Navigation Hangs after System Overlay

[Guest]

My week of problems began after a 3rd party defrag program crashed during
operation, which corrupted files, making all OS fonts read as symbols, (ie
rectangles, ///'s, delta symbols etc.) After exhaustive investigation,
(checking possible problems w/ global settings, system font files, malware
and *more*), a tech came out and overlayed/installed a new XP syst over my
existing, (I only had restore discs and didn't want to lose existing progs/
settings due to total HD reformat.) The font problem was solved, but
navigation has become almost impossible. (I am currently using another HD w/
XP to make this post).

Besides aforementioned checks, I have:
-Updated to SP2 (process took over an hour due to pages coming up very
s-l-o-w-l-y.)
-Redownloaded IE to make sure I was current.
-Triple checked Internet Option/Security settings and System settings
(Administrative panel)
-Allotted more Virtual Memory space
-Rechecked BIOS (w/ 2 HD set-up)

Other info:
- Secure, (https://) sites navigate normally. Pages come right up- no problem.
- No improvement when in Safe Mode, with Navigation.

Excuse long post, but this has been a long, painful process and I am still
at a loss. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Malke]

My week of problems began after a 3rd party defrag program crashed
during operation, which corrupted files, making all OS fonts read as
symbols, (ie rectangles, ///'s, delta symbols etc.) After exhaustive
investigation, (checking possible problems w/ global settings, system
font files, malware and *more*), a tech came out and
overlayed/installed a new XP syst over my existing, (I only had
restore discs and didn't want to lose existing progs/ settings due to
total HD reformat.) The font problem was solved, but navigation has
become almost impossible. (I am currently using another HD w/ XP to
make this post).

Besides aforementioned checks, I have:
-Updated to SP2 (process took over an hour due to pages coming up very
s-l-o-w-l-y.)
-Redownloaded IE to make sure I was current.
-Triple checked Internet Option/Security settings and System settings
(Administrative panel)
-Allotted more Virtual Memory space
-Rechecked BIOS (w/ 2 HD set-up)

Other info:
- Secure, (https://) sites navigate normally. Pages come right up- no
problem. - No improvement when in Safe Mode, with Navigation.

Excuse long post, but this has been a long, painful process and I am
still at a loss. Any ideas or suggestions?

Yes. Your system was damaged when the third-party defrag program
crashed. It was unlikely that the Repair Install would work, and it
didn't. Back up your data and clean install Windows. In other words,
start over.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Malke

 

[Michael M]

-----Original Message-----


Yes. Your system was damaged when the third-party defrag program
crashed. It was unlikely that the Repair Install would work, and it
didn't. Back up your data and clean install Windows. In other words,
start over.

http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html

Malke
--
MS MVP - Windows Shell/User
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
.
2+ years of building/customizing an internal

network/system w/ hundreds of programs, email folders,
encrypted passwords, etc etc and it's time to start over?
Ouch!
If that is the case, I am going to seriously consider
biting the bullet and starting over w/ a different OS that
is not so registry dependent. XP is a great system, but
its registry interelatedness to installed programs
makes "starting over" difficult and time consuming, and if
I am going to spend the time, I would rather do it w/ a
system where I can transfer over saved prog files that are
self contained, so if/when a mishap occurs in the future,
I am not presented w/ the same daunting prospect. Just
have to weigh whether the expense of replacing the
software recquired for a different OS makes this feasible
and/or see if some of the software cos would allow me to
replace a different OS copy using existing serials.
This is not an anti-Microsoft or "get even" rant. I'm
merely exploring and evaluating my personal prefs and
honestly don't know if other OS's, (ie Apple), offer a
better solution for my current problem or not.