Help programs won't start!

cepheus

This morning my computer booted up fine (no errors) the desktop appeared and I also managed to connect to my ISP. However hardly any Windows programs seem to run at all, either directly or through shortcuts. Unfortunately this includes Explorer, IE, Word, AVG virus checkers etc, just about everything even very basic ones. It seems to ignore any attempt to start any program, no errors, nothing. The only programs that seem to work is a drawing program called Paint.Net (Not MSPaint that doesn't work), and a shortcut to the favourites. Word started on one occasion but now refuses as well.

Since Explorer wont start it is difficult even to provide a screenshot. However the task manager dialogue works and indicates CPU useage at 0 although there are about 20 programs listed the last one says system idle which unlike the others is rated at 99 rather than 0.

I have re-started the computer 3 times without any success. The last time I shut the computer down before this problem it had difficulty switching of so I closed a few unfamiliar programs in task manager thinking these may be the problem (I cannot remember what these were)

Any ideas what the problem may be and how to solve it?

rdpro

you might have corrupted some system files when closing down the programs in task manager - always best to look up the running program on the net before forcing it to stop running.

If you can get to 'My Computer' on the desktop, open it up, rightclick on C:, select Properties, then Tools tab.

Click on the 'error checking' button that says 'check now', put a tick in the 2 boxes, then click Start.

Normally the PC will tell you that it needs to reboot to start the checks, so restart as stated. Hopefully that will repair any corruptions.

If not, you might have to get out the original installation CD to run a repair from that.

ronben

If xp try installing script 5.6

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C717D943-7E4B-4622-86EB-95A22B832CAA&displaylang=en

cepheus

Thanks, will try this when I get back this evening. Not sure even if I can start error checking or install anything in its present state. Will starting in safe mode help?

ronben

cepheus wrote: »

Thanks, will try this when I get back this evening. Not sure even if I can start error checking or install anything in its present state. Will starting in safe mode help?

Download that file then save it to a pen drive or other media then install from the pendrive when you get home, you may have to install it in safe mode but try a normal boot up first.

rdpro

yes, you should be able to access My Computer in safe mode. If you can't, then open the Start menu and click on Run.. then type CMD in the box that appears and hit enter. This will open a command line window.
Type CHKDSK /F and hit enter to manually start the repair.

cepheus

Well there was no way of accessing 'my computer' normally so I attempted to re-start in safe mode.

I must have made a mistake (F8?) because it tried to boot up from the CD drive. Anyway everything seemed to work after that, this shouldn't have worked since I have no Windows XP disc in there only a game (can't find one at all for that matter). I then ran the error check from my computer as suggested, it took about 2 seconds and it told me there were no problems. So I am still baffled, but at least it seems to be working now, for the time being at least. The only change was that the windows firewall has been switched off for some reason so I have reactivated this. May do a virus scan now.

cepheus

Virus check found and healed a Trojan horse called SHeur.BFNB in root C drive, but also stated system working correctly.

Seems that Google homepage is sprouting adverts now so an ad stopper must have been deactivated as well.