Locked out of all programs and start menu/desktop/system tray.

[Guest]

Hi there. Not sure if anyone is on here today (Thanksgiving) but would really
appreciate some assistance. I turned my computer on this morning and am
unable to access ANYTHING. It allows me to log on and brings up my desktop,
however, when I try to access a program of anytype (executable/word doc
etc..) it starts to open the program and then just stops responding. I'm
unable to even access the start menu to shut the machine down (have to cold
boot). I'm completely at a loss here and would give my Thanksgiving dinner
for a fix . Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Run the system file checker from an elevated Command Prompt, i.e. Click
Start > All Programs > Accessories and right-click Command Prompt, then ‘Run
as Administrator’. Type sfc /scannow (note the space) and press Enter. This
may take some time and you may have to put the Vista DVD in the drive. You
can analyse the SFC log file, here
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228/en-us

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the response. Thru f8 (which is the only way for me to get a
command prompt right now) I ran the utility you suggested, and it got to 98%
verification complete and then said "Windows resource Protection found
corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them" then it gave me the message
that details were available in the CBS.log file under windows\logs\cbs.
While at the command prompt (c:\windows\system32) i typed the file path to
analyze, and it says that access is denied. I did have the Vista CD in while
I performed the verification. If I recall correctly, way back when you used
to be able to change your directory by typing .. to go back one step (i know
my vocab isn't very technical, sorry if i'm not making sense), but it doesn't
recognize that. So..... do I have to do something else to try to access the
file to be able to analyze it? Any chance you might be willing to call me,
BurrWalnut? I really do appreciate the help, and I've just spent an hour on
the phone with Dell with no luck. I'd really rather not re-image to factory
default, however I know that I don't always get what I wan't. Help?

 

[Debasis Goswami]

If it says access denied, you might have to open the file with admin access.
BTW, during debug process like these, you should log in to your computer as
an administrator to begin with if you are already not doing so. Trying to
get into the folder another way would not help as it is a permission issue.

Note that some files display not accessible to users even when you are
administrator. The way Windows manages that is that the operating system
only reserves the right to access those special files. If this file is of
the same type, then you have to go to the properties menu by right click on
the file or the folder where the file is located. Then change the access
permissions to give yourself full control.

Your situation sounds to me as a good fit for a factory restore. Agreed that
will make you lose your settings and software, but you can reinstall them.
In the end you will spend so much time fixing the problems one after another
and agonizing over them, taking the one time hit of system restore will be
worth it.

Cheers!

P.S. I had a really nice thanks giving dinner. Hope you had too by now.

 

[Aimee]

Thanks to both of you for the responses! I went ahead and bit the bullet and
did a factory restore last night. After posting I spent another hour or so
trying to figure out SOME way to save some of my files, but in the end, it
wasn't worth the stress, as you said, Debasis. So I'm back up and just need
to re-install my personal programs and files that I did have backed up.
Just as a side note, when I tried to enter as administrator it asked for a
password. When I originally got the machine it didn't take me through that
set up, so I didn't have one. I tried the defaults "password, Admin,
Administrator and blank" but none worked so I entered as myself. Any ideas
what the default admin password for Vista is?
And Yes, I enjoyed my Thanksgiving dinner too, thank you. =)

Again, thanks for all the help/suggestions.