Missing accessories and game programs

[Joe]

I mistakenly deleted my accessories and games programs while attempting to
speed up my Windows XP Home Edition O.S.

I trie the Add/Remove Windows Components icon on the control file to add
them back but they were not found when I inserted my original Reinstallation
C/D. Instead, I got a Copy Error from D:\i386.

I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the system
knows what is missing and the amount of space needed. I appreciate your help
folks.

 

[nass]

I mistakenly deleted my accessories and games programs while attempting to
speed up my Windows XP Home Edition O.S.

I trie the Add/Remove Windows Components icon on the control file to add
them back but they were not found when I inserted my original Reinstallation
C/D. Instead, I got a Copy Error from D:\i386.

I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the system
knows what is missing and the amount of space needed. I appreciate your help
folks.

Can you try System Restore to before the cleaning frenzy took place!

Click Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> System Tools >> System Restore.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I mistakenly deleted my accessories and games programs while attempting to
speed up my Windows XP Home Edition O.S.

I trie the Add/Remove Windows Components icon on the control file to add
them back but they were not found when I inserted my original
Reinstallation
C/D. Instead, I got a Copy Error from D:\i386.

I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the system
knows what is missing and the amount of space needed. I appreciate your
help
folks.

Deleting files or folders from a disk will never speed up a PC unless you
access a folder with tens of thousands of files inside. Defragging can make
a difference.

Did you delete the games themselves or did you just delete their shortcuts?
Can you give an example?

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I mistakenly deleted my accessories and games programs while
attempting to speed up my Windows XP Home Edition O.S.

I trie the Add/Remove Windows Components icon on the control file
to add them back but they were not found when I inserted my
original Reinstallation C/D. Instead, I got a Copy Error from
D:\i386.

I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the
system knows what is missing and the amount of space needed. I
appreciate your help folks.

Ellaborate, please...

"I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the system
knows what is missing and the amount of space needed."

How did you come to this conclusion?

 

[Joe]

I tried that on several restore points and always got the same answer: Your
system cannot be restored to: (Restore Date) No changes have been made to
your computer.

 

[Jim]

Norton installed ?

 

[nass]

Open a run command by doing this step:
Click Start -> Run -> Type in the text box:
sfc /scannow click [OK]
Get your XP CD installation media ready, it may be ask you to insert it to
repair damaged or corrupt core system files.
Good luck

Note: did you tried the system restore in safe mode?

 

[Joe]

I did not realize that you had to disable Norton before attempting a restore
so I tried that this morning. I got the same result: No changes were made to
your system. I then tried the sfc /scannow approach and was prompted for the
reinstallation C/D. It appeared to be processing until it came up with the
startup screen which was highlighted wiith an arrow to Install XP. I used
the down button to select Install XP Components. It ran for a while and
stopped with the error message Setup cannot copy file: Charmap.ex_. The
Install Arrow remained highlighted while this was going on. I then tried to
do the restore in Safe Mode with both the Firewall and Norton Anti-Virus
turned off. I got the same result: No changes were made. I feel that the
files are available but for some reason just not hit on the combination
needed to bring them back. The Add or Remove Window Components Icon from the
Control File knows what programs are missing and the amount of file space to
store them.

I know the files are missing because when I click on the games folder after
Start, All Programs, I get a message that the folder is empty.
--
Joe

Open a run command by doing this step:
Click Start -> Run -> Type in the text box:
sfc /scannow click [OK]
Get your XP CD installation media ready, it may be ask you to insert it to
repair damaged or corrupt core system files.
Good luck

Note: did you tried the system restore in safe mode?

I tried that on several restore points and always got the same answer: Your
system cannot be restored to: (Restore Date) No changes have been made to
your computer.

 

[Joe]

Thanks, I'm new at this and unfortunately my latestest reply to all the
questions is up a couple of lines under the nass response dated 10/20/09.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I did not realize that you had to disable Norton before attempting a
restore
so I tried that this morning. I got the same result: No changes were made
to
your system. I then tried the sfc /scannow approach and was prompted for
the
reinstallation C/D. It appeared to be processing until it came up with
the
startup screen which was highlighted wiith an arrow to Install XP. I used
the down button to select Install XP Components. It ran for a while and
stopped with the error message Setup cannot copy file: Charmap.ex_. The
Install Arrow remained highlighted while this was going on. I then tried
to
do the restore in Safe Mode with both the Firewall and Norton Anti-Virus
turned off. I got the same result: No changes were made. I feel that the
files are available but for some reason just not hit on the combination
needed to bring them back. The Add or Remove Window Components Icon from
the
Control File knows what programs are missing and the amount of file space
to
store them.

I know the files are missing because when I click on the games folder
after
Start, All Programs, I get a message that the folder is empty.

The actual games files may not be missing at all, only their shortcuts. This
is why I asked what exactly you deleted. For example, does the file
c:\windows\system32\winmine.exe exist?

 

[Jose]

I mistakenly deleted my accessories and games programs while attempting to
speed up my Windows XP Home Edition O.S.

I trie the Add/Remove Windows Components icon on the control file to add
them back but they were not found when I inserted my original Reinstallation
C/D.  Instead, I got a Copy Error from D:\i386.

I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the system
knows what is missing and the amount of space needed.  I appreciate your help
folks.

If you used Add/Remove programs to remove the items a System Restore
will get them back (I just tried it). The Games folder remains, but
is empty.

sfc /scannow will not help you recover your removed components and
will result in considerable frustration if you do not have a bootable
XP intallation CD that matches your system. It is not a reinstaller
of deleted components - no need to try.

The exectuables behind the games are gone (remember the deleting files
messages?) so winmine.exe is gone - no need to look.

Windows knows how much room the components are supposed to consume, so
that is why you still see a number for how much room they are supposed
to consume. It does not mean the files are still there.

Do you have or can you borrow a bootable XP Home installation CD.
This is not the same as one of the recovery CDs that may have come
with a store bought system.

Do you have a D partition on your HDD? Do you have an i386 folder on
your C or D drive?

You should still figure out why your SR does not work and there
several reasons for that. and using this method from Norton:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/pfdocs/2005113009323013

Have you tried SR by booting in Safe Mode?

 

[Joe]

The games and accessories were not deleted by the add and delete programs on
the control file.
I just did a search and found Winmine.exe on C:\windows\system32 a 117kb
Application file.
I have several i386 folders on my C drive, many are bckup files from
replacing the hard drive a couple of years ago. The one looking most
promising to me is
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles.
I do not have access to a bootable Home Installation C/D and yes I have
tried the System Restore in Safe Mode after turning off Norton and Windows
firewall.
Is there any hope?

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

I mistakenly deleted my accessories and games programs while attempting to
speed up my Windows XP Home Edition O.S.

I trie the Add/Remove Windows Components icon on the control file to add
them back but they were not found when I inserted my original
Reinstallation
C/D. Instead, I got a Copy Error from D:\i386.

I believe they are available on the system somewhere because the system
knows what is missing and the amount of space needed. I appreciate your
help
folks.

If you used Add/Remove programs to remove the items a System Restore
will get them back (I just tried it). The Games folder remains, but
is empty.

sfc /scannow will not help you recover your removed components and
will result in considerable frustration if you do not have a bootable
XP intallation CD that matches your system. It is not a reinstaller
of deleted components - no need to try.

The exectuables behind the games are gone (remember the deleting files
messages?) so winmine.exe is gone - no need to look.

=============

Excluding certain options while trouble-shooting is a recipe for failure.
Best to keep an open mind in the beginning and expore all possibilities.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

The games and accessories were not deleted by the add and delete programs
on
the control file.
I just did a search and found Winmine.exe on C:\windows\system32 a 117kb
Application file.
I have several i386 folders on my C drive, many are bckup files from
replacing the hard drive a couple of years ago. The one looking most
promising to me is
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles.
I do not have access to a bootable Home Installation C/D and yes I have
tried the System Restore in Safe Mode after turning off Norton and Windows
firewall.
Is there any hope?

You need to recreate the various shortcuts for your games. Here is how it
works for Mine Sweeper:

Use Windows Explorer, then drag c:\Windows\System32\winmine.exe to this
folder with the *right* mouse button:
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Games
When prompted, select "Create Shortcut".

Do the same with the other games in this list:

Freecell: c:\Windows\System32\freecell.exe
Hearts: c:\Windows\System32\mshearts.exe
Internet Backgammon: "C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\bckgzm.exe"
Internet Checkers: "C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\chkrzm.exe"
Internet Hearts: "C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\hrtzzm.exe"
Internet Reversi: "C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\Rvsezm.exe"
Internet Spades: "C:\Program Files\MSN Gaming Zone\Windows\shvlzm.exe"
Minesweeper: c:\Windows\System32\winmine.exe
Pinball: "C:\Program Files\Windows NT\Pinball\PINBALL.EXE"
Solitaire: c:\Windows\System32\sol.exe
Spider: c:\Windows\System32\spider.exe

When finished, consider the amount of time you spent in fixing this problem,
the tiny amount of disk space you saved in your clean-up exercise and the
zero benefit in PC speed you gained. It was a waste of time.

 

[Jose]

The games and accessories were not deleted by the add and delete programson
the control file.
I just did a search and found Winmine.exe on C:\windows\system32  a 117kb
Application file.
I have several i386 folders on my C drive, many are bckup files from
replacing the hard drive a couple of years ago.  The one looking most
promising to me is
C:\Windows\ServicePackFiles.
I do not have access to a bootable Home Installation C/D and yes I have
tried the System Restore in Safe Mode after turning off Norton and Windows
firewall.
Is there any hope?

Then you should have said (and still haven't) how you deleted them and
I should have asked again. Since you mentioned Add/Remove at first,
that is what I thought and then Pegasus asked for an example. And
then I specifically asked IF you used Add/Remove programs. If you did
sfc /scannow will not help you. If will not reinstall things that are
uninstalled or replace items deleted from the Start menu.

sfc /scannow is a waste of time if you just delete the items from your
Start menu Games folder or anything from your Start menu since you are
merely deleting folders/shortcuts. SFC doesn't know or care about
folders/shortcuts. Deleting things from the Start menu generally does
not uninstall it and will leave the installed executables behind
(which you found).

Did you just go down the line deleting the games from the Start, Games
list until the Games folder was empty?

If your Accessories are missing describe how they became missing.

 

[Joe]

I started out on www.microsoft.com/athome/default.aspx. I clicked on Setup +
Maintenance and Fix My Computer. In the drop down box, I clicked on Optimize
Your Computer for Peak Performance. This led me to the Disk Cleanup dialog
box where I clicked the tab for More Options. This led me to click Cllean
Disk button after the Accessories and Games were displayed with checkmarks.
A huge mistake on my part, no question.