Computer Boffs - Help! (Windows XP problem)

jammy_c

jammy_c

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James
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Hey Guys,

A couple of weeks ago I had a trojan on my PC, I managed to get rid of it with Rkill and MalwareBytes software and it's been working fine since, until yesterday.

I booted it up, and all the XP windows/toolbars/internet exp/etc look like they've entered a time machine. they've gone all windows 95 on me :thinking: grey toolbars, old style logos, small buttons. desktop pic and shortcut icons are the same as ever though.

Right-click>properties does nothing except show what the XP theme settings should look like.

not a MASSIVE problem I guess, but it's annoying and whats more, it won't let me connect to the wireless network no matter what I try to do. :shake:


I restarted the PC and hey presto! it works fine. wireless and all.

The same happened again today and it took 4 restarts before it restored back to the proper XP settings.


Any idea what's going on? :thinking::thinking::thinking:


Cheers in advance!
 
are you watching it boot up fully or walking away and coming back ?

Sounds like it may be going into safe mode while your away.
 
From Microsoft, hope it helps.

"Go to Start/Run type Services.msc hit enter and double-click Themes. Set it's startup type to Automatic, and then start the service. If the Service is already started, then close the Services applet. Right-click Desktop, and choose Properties. In the themes drop-down, select windows XP. Click Apply, and then click OK."
 
I don't know, but my old PC that was running XP would occasionally boot into Fisher Price mode rather than the classic Windows style which I prefer.

You don't need to reboot to change it, the appearance of the task bar etc is a display option you can change. No idea about your wireless.

I blame the registry, one of the most idiotic ideas in the history of operating system design.
 
Cheers for the response guys. It now seems to do it every time I boot up. tried on excess of 10 times over the weekend. it's less the fact that it won't load the correct theme, and more the fact that it won't connect to the net properly. it's wierd. the network icon in the sys tray keeps seraching and trying to connect and never finds anything, the wireless card icon shows 98% signal strength connection to the router and the WiFi works fine because the missus uses it on her laptop and our phones etc...

could it be a problem with the registry?
 
Steep said:
From Microsoft, hope it helps.

"Go to Start/Run type Services.msc hit enter and double-click Themes. Set it's startup type to Automatic, and then start the service. If the Service is already started, then close the Services applet. Right-click Desktop, and choose Properties. In the themes drop-down, select windows XP. Click Apply, and then click OK."
Click to expand...

I tried this yesterday, the type was preset to automatic, but it said that the service was stopped. when I clicked "start" it gave an error message saying it was unable to start the service. :thinking: :shrug:
 
Olly_K said:
are you watching it boot up fully or walking away and coming back ?

Sounds like it may be going into safe mode while your away.
Click to expand...

hmm, doesn't seem to be going into safe mode. i have booted it in safe mode once before and it looks different to this. i watched it boot every time and it seems to do everything normally. :thinking:
 
realspeed said:
You could try system restore to a time before you picked up the Trogen. Program-accessories-system tools- system restore in drop down list

Realspeed
Click to expand...

I tried the system restore function but it only gave me the option to restore to two hours prior to the current time, which wasn't much use to me :( is there any way of getting it to go back further?
 
I have XP and can go back a couple of months at least, seems as if your computer wasn't storing that system restore properly either. try the link to System Mechanic I find it works well. PM me if it sorts out your problem.

Realspeed
 
realspeed said:
I have XP and can go back a couple of months at least, seems as if your computer wasn't storing that system restore properly either. try the link to System Mechanic I find it works well.

Realspeed
Click to expand...
much appreciated. will give it a try and let you know how i get on :thumbs:
 
Back up all your photos and docs and do a system format and reinstall windows. It will save you a lot of time and hair pulling. If you haven't done it before, all the more reason for doing it now! just make sure you have have your Windows XP CD key to hand, and CD of course.
 
Mark3110 said:
Back up all your photos and docs and do a system format and reinstall windows. It will save you a lot of time and hair pulling. If you haven't done it before, all the more reason for doing it now! just make sure you have have your Windows XP CD key to hand, and CD of course.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I was thinking of doing just that. I was trying to avoid having to do so, but i'll see how I get on over the next couple of days. it's a PITA to find all the drivers, etc. :( I have a very old copy of XP which I could use. the current version I'm running was installed fresh about 18months ago. do you think it'd be worth trying to install Windows 7 if I was going to do that? a friend has a copy of it, but not sure it it'll work with my hardware. or is it best to stick with XP at the mo?
 
i would try the following..

click start -> run. type in:

CMD (press OK)

in the black box type:

chkdsk c: /r (press return)

if it says the disk is in use and would you like to schedule on reboot press Y (press return) and then restart the computer. let that run through.

next, put your windows CD in and in the black box type:

sfc /detectnow (press return)

let that run through and then reboot and see if it makes a difference.
 
neil_g said:
i would try the following..

click start -> run. type in:

CMD (press OK)

in the black box type:

chkdsk c: /r (press return)

if it says the disk is in use and would you like to schedule on reboot press Y (press return) and then restart the computer. let that run through.

next, put your windows CD in and in the black box type:

sfc /detectnow (press return)

let that run through and then reboot and see if it makes a difference.
Click to expand...
What will that do?
 
neil_g said:
i would try the following..

click start -> run. type in:
Click to expand...
neil_g said:


CMD (press OK)

in the black box type:

chkdsk c: /r (press return)

if it says the disk is in use and would you like to schedule on reboot press Y (press return) and then restart the computer. let that run through.

next, put your windows CD in and in the black box type:

sfc /detectnow (press return)

let that run through and then reboot and see if it makes a difference.
Click to expand...


Hey Neil, I tried this last night and it didn't do anything.
the chkdsk worked fine, and didn't report any errors, but when i entered sfc/detectnow it came up with another Menu with a load of different options. The most obvious of which seemed to be sfc/scannow, so I opted for that. It took about 15 mins and didn’t give me any more info, just a progress bar which then disappeared. Also, it didn’t seem to use the XP disk in the drive. Am I doing something wrong?
 
realspeed said:
You could try system restore to a time before you picked up the Trogen. Program-accessories-system tools- system restore in drop down list.

I have" System Mechanic" which sorts out most problems

Link free download 30 day trial

http://download.cnet.com/System-Mechanic/3000-2094_4-10030183.html


Realspeed
Click to expand...

Hi Bazza, as i don't have net access at the moment I managed to d/l this on to my usb stick via my dad's PC, but then it failed to install properly on my PC. I tried both the normal and the pro versions :(

Tried to get online on my PC last night too and it managed to connect, but then disconnects itself from the wireless continually. on for 5 seconds, off for 5 seconds, on for 10 seconds, off for 3 seconds, completely random all the time, and whatever i try to d/l keeps failing because of connection. it will actually sort of load a web page now though (very slowly)
 
ah sorry yes it should have been scannow not detectnow, i always get those muddled..

if it went through and didnt seem to do anything then all the windows files are correct.

back to the drawing board..
 
neil_g said:
ah sorry yes it should have been scannow not detectnow, i always get those muddled..

if it went through and didnt seem to do anything then all the windows files are correct.

back to the drawing board..
Click to expand...

:thinking: :shrug: fresh install of XP over the top of the current OS?
 
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