AntiSpyware - shell warning messed up my profiles

[Kadiir]

Hello:

Actually, my *response* to the shell warning....

Anyway, the other day, shortly after logging in, I got a pop-up
message from MS AntiSpyware real-time scanner that something was
trying to change the shell. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what
it said and after several times of this happening, I thought maybe
something truly was up so I denied it and clicked the box to remember
the action (sorry, don't have exact words on that either). Ever since
then, 2 of my login profiles (the ones I was switching between) got
messed up.

While logging into profile A from B, I did the above and now A has B's
profile for the Quick Launch bar. I have not been able to determine
if that's all, though.

And, it's on-going - I just added a new shortcut to B's quick launch
bar and it shows up on A now, too.

Is there any way to fix this?

TIA!

kad

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Kadiir,

Try a System Restore rollback (Ref: http://bertk.mvps.org/)

If that does not help, you may need to verify the shell folder paths in the
registry, and fix them if necessary. The default values are provided in a
table below:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/usershellfolders.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Hello:

Actually, my *response* to the shell warning....

Anyway, the other day, shortly after logging in, I got a pop-up
message from MS AntiSpyware real-time scanner that something was
trying to change the shell. Unfortunately, I didn't write down what
it said and after several times of this happening, I thought maybe
something truly was up so I denied it and clicked the box to remember
the action (sorry, don't have exact words on that either). Ever since
then, 2 of my login profiles (the ones I was switching between) got
messed up.

While logging into profile A from B, I did the above and now A has B's
profile for the Quick Launch bar. I have not been able to determine
if that's all, though.

And, it's on-going - I just added a new shortcut to B's quick launch
bar and it shows up on A now, too.

Is there any way to fix this?

TIA!

kad

 

[Kadiir]

Kadiir,

Try a System Restore rollback (Ref: http://bertk.mvps.org/)

If that does not help, you may need to verify the shell folder paths in the
registry, and fix them if necessary. The default values are provided in a
table below:

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/usershellfolders.htm

Thanks - that's the key I was looking for (nice site, btw). The
appdata entry was pointing to the other profile, however I changed it
and rebooted (I had to boot for another reason), but the other quick
launch bar still comes up.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Kadiir,

Can you export both the following branches:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Post the contents here, or mail to me directly.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/usershellfolders.htm

Thanks - that's the key I was looking for (nice site, btw). The
appdata entry was pointing to the other profile, however I changed it
and rebooted (I had to boot for another reason), but the other quick
launch bar still comes up.

 

[Kadiir]

Kadiir,

Apologies for the delay - I've been busy :-\

Can you export both the following branches:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
"AppData"="%USERPROFILE%\\Application Data"
"Desktop"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,44,00,65,00,73,00,6b,00,74,00,6f,00,70,00,00,00
"Favorites"="C:\\Favorites"
"NetHood"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,4e,00,65,00,74,00,48,00,6f,00,6f,00,64,00,00,00
"Personal"=hex(2):46,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,6f,00,6e,00,61,00,\
6c,00,00,00
"PrintHood"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,6e,00,74,00,48,00,6f,00,6f,00,64,\
00,00,00
"Programs"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,\
00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,73,00,00,00
"Recent"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,\
00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,52,00,65,00,63,00,65,00,6e,00,74,00,00,00
"SendTo"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,\
00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,65,00,6e,00,64,00,54,00,6f,00,00,00
"Start
Menu"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,\

00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,\
6e,00,75,00,00,00
"Startup"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,\

00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,\
74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,75,00,70,00,00,00
"Templates"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,54,00,65,00,6d,00,70,00,6c,00,61,00,74,00,65,00,73,\
00,00,00
"My
Pictures"=hex(2):46,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,6f,00,6e,00,61,\
00,6c,00,5c,00,50,00,69,00,63,00,74,00,75,00,72,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"Local
Settings"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,\

49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,4c,00,6f,00,63,00,61,00,6c,00,20,00,53,00,65,\
00,74,00,74,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,73,00,00,00
"Local
AppData"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,\

49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,4c,00,6f,00,63,00,61,00,6c,00,20,00,53,00,65,\

00,74,00,74,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,73,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,6c,00,69,00,\

63,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,00,00
"Cache"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,54,00,65,00,6d,00,70,00,5c,00,54,00,65,00,6d,\

00,70,00,6f,00,72,00,61,00,72,00,79,00,20,00,49,00,6e,00,74,00,65,00,72,00,\
6e,00,65,00,74,00,20,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"My
Music"=hex(2):46,00,3a,00,5c,00,4d,00,75,00,73,00,69,00,63,00,00,00
"My
Video"=hex(2):46,00,3a,00,5c,00,50,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,6f,00,6e,00,61,00,\

6c,00,5c,00,4d,00,79,00,20,00,56,00,69,00,64,00,65,00,6f,00,73,00,00,00
"Cookies"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,43,00,6f,00,6f,00,6b,00,69,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"History"=hex(2):25,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,\

4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,4c,00,6f,00,63,00,61,00,6c,00,20,00,53,00,65,00,74,\

00,74,00,69,00,6e,00,67,00,73,00,5c,00,48,00,69,00,73,00,74,00,6f,00,72,00,\
79,00,00,00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders\New]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
"Common
Desktop"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,\

50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,44,00,65,00,73,00,6b,\
00,74,00,6f,00,70,00,00,00
"Common Start
Menu"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,\

00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,\
72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,00,00
"Common
Programs"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,\

50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,\

00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,\
61,00,6d,00,73,00,00,00
"Common
Startup"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,\

50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,\

00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,\

61,00,6d,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,75,00,70,00,00,00
"Common
AppData"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,00,\

50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,41,00,70,00,70,00,6c,\

00,69,00,63,00,61,00,74,00,69,00,6f,00,6e,00,20,00,44,00,61,00,74,00,61,00,\
00,00
"Common
Templates"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,\

00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,54,00,65,00,6d,00,\
70,00,6c,00,61,00,74,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"Common
Favorites"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,\

00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,46,00,61,00,76,00,\
6f,00,72,00,69,00,74,00,65,00,73,00,00,00
"Common
Documents"=hex(2):25,00,41,00,4c,00,4c,00,55,00,53,00,45,00,52,00,53,\

00,50,00,52,00,4f,00,46,00,49,00,4c,00,45,00,25,00,5c,00,44,00,6f,00,63,00,\
75,00,6d,00,65,00,6e,00,74,00,73,00,00,00

kad

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

AppData valye type is incorrect. It should be of type REG_EXPAND_SZ, *not*
REG_SZ.

Manually edit the registry, and delete the existing "AppData" value, and
recreate one of the correct type. Set the data accordingly.

- - - - -
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
- - - - -

Alternately, use the REG file from my site here:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/usershellfolders.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

Kadiir,

Apologies for the delay - I've been busy :-\

 

[Kadiir]

AppData valye type is incorrect. It should be of type REG_EXPAND_SZ, *not*
REG_SZ.

Manually edit the registry, and delete the existing "AppData" value, and
recreate one of the correct type. Set the data accordingly.

- - - - -
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
- - - - -

Okay, I did that and now a couple things I noticed that were broken
after I responded last are now working. However, the Quick Launch bar
is still "shared" between the 2 profiles.

But, at least, things are working.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Then inspect the User shell folders paths in the *other* user account as
well. It may be pointing to the existing user account folders.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com

AppData valye type is incorrect. It should be of type REG_EXPAND_SZ, *not*
REG_SZ.

Manually edit the registry, and delete the existing "AppData" value, and
recreate one of the correct type. Set the data accordingly.

- - - - -
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders]
- - - - -

Okay, I did that and now a couple things I noticed that were broken
after I responded last are now working. However, the Quick Launch bar
is still "shared" between the 2 profiles.

But, at least, things are working.

 

[Kadiir]

Then inspect the User shell folders paths in the *other* user account as
well. It may be pointing to the existing user account folders.

I did that and it was the same (using the %USERPROFILE% variable). I
then changed AppData to use the actual username's profile for both and
then they stopped pointing to the same Quick Launch bar.

So, I suspect that the %USERPROFILE% variable is where the problem
lies.