Numerous oddities when launching or installing software

[Guest]

In my attempts to isolate my system from viruses,adware, malware, etc I have
in sralled a number of utilities. Avast (virus checker) Zone Alaram
(firewall), Adaware (spyware), Systems Mechanic (multi-purpose utility) to
name a few. Somwhere along the way. I suspect when initially setting up
System Mechanic I may have exercised an option which resulted in some very
weird things happening to XP Pro. ie: When launching MSWord the Windows
installer pops up and asks me for the XP CD, when attempting to install a
copy of Business Plan Pro 2005 the install software detects an error and
rolls back the install.

As I did not receive a copy of the XP Pro CDs; I bought the system at a
Government "Garage Sale", and it was a case of buyer beware, I guess I am
faced with having to purchase a new copy of XP Pro and do a complete
reinstall of the OS. I just want to know if there is anything I can possibly
do prior to taking this step!!

 

[Guest]

Have you tried a Restore to a couple of days before the problem started?
Start>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Restore

 

[Galen]

In Altaboy <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

In my attempts to isolate my system from viruses,adware, malware, etc
I have in sralled a number of utilities. Avast (virus checker) Zone
Alaram (firewall), Adaware (spyware), Systems Mechanic (multi-purpose
utility) to name a few. Somwhere along the way. I suspect when
initially setting up System Mechanic I may have exercised an option
which resulted in some very weird things happening to XP Pro. ie:
When launching MSWord the Windows installer pops up and asks me for
the XP CD, when attempting to install a copy of Business Plan Pro
2005 the install software detects an error and rolls back the install.

As I did not receive a copy of the XP Pro CDs; I bought the system at
a Government "Garage Sale", and it was a case of buyer beware, I
guess I am faced with having to purchase a new copy of XP Pro and do
a complete reinstall of the OS. I just want to know if there is
anything I can possibly do prior to taking this step!!

Did you use System Mechanic's option to remove duplicate file entries? I'm
not sure why they make that option so easily available as it tends to break
stuff. You should try to restore to an ealier time, that might work. As for
your OS then you bought the system and not the disk and your current
installation of the OS might be illegal so you'd have to buy a disk anyways.

Galen
--

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me
the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am
in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial
stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation." -- Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

In my attempts to isolate my system from viruses,adware, malware, etc I have
in sralled a number of utilities. Avast (virus checker) Zone Alaram
(firewall), Adaware (spyware), Systems Mechanic (multi-purpose utility) to
name a few. Somwhere along the way. I suspect when initially setting up
System Mechanic I may have exercised an option which resulted in some very
weird things happening to XP Pro. ie: When launching MSWord the Windows
installer pops up and asks me for the XP CD, when attempting to install a
copy of Business Plan Pro 2005 the install software detects an error and
rolls back the install.

As I did not receive a copy of the XP Pro CDs; I bought the system at a
Government "Garage Sale", and it was a case of buyer beware, I guess I am
faced with having to purchase a new copy of XP Pro and do a complete
reinstall of the OS. I just want to know if there is anything I can possibly
do prior to taking this step!!

 

[Guest]

Byte & Galen,

Thanks for the input.

Restore is another XP item which does not work now, so we can forget about
that!!

Galen, as for your question re System Mechanic. No I have not ever done
anything about dumping off duplicate files, with SM or any other utility. Is
oit bpossible that SM whendoing selcted mnaintenance and it does a Clean
Registry it may have dumped off something it shouldn't have??

As for the copy of XP Pro on the system, it is a legit copy, I know that for
a fact as this unit was previously installed at a provincial government site
and was networked; therefore I suspect the network administrator was the
keeper of the multiple site CDs and licence.

Thanks agian for your replies!!

 

[Galen]

In Altaboy <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Galen, as for your question re System Mechanic. No I have not ever
done anything about dumping off duplicate files, with SM or any other
utility. Is oit bpossible that SM whendoing selcted mnaintenance and
it does a Clean Registry it may have dumped off something it
shouldn't have??

It's very possible that System Mechanic removed something from the registry
that it should not have. I'm not sure about which version you use but in the
version that I had installed, it's actually not installed on this PC though
I could have sworn that I had done so but it seems to be missing, had
backups of the registry changes that it had made.

Galen
--

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me
the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am
in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial
stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation." -- Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

Galen,

Thanks again for your reply.!!

I am using version 5.5 of SM.

Guess I will poke around the archived Registry files, which SM produced, to
see if I can find anything, but not for too long. If something does not come
to light I will than resort to purchasing a new XP Pro and do a complete
reinstall.

 

[Galen]

In Altaboy <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Galen,

Thanks again for your reply.!!

I am using version 5.5 of SM.

Guess I will poke around the archived Registry files, which SM
produced, to see if I can find anything, but not for too long. If
something does not come to light I will than resort to purchasing a
new XP Pro and do a complete reinstall.

There's some chance that the XP Pro is installed on the system already in
the form of a hidden partition. What's the brand name of the computer?

Galen
--

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me
the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am
in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial
stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation." -- Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

Unfortunately the system is a clone, so doubt if we can explore your
suggested option.

 

[Galen]

In Altaboy <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Unfortunately the system is a clone, so doubt if we can explore your
suggested option.

Alas it looks as if there's probably no other solution but to invest in the
new CD. It's a good idea to have the installation media around anyhow and if
you've an older Windows version you can just get the upgrade CD and use the
older version for the qualification process (provided, of course, that OS is
not longer installed) during the installation and install XP again or, I
think, do a repair installation. I'm not sure that you can do a repair
installation with the Upgrade disk... I know you should be able to do a
side-by-side installation however.

Galen
--

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me
the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am
in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial
stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation." -- Sherlock Holmes

 

[Guest]

Thanks, once again for your feedback!!

It's off to the store today to buy a copy of XP Pro. I will not buy the
upgrade as I am not certain that it would do the job; will get the full blown
copy.

If I run into any issues with the new install can I contact you personally,
thru this discussion group or should I open a new topic?

Regards,

 

[Galen]

In Altaboy <[email protected]> had this to say:

My reply is at the bottom of your sent message:

Thanks, once again for your feedback!!

It's off to the store today to buy a copy of XP Pro. I will not buy
the upgrade as I am not certain that it would do the job; will get
the full blown copy.

If I run into any issues with the new install can I contact you
personally, thru this discussion group or should I open a new topic?

You can either start a new topic, carry on with this one, or email me if you
think I'm capable of answering your question. The reply to address in this
is valid or it's (e-mail address removed)

Galen
--

"My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me
the most abstruse cryptogram or the most intricate analysis, and I am
in my own proper atmosphere. I can dispense then with artificial
stimulants. But I abhor the dull routine of existence. I crave for
mental exaltation." -- Sherlock Holmes