[Scouty]

I had a new hard drive installed yesterday 5/28 and my system is still locking up. Ran a Virus scan and the system locked at C\Windows\options\cabs\win 18.cab

Turned off manually and went into Safe Mode. Tried to run scan disk and it locked up at 43,441 cluster out of 2,441.533

Appears that some CAB files are corrupted.

How do I fix this? Do I have to reinstall the Windows ME software that came with my computer? And if so, not sure what disks (there are many).

Also if I do that, what files should I back up because won't I lose everything?

I have a Dell 2100. 67GB free.

Any help or link for instructions on how to do this would be great.
Thanks!

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Try here to establish if the files are system protected files

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;275156

if so, extract and replace them

http://support.micro...b/265371/EN-US/

This is for system restore

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;267951

You will lose data etc if you re-install, move anything you want to keep to My Documents then copy this to CDR

This looks at the recovery discs

http://www.windowsre...l/dell_MEpc.htm

[Retired Tech]

Try here to establish if the files are system protected files

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;275156

if so, extract and replace them

http://support.micro...b/265371/EN-US/

This is for system restore

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;267951

You will lose data etc if you re-install, move anything you want to keep to My Documents then copy this to CDR

This looks at the recovery discs

http://www.windowsre...l/dell_MEpc.htm

[Scouty]

Thank you Keith!

Will give it all a shot. Can't live without my computer and I'm starting to feel like I should never run spyware, virus software or scan disk because the system always hoses up.

I really appreciate the help.

[Retired Tech]

You have probably been unfortunate with spyware and virus scans

You could run disk defragmenter to help put files in order so programmes do not have to look everywhere on the drive.

Try an online virus scan

http://www.pandasoft...com/activescan/

you need to install the scanning engine but it is worth bookmarking the page so you can run it whenever, it is updated most days

Hope it goes well

[Scouty]

Okay. Copies my files to CDR.

Checked out the first 2 links that were posted for checking protected files.
I can do this.

But - The system restore in Windows ME is not going to work. Restoring the current system to an earlier point won't help. The problem is the system itself not the hard drive. The hard drive is new (5/28). I actually already tried the system restore to an earlier point and it locked up in the process. Even called CompUSA who installed the hard drive and they told me that won't correct corrupted CAB files.

I need to do a complete system restore. Like reinstall the software. Just don't know how to reinstall Windows ME from DOS. Did see instructions on how to do this for Windows 98 at the top of this forum. Don't know if I have "recovery disks" or what disks I need to do this.

I'm at my wits end and really upset that I have spend 2 days working on this. All day Saturday getting a new hard drive. All day today trying to figure out what is wrong.

[Major Payne]

If you installed a new hard drive, what did you use to install Win ME on this new drive?

I hope you did a complete new install and did not mirror your old drive. It's worth the trouble to do this with a new drive and solves a lot of problems.

If your old drive has files you want to keep and still works, make it a slave and copy the files from it. Better yet, reformat it after you recovered your files and use it as a backup drive for all your files you want to keep. Otherwise, remove it.

Even using system restore you have to be careful because it will contain the same infected files that you cleaned up using the malware programs. Make sure these are scanned and infected files are cleaned or quarantined. Any CAB files that may not be corrupted would be way back when you probably first installed ME, but you will lose all the porgrams and stuff added after that point.

Ron

[Scouty]

Hi Ron,

CompUSA installed the hard drive and I don't think they did a mirror of the files (they told me that was the problem when I had a new hard drive installed a few weeks earlier). Of course I have no way of verifying this.

I just copied all my files to CD-R and just want to reinstall Windows ME to correct any missing or corrupted CAB files. I'm assuming this is the problem since my virus program locked up at C\Windows\options\cabs\Win 18.CAB (same thing happened before with the virus scan - locked up at a CAB file).

I have been reading everything I can on Microsoft's troubleshooting site and I'm dead tired (3am here).

Was really hoping to have this "fixed" before I went to bed so I didn't have to spend all day Memorial Day screwing around with this.

[Major Payne]

I'm still not clear as to what was used to install Win ME on the new drive. Did you provide them with the OEM Install CD of ME or what?

Since you have all your files copied to CD, why aren't you going ahead and reinstalling Win ME on the new drive and clear your problem up once and for all? I hope the files you copied to the CD were only personal files and did not include the windows folders.

Are you needing instructions on how to install Win ME? Maybe this is the crux of the matter.

Ron

[Scouty]

Hi Ron,

Well, it's all taken care of. I just gave up and called CompUSA and they reinstalled Windows ME. Brought the computer home last night and will slowly reinstall program disks as needed.

I did run into some issues when hooking up the computer as far as device recognition. For some reason I don't have the Windows ME install disk - I mean I do have the disk for the reinstalling. ME was already installed on the computer when I bought it.

And I screwed up Outlook Express already. Idiot that I am. I didn't know how to "import" the address book or Identities I saved to CDR and just copied them. I must have my email info (files, emails) from the old hard drive.

Now I have to uninstall and reinstall Outlook Express. Printed directions on Microsoft.com, but they were kind of confusing (even though I haven't tried it yet).

If anyone has instructions for dummies on how to reinstall Outlook Express and especially on how to import or copy the address book and identities from CDR - I would be grateful.

The missing device items may be resolved when I reinstall the programs for the USB port devices. Even though it was saying to put in the Windows ME disk.

Files/items missing:
hidusb.sys
kbdhid.vxd
mouhid.vxd
hidserv.exe

[Scouty]

Will be able to get this stuff resolved from work.

Already borrowed a CD to reintall Outlook. Going to NOT USE Outlook Express.

Also will be getting a copy of those files that are missing.

I want to thank you for your time and responses. This is a great forum and very helpful for us non-computer people. Even though I'm the "expert" in my family. LOL.

Will be posting a separate topic about some importing.

[Major Payne]

If you still want to use Outlook Express, it comes with Internet Explorer. Can send you a link for rdownloading IE, but I'm sure you can find it on the Micro$oft site. Outlook has an Import/Export tool as does Outlook Express. As long as you know where to find your Address Book on the CD, you should have no trouble importing into either mail client. You also have the option for importing all your mail folders.

RE : USB. Might be able to find the files you need for download although I haven't checked to see what they are. Hopefully, you will have them on the install CD/disks of these devices. It may still ask for the Windows CD tho.

Ron

[Scouty]

Thanks Ron!

When they redid my hard drive they updated everything from Microsoft (all the citical updates and such).

Last night I tried to redownload IE, but for some reason it didn't seem to "fix" Outlook Express.

I think I'm going to try to uninstall it (did print instructions from Microsofts site) and reinstall. But any links that you think will help would be greatly appreciated.

I use Firefox, so I don't mind reinstalling IE.

Thank you Sir!

Maryanne.

[Major Payne]

Actually this site has a very good tut on repairing IE at :

Repair Internet Explorer 6.0

Check it out and see if it helps. Admin does a very good job on stuff like this.

Ron

[gerryf]

if I can interject....can you load outlook express at all?

Outlook express creates a random alphanumberic identity...to get back all your email/folders, you simply need to copy all the *.dbx files from the CDR, to whatever folder outlook has currently created....not the FOLDER, but the files in the folder.

You will be overwriting those "new" dbx files with your old ones, with outlook express closed.

When you reopen your outlook express, it will be as if you have your old system.

The outlook express contacts is a file that ends .WAB...this too should be copied over the new one that outlook creates....easy way, create a dummy address book with one name in it, so it is created by outlook, then overwrite it....otherwise, OE will not know where to look.

[Scouty]

Well - I want to report that EVERYTHING went well.

I ended up just restoring the system back to before I did anything.
Best thing I ever did.

When those boxes poped up about missing cabs, I was able to install them from the reinstall disk.

My cable internet service had to resend the signal and they walked me through importing my saved Outlook Express folders and email.

Everything is running great and I only have 5 more programs to reinstall.

Once that is done I want to do a manual restore so I can always get back to this "fresh" install of everything. I'm sure there is instructions on Microsoft.com regarding how to do this. I'll check.

I really want to thank you all for all the help. I sure did learn a few things and know where to come for help.

You guys rock!