[saraface]

My mothers computer has been running very very slow lately and we decided to do a system restore. We restored it back 3 months. It took several minutes for the computer to restore and when it was finnished rebooting, Windows started up. Within 2 minutes, explorer crashes. I can access the Task Manager but that is all. There is nothing. Just the desktop image with a blue border around it. No icons, no start button. Using the Windows key to access the start button doesn't work, either. I cannot right click the desktop, either. I am able to reboot the computer and enter setup, but I'm not sure how to enter into safe mode, either.
My mother's computer came from Dell with Windows already installed. She doesn't have a Windows disk. I, on the other hand, paid for my copy and I have the disk along with the Reg code and instruction booklet. I'm wondering if I can use this disk to repair my mother's computer. Is it legal? Is it going to completely wipe out her hard drive if i do? Will I have to reformat? I'm usually decently computer savvy but this has me stumped.
I don't have the specs of the computer right now, as it is currently a half hour's drive away but I can get them in a couple of hours, if need be.

Help?

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You can use a same version XP CD to run a repair install, however, you must enter the product key from the PC you are repairing, not the one from the borrowed CD

You could open task manager, click file then new task, type explorer.exe then click OK to see if you get the desktop, if so, use task manager again, click file new task, type sfc /scannow then press enter

You can use this guide to repair XP

Possibly, you will need to press the power button and keep tapping the delete key, (possibly F2) until the PC enters set up. Change the boot order to CD ROM Drive then hard drive, press F10 then press enter, load the XP CD then type Y then press enter, as it reboots, look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

You will need your XP product key to complete this

The XP Product Key is a 25 character alpha numerical code, which does not include the sequence OEM

If you have audio / video files which are subject to DRM you should check with the provider for known issues with performing an XP repair install

Click this to view the XP Repair Install Guide

Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system

The XP repair install will look and run as a normal install, however, you must not see a request to format the drive

After running XP Repair you will need to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[Retired Tech]

You can use a same version XP CD to run a repair install, however, you must enter the product key from the PC you are repairing, not the one from the borrowed CD

You could open task manager, click file then new task, type explorer.exe then click OK to see if you get the desktop, if so, use task manager again, click file new task, type sfc /scannow then press enter

You can use this guide to repair XP

Possibly, you will need to press the power button and keep tapping the delete key, (possibly F2) until the PC enters set up. Change the boot order to CD ROM Drive then hard drive, press F10 then press enter, load the XP CD then type Y then press enter, as it reboots, look for press any key to load from CD, press enter

You will need your XP product key to complete this

The XP Product Key is a 25 character alpha numerical code, which does not include the sequence OEM

If you have audio / video files which are subject to DRM you should check with the provider for known issues with performing an XP repair install

Click this to view the XP Repair Install Guide

Windows XP repair feature won't delete your data, installed programs, personal information, or settings. It just repairs the operating system

The XP repair install will look and run as a normal install, however, you must not see a request to format the drive

After running XP Repair you will need to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[saraface]

I am writing all of this down and I'm going to try it tonite when I go to fix it. Thank you much for the information. If this doesnt work, is there anything else that could possibly be wrong with it? I won't be able to post on the forum as I'm fixing it as there is no other computer there for me to work from.

[Retired Tech]

Did you try using system restore to undo the last restore

Did it just start running slowly or has it been building up to it

Is slow running the only thing wrong with it

[saraface]

I'm not sure of how to undo the system restore since I can't get it to boot completely. Is there a way to do access it other than the control panel?
as far as i know, it's just very slow running. I really don't know why it's slow. It's been driving us crazy for a while. I think there may be spyware or something making it move slowly.

how do i use system restore to set it back to the previous point without booting?

[Retired Tech]

Choose the most recent one

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

Start the System Restore Utility at a command prompt

1. Restart your computer, and keep tapping F8 during the initial start-up until you get options, select Safe Mode with a Command Prompt then press enter.

2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.

3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state.

Look for the most recent system checkpoint created before the errors to restore from

For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click 315222 to see a description of the Safe Mode Boot Options in Windows XP

[saraface]

excellent, thank you. I can definately fix it with this information as I didn't know how to boot up XP in safe mode. (i think im used to having to tinker with 98 and xp has given me no problems. My mother, on the other hand has tons of issues with it.)
If i can boot it in safe mode, i can definately get around well enough to put it back to the way it was before I killed it with system restore. Thanks for all your help!

Edited by saraface, 01 November 2006 - 02:50 PM.

[Retired Tech]

Hope it goes well