Weird XP problem...

[Corey]

This is a truly odd one. XP Pro SP2. 60 GB drive with 45 GB free. 512
MB RAM. Various windows functions have stopped working. Some web pages
inaccessible with IE6 while others are fine. Have run various
anti-virus and anti-trojan programs as well as the big 3 anti-spyware
programs (AdawareSE, SpyBot and MSAT). Ran CWS tool from Intermute.
Have manually gone thru registry (Run keys as well as other common
locations). MSConfig is clean.

Details: Lots of Windows functions don't work, either by not responding
at all to launch attempt or throwing up a blank screen. Help and
Support, Search, User Accounts, extended screen in Services, etc. Pages
IE can't get include Comcast.net home page, windows update, etc.

Uninstalled SP2 thinking that explorer was broken, but that did not
restore any functionality. There is no longer a repair tool for IE so I
am stuck there.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Anything else I should try? I really don't
want to rebuild this box, but...

 

[Jon Erlandson]

Close all programs and examine running processes to ensure you don't have an
*unwanted* running. An easy way to do this is to install HijackThis
http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/ and have it scan and save a log file. You
can copy and paste any suspicious processes into google (just the name
without the path) and get more info on them or post to one of the help
forums listed on tomcoyote. If it looks clean you might try and restore to
an earlier date or run system file checker "sfc / scannow" to restore
corrupt system files.

 

[Corey]

Thanks for responding. I have done this already, but I will detail.

Close all programs and examine running processes to ensure you don't have an
*unwanted* running.

Nothing odd or unusual here.

An easy way to do this is to install HijackThis
http://www.tomcoyote.org/hjt/ and have it scan and save a log file.

I had run HJT to get a better look at possible pests. There were a
couple things that I removed (fixed). I don't think there is anything
unusual here, but I may post my log before I give up.

You
can copy and paste any suspicious processes into google (just the name
without the path) and get more info on them or post to one of the help
forums listed on tomcoyote.

Have googled a couple things I wasn't sure about. No joy.

If it looks clean you might try and restore to
an earlier date or run system file checker "sfc / scannow" to restore
corrupt system files.

The user had turned off system restore at some earlier point and never
turned it back on, so there was no restore point. :-( Did run SFC. No Joy.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[ColTom2]

You might try this: http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html

 

[Guest]

With SP2 uninstalled have you considered going to your computermanufacturer's
site to check on any requirements they require before installing SP2? With
my two-year-old Compaq there was a lengthy list of "to do" items before
installing SP2. Having not done this before the first installation I got
several operationg problems. Now everything works fine.

 

[Corey]

Thanks, Col, but a winsock problem wouldn't explain the local windows
functions that aren't accessible (user accounts, Help and Support, etc).
Besides, that fix is for completely broken connectivity. I can get to
most pages fine, although there are many I can't get to. I can't tie
that inability to a particular helping app either, like Java or
Javascript or activeX. Some of the sites that don't and do work use
them. It's a stumper.
Gonna cave soon and do a repair install...

 

[Corey]

Good thought, thanks.

With SP2 uninstalled have you considered going to your computermanufacturer's
site to check on any requirements they require before installing SP2? With
my two-year-old Compaq there was a lengthy list of "to do" items before
installing SP2. Having not done this before the first installation I got
several operationg problems. Now everything works fine.

:

 

[Jon Erlandson]

Sounds to me like you may need to "repair install" XP.

 

[Scribner]

Sounds like my problem, in a way. Go to Control Panel, Administrative
Services, Services, disable Plug and Play, re-boot and see if anything
gets better.

 

[Yves Leclerc]

I believe "Help and Support" requires TCP/IP stack.

 

[Corey]

Ended up doing the repair install, and it is back in business. Huge
waste of time, tho... :-(

 

[Lentzeris]

It 's really odd, but I 've found the solution to the problem that
had myself too. You should download Microsoft Visual Basic Scrip
from Microsoft Site (It 's only 600 Kbytes). Everything will be O
afterwards. :lol

 

[Kelly]

Ok...........the solution to what?

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Ok...........the solution to what?

Hi,

To this one:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group...c2837be2095/9974ca148f6f02c7#9974ca148f6f02c7

 

[Kelly]

Ah, thanks Torgeir. )

--
All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[Andrew Murray]

It 's really odd, but I 've found the solution to the problem that I
had myself too. You should download Microsoft Visual Basic Script
from Microsoft Site (It 's only 600 Kbytes). Everything will be OK
afterwards.

Solution to what problem?