help!! i am running windows xp on an e-machines desktop
computer. when i came home from work yesterday, almost of
my desktop icons were missing, all subfolders in my start
menu are empty, my adminstative tools and system tools
folder are empty, my bookmarks (favorite places) are gone
and AOL is telling me that the main.idx database file is
damaged. I tried rebooting several times with no success.
i was able to find my system restore using a help&
support option on my start menu, but the only restore
point available was a restore point from that same day
(yesterday). I went ahead and used system restore, but
the restore did not do anything - everything is
still "missing". I know my programs and documents are
still out there because i can see them in windows
explorer. i just don't know what went wrong. I only have
a restore cd that came with my pc, but the instructions
say that if i run it, all programs and data that i have
installed since i bought my computer will be gone. also,
windows installer keeps popping up trying to re-install
microsoft money (which came with my pc, but i have never
used), but then gives an error "the feature you are
trying to use is on a network resource that is
unavailable". i can't figure out what happened. i did
not perform any updates or make any changes to my system,
so i just don't know why all of a sudden my system has
gone haywire. does anyone know a way to get my admin
tools and other missing data back without having to
completely start from scratch with the restore cd? and,
no, i don't back up my system (yes, i know, i know - what
a dummy, huh?).

>-----Original Message-----
>help!! i am running windows xp on an e-machines desktop
>computer. when i came home from work yesterday, almost
of
>my desktop icons were missing, all subfolders in my
start
>menu are empty, my adminstative tools and system tools
>folder are empty, my bookmarks (favorite places) are
gone
>and AOL is telling me that the main.idx database file is
>damaged. I tried rebooting several times with no
success.
>i was able to find my system restore using a help&
>support option on my start menu, but the only restore
>point available was a restore point from that same day
>(yesterday). I went ahead and used system restore, but
>the restore did not do anything - everything is
>still "missing". I know my programs and documents are
>still out there because i can see them in windows
>explorer. i just don't know what went wrong. I only have
>a restore cd that came with my pc, but the instructions
>say that if i run it, all programs and data that i have
>installed since i bought my computer will be gone.
also,
>windows installer keeps popping up trying to re-install
>microsoft money (which came with my pc, but i have never
>used), but then gives an error "the feature you are
>trying to use is on a network resource that is
>unavailable". i can't figure out what happened. i did
>not perform any updates or make any changes to my
system,
>so i just don't know why all of a sudden my system has
>gone haywire. does anyone know a way to get my admin
>tools and other missing data back without having to
>completely start from scratch with the restore cd?
and,
>no, i don't back up my system (yes, i know, i know -
what
>a dummy, huh?).
>
>
>
>
>.
>shot in the dark::::look in the recycle bin?Do you have
kids?anybody have access to the computer other than you?
do you have an allways on connection(like cable or DSL)?
do you run your antivirus regularly?(if no run it now you
may have a virus,that could be you E-Mail problem,and
it's eatting at your programs)not funny at all,but you
must protect your things.If all else fails,try some FREE
spyware removale tools,like ad aware,and spybot.
www.ad-aware.com welcome to the real world of
computing.

Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools -> System Restore. Just choose a day when everything on your computer was the way you wanted it to be and then Restore. Good Luck.

>-----Original Message-----
>Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> System Tools ->
System Restore. Just choose a day when everything on your
computer was the way you wanted it to be and then
Restore. Good Luck.
>.
>Hay SID did you read the post or what dude (but the
only restore
point available was a restore point from that same day
(yesterday). )That's not gonna work.