Windows repair...can a novice do it?

[Guest]

A couple days ago, certain programs such as Limewire and certain websites
which I believe utilize Java suddenly stopped working (e.g. the limewire just
doesn't open and the sites simply cause the explorer window to close...even
the Java site). My fear was that I deleted something I shouldn't have during
a routine spyware scan. Suggestions were made (on this site..thanks to those
who replied) to scan for potential viruses and spyware...I've done all the
scans suggested and still no luck. At this point, I'm considering using my
Windows XP CD to somehow "fix" Windows as I am at a total loss. Is this
possible, and if so, can somebody like myself (a competent, but somewhat
novice PC guy) do it? Ideally, I would just bring my PC into some IT place,
but my starving student budget is a little tight right now! Thanks for any
suggestions!

M

 

[TaurArian [MS-MVP]]

See if a SFC helps -

Introduction to using scannow sfc (system file checker)
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html


--
===========================
TaurArian [MS-MVP] 2005-2006
===========================
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[Bob Harris]

If you have a real XP CD, retail version, then you can do a repair. If you
have an OEM CD, check with the OEM, as some can and some can not. Some OEMs
offer a "restoration" CD, whihc brings the PC back to the day you bought it.
Some of these work from a hidden partition on the hard drive, so will not
function, if the hard drive is replaced, unless replaced by one obtained
from the OEM.

OEM = original equipment manufacturer, like Dell, Gateway, Compaq, etc

The actual repair process is fairly simple, although it may take up to an
hour.

Usually nothing goes wrong.

But, a prudent user will have a copy of all his important personal files
somewhere else, like an external USB drive or CDs or DVDs.

If you have SATA hard drives, or RAID, or SCSI, you must have approrpriate
drivers on a floppy. The XP installer, also used for the repair, can not
accept such drivers from a CD. If you have a single, plain vanilla, IDE
hard drives, then you do not need to worry about the drivers, as XP has
default drivers for that type of disk controller.

Links about how to do a repair:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315341



http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm



http://www.extremetech.com/print_article/0,3998,a=23979,00.asp



http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/Repair-Windows-XP-t138.html