Excel iTunes DirectX Sys Restore and Safe Mode Fail

[Aqueous]

Symptoms are piling up. 1) Attempts to open Windows\System32\DirectX \Dinput
folder reports the “file or directory is corrupted and unreadable†but no
problems found when I run dxdiag and installing DirectX again made no
difference. 2) Excel will not open. 3) System Restore will not restore to a
date prior to the Excel problem. 4) I cannot uninstall Office Pro 2007 using
add/remove programs (have not tried the manual method yet). 5) iTunes will
not re-install. (again there is a manual cleaning process that I have not
started) 6) I cannot enter Safe Mode (have not tried
fixboot+chkdsk/r--superstitious about chkdsk after it caused a bad crash 4
months ago, requiring system recovery). Running XP SP2 up to date; I have
latest Norton Internet Security, Malwarebytes, Windows Defender and none show
problems in deep scans.
Would you deal with each of these things one at a time? Or do a clean
install? Or what? Is there a common thread I need to find?

 

[Andrew E.]

If office will not uninstall in add/remove,then if you have the
installation cd
it would give the option to uninstall..Also,windows installer "clean-up"
utility
should also give the option.

 

[littlepetel]

Have you tried the system file checker? (sfc /scannow). (Note though, as MS
states, "This command may require access to the Windows installation source
files.")

 

[Aqueous]

Thanks, no, have not. I don't know if that is avalable to me. I have OEM
version, with system restore disks from the manufacturer. The options for
accessing the source files are limited to Total Restore(puts box back to
factory settings) and Partial (preserves much data but not most software and
reinstalls Windows). But where would I find sfc? I'll check into it.

 

[Aqueous]

Thanks. I did try the original disk repair/install function and the setup
function failed. I'll look again at the clean-up utility.

 

[littlepetel]

You usually access the system file checker from a command prompt (Start >run

cmd >enter), type in sfc then a space then the slash /scannow and press

enter. It checks for all your essential original windows files and replaces
any incorrect ones from the original source (either your hard drive if the
installation files and paths are there, or the installation disks - not sure
but should work with the OEM restore disks).
Peter

 

[Aqueous]

Thanks - will investigate/experiment and report back.