System Restore XP Help, PLEASE!

[Guest]

Hello,

Can someone recommend a way to get the system restore working again without
doing a full install of XP? I wish not to loose data and reload all my
applications.

I have an HP Laptop, XP Home, NAV, Spybot, AdWare, 2 other spy programs,
Zone alarm.

The story is the my wife downloaded a file from a yahoo email. It said it
was clean. She then tried to open it, but the file could not associate and
open. It was a .wps file type. When she turned off and on the computer, XP
only loaded to the screen where you normally would could type your password.
The password box could not be seen and the screen froze. She could not
proceed to get into the computer.

So I tried to repair XP 3 times, I managed to get logged into XP. But now
all the desktop icons are similar and nothing opens as the files/programs are
not associated. I can't get the system restore to open. It appears that the
registry was corrupted due to the wps file? Maybe a virus or worm... During
the XP repair process I noticed errors such are rundll.exe and others and
wlll as .dll errors.

So I can think of only 2 options:

1. Do the XP full install from the single disk
2. Use the 4 cd disc set for a system recovery.

How can I get the system restore to open and reset the registry to a working
day?

Any suggestions on what is going on and how to fix this. I'd hate to have my
system restart to day one and lose everything. Thanks so much.

Frank

 

[Guest]

Frank,

HP and Compaq use a virtual drive for the system files, such as drive F.
Go to System Restore and under options, TURN OFF the monitoring for the Drive
letter that holds the System Recovery Files, create a New restore point and
then reboot. Problem solved, Buy me a Beer. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Criag. Not sure if I undestand this but will try. I appears that
nothing will open to allow me to do anything in the System Retore application
Is there a way to get to this? If it works can I pick a restore point from
last week to avoid getting the current association file problems? Forgot to
mention that I tried to resolve in Safe Mode also had the same problems.
Thanks for you help. Cheers!

 

[Guest]

Sorry Frank, I neglected to scroll furhter down in your message and see what
your wife did.
You said you did try to boot in SAFE MODE? Do you have a Boot Disk?
a wps file is usually a Works file and needs a program to open it. I am sure
someone here will be able to help you better than me. Good Luck.. Sorry, but
still be sure to go to System Restore when you get it working and be sure to
turn off the MOnitoring for the Virtual Drive that has the System Recovery
files on it. I had to reinstall becasue none of my Restore Points wroked,
they do now and someone here told me to do what I just passed on.

 

[Trax]

|>Hello,
|>
|>Can someone recommend a way to get the system restore working again without
|>doing a full install of XP? I wish not to loose data and reload all my
|>applications.

Try this:
Start\Run X:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe <enter>

X of course being your XP partition (C:\) if Start\Run doesn't work
use the WInKey+R

This should start the restore wizard.

 

[Guest]

I think he can't boot into Windows nor in the Safe mode... I have no clue
the conection between a wps file and what caused it..

 

[Trax]

|> I think he can't boot into Windows nor in the Safe mode... I have no clue
|>the conection between a wps file and what caused it..

OP posted:
"I managed to get logged into XP. But now
all the desktop icons are similar and nothing opens as the
files/programs are not associated. I can't get the system restore to
open. It appears that the registry was corrupted due to the wps file?"

So as long as his paths (DLL's that might be needed) are intact he
should be ok.

It wasn't a .WPS file that did this - Unless A wps file supports
macros (I have no clue).

 

[AnonPoster]

Hello,

Can someone recommend a way to get the system restore working again without
doing a full install of XP? I wish not to loose data and reload all my
applications.

I have an HP Laptop, XP Home, NAV, Spybot, AdWare, 2 other spy programs,
Zone alarm.

The story is the my wife downloaded a file from a yahoo email. It said it
was clean. She then tried to open it, but the file could not associate and
open. It was a .wps file type. When she turned off and on the computer, XP
only loaded to the screen where you normally would could type your password.
The password box could not be seen and the screen froze. She could not
proceed to get into the computer.

So I tried to repair XP 3 times, I managed to get logged into XP. But now
all the desktop icons are similar and nothing opens as the files/programs are
not associated. I can't get the system restore to open. It appears that the
registry was corrupted due to the wps file? Maybe a virus or worm... During
the XP repair process I noticed errors such are rundll.exe and others and
wlll as .dll errors.

So I can think of only 2 options:

1. Do the XP full install from the single disk
2. Use the 4 cd disc set for a system recovery.

How can I get the system restore to open and reset the registry to a working
day?

Any suggestions on what is going on and how to fix this. I'd hate to have my
system restart to day one and lose everything. Thanks so much.

Frank

Have you tried scanning with AV and Spybot S&D and AdAwareSE?

 

[Guest]

HI,

I am able to use F8 key to get into safe mode but unable to log into XP or
get to the system restore. Again, the majority of applications do not
function or open. I can get to my documents and look around. I just want to
fix the corrupted registry and avoid reinstalling XP and losing files and
minimize the rework. Again I have NAV and spyware tools which I keep
running. Anyway I will try your Run solution.

Thanks.

Frank

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi Frank,

Try running System Restore from the command prompt?

1. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup
to start your computer in Safe Mode with a command prompt.

2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an
account that has administrator credentials.

3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe

4. Follow the instructions to restore your computer to an earlier state,
or undo the last restore if available.

 

[Guest]

Bert,

Thanks. I did try this as well as trying the command from the Run menu. It
did not work. So I was left to reinstall the XP from the beginning. What a
pain... I still don't know how or why my computer registry etc got corrupted.
But all is fixed now.

Frank

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

A repair install would have been less destructive.
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install by Michael Stevens MS-MVP:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

As for the registry corruption, you will want to make sure the system
has protection from virus and malware infection. This may not be what
caused the corruption, but it needs to be done.

Here are some tips for virus and spyware removal and prevention.
http://bertk.mvps.org/html/spyware.html