[stevecraig12]

whenever clicking on files or folders i get the error message: "this operation has been cancelled due to restrtictions in effect on this computer. Please contact your syste administrator." it removed shortcuts in my start menu, there is nothing on my desktop, i cant get to the system toolbar properties, i cannot right click, i was lucky enough to be able to get into internet explorert 2 options, they are synchronize and folder options, in the folder options, the tasks area it made it so that i cannot show common tasks in folders.
what can i do to fix this problem. my av software and firewall cannot be loaded. how can i open files around this mishapp???
my other 2 limited users work just fine, its just the administrator account, when i start it in safe mode, i click on a user to type in my password and the comptuer restarts. im using norton antivirus 2005, systemworks is the main program and im using zonealarm internet security suite for a firewall. i regularly scan my comptuer for viruses, i have a second virus program, avg, and that hasnt piced up any viruses.
some part of norton must still be running because i just got a message that liveupdate has just finished updating. i cannot use the command prompt in win xp pro either, it gives me the same error. this is the most complex virus/malware that ive ever seen. i would post a hijack log in the malware area, but i cannot get into the program.
i have an external hard drive with a backup, but it is old. thats a last restort.

all help is appreciated
NOTE: i recently downloaded some software off of the internet, this morning in fact, i think that is the cause

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Start the System Restore tool at a command prompt

1. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in Safe Mode with a command prompt.

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.

For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.micro....com/kb/315222/


A description of the Safe mode boot options in Windows XP

[Retired Tech]

Start the System Restore tool at a command prompt

1. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in Safe Mode with a command prompt.

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.

For additional information about the Safe mode with a command prompt, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

http://support.micro....com/kb/315222/


A description of the Safe mode boot options in Windows XP

[stevecraig12]

i cannot access my user in safe mode. when i click on the user it restarts the computer, and subsequently. i dont know what to do, i cannot access the control panel, the other users of my computer work, but that one doesn't. i cannot access anything on that user, i ran hijackthis, but it cannot remove entries, my guess is because im not on an administrator user. any other answers are wanted.. thanks

[Retired Tech]

These look at damaged profiles

http://support.micro....com/kb/811151/

http://support.micro...kb;en-us;326688

[stevecraig12]

when i log on as an administrator, i cannot access the control panel, takes away all the shortcuts, and even if i could get a shortcut, it says that that has been restricted. and i cannot access it, it took away my start menu programs, including the system tools folder that system restore shortcut was in. i know it is located in %systemroot%system32/restore/rstrui.exe, but i cannot access files. how do i take care of this. my other 2 limited user accounts work, just not the administrator, and i cannot run system restore in limited user mode

[Retired Tech]

Please go here to repair your operating system

Repair XP

If you are unable to run Repair XP

Alternate XP Repair Guide

Use the last one - Windows Installation CD to repair the current installation, which uses a slightly different method

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

After running the repair it will be necessary to install all Windows Updates

[stevecraig12]

can i strip the administrator user of its files, even if they're in use. if i can strip that and get different files from elsewhere i think that would fix the problem if it was in that area. when i do the repair in windows xp, it takes out offfice, sometimes my settings and start menu, desktops, and other settings, and then i have to reinstall sp2 because i dont have a win xp cd with sp2 on it. it is only in the administrators user, is it a file in its user settings area, or is it something in startup. i wish not to repair win xp because im on a dial up connection, even if it installs them automatically, it still slows down my connection. is there any way to see what my computer is doin? i used hijackthis, but its not really working. my other users work just fine, in fact, some of my startup programs have disappeared from startup, and norton antivirus missed 7 viruses, that avg picked up in a scan. where did my realtime protection from norton go? what is the best antivirus solution? what is better than norton? i think avg is better. windows xp should start to go toward the mac or linux division of an operating system.

[SpiritWind]

If you want to PAY for antivirus protection, one of the best is
"NOD32" ; I have the good & FREE Avast Antivirus Home Edition,
available from www.avast.com . They also have a support forum .