missing file associations - still need help please...

squeaky

Just tried a bog standard install from my OEM Windows XP SP2 disk and on restart it told me that it could not open regsvr32.exe and did not recognise the file type.

So...

.. the only option left seems to be to boot from the CD and do a complete format and install.

Bah humbug!

So first I need to ensure that all my various personal folders (email, photos, etc) are indeed securely mirrored on my second hard drive.
Then, as a matter of policy, I never restore the actual programs that I use from a backup but install them all afresh.

So this time around I really am likely to be gone for some time.

Reluctant_spender

As you have nothing to loose at this point have you tried this - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172053

and or this - http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

Donnie

Reluctant_spender wrote: »

As you have nothing to loose at this point have you tried this - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172053

and or this - http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

Already sent him that in post #18. He couldn't get it to work.

Reluctant_spender

Donnie wrote: »

Already sent him that in post #18. He couldn't get it to work.

Thought I had seen it somewhere before.

Great minds and that :rotfl:

squeaky

I'm back!

Didn't have to reformat my drive, fortunately, so all my programs are intact.

Erm, present!

All my customisations and setting for windows and things like Firefox and Thunderbird, etc etc etc ruddy etc... are gone though. It's going to take ages to tweak the thing back to my nice handy me-friendly look and usage.

So now the question is...

WHAT got me?

I've only been on line about once a week lately, and other than here I've only been researching stuff on driving instructor training and clocks. All my firewall and anti virus stuff is fully up to date and I do regular sweeps.

Harumph!

Reluctant_spender

Not sure what has attacked you - are you clean now.

Did you use a registry cleaner?, did you AV delete a file (false positive)

mdbarber

so did you just do a repair install?, might be time to do some diags!
1. check your cpu fan/heatsink is clear from dust
2.obtain memtest and run for a few hours
3. run a full chkdsk (twice)
this will kill or cure any hardware issues

squeaky

Reluctant_spender wrote: »

Not sure what has attacked you - are you clean now.

Did you use a registry cleaner?, did you AV delete a file (false positive)

Ye gods gimme chance!

I just finished getting on line for a quick update. Currently working now on restoring, updating and running my suite of comms protection.

Oh, and no I didn't use a registry cleaner. I haven't met one yet that doesn't bollix things up sooner or later.

I'm not convinced it was a registry fault per se... it seemed more as if I'd lost chunks of Documents and Settings.

However, since I only lost (all) executable associations it does seem as though something got me that was targeted against these.

I could open firefox with any file.htm, and I could open mail or wordproc with any textfile - but again... not directly.

squeaky

mdbarber wrote: »

so did you just do a repair install?, might be time to do some diags!
1. check your cpu fan/heatsink is clear from dust
2.obtain memtest and run for a few hours
3. run a full chkdsk (twice)
this will kill or cure any hardware issues

I tried the repair first but that didn't help.

I did the full install second, and avoided reformatting my hard drive, and I used the option to remove and replace the windows files in my current windows directory.

And yes, once I've got the basics back on board and am running fully protected again I'll be going through the full suite of physical and software checks to make sure that my machine is operationally OK before I start on the sheer tedium of putting all my customisations back in.

This might help...

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