[gdman]

Hello everyone. I've come here because I've heard some really great things about this forum and was hoping that someone would be able to give some advise.

When I open the Control Panel and try to access "System", "Add and Remove Programs" along with some other utilities that are in there, I get this error: "Another Program is currently using this file". I've run all kinds of Anti-virus, malware, adware, and spyware programs to see if this would help and although it found some things it didn't clear up the problem.

I can't turn off the "System Restore" to boot up in Safe Mode and run these programs, because I can't access the "System" utility to be able to do this.

If anyone has any insight on what I should do that would be terrific, because I'm afraid I'm stuck at the moment. Thanks.

Sean

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You can boot to safe mode with system restore on

[Retired Tech]

You can boot to safe mode with system restore on

[gdman]

You can boot to safe mode with system restore on

True, but by keeping system restore on, providing it's a virus or spyware it could still hide in the registry, right?

[Retired Tech]

Do you have the option to click start, help and support, undo changes, system restore settings, turn off system restore?

[gdman]

Do you have the option to click start, help and support, undo changes, system restore settings, turn off system restore?

Yes, which had me go into the Control Panel, System, but again, when I do this I get that error. I also tried installing something last night which had to put something in the system32 folder and it came up with that very same error. So evidentially it is this problem is not just in the Control Panel utilities, but also in other areas.

Thanks for your replies, btw. Greatly appreciated!

Sean

[gdman]

did you try this

GO START...RUN....TYPE IN .. msconfig .. ON THE BOOT TAB CHECK SAFE MODE....OK....RESTART

Yes, I can get into Safe Mode, via F8 or this way, I will try this when I get home, but for some reason, I feel that there is a bigger problem than doing scans in Safe Mode.

[Retired Tech]

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

If you do not have an XP CD you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this.

This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

[gdman]

Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

If you do not have an XP CD you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this.

This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

Will do. I will let you know as soon as I'm done.

[gdman]

what type of pop blocker you have maybe thats whats causing your problem

disable your pop up blockers then try add n remove

It is an option with my AV software, which is Panda. I'll give it a shot. But, I've always had the pop up blockers on, is it possible that it could happen out of the blue like that? And also cause other utilities to render the same error?

[gdman]

Just to give you an update. I've tried everything up to the Disk Cleaner. When I started the Disk Cleaner I left it to work its magic overnight and it had got stuck at 30%. I am currently running Disk Defrag.

I have my Ewido and my HJT logs if you want me to provide you with them here. I did a virus scan with Ewido in Safe Mode as well as the HJT. Not sure what I'm looking at and I'm not sure any of what is in the log has anything to do with what I'm experiencing, but I know not all of it looks good.

Will continue your troubleshooting steps you have given me and will advise when I'm done baring you give me more advise. I appreciate it and hope with your help and the other member's help there will be a resolution to this.

Thanks,
Sean



[quote name='gdman' date='Aug 21 2006, 06:50 AM' post='764639']
[quote name='Keith' post='764633' date='Aug 21 2006, 06:39 AM']
Items in blue which are underlined are clickable to give more information about the process

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

If you do not have an XP CD you can borrow a same version as was originally installed XP CD, if you downloaded SP2 then you need an SP1 XP CD

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this.

This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor
[/quote]

[funtmachine]

I once had a file i couldnt delete because it was "being used by another program."

I couldnt work out which program, so then i guessed it could have been explorer.exe, so what i did, i went CTRL-ALT-DEL to task manager, then ended explorer.exe, and then went NEW TASK, and BROWSE, and instead of starting a new task, i browsed to where the file was and deleted it from there....

ive also used moveonboot before for the same thing.....

hope it helps..

Dave

Edited by funtmachine, 23 August 2006 - 07:16 AM.

[gdman]

Sorry I'm unfamiliar with how to do a New Task and Browse. How did you know where the location of that file existed?

What did Moveonboot do for you? This is the first I've heard of it. And thanks for replying and helping out too!

Sean

I once had a file i couldnt delete because it was "being used by another program."

I couldnt work out which program, so then i guessed it could have been explorer.exe, so what i did, i went CTRL-ALT-DEL to task manager, then ended explorer.exe, and then went NEW TASK, and BROWSE, and instead of starting a new task, i browsed to where the file was and deleted it from there....

ive also used moveonboot before for the same thing.....

hope it helps..

Dave