Task Manager

Nickynoo--I am not sure why BillyBob withdrew his earlier comments. He is correct in what he said about regedit.com and also that taskmgr.exe should not be in C:\Windows (as goddez1 mentioned before).
I think you
1) Have a messed up install of WinXP, perhaps because the Win98 version was not legal
2) Possibly have Spyware, so I have suggested the procedure for getting rid of it earlier. (the presence of Regedit.com suggests something changed Regedit.exe)
3) Still could try the sfc /scannow suggestion I made earlier.
But frankly, I suspect you would be better off formating your hard drive and making a clean install of WinXP. If you have a way of backing up personal data, do so and that will allow you to reinstall (hopefully without introducing the spyware, if present) fairly simply. I do not think you will have to reactivate WinXP, but even if you do, you now have a legal Product Key, so it should not be a problem.

 

Thank you Welshjim for the support.

I really meant that the previous info in the reply itself was wrong.


But, I also think that fromat and start over may be the better way to go.

Also it reads very similiar to problems I had when upgrading 98FE to 98SE and booted from the HD instead of the Floppy. It apeared that inuse files did not get overwritten properly.

And just restarting the machine to the floppy may not work either as RAM may not clear completely. I have never had a problems when I used a cold booted to the floppy. AFTER letting the machine set in powered down state for a few minutes.

Welshjim Look for a Private Mail.

BillyBob

 

I noticed the mention of the missing autoexec.nt. We all know now that this is associated with virus/malware. While many suffered the disappearing autoexec.nt, I believe config.nt and command.com can also become involved in the corrupt disappearing scenario.

Doing some supposing here but what if it was possible that all 3 of these files were effected before a cleanup was done. The cleanup would be botched. Xp healing would botched. Files wouldn't run for the run line. Files may not be where they should be, particularly regedit. What if the xp_fix.exe were applied which replaces all three of these system files and a good online scan was done. Microsoft virus scan was done and of course our own security subforum recipe of online scan, spybot, hijackthis.log was followed up on. There may be good chance that this is still recoverable. Of course this is a lot of assumption and a good deal of the "tooth and nail" fighter, in myself, showing through coupled with this stubborn streak I have of "fighting to the death ". It may be over riding good sense but I'd give it at least a shot.

The xp_fix.exe patch can be found here if Nickynoo is interested in what may prove to be a battle and in the end may still result in a reinstall:
xp_fix.exe
http://www.visualtour.com/downloads/

Our security subforum and stickie entitled "welcome" pinned to the top of the forum should fill in the other details.

 

To Welshjim - I dont really want to reformat my harddirve - I have got lots of programs and personal files on it that I do not have copies of. I would like to make a suggestion - do you think (or can I) a reinstall of XP (remember I have an upgrade) will solve my problems? Perhaps I should uninstall XP (I am given the option) and revert back to 98 (my previous OS). reinstall 98 and then upgrade to XP again? - Do you think this will help?
Thanks for all the help. Really appreciated.

 

Another bit of help - I think IM has caused all these problems, before I installed IM I was able to bring up the task manager and I seemed to have no other problems. I didnt often use my computer until I downloaded and installed IM, but ever since IM has been install, Taskmanager and the other problems have been happening. I am going to try downloading Eudora (email program), uninstall IM, install Eudora - and see if there are any changes.

 

Hi Nickynoo,
Did you overlook my latest post? I know we seemed to have been typing at about the same time. You may have overlooked my addition by not looking up. In the least you need to replace that missing or corrupt autoexec.nt and when done change the attributes of it to "read only ". Use the xp_fix.

As a side note, What's wrong with "Outlook Express "?

 

Outlook express wont run but it seems to rely on my Office 2000 installation, the office program was installed on this machine (while running Win98) by my sister who didnt keep the disc, so now that I have upgraded to XP office wants the disc so it can install something (I think the files so it can run on XP) I think Outlook express relies on Office outlook so that it can run. I dont want to uninstall it because Word and EXcell work and I use them alot.

It does seem that I missed your previous post. I will try xp fix but where do I put this autoexec file and how do I change its attributes (on the properties of the file?)

 

If you haven't discovered already, the xp_fix.exe is self executable. When downloaded and clicked upon it automatically extracts and places these files where they go. In any case they go into the *:\windows\system32 folder. * to be replaced by the partition letter in which XP is installed in. When done do a file search for autoexec.nt and the one found in system32 folder should be right clicked upon and "properties" should be selected. Put a tick in the "read only" attribute box. Apply, Ok and close.

Outlook and "outlook express" are independent of each other but depending upon the install may share some common files such as the address book. If OE has a problem, you need to track down the cause and fix it. You can do this further down the road. Right now you obviously have bigger problems that you need to focus on. OE is secondary.

Wow,
Xp's and Microsoft's anti pirating techniques are kicking you in the hinny. I doubt you'll even be to able to do anything with office, repair, update, even uninstall it without first having the original cd to confirm copy rights. Again while there may be ways to rectify this or cleaning tools that may be able to do this. Focus on current problem. Office problem should be secondary. (There's even a good freeware substitute for ms office suite).

After the xp_fix you need to do the online virus scans and the trojan/adware/malware procedures as directed by the pinned stickie in the security subforum:
welcome

Do not assume your clean based on Norton. Do not assume your clean based on one scanning and cleaning procedure. Do not take shortcuts or skip procedures. I know this can be time consuming and trial in patience for some, but based on most of your original posted symptoms, infection, reinfection or a botched incomplete cleanup has been done. Quesstimate/supposition...It's totally possible that the precleaning has been done (such as infected files removed) but the post cleaning has not been done (putting original cleaned files back where their belong, fixing appropriate registry keys, etc).

Do not get side tracked by secondary or side issues. You risk snow balling or compounding your problems by using workarounds such as ignoring current issues, errors and software problems. Particularly when you install other applications, as a workaround or band-aid, on a current issue. Quite often what effects or ails one application, effects many. Windows is an integrated system. Many co-depend on others and are shared commonly. If you have a problem, you need to resolve that problem, to it's conclusion, even if the end resolution is uninstalling and completely removing the thing, when your able to. Commonly shared or co-dependant's will share their problems, also.

Do take steps to make sure any personal data is backed up, particularly if you use the computer for business.

Just to skim this topic and barely skim it, at that: I do not judge others on their choices or reasons for illegal use of software. I know they are broad and can vary. Financial being one, multiple computers and one copy of software another, confusion, misunderstanding in "copy rights" and "licensed use" another, etc. but the loop holes have been tightened in the "industry wide" fight against such misuse and abuse. I can only see them getting even better or tighter in the future. Keep this in mind for future use and judgements, when it comes to software decisions. (You are painting yourself into a pretty tight corner, when it comes to repair options.)

 

Thank you for your response - this XP thing is really getting me down. Since I cannot be on the net all the time (broadband isnt available in my area and I have to use dial up - it works out very expensive) I have copies and pasted your reply into a word doc so I can read it at my leisure. To answer one of your questions - It is a home computer. One thing I want to know and nobody has yet answered it for me -> do you think that if I uninstall XP (I have an upgrade), revert back to my old os (win98), reinstall 98, and then upgrade to XP - will this help? I think that the problem with OE is my address book I cannot access it in XP, I have all my email address so I dont really need - at a later stage I would like to open the address book and add the email addresses to it - it would make life simpler - but as you say this is not the main problem it is secondary. I assure you that I will not become sidetraked and will concentrate on my XP problem. Gosh! we sould like teacher and pupil. In any case I do have something to learn from you.

 

Nickynoo--

Well, I do not. If I understood correctly, the Win98 installation CD is not legal. I think it is likely to be at least one of the sources of your present problems, if not the source.
But if you have tried everything that goddez1 has suggested, then why not try that? You could also consider reverting to running just Win98.
Now that we have learned that your WinXP CD is the upgrade, I think you cannot do a clean install of WinXP after a reformat, anyway.

 

Nickynoo,
I think members are remaining silent or abstaining from addressing this question, because many members here abhore the use of illegal or pirated software in any form. This board, does not address issues related to such beyond recommendations of trying to rectify this by obtaining legally purchased copies. I believe the rules faq for board membership covers this. Since win98xx is now a dying operating system in terms of MS support and store shelf availability it can be found very very cheaply.

The second reason may be because no one an predict this for you. The results would be based on the win98xx source and the quality of that source. This is as far as I dare go into the subject. Arie (Respected Administrator, who considers this board his house, as it should be) runs a lenient house when it comes to some rules (subjects and topics) but has a line he will not cross. This is where the line is clearly drawn. There are other public boards more suited for this subject/topic but this is not one of those boards. I love this board and would not have it any other way. It is Arie, moderators, members and those board rules and guidelines that make this board the pleasure that it is.

While I am more than willing to keep offering you help and possible repair options, on your legal xp, I cannot advice, recommend or incourage you to break the law and will not address any win98xx issues. I suspect we are already in a grey area or treading on very thin ice as it is.

I will repeat this as previously posted:
Just to skim this topic and barely skim it, at that: I do not judge others on their choices or reasons for illegal use of software. I know they are broad and can vary. Financial being one, multiple computers and one copy of software another, confusion, misunderstanding in "copy rights" and "licensed use" another, etc. but the loop holes have been tightened in the "industry wide" fight against such misuse and abuse. I can only see them getting even better or tighter in the future. Keep this in mind for future use and judgements, when it comes to software decisions. (You are painting yourself into a pretty tight corner, when it comes to repair options.)

Since win98xx is now a dying operating system in terms of MS support and store shelf availability it can be found very very cheaply.



----------------

 

I inherited my computer from my sister who installed Win98 on the harddisk and keep a copy of the original CD (that is not my fault) She also installed Microsoft Office 2000 on the computer and did not keep a copy of the CD. She gave the computer to me and my parents decided that they would purchase the upgrade to WinXP. I installed it and everything seemed to work properly (I cant be sure because it was a new program to me) My installation of Outlook (my email program) would not work without the original disk and because of my address book problem (described earlier) OE wouldnt work properly. I downloaded an email program from the net (IM) and installed it then I noticed that various things didnt work (eg. task manager) Although I am not sure if the installational of IM caused the upsets in my system I highly suspect it. I am trying to find a solution to these problems, and I appreciate all the advice I have been given, but so far it hasnt worked. I appreciate that it is difficult to diagnose computer problems from a typed message, and would like to continue in the hope that I solve my problems. So none of the illegal or pirated software is my fault I have a legal upgrade of XP and Im trying to get it to work properly, yes it may be installed over the illegal copy of 98 but surely the upgrade would have sorted out any problems it found in 98?

 

Maybe IF IT WERE not for this

And this.

If you had the 98 CD.

No. I myself do not see it as hard to diagnose. I do see it as just plain improper installations.

Whether it is your fault or not, the ONLY WAY to make it LEGAL is to Format and start over. But in order to do this using the ( you claim to be legal ) XP Upgrade CD you will need a CD of a previous version of Windows.

But not only the OS, But you will probably need drivers for all of the hardware.

BTW. Drivers may be part of the problem. I know that XP has problems with some 98 drivers so I would guess that it may also have problems with 2K drivers.

An upgrade MAY NOT fix problems. It CAN make them worse. It depends somewaht on the problem.

Bottom line.
I think your BEST over all solution is to FORMAT and start over. And I you need help just ask and we will do our best to do so.

But do not count to heavily on help from me about a clean install because the LAST one I did was for the install of Win98FE. I am now on XP Pro.

BillyBob

 

I appreciate your advice but I have decided to reinstall Xp in the hopes that it sorts out the problems. I cannot afford to format harddisk now and lose all the information on it - there are lots of copied MP3 files on my computer , yes they are legal my sister has all the original CD's they come from - Only problem is she lives in Australia and I live in South Africa. To be honest she can be very impatient when working on a computer and if a problem crops up she usually ignores it - botched installations are one of her THINGS - however she did give me the installation CD that she installed 98 from.

 

I hear that LOUD & CLEAR.

That is EXACTLY why I DO NOT Store ANYTHING real important on the same drive ( partition ) as the OS.

Everything other than OS related stuff ( such as your MP3 files ) is on other than C:

ALL downloaded stuff is on another partition. ALL backups are on another partition. And anything of that type I also have stored on CDs.

MY C: dirve ( where the OS is ) is only 7.7gig. And the info says I have 3gig free.

BillyBob

 

Billybob - you have given me a good idea - in future I will seperate my programs and OS like you do. But that involves the purchase of one (or several) HD drives - time to save my money so I can do that I guess.

 

SUCCESS I think I have a working XP computer system, when I switched on my computer this afternoon - I was going to try a reinstall of XP - my task manager had returned. I have rebooted my machine several times and everytime it has returned (when I access it) It seems the problem was an installation of Gozilla (download manager) 2 versions were installed. I am still having a problem with running regedit from the run menu command. A black window (a dos window I think) pops up and then dissapears. But if I navigate to my system32 folder and double click on regedit I can run it. Any help? Also please could someone give me some commands to run from the run menu so I can test it is indeed working properly.

 

That does not read well. That reads very much like an illegal path. Also I just checked and I find Regedit.exe in the C:\Windows folder.

In the Run line try typing C:\Windows\Regedit. I just tried it and it does work.

But from what I recall from previous posts there exists too many different installs of various OSs to really get things back working properly.

BillyBob

 

I tried your regedit thing - it works
I think I will carry on with XP as it is - and solve the problems as they arise.

 

Wait for other ideas.

But I think that if my idea works I would say it means that Windows is not functioning ( installed ) correctly. It should be including the Windows Folder in a Path when it boots and allows you to run things like REGEDIT from the RUN line without using the full path.

I know that in 98 and earlier the Windows folder HAD TO BE included in the path statement of the Autoexec.bat for things to work correctly.

I do not know for sure if XP does it that way or not as I still see it in the Autoexec because I put XP over top of 98SE. But also I remarked out the path in the Autoexec.bat And NOTHING worked properly But again, I but XP over 98SE.

BilllyBob