Latest XP update has completely destroyed my computer

Hi everyone,

I hope there is a fix for this that doesn't involve having to back up 160GB of data...

I was told of the problems with the recent XP update, and I noticed it trying to install itself last night so I hit cancel. At that time my computer was working fine. When I started it up today I got a black screen with a mouse cursor and nothing else (and I mean nothing - no ctrl+alt+delete, no right-click menu or anything). This was BEFORE the Windows logon prompt, BTW. So, I used my system recovery CD that came with the computer, and did a "non-destructive" Windows reinstall.

Now I have a whole load of problems. Windows XP loads very very slowly (I thought it was hanging on the screen that says "Windows is loading..." but it was just taking ages), most programs - particularly Outlook Express and MSN - take upwards of 5 minutes to load, I have no minimized windows for running programs on my taskbar and am forced to use alt+tab, trying to update Windows results in a crash, and trying to do a system restore results in a long wait and then an error message, something like "System Restore is unable to protect your computer, please restart" (incidentally I HAVE restarted, even in safe mode, and can't get it working).

Any ideas what's happening here, or if there's an easy way to get system restore working so I can roll it back? It sounds like a virus but I'm not convinced, I think it's a corrupt registry or something that could have been caused by this update. I found a way to get my taskbar to actually show but that's the only thing I've managed to fix, and I fear the fix may only be temporary. Please help.

 

Hello MrFwibbles and welcome to the Board,

Give accessing SR via a command prompt a try:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304449&sd=tech

From Start > run > type cmd > ok

In the white on black screen at the blinking cursor, type the command from the link in the MS document as C:\Windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

I would also while you have the chance, start backing up your data.

Regards - Charles

 

You missed out WINDOWS\, but I followed you. It thought about it for a while, then gave an error of "System Restore is not able to protect your computer. Please restart your computer, and then run System Restore again." (Same as when I try to run it from the services window...)

 

Fixed, thanks

Try this SR troubleshooter from MS http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302796 and see if something in there is a help.

The normal remedies, from the basic disable/re enable to re installing SR can't be used because it wipes all the restore points out.

Regards - Charles

 

XP Trubblez

Just read your post had same issue with my pc after a system blowout.
After I did a Sys Restore everything was dog slow, and had errors galore.

I re-installed XP SP2 as a last resort before a reinstall, Low and behold it worked, Could just be a once in a lifetime experience but its worth a shot.

Thanx