Strange goings on with OS - 2nd post

[Craig Schiller]

Hi, sorry for the repeat post but among all the gurus here I got
absolutely zero replies to my first, and I'm getting a bit desperate.

I recently had my computer worked on by my local guru who installed a
new hard drive. Long story, but there was befuddling trouble with the
install so the new drive got installed as the D: drive and the original
drive remained as the C: Guru may have also installed SP2 update to XP
Home on C:. Anyway, I was moving to Canada from LA so the next day the
stuff was packed up (that was about 6 weeks ago) and I've only just
gotten the copmputer hooked up again. Here's the problem:

I now can't change folder options (the changes I make don't stick). I
can't unlock the taskbar (ditto). It doesn't seem like I can write to
the registry (a utility, ClipMate, apparently lost its settings and on
startup asks me where I want to store its data files. When I tell it, it
tries to write, then crashes, so I'm assuming this is a
write-to-registry problem).

In fact, it seems like I have no write to disk permissions at all. For
instance, if I launch an MS Office app like Word or Excel, it asks me
for my full name and my initials (although it knows my first name which
is filled in by default, so something's gotten hosed here too). When I
fill in the blanks and hit okay, the program appears to accept it but
then crashes immediately.

If I try to launch either version of WordPerfect, I get a "cannot
initialize" error.

I am the Adminstrator and only user of the machine. I tried creating
another Administrator account but that did not solve the problem.

Anyone have any idea what's going on? I'd REALLY rather not lose 2 or 3
days reformatting the HD and reinstalling everything.

TIA,
Craig

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Craig

Your previous local guru has left you with little choice but to start over..
save whatever you can by way of important stuff, e-mails, address book etc,
and then start from square 1.. that's a reformat..

BTW, what was the specialty field of your 'old' local guru?.. acupuncture?..
cement mixes suitable for use in temperatures below -40?.. vacuum bag
changing?.. you should count yourself lucky that you have moved..

 

[Craig Schiller]

Actually, he was a good guy. Stuff happens. Thanks for the "advice."

Craig

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Craig

He may have been a good guy, and I do not question that, but stuff doesn't
always happen if the person knows what they are doing.. good luck in
pursuance of your issues..

 

[Craig Schiller]

No, it doesn't ALWAYS happen, but it does happen from time to time. And
you know, it's hard to tell what a person knows if you know less than
they do. I'd like to kill everyone at my local car dealer, for example.

Craig

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Craig

I know just how you feel..