Can't get to Win Explorer or even Internet explorer

[Wesley Laughlin]

Recently downloaded a file that must have contained some
adware / spyware. Norton 2004 could not remove, and I used
one of my other adware / spyware to remove. I must have
accidentally deleted an important file because:

I cannot use Internet explorer
I cannot get to control panel
I cannot get to even the recycle bin
Applications work fine.

I can get to these in Safe mode but don't know how to find
and restore any files. I tried to do system restore, but I
have no save points to restore to. Is there something I
can do besides re-install Windows? The disk I installed
from is 7 hours away.

Please Help me...
Email: (e-mail address removed)

Thanks
wes

 

[backup spyware...]

reminder that ad-aware and spybot (advanced)have backup files.

 

[Guest]

Yes, I restored everything that I thought may have been the problem but..

Now, I recall uninstalling some programs that were automatically installed with the adware / spyware. and I remember it asking to whether uninstall a win32 file (I chose yes). That may have been a file that is missing and causing the problem

Any suggestions?

 

[Malke]

Yes, I restored everything that I thought may have been the problem
but...

Now, I recall uninstalling some programs that were automatically
installed with the adware / spyware. and I remember it asking to
whether uninstall a win32 file (I chose yes). That may have been a
file that is missing and causing the problem.

Any suggestions?

Although it is impossible to tell what win32 file you deleted now, you
can try going to Start>Run and typing "sfc /scannow" without the
quotes. Note that there is a space between "sfc" and "/scannow". The
System File Checker will replace damaged and/or missing system files.
However, you will probably need your WinXP cd. If it is "7 hours away"
and you can't get it and don't have a friend with a WinXP cd where you
are, your best bet is to take the machine to a good local computer
repair shop and have them fix it for you. It should not be overly
expensive or take very long. If running sfc doesn't work, you are
probably looking at a Repair Install, and for that you definitely will
need the XP cd.

Malke

 

[Alex Nichol]

Yes, I restored everything that I thought may have been the problem but...

Now, I recall uninstalling some programs that were automatically installed with the adware / spyware. and I remember it asking to whether uninstall a win32 file (I chose yes). That may have been a file that is missing and causing the problem.

Use System restore from the Safe mode boot.

Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools - System Restore
Take 'Restore System to a previous. .. ' and from the calendar select a
day in Bold and a point on that day that are before the troubles

 

[Dan R]

If you have your retail CD or if it's an OEM machine, you should have a
folder such as c:\i386. In any case, you may run System File Checker to
replace your missing or corrupted file.

Start / Run, type SFC /f click ok

It may then notify you that on the next boot, it will scan and fix (to
replace) your missing files. Note, along the way, it may ask you to insert
your CD, or you can browse choose to identify your "i386" folder for the
replacement files.


--------

Yes, I restored everything that I thought may have been the problem but...

Now, I recall uninstalling some programs that were automatically installed

with the adware / spyware. and I remember it asking to whether uninstall a
win32 file (I chose yes). That may have been a file that is missing and
causing the problem.