx. Pepse.