[SpazKatt]

Hi,
This morning I went to turn on my computer and ALL of my programs icons have been replaced with the word icon. To make matters worse, they only will open with word. Pretty much the only things that work normally are Internet Explorer, and an Apple application. I attempted to run symantic antivirus, through VPC32.exe and then browsing through my computer to select the appropriate program to run it through. However, you click on preform scan and after less than 30 seconds it says "system scan complete" and says 00.00 detected. I have attempted to run system restore... but my help and support center is also disabled! I tried browsing through a list like I did to open symantec but it doesn't work! I tried searching to figure out how to run my computer in safe mode, but the search results stated, "no such topic found". Someone PLEASE help me, I don't have much money and I'm fairly comfortable with someone telling me what I need to do.

[sabby]

Oh dear...that really stinks....in the future you can use this online free antivirus scanner and it works pretty well. (its always good to run more than just one scan of your computer, no one program can pick up all viruses all the time)

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ Once the scan is done, they should tell you how to delete the viruses/trojans.

To get to safe mode - To get into the Windows 2000 / XP Safe mode, as the computer is booting press and hold your "F8 Key" which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode" and press your Enter key.

To do a restore - If Windows XP starts
1. Log on to Windows as Administrator.
2. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore. System Restore starts.
3. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time (if it is not already selected), and then click Next.
4. On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. A System Restore message may appear that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.
5. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then restarts the computer.
6. Log on to the computer as Administrator. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears.
7. Click OK.

Hope this helps!!

[drunksunflower]

Did it work?

I asked one of my best mates who is a technie type and he wasn't confident that you should play around too much, and if you do, to back up EVERYTHING before you even try.

quote:

ugh sounds messy as *. about all i would do with that system is back up all data and reformat and reinstall windows.

probably best to pay someone in her case.

[Perna]

Killing/rebooting your computer doesn't help at all?

Sounds like what we use to call "too many dominoes" appear to have fallen :-) If it's that sick it probably needs a professional to sort it out with the right tools/programs, etc.

[SpazKatt]

I ran trend micro and it couldn't finish the scan. Rebooting hasn't helped, that was my first thoughts. I've had a few viruses before and followed tech support over the phone for this type of stuff. Thing is, my tech support is now expired (this computer is at least 4 years old now). It may just be time for a new computer, but again money is the issue!

[SpazKatt]

Thanks Sabu, I did try with your directions and it didn't work </font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
SpazKatt said:
I have attempted to run system restore... but my help and support center is also disabled! I tried browsing through a list like I did to open symantec but it doesn't work! I tried searching to figure out how to run my computer in safe mode, but the search results stated, "no such topic found".

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> I think I'm up a creek without a paddle... maybe Geek Squad can help?

[SpazKatt]

Never mind! They're WAY too expensive!

Spaz,

Maybe you could post your question here. I have done it before and also you can search the database to see if others had the same problem.

Good luck

Expert Zone

[(JD)]

Spaz... can you explain exactly what you get when you boot up? I think you said something about Word, but that's not an operating system is it???

When booting up, does F8 bring up any new window?

Don't worry too much... I "lost" my entire C drive once and techies brought it back... easy for them, and then I learned but forgot...older computer....

Do you have any operating disks that came with the computer? If it's windows xp you have a disk for back up already I think.

[SpazKatt]

Ok, when I boot up it SEEMS fine, except all my programs have the Microsoft Word icon on them... and my computer attempts to open them in Microsoft Word (which is my word processor!!!) Things NOT affected are the Recycle bin, my network places, Internet Explorer and an Apple Application (as in apple computers). I can run a FEW things if I go through a long process of finding out the command to run it in RUN. For example, I can run ad-aware by typing ad-Aware.exe into run, then clicking select program from list, and then going to the file where it's located, click on the file, which then adds it to the list and then I click on that! and it will run But I have to do that EVERY time. So far that has only worked for adaware, and Yahoo Messenger, It pulled up Symantec Antivirus, but it had troubles scanning. I attempted to do what Sabu suggested in safe mode, and I had to go through the whole scenario that I described above to even get into it! When I finally click on the System Restore icon I get this error message- C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe is not a valid win32 application

[SpazKatt]

Thanks petunia! I didn't notice the link you posted... so I thought you mean to post it again... WHOOPS! But at least now theres more detail if anyone knows what is going on and can help. I did post at that site...

[sparkling]

Sounds nasty... Maybe try downloading and installing another antivirus program? If that won't help I think you should consider reinstalling windows like DSF advised.

Spaz--type this into Run. It should bring up your system restore.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe

[SpazKatt]

Thanks for the suggestion petunia I've already tried it and this is what happens...
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
SpazKatt said:
When I finally click on the System Restore icon I get this error message- C:\WINDOWS\system32\Restore\rstrui.exe is not a valid win32 application

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

[SpazKatt]

LOL minus the little guy in the life raft of course!!!

Spaz, I'll keep throwing links your way if that doesn't work. Maybe something will click. Some might be a free trial but it might be worth it to try.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/267511

http://www.tuneupadvisor.com/fix-exe.aspx

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/default.htm

You might try this information

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

.... or you could try restoring your system to a time just prior to
installing the Windows Updates, as long as you can access the "Safe Mode with
Command Prompt" option from the Advanced Options menu (in order to access the
menu, press the F8 key just before Windows begins to load / directly after
POST). You'll need to log on as the administrator, or a user that has
administrative rights. At the command prompt, type...

%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe ...and then press ENTER.

....then just follow the instructions on the screen. Another possibility is
to select the "Last Known Good Configuration" (your most recent settings that
worked) option from the Advanced Options menu.

[drunksunflower]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
sparkling said:
Sounds nasty... Maybe try downloading and installing another antivirus program? If that won't help I think you should consider reinstalling windows like DSF advised.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

As someone said you should have an XP backup disk?

Hmmm aren't you at uni / weren't you at uni?

There are always tech ppl there, any chance you can give one of them a call?

[drunksunflower]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
sparkling said:
Sounds nasty... Maybe try downloading and installing another antivirus program? If that won't help I think you should consider reinstalling windows like DSF advised.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Personally I wouldn't know how to do it, that is what my friend thought was the only option one could do oneself.

Must be backed up and ensure you have the right disks to reinstall, though - lol.

I just had this one on my work computer and it was a pain in the *** ...

[SpazKatt]

No, I graduated last May... and my boyfriend has taken the semester off so I can't even bum off of him! That's what I used to do! They do it for free because that's how our tech majors learn. Petunia, I tried running system restore in safe mode w/ command prompt... says my system restore is turned off!!! I never turned it off and I don't know how to turn it on... because again... my help and support system is disabled due to what ever has happened!

[drunksunflower]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
SpazKatt said:
No, I graduated last May... and my boyfriend has taken the semester off so I can't even bum off of him! That's what I used to do! They do it for free because that's how our tech majors learn. Petunia, I tried running system restore in safe mode w/ command prompt... says my system restore is turned off!!! I never turned it off and I don't know how to turn it on... because again... my help and support system is disabled due to what ever has happened!

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

Yea was same when I was at uni ...

No friends still at uni?

Heh I dunno, I just DO know how expensive they are to fix - I am lucky, I have quite a few friends who are in IT in some capacity, so they are superbly useful (and I can pay them in beer ...)

[SpazKatt]

Petunia, I downloaded RegCure at TuneupAdvisor... so far it's found 642 problems and it hasn't finished scanning yet!!!

[SpazKatt]

The official tally is...1197 problems found!!!!

Yikes!!!

I hope you can get it all straightened out!

[(JD)]

If you are getting your Start menu, try here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310405

[(JD)]

This is help on repairing system restore: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302796/