Problem w/IE not accepting cookies on one particular site

Re: Ghost

If you can dig out your old copy of system works you'll be in business; just read the Ghost help files and have a look at the symantec web site (Norton sold out to symantec a few years ago when he retired).

Also, take a read of this thread and the one Ramona refers to there.

 

WelshJim,

WindowsUpdate IS in my trusted sites, pop-ups allowed. Still no go.

Sparrow,

My System Works CD's went out in the trash years ago, because I thought they would not work in XP.

Now, since I have a Compaq, and it came with Windows XP installed, I don't have the program CD to use to fix any problems,........BUT.......my girlfriend has a Dell, and she has a Windox XP Home Edition Reinstallation CD. Can I use that to fix my problems with Windows?

My PC says that my copy of Windows is newer, so that by using this CD I would lose all of my settings. But will I also lose all of my programing that I have installed too? And if I do use this CD and re-install Windows XP (so that updates works again), and then use my SP2 CD, to bring it up to date that far, will that work? Or is that not a good idea?

I will wait to hear what you think.

 

I don't believe that using another windows disk will improve on that, and might be dangerous, too. Check what else came with your computer; you may (should) have a disk with the necessary drivers on it. Or you may be able to download them from Compaq's web site. Look under support for your model.

 

Hello Sparrow,

When I did my recovery, I did the selective recovery because it was supposed to not damage as much as a complete recovery. I am finding it damaged far more than I thought, and it seems to have missed replacing some files or whatever.

Yesterday I ran sfc, and several times it asked for the original Windows installation CD, which, of course, I did not have. When I first bought the PC, I did make a complete set of recovery CD's, but I don't know how to use them to look for anything specific. And I wouldn't have a clue as to which recovery CD actually contained the Windows XP installation files. But as I ran the sfc program, every time it requested the Windows CD, I just ordered it to "retry" and so it continued on till it finished. Whatever the problem is that causes Windows Update to NOT function with my PC, that problem remains.

So you know, I will NOT use my friends installation CD. You know a lot more about these things than I do, obviously. But I did go to Microsoft Help & Support and filed a problem report. I explained the problem I was having, and I told them I had done a selective recovery on my PC. They scanned my PC and gathered information, and I should hear from them today. Hopefully they can solve my problem. Let's hope!

 

You can use your friends CD for sfc only without any worry. You also may have a folder on your hard drive full of '.cab' files and you can refer sfc to that for its replacements.

 

When I had Windows 98SE I was always running SFC, and I knew exactly where that "cab" file was, and used it when necessary.

On this PC with XP, I haven't a clue where that file is any longer. I've totally forgotten how to find it. As it is, I didn't even know how to run sfc on XP until Newt told me in another inquiry. I made sure to make note of how and hope never to forget again.......LOL I really just wish it would never be necessary to need it, but I think that's wishing for too much.......

 

If they're on your drive you can find out where by doing a search in windows explorer for *.cab. On your friend's CD theyre in the i386 folder if I remember correctly.

 

Do not believe WinXP has the rbxxx.cab files (no Windows\Options\Cabs folder either). Or at least it does not put rbxxx.cab files on the hard drive. (Even in Win98 may have been the case only if you got Windows installed by the manufacturer.)
What file is it you are trying to recover? You can run a search for it. Many Windows system files are in Windows\System32\DLLCache. If you do not have it, perhaps you could make a copy from your friend's PC (assuming they also run the same version of Windows)?
WinXP has System File Checker (SFC.exe) as you know since you have used it, but it functions somewhat differently in XP and you would not use it to Extract a single file as you did in Win98.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;310747

 

Thank you WelshJim,

I am still learning too, and the more I know, the better for my PC, right?

I was not looking for any particular file, but when I ran the sfc, IT was looking for certain .dll files and I didn't know where they were.

Every day I am thinking I am going to end up being forced to do a total recovery. The selective recovery doesn't seem to me to have worked none too well.

I am having little "glitches" all the time. The major one being that Windows Update service will not work at all.

The others are very annoying, like having to set up my connection every day, because the PC seems to be changing it from one boot-up to another. And one day my scanner connects, the next it can't be found. Little things like that. I get the impression that the selective recovery was not very selective, because it seems to have missed some very important files that it should have saved, but apparently did not.

Unless I can find a way to permanently fix these problems without doing the total recovery (which I really would like to avoid at all costs if possible), I just don't think my patience is going to win out. I have never been known to be very patient anyway.

I have written Microsoft help and support and heard from them. They are supposed to get back to me sometime today or tomorrow. They have my phone number and my e-mail, so I don't know how they will contact me, but I hope it's soon, and I hope it solves the major problem with Microsoft Update. It really bothers me that I can't get the latest security patches etc.

 

sandilew--To show my ignorance. What is the "selective recovery" you did?

 

Hello WelshJim,

I have a Compaq Presario 6420NX PC. They come with all programming pre-installed. You do not receive progrmming CD's to choose for yourself what you want or don't want. Personally, I just remove what I don't want right off.

Anyway, they instruct you to immediately make a set of "recovery discs" should you ever need to restore your PC to the original factory settings (back to exactly what you received when you first purchased your PC).

When you decide that your problems warrant a recovery (and with Windows 98SE this happened more often than I care to discuss) you have the choice of doing a "selective recovery" or a "total recovery. "

According to Compaq, the selective recovery is suppose to restore your OS back to original settings while causing little or no damage to your most important programs that you have installed since the purchase of the PC. Well, it has done pretty good with some programs, but others might just as well have been removed since they don't function any longer anyway, unless I re-install them. If you have the installation CD's for those programs, that's great. Otherwise, you are out of luck I guess.

I'm sure you know what a total recovery is. And therefor you must understand why I would want to avoid it if at all possible.

I have always kept my original downloaded installations stored in a folder in My Documents. I burned everything I wanted to protect and keep onto cd-rw discs, except for my downloaded installation files and my photos. I put them on a CD-R because I didn't want to take the chance of them ever being lost. For some reason (carelessness on my part) I did not bother to verify that they were there and readable. And after I did the "selective recovery" I tried to access them to re-install the programs I wanted most, and the disc was not readable.

Still, all that aside, I am having problems just the same. So I fear that the only way to completely fix everything, including Windows Updates, will be when I finally break down and to the total recovery. I dread it!! Wouldn't anyone?

I hope I have answered your question fully.

 

sandilew--Yes, you have. It is a very sad story. I do not think I will buy a Compaq.

 

Personally, I have always liked my Compaq's. But I beleive this is the last one I will be spending my hard earned monies on too.

In future I will be buying a Dell. At least they package the software and you deicde what to install! And that way, when you have a problem with Windows, you just use the installation disc to fix it. And the problems I am having don't exist.

I guess I should have taken my own advice........haha
When my best friend was looking for her first PC, I told her to buy a Dell. Actually, she even ordered right here from my very own Compaq monitor........haha It arrived in like 3 days, and she has never had a moments worry with it.

My problem was that with all the problems I had with my first Compaq, I blamed them all on Windows 98SE, not Compaq. I am odd in that I am loyal to a fault most times. I guess when it came to buying the next PC, I should have used common sense and not loyalties to guide me.

 

sandilew--Probably after the fact, but you might like to bookmark this MSKB
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283185

 

Coming Full Circle - An Update!

Hello WelshJim,

Well, I thought long and hard, and then decided to just run with it. I began the total recovery process. As luck would have it, the recovery discs were flawed. So here I sat with my hard drive wiped clean and no way to re-program the PC.

I called Compaq and ordered a set of recovery CD's for my Presario, and then I was forced to wait until they arrived. THAT took 6 days!! I went into a MAJOR withdrawal! Man, you just don't realize how important this little box is until you are forced to do without it.

The recovery discs finally arrived Wednesday, so I got it up and running. First off I installed SP2 software (really glad I ordered that when it was first made available from Microsoft), installed my anti-virus program, and then spent many hours watching Windows Update go to work downloading and installing all of the updates I needed. Had to go to Visioneer to get an updated driver for my scanner to get that working too.

So right now I'm up and running again, and everything is working fine. It will take some time getting all my programing back into it, but I've got that.

I was miserable all last week. Poor hubby was walking on eggs

Thank you for all your help. I really do appreciate how you stuck with me and tried so hard. I still don't know what happened, but something got to my Windows files I think, and really messed them up. It's fixed now, so I'm happy again. But I'm really happy to have found this wonderful place and the wonderful helping people that are a part of it.

Have a super great weekend now, ya hear?

 

sandilew--Thanks for the last chapter.
We usually try to help people avoid a reformat/reinstallation, but it sounds like the end result was good.
Enjoy.