Computure Nightmare!

[Fish]

Been without use of my lap top for 2 days now but just fumbled my way back on-line somehow!

My laptop was really slow and I did all my usual tests, cleared everything, turned off the BT modem, everything that has always worked before but to no avail. So, getting suspicious that something was wrong I restored back 72 hours as I hadn't done anything in that time I was bothered about losing if it came to that.

Then the nightmare began as it re-booted!

My whole desk top short cuts disappeared! I couldn't access ANYTHING other than my Recycle Bin! All my pictures, documents had also gone, a cold sweat took grip......

I've been in bed with this flu bug and battling this this for days.

When I switch on and log on I get a series of warning pop-ups stating that certain applications can't activate and to press OK to continue on each one, there are about 5 of these! I have had no internet access, anything I select in my menu does not open!

It looks at face value that my lap top has gone back to zero but all the menus and programmes are listed but do nothing!

With my limited knowledge and finding a programme called Mozy Pro I have found some pictures & documents so there still in here!

I have now just gone into my control panel and into programmes to spot anything weird looking and delete things not in use and as I started to delete Rapport, it offered me an opportunity to talk to support on-line so I went for it....hey presto it took me to their website through my Firefox browser, so it is still on here somewhere!!

I have opened another tab and now accessed a few sites and now writing this, I have all my bookmarks at the top, everything looks OK but I know as soon as I come out it will all disappear!

I have had a few pop ups stating that things can't open because of a side-by-side something and to check xstrace.exe tool but I can't get into anything to do that and wouldn't know how anyway!

I will read replies and any advise on my phone so please, can anyone help?

I think everything is still on here but it seems hidden somehow?

If its complicated, message me for my mobile number t talk me through it if needs be.

I'll look after the person that gets me back :thup:

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Fish , it sounds like your log on is corrupted and windows had made a temporary one for you
Can you try this
Start, computer, c drive, users
Click on your user profile, you should be able to access your docs etc

If so we need to create a new profile for you and move everything over
I can talk you through that, but lets confirm you can find your stuff


Fragger

 

[Fish]

Fish , it sounds like your log on is corrupted and windows had made a temporary one for you
Can you try this
Start, computer, c drive, users
Click on your user profile, you should be able to access your docs etc

If so we need to create a new profile for you and move everything over
I can talk you through that, but lets confirm you can find your stuff


Fragger

Cheers Phil,

I've managed some of that.

Got to "users" and there are 4 in their!

Public
Robin
Temp
Temp.Robin-PC

I've attempted to open all of them individually.

The public and both Temp folders all seem to be empty but there are some documents, music and other stuff in the Robin User.

The only place I can see all my pictures is in "Recent Places"?

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Ok, go to recent docs, RIGHT click a pic and hit properties
It should tell you where it is on the drive.

First thing to do is to go to control panel, users, create a new profile, call it "Robin New"
And make sure it's an admin account

Restart PC and log into the new profile
PM me your number and I can talk you through about 8.15

Fragger

 

[Fish]

Can't set up a new user? There's a guest user that I can activate but it doesn't let me do anything to it other than give it a picture!

Anything I attempt to do or open gets me a pop-up saying that it can't activate due to a "side-by-side configuration"?

Sometimes I get pop-ups when I'm trying to open anything saying the item is already on my my "local" something, do I want to overwrite it, rename it or move/copy it"?

You can't believe the round-about way I'm getting on-line as nothing will open directly!

You state your a self confessed computer geek in your profile, well here's your biggest test me thinks

 

[Fish]

Well we've agreed its buggered (can I say that)

I hate computers, got to try and copy what I can and then do a complete full system restore/recovery back to factory settings

Can't imagine and don't want to think about what I have lost and all the work I've got to do to get all the various programmes I use back installed so my advise to everyone is BACK-UP, BACK-UP, BACK-UP everything on a regular basis!

Thanks for the chat and advise Phil, beers are on me the next time we meet up :cheers:

 

[vkurup]

Oh Fish... Looks interesting. Fragged is pretty good in all things computer so am sure he will have u up and running.

Like Phil, it looks like a profile corruption rather than anything serious (cuz u seem to get Firefox running). Can you see how much disk space is used. If you have 'lost' ur stuff, then there should be loads of space; alternatively it will be at the same old capacity levels. You might be able to do Start--> Run and then type Excel or Word or Calc etc to see if you can get to these program's

If you go to c:\users\robin\desktop. Do you see anything there? Btw r u on Win7, XP, 3.1 etc?

PS: typing this on an iPad using my in Fingers is bloody painful.. Took me 10mins to type these lines... Call me old fashioned, but give me a proper keyboard any day..

 

[DappaDonDave]

Go to system restore, reset it back to a period it worked. A week or so should do it and it should be fine.

I had a similar issue on vista a month ago, deleted profiles tried restoring them through admin menus, all failed. Restored it and its been fine since.

 

[SocketRocket]

I have gone off Windows. Been using a MacBook for 12 months now and it's been completely error free.

 

[DappaDonDave]

I have gone off Windows. Been using a MacBook for 12 months now and it's been completely error free.

Shame you can't get a MacBook for £300 but can get a fully functioning laptop with windows. I'm an apple fan but their laptops and desktops are extortionate!

 

[vkurup]

Shame you can't get a MacBook for £300 but can get a fully functioning laptop with windows. I'm an apple fan but their laptops and desktops are extortionate!

Agree.. way 2 expensive and non-configurable. I agree they look good and make some software, but I like to have a bit of control on the machine.

 

[BrizoH71]

Probably too late to the party, but maybe you can use a Linux distro to get into your computer's file structure and backup from that?

I've used Linuxmint - http://www.linuxmint.com/ - a few times to salvage files from corrupt Windows installations.

 

[Phil2511]

http://forums.golf-monthly.co.uk/showthread.php?48846-PhilTheFragger-amp-Golf-Monthly

 

[daymond]

Sorry to join the party late but I've been off line for two days. One massive big virus slowly ate the system. I have AVG but if a stupid idiot ( me ) allowed an innocent 'accept' half way through a big download. I deserve all I get. Luckily it had not affected documents so was able back up everything I could to complement previous backups. It's taken hours to reload docs and photos on a new clean disk but have lost all my music which I am not going to do reload again from douzens of CD's.
The moral is think four times before accepting anything on screen and BACK UP every day if necessary.