[mommagee]

I used my computer last night with no problems. Today when I went to use the internet, nothing happend. I checked network connections and a blank page showed up. Opened up device mnger and nothing is listed... cannot even access system restore (it gives me the following message : system restore cannot save your computer.. restart & run SR again). Many applications are not working when clicked on (nothing happens) or I receive error messages. The only way I can access anything is from safe mode, which is how I got here.
I hope someone can help.. I don't have the extentive knowledge to even attempt to solve the problem.

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What is the Make and model # of your computer?

Do you have any disks that may have came with it?

Let us know the exact Error messages you are getting too when you try an open applications.

When you boot to the Advanced options Menu, instead of choosing Safe Mode choose Last known Good configuration. See what that does.

Edited by zep516, 17 December 2010 - 06:49 PM.

[zep516]

What is the Make and model # of your computer?

Do you have any disks that may have came with it?

Let us know the exact Error messages you are getting too when you try an open applications.

When you boot to the Advanced options Menu, instead of choosing Safe Mode choose Last known Good configuration. See what that does.

Edited by zep516, 17 December 2010 - 06:49 PM.

[mommagee]

Here is the info on my computer:
HP Media Center PC
M7330n
It did not come with any disks as there is a mass storage drive (D:/) which is where all the recovery stuff is in).

To be honest, I never wrote any down because there were far too many. Pretty much everything I clicked on didn't work or it would open, but nothing would display (ie: device manager). It's weird because the last thing I did with my cpu was a document in excel, and then I saved it and went to bed. When I went to use it today, that's when I noticed something was wrong. First thing I noticed seems dumb but, my taskbar wasn't blue and the start button wasn't green, they both were grey... that's when I tried opening things.. and... nothing. Another thing I noticed was in the processes running, normally I would have around 20 items running... now there's only around 6-7.

No network connections appear and I couldn't access the system restore. I did try to restore in safe mode and was able to restore to yesterday and when it rebooted, it was actually worse. Only the background on my desktop was showing.. no icons, taskbar..etc. I dunno.
Shall I try to boot to the Advanced options Menu? How do I get to that? Still press F8?

[Macboatmaster]

I very much doubt that Last Known Good will work, however by all means try it.
If it was just the System Restore message then my opinion would be that system restore was turned off.
You can check this by going start, right click My Computer, click properties and then click the System Restore tab.
You will se immediately if system restore is set to monitor the drive.
See my screenshot.

However as your device manager is also blank and you would no doubt discover other items that do not work I strongly suspect that your registry
is corrupted. I would also opine that if you were to go to event viewer in Control Panel Administrative functions you would find that numerous errors are recorded in system and application.

My immediate advice is to SAVE whatever data is important to you to flash drive or external HDD if this is possible.
If it will not work on this computer and you can slave the hard drive to another computer - preferably as an external drive in an enclosure -
I would save to DVD.

I have serious doubts you will recover from this without a repair install or at the very least a registry repair.

If you KNOW that system restore was turned on and you have not being doing any registry tweaking AND you have not fallen for the unwanted and frequently dangerous install of a registry cleaner, booster program, then have you been downloading any torrents or similar P2P downloads. These are a favourite way of acquiring an infection. NOTE IMPORTANT - I am not suggesting you are infected, firstly I am not authorised to deal with Malware and secondly I have no real evidence before me to even suggest a course of action.

Until you receive further advice from the previous poster - MY ADVICE IS AS STATED - BACK UP YOUR DATA NOW

Edited by Macboatmaster, 17 December 2010 - 09:01 PM.

[zep516]

Shall I try to boot to the Advanced options Menu? How do I get to that? Still press F8?

Yes, still press f8. Use the arrow keys to select Last known good configuration from the list of choices, then hit enter on key board. I agree it may not work. It's a shot in the dark take it, and see..

Edited by zep516, 17 December 2010 - 07:41 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

Troubleshooting

* With the Last Known Good Configuration feature, you can recover from configuration problems such as newly installed drivers that may be incorrect for your computer's hardware. It does not correct problems that are caused by missing or corrupted drivers or files.
* The Last Known Good Configuration feature uses information that is saved from the last time that you shut down your computer to restore registry settings and drivers. Therefore, you can use this feature only if you were able to start your computer successfully before you restore your computer by using the last known good configuration.
* After you start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, changes that were made since the last successful startup are lost.

[zep516]

Unfortunately it's the only option left. Take it.

[mommagee]

I checked to see if system restore was monitoring, and yes, it was monitoring my C: &
D:'s
So I went to view the event logs as you suggested and I first clicked on "applications" and there were a lot off errors & stuff and it displayed for about a few seconds then this message came up:
"the event log file is corrupt" (I was in safe mode too). So I went to "system" and took a snapshot of it, but can't seem to insert it in my reply.

In response to saving my data, it wouldn't let me in normal mode, and my external removable drive (G:/) wouldn't show up before safe mode.
Can u explain this part to me a little clearer.. I don't really understand how it would work on a different cpu if it doesn't work on mine.. you wrote:
"If it will not work on this computer and you can slave the hard drive to another computer - preferably as an external drive in an enclosure -
I would save to DVD." Also, if I do the backup, what would I be saving?

I have not being doing any registry tweaking and have not fallen for the unwanted and frequently dangerous install of a registry cleaner, or booster program, HOWEVER..I have been downloading torrents....oopps..lol.

sigh....

Edited by mommagee, 17 December 2010 - 08:02 PM.

[Macboatmaster]

The event log file is corrupt indicates as I suspected SERIOUS file corruption.
Safe Mode only loads a minimum set of drivers.
This is part of the reason that reduced processes are running.
If you CAN take out that hard drive and either SLAVE it to another computer and then save your data or enclose it connect USB you will access your personal data just as you would on the external drive on this computer.
ONLY SAVE your docs, music and personal files.
I WOULD NOT save anything downloaded from torrents.

I think the other poster still asks that you try LKG.
I only came in becuase he was offline and I was concerned that you had not realised the risk you are at of losing everything.

TORRENTS
Just to show you the risk
The reason we don't support P2P is because of the law and risk of infection possibly caused by the files downloaded. A great many of these files have infections in them and will cause in some cases your system to become unusable.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 17 December 2010 - 08:53 PM.

[zep516]

ONLY SAVE your docs, music and perosnal files.
I WOULD NOT save anything downloaded from torrents.

I agree with Macboatmaster on that and as he has pointed out looks like major registry corruption and or possible infection from downloaded torrents. You might consider posting in the malware removal forum here

If you are unable to access Safe Mode with networking to follow through with the requests. Start a new post and they will guide you with further instructions.

Macboatmaster would you agree, thanks for your help.

[mommagee]

thank you so much.
Question.. what if I were to switch to Windows 7.. would that fix the problem?

[Macboatmaster]

It depends on if we are right.
I am sure you will appreciate the difficulties of analyising errors with just a few posts.
Before I could advise on that I would want run system tests on the hardware ram etc.
If you are talking about buying windows7 do not even think of it until you get the computer working with your existing XP and then go to the Microsoft site and run the Windows 7 upgrade advisor software.
http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

Obviously if it is a software problem then any reinstall or even a repair install of XP will solve it. Whether or NOT a repair install will depends on the actual nature of the corruption.

I did PM you as I never like to leave a thread without telling the person I am going - I am signing off now.

Good Luck.

Edited by Macboatmaster, 17 December 2010 - 08:57 PM.

[mommagee]

Thnx guys!!Macboatmaster, I did get your PM.
If you are up to running system tests etc.. let me know I'll await a response before I do anything else. I'm trying to save my data now... crossing my fingers.

Edited by mommagee, 17 December 2010 - 09:45 PM.

[mommagee]

is there any way to resolve this by using registry fix/repair software?

[Macboatmaster]

You have now posted in the Malware section.
Please be patient they are very busy.
Additionally please ensure, that when they do manage to help that you follow the thread through to completion or AT LEAST post that you are leaving it.
I mention this because you DID NOT last time on this thread - http://www.geekstogo...d-slow-loading/

Edited by Macboatmaster, 18 December 2010 - 11:54 AM.