System Restore Corrupted, wsh.inf Files Deleted

[Karl Burrows]

I am trying to help a friend fix his computer. I ran several scans and
uninstalled a bunch of junk on an XP Home SP2 machine. Nothing drastic like
Trojans, malware or other, just a good scrubbing. One thing he did was try
to install AVG over McAfee which created some issues, but think I got that
straightened out. He also tried to do a system restore from 3 months
earlier and said he got messages that the system restore has failed after he
successfully did a restore (or so he says).

He also uses AOL for broadband, so he has to connect to AOL first before he
can do anything else like update virus definitions, etc. so he thought he
had a problem with his anti virus not updating and started deleting and
changing stuff. He turned off TCP/IP, which I restarted and was able to
connect to the Internet one time. He also deleted the wsh.inf file. I
assume this is the Windows Scripting Host inf file.

Since he has done all this, AOL gives him an error message telling him an
AOL tool couldn't load and he can't connect via AOL anymore.

I came in, did some cleanup, spyware scans, temp file deletion, add/remove
junk, etc. I also turned off system restore and was going to reboot it to
reset it and start fresh if it was indeed corrupted. I had rebooted several
times with no problems and then I went into Add/Remove programs and removed
the network gateway, MSN and Windows Messenger and now it will only reboot
in safe mode. It will try to boot and it starts Windows and then tell me
"Windows did not shut down properly..." and comes back to the boot screen
(safe, last known good, normally). I can only boot in safe mode.

One, I think his AOL was corrupt anyway from him deleting files at random
and changing all his settings. Two, something got messed up going back so
far on system restore and may have changed a system file and three, he just
messed things up. My problem is how can I fix this? He has upgraded to
SP2, so an in place upgrade will not work.

Any suggestions on where to start would be greatly appreciated. I have run
a check disk and that is fine, but can not run a sfc since it is SP2 now.

Thanks!

 

[Rock]

I am trying to help a friend fix his computer. I ran several scans and
uninstalled a bunch of junk on an XP Home SP2 machine. Nothing drastic like
Trojans, malware or other, just a good scrubbing. One thing he did was try
to install AVG over McAfee which created some issues, but think I got that
straightened out. He also tried to do a system restore from 3 months
earlier and said he got messages that the system restore has failed after he
successfully did a restore (or so he says).

He also uses AOL for broadband, so he has to connect to AOL first before he
can do anything else like update virus definitions, etc. so he thought he
had a problem with his anti virus not updating and started deleting and
changing stuff. He turned off TCP/IP, which I restarted and was able to
connect to the Internet one time. He also deleted the wsh.inf file. I
assume this is the Windows Scripting Host inf file.

Since he has done all this, AOL gives him an error message telling him an
AOL tool couldn't load and he can't connect via AOL anymore.

I came in, did some cleanup, spyware scans, temp file deletion, add/remove
junk, etc. I also turned off system restore and was going to reboot it to
reset it and start fresh if it was indeed corrupted. I had rebooted several
times with no problems and then I went into Add/Remove programs and removed
the network gateway, MSN and Windows Messenger and now it will only reboot
in safe mode. It will try to boot and it starts Windows and then tell me
"Windows did not shut down properly..." and comes back to the boot screen
(safe, last known good, normally). I can only boot in safe mode.

One, I think his AOL was corrupt anyway from him deleting files at random
and changing all his settings. Two, something got messed up going back so
far on system restore and may have changed a system file and three, he just
messed things up. My problem is how can I fix this? He has upgraded to
SP2, so an in place upgrade will not work.

Any suggestions on where to start would be greatly appreciated. I have run
a check disk and that is fine, but can not run a sfc since it is SP2 now.

Thanks!

IMO, slave the drive in another XP computer and backup all essesntial
data. Do a clean install, install programs from their original media,
forget AOL, get a different ISP, and he'll have a better running system.

 

[Karl Burrows]

That was my first thought, but was just trying to save my time having to do
all this for them. If he started deleting files, I doubt he can do any of a
reinstall.

I am trying to help a friend fix his computer. I ran several scans and
uninstalled a bunch of junk on an XP Home SP2 machine. Nothing drastic
like
Trojans, malware or other, just a good scrubbing. One thing he did was
try
to install AVG over McAfee which created some issues, but think I got that
straightened out. He also tried to do a system restore from 3 months
earlier and said he got messages that the system restore has failed after
he
successfully did a restore (or so he says).

He also uses AOL for broadband, so he has to connect to AOL first before
he
can do anything else like update virus definitions, etc. so he thought he
had a problem with his anti virus not updating and started deleting and
changing stuff. He turned off TCP/IP, which I restarted and was able to
connect to the Internet one time. He also deleted the wsh.inf file. I
assume this is the Windows Scripting Host inf file.

Since he has done all this, AOL gives him an error message telling him an
AOL tool couldn't load and he can't connect via AOL anymore.

I came in, did some cleanup, spyware scans, temp file deletion, add/remove
junk, etc. I also turned off system restore and was going to reboot it to
reset it and start fresh if it was indeed corrupted. I had rebooted
several
times with no problems and then I went into Add/Remove programs and
removed
the network gateway, MSN and Windows Messenger and now it will only reboot
in safe mode. It will try to boot and it starts Windows and then tell me
"Windows did not shut down properly..." and comes back to the boot screen
(safe, last known good, normally). I can only boot in safe mode.

One, I think his AOL was corrupt anyway from him deleting files at random
and changing all his settings. Two, something got messed up going back so
far on system restore and may have changed a system file and three, he
just
messed things up. My problem is how can I fix this? He has upgraded to
SP2, so an in place upgrade will not work.

Any suggestions on where to start would be greatly appreciated. I have
run
a check disk and that is fine, but can not run a sfc since it is SP2 now.

Thanks!

IMO, slave the drive in another XP computer and backup all essesntial
data. Do a clean install, install programs from their original media,
forget AOL, get a different ISP, and he'll have a better running system.

 

[Rock]

That was my first thought, but was just trying to save my time having to do
all this for them. If he started deleting files, I doubt he can do any of a
reinstall.

<snip>

Yep the system is in such an indeterminate state that a repair install
probably won't help, and it certainly won't help with one of his major
problems, namely AOL. If you can wean him from that, you would be doing
him a big favor. In the long run it will save time for him, and will
probably save time for you compared to trying to fix this mess.

 

[Karl Burrows]

Yep, he is hanging on to dear life to AOL. I told him he can get another
broadband connection and still have his AOL email, which is why he is
holding on. I agree, not much to do to fix it at this point other than
reinstall.

That was my first thought, but was just trying to save my time having to
do
all this for them. If he started deleting files, I doubt he can do any of
a
reinstall.

<snip>

Yep the system is in such an indeterminate state that a repair install
probably won't help, and it certainly won't help with one of his major
problems, namely AOL. If you can wean him from that, you would be doing
him a big favor. In the long run it will save time for him, and will
probably save time for you compared to trying to fix this mess.