[periwinkle]

Hello all ~ Here's what's going on: I have had to ask my manufacturer (eMachines) for help several times in the last few weeks. As they are wont to do, they have suggested a simple fix (which usually does nothing) or the drastic alternative - which is to do a full system restore.

I keep having so many problems. Here are some of the problems: I have lost all of the USB ports. When I try to reinstall the drivers by deleting them from the Device Manager, they do not reinstall, like they are supposed to when I reboot. I also recently lost some of my Java functionability. Java works fine on some websites - i.e. I can load and play games on games.yahoo.com, but I cannot load games on www.pogo.com. I have read the suggested fixes that Pogo gives, but they are not working to "fix" my Java. I don't think the Java is corrupted. In fact, the Pogo games were working fine, up until I did a disk cleanup. Apparently, I inadvertently deleted something, but this HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE with disk cleanup.

The eMachines techs think it's just another instance of problems with my Windows system. I have had to restore my computer to an earlier time in the last month because of viruses. I'm 99.9% sure all the viruses and malware are gone. I have done several online checks with Panda, Trend Housecall and Symantec. I have the Trend Antispyware application that I run daily. I also had to reinstall my Norton Internet Security because it had stopped working. Luckily, AVG found a worm!

I have been backing up files like crazy because I realize that I must do a fulll system restore. I tried to do the full restore a few days ago, but then found that my first restore disk wasn't working, either!!! I contacted eMachines, and they claimed that I could still do a restore without a working restore disk. They gave me instructions - something about FDISK. I don't have much confidence in their suggestions, however, since for so long they have been suggesting a full system restore. Usually a chat goes something like this: "I have a problem with x,". Their response is: "Well you could do x or do a full system restore." They have been giving this advice since the computer was 6 months old!!

I really just want to know if I can do a full system restore without a working restore disk? I can provide the instructions for doing the full system restore that they gave me, if necessary.

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Hi periwinkle...Welcome to G2G!

This procedure doesn't always work with OEM recovery disks, but it's worth a shot, anyway....

Try this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's

Let me know if you are one of the lucky few OEM owners that lets them repair with a recovery disk...

wannabe1

[wannabe1]

Hi periwinkle...Welcome to G2G!

This procedure doesn't always work with OEM recovery disks, but it's worth a shot, anyway....

Try this REPAIR to your installation of XP. This procedure will not damage or change your current files or settings...it will just repair or replace damaged system files. You will be asked for your Installation CD and may be asked for your product key. Follow the instructions carefully...print them out if you can. Note: This option is not always available on OEM Recovery Cd's

Let me know if you are one of the lucky few OEM owners that lets them repair with a recovery disk...

wannabe1

[periwinkle]

Hi Wannabe1,

Thanks for the fast reply. My eMachines computer did not come with a Windows disk. I remember the techs asking me to use that before a long time ago. I remember thinking, either that it was left out of my computer package or they don't really know which items come with the computers. I've looked and all I have are 3 recovery disks.

They did however try give me some steps to repair Windows. First, I think they told me to remove SP2. I did that. Then they gave me instructions that they told me were to repair Windows. After I tried these instructions, I noticed that the computer slowed down - by this I mean that the mouse and the desktop, and every window looked as if it were permanently in safe mode. You know, all those extra large icons, and the way the mouse moves super slow, like it's in molasses, when you're in safe mode. I told them that, and the suggested fix was to change the appearance. I did that and everything became normal size again, but the mouse still moved extremely slowly. I remember having to enter a really long 16+ digit product key.

It was this "repair" that seemed to do the most damage. EMachines told me to reinstall SP2, following this repair. I thought I had reinstalled it, but later on, found that I had only reinstalled all the critical updates from Microsoft. I asked them if not having SP2 might be causing problems, but they said, "No." Later on, when checking something else, I noticed that I didn't have SP2. I went back to the Windows site and this time I was able to download and install SP2. I remember that some things seemed faster. However, scrolling the mouse is much slower than I remember being normal.

The thing that I did that seemed to cause Java to stop working on www.pogo.com was a disk cleanup. I don't know what I deleted! I've done lots of disk cleanups in the past without losing functionality. I always had to re-enter info that was on the deleted cookies, but never had any other problems.

Would you suggest following the advice given by eMachines without a restore disk? The only reason I'm so worried about this, is that I don't want to find out half way through the restore that I can't get my computer back. This would be just awful.

I've attached the suggested fix by eMachines. I think my restore disk might be scratched. I do know that one of my cats knocked over a glass of water and got all the restore disks wet one time. I let them dry off in their paper sleeves, but I can't help thinking that getting wet didn't do them any good. The disk doesn't appear scratched to me. However, it doesn't look like pristine, on the other hand.

Attached Files

•  Live_Log_Repairs_to_CD_10_22_05.doc   57.5KB   35 downloads

[wannabe1]

Hi periwinkle...

Let's explore some other possibilities.

The disks you have will contain the operating system, but probably will not support the repair function I suggested earlier.

Go to Control Panel and double click the "Mouse" icon. Under the "Pointer Options" tab, move "Pointer Speed" slider to the right and click "Apply" until you get the movement you like...Do the same under the "Scrolling" tab...then click "Ok".

In general, how does you machine seem to be running excluding the issues you mentioned in your earlier post? Please list everything you can think of that you believe is "not right" with the system.

It's late here so I will post back tomorrow with a few suggestions on the operating system work.

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 28 October 2005 - 12:03 AM.

[periwinkle]

Hi Wannabe1,

Other than Java just not working on only one site (www.pogo.com) and occasional weird stuff, like a dos prompt window that'll pop up for a split second certain times, things seem sort of normal. The most annoying problem is that Java works fine for all other sites, but the game site I visit every day will not load any game in Java. I have updated and even reinstalled Java twice. The problem is not with Java, as I have not been able to load a single game from www.pogo.com since I did a disk cleanup. Java works fine on all the other sites that use it. I'm really thinking I just want to restore my computer to about two weeks ago. The trouble is, I'll have to remember what to backup again, since I've added new favorites and documents since then. I'll also have to remember what I need to put back, like SP2. Oh yeah, none of my USB ports work, even after removing them in the Device Manager and rebooting so that they could be reinstalled automatically. I cannot print nor use any of the USB ports because the computer isn't recognizing them. I really need those ports.

I'm thinking I should contact eMachines and ask them to send me a Windows XP disk. I remember they claimed that I should have had a disk in my package. I never found it. Oh, the other major problem: my DVD writer will not write DVDs. I never tried it out until just recently, when I realized that I needed to backup everything. The eMachines techs and I spent a few hours on chat trying to figure out how to get the DVD writer to work. I don't think it has ever worked. I remember popping in a disk to see if it would copy one of my movies about a year ago, but it didn't recognize the blank disk, even though I put several different blank ones in the DVD writer drive. Actually, it can tell me what size disk is in the drive, but it keeps asking for a disk, as if nothing is in the drive.

[wannabe1]

Good Morning periwinkle...

Please download Everest, install it, and generate a log using the "Reports" icon on the toolbar (all pages - html format). Attach it to your next post for me.

To Save your Favorites in IE...Create a new folder in the My Documents folder and name it My Favorites...Open Internet Explorer and click "File" then "Import and Export...". From the Import/Export Wizard, Click "Next" and select "Export Favorites"...click "Next"...Select "Favorites" and click "Next"...Select "Export to a File or Address" and browse to the file you created in My Documents...click "Next" and then "Finish".

Let's also back up your current registry...Create another folder in the My Documents folder and Name it Regbu...Click Start then Run and type regedit in the "Run box"...In the Registry Editor, click File and select "Export"...In the "Save in" box, navigate to the folder you created and select it...in the "File Name box, type 102805...In the "Save as type" box, select "Registration Files" (should be default setting) and then click "Save" and exit the Registry Editor.

Now let's try a System Restore. Click Start and point to All Programs then to Accessories then to System Tools and click System Restore

On the Welcome to System Restore page, select "Restore my computer to an earlier time" (it should be selected by default), and then click "Next"

On the Select a Restore Point page, click a bold date on the calendar to the left...go back as far as you wish, and then click "Next". A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click "Ok".

On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click "Next". System Restore will restore the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restart the computer.

When the System Restore Restoration Complete page appears...Click "Ok".

Let me know how it goes...

wannabe1

Edited by wannabe1, 28 October 2005 - 07:59 AM.

[periwinkle]

Good Afternoon Wannabe1,

I backed up all the files you mentioned and I'm attaching the Everest report. I see that there is very detailed info about my computer in this report. I have not done the system restore yet, as I have to backup some music files and do not have enough songs to fill a CD yet. I just wanted to send you this info before I'm off and running again. I believe that my USB ports stopped working before the date to which I want to restore my computer. I can't go back too far, because that's when my Norton was corrupted. I will burn my music CD very soon.

Attached Files

•  Report_10_29_05.htm   255.31KB   19 downloads

[periwinkle]

Hi Wannabe1,

I have since restored my computer to an earlier date, however, I keep getting this error when I try to load my game on www.pogo.com: The instruction at "0x018a110b" referenced memory @ "0x018d50e8". The memory could not be read. Then both pages related to the game site have to close. Windows says there is some error and the windows close.

Also, something I hadn't thought of before: every time I wanted to play the game recently (before I managed to delete something so that it will not load), I had to sign in, although I never had to do that in the past. The cookie always worked fine. This, again, is not normal behavior for the computer. I wonder if things would be better, if I get into my backup files and load them onto the computer again? I still have a lot of files on the computer because I have not done the full restore yet.

After trying the system restore to 10-16-05 (in which I got the aforementioned error), I tried again to restore it to 10-15-05 (another restore point), but after 40 minutes, the computer said it could not restore to this earlier date. There are also a few more dates before 10-15, that are possible restore dates. I didn't have another 40 minutes to try another date, so this will have to wait until later.

Please let me know what you learned by the attached report I sent earlier.

[kd1966]

could possibly need a Winsock fix, although that doesn't explain hardware devices acting up...............

[wannabe1]

periwinkle...

The Everest Report gives me the physical information on your machine...I was checking for driver versions and hardware configurations primarily. It also provides the info we'd need if we loose a driver while working on the machine.

I'm starting to lean towards a corrupt IE installation. Let me look into this and I'll post back a little later.

wannabe1

[periwinkle]

I have recently reinstalled IE, but then again, I think this might have been after the time to which I just restored my computer. I remember the eMachines techs saying something about a possible corrupt IE. I'm guessing I could reinstall it again. My biggest concern was if I uninstalled IE, how would I get back onto the web? I think I just downloaded the new IE, and then removed the corrupt IE.

[wannabe1]

periwinkle...

Did you start having this problem after installing Service Pack 2 or was SP2 included with the original installation?

wannabe1

[periwinkle]

I'm almost 100% certain that the problem with IE not loading the Pogo page occurred following a disk cleanup. I know that probably sounds odd, but I remember accidentally clicking on disk cleanup, (as it's in the Taskbar column - the one on the left above the Start button), and after I did that disk cleanup, I could no longer load any game from Pogo. The disk cleanup seems to have deleted some necessary files, but I've never had that happen before.

I'm thinking I should try to reinstall IE. Currently, I don't have SP2, because when I restored my system, it took me back to the time when I had SP1. If I reinstall SP2, however, I think I will lose the ability to restore my computer to a previous point in time. It seems like that's what happened after I was told to remove by eMachines and then to reinstall it. The computer was so slow when I didn't have SP2.

[wannabe1]

periwinkle...

Reinstalling SP2 might just solve your problem. Instead of installing SP2 from Windows Update, download this IT Deployment Version from Microsoft, save it to disk, and then burn it to a cd. This way you'll never have to download it again.

Install SP2 on your machine and then use Windows Update for the rest. Let me know if this helps...

wannabe1

[periwinkle]

I reinstalled SP2 after downloading it, and I burned it to a CD, as recommended. When I was installing SP2, I think my computer hung, because the progress meter didn't move for about a half hour, so I forced a quit. I noticed that the ReadMe page had to be forced closed also, so I figured that the installation was having problems, too. However, when I ran winver to check if I had SP2, it showed that I did have it. Also, I see it in the control panel. I'm thinking I need to try to reinstall, it just to be sure.

I immediately tried to load a game at the Pogo site, but nothing doing. I still can't load the Pogo games. arrrrggghhh! This is so frustrating. The only difference now, is that I don't get that long coded error. Instead, I just get the usual page that says something is wrong with my Java. I have since reloaded Java, yet, once again.

Right now, I'm looking at Java very closely. I hope to find some solutions.