System Configuration Utility Errors and others

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hello,
I'm trying to fix a friends laptop and it has many problems that have me
stumped. The System configuration utility will not open, it just throws up
the error and will now close box with the option to send an error report.
Thinking it may be a virus, I tried to open Norton AntiVirus 2003, but that
would not open, no error message, it doesn't do anything. I also tried to
make sure the computer was up to date, but it still has SP1. I tried to run
windows update, but it has problems also. It seems to install some updates,
but when I restart, the same updates show up as needing to be installed. I
am at a loss here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. The only thing I
can think of doing right now is reformatting and starting over, but that is
the last thing I want to do.

Thanks!
 
Sorry to keep posting, but IE no longer works now. I am still connected to
the internet, as instant messenger services still work.

Thanks is advance.
 
tubaman21 said:
Hello,
I'm trying to fix a friends laptop and it has many problems that have me
stumped. The System configuration utility will not open, it just throws up
the error and will now close box with the option to send an error report.
Thinking it may be a virus, I tried to open Norton AntiVirus 2003, but that
would not open, no error message, it doesn't do anything. I also tried to
make sure the computer was up to date, but it still has SP1. I tried to run
windows update, but it has problems also. It seems to install some updates,
but when I restart, the same updates show up as needing to be installed. I
am at a loss here. Any help would be greatly appreciated. The only thing I
can think of doing right now is reformatting and starting over, but that is
the last thing I want to do.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Without the actual text of the error message(s) you are getting it is
difficult to do a precise diagnosis.

However the symptoms you describe are typical of a virus or spyware
infestation. Here are some suggestions:

1. Download Stinger (free) from http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger and run
it. Note that Stinger is small enough to fit onto a 3.5 inch diskette
and does not require installation - you just run it. So you can
download it on another computer, save it to a diskette, and then run
it on the problem computer. Try booting the problem computer into
Safe Mode and then running Stinger.

2. If you can access the Internet from the problem computer then try a
free online virus scan at one of the following web sites:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/

3. Do a spyware check with the free online scanner on MVP Jim
Eshelman's site at http://aumha.org/a/noads.htm
Use Jim's Spyware QuickFix procedure at
http://www.aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm to clean up anything that is
found.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm
 
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