Help! PC will only start in safe mode but no programs work

Twopints

My son's PC will only start in safe mode. When the desktop appears, none of the programs will work from the icons.

If started normally, it gets as far as asking for a network password but then goes to a blank screen - and stays there.

I can get to a DOS prompt and can run e.g. Malawarebytes and window Explorer.

The PC is a Packard Bell with Windows Vista.

Any help or suggestions gratefully received!

Browntoa

can you get system restore going ??

can you go back to a date when it worked ??

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial143.html

Twopints

Thanks Browntoa.

Yes, I'm just trying a System restore now - the checkpoints were occurring daily until a Windows update on 8th September, so I am restoring to before that. There are no checkpoints after Sept 8th.
I will update after the restore completes.

victor2

Twopints wrote: »

The PC is a Packard Bell with Windows Vista.

You have my sympathy. Either one of those is usually bad news!

Is there a recovery CD or disk partition and will it boot from that? If it will, it might be better to try putting it back to as shipped. Of course, you'd lose everything that's been put on the PC since it was delivered, so that might not be a viable option.
If you need to recover data from it, there is probably a way as it sounds like the hard drive is still functioning.

Twopints

OK, I have tried 2 System Restores with no success.

When I start the PC in safe mode I can get programs to work e.g. Windows Explorer, MS Excel, MS Word.

I'm going to save files to an external hard disk and try the Packard Bell Recovery Program.

closed

try creating another user in control panel and/or post a hijackthis log using safe mode with networking

Twopints

closed wrote: »

try creating another user in control panel and/or post a hijackthis log using safe mode with networking

Hi, thanks, I will try that tomorrow.