Need help restore my PC

[Cpl Ledanek]

Unfortunately there were more than one thing that I did this morning to my PC.

Upgrade FireFox to 1.5

Upgrade to Flash 8

Uninstalled GTR demo, coz I installed it to C:\ Programs AND NOT follow directions set by demo.

When I try to play demo it would hang.

Then theres this issue with my Free AVG shell dll not being installed. I hit repair, but nothing showed up.

I hit restart on my pc.

I would come to my desktop wallpaper but no taskbar, no nothing.

I tried booting to Safe mode hoping to reach my restore point, but would get nothing also.

Thanks for any help.

Running on WinXPPRO 512RAM OH its on sig.

[Specter]

Try a System Restore, and go back to a date before you installed the programs, and restore to that earlier date.

That should fix you up.

If it doesn't, get in touch with me, and we'll try some other stuff.

[Cpl Ledanek]

Try a System Restore, and go back to a date before you installed the programs, and restore to that earlier date.

That should fix you up.

If it doesn't, get in touch with me, and we'll try some other stuff.

←

Problem. I start on safe mode, and nothing pops up but the desktop screen. The only thing I can do is do the CNTRL+ALT+DEL and see the Task Manager and see what processes are working or what application. Nothing on application of course.

I start on normal and still, I just end up in the desktop wallpaper. No taskbar. Here to I can get the Task Manager.

OK, I'll try to catch you online.

[Cpl Ledanek]

Processes that are running:

nvsv32.exe SYSTEM

CTSVCCDA.EXE SYSTEM

avgupsvc.exe SYSTEM

avgmsvr.exe SYSTEM

wuauclt.exe SYSTEM

spoolsv.exe SYSTEM

svchost.exe LOCAL SERVICES

taskmgr.exe GRACE="wifes logon"

wscntfy.exe GRACE

svchost.exe NETWORK SERVICES

svchost.exe SYSTEM

svchost.exe NETWORK SERVICES

svchost.exe SYSTEM

alg.exe LOCAL SERVICES

lsass.exe SYSTEM

services.exe SYSTEM

winlogon.exe SYSTEM

crss.exe SYSTEM

smss.exe SYSTEM

wdfmgr.exe LOCAL SERVICES

svchost.exe SYSTEM

System SYSTEM

System Idle Process SYSTEM

I also tried this nitwit idea:

took the battery out, cleared CMOS for about 10 minutes.

Installed the battery.

Went thru the settings, logged on.

back to same problem

I'm out for tonite, c y all tom.

goodnite

[Specter]

When the desktop comes up, hit Ctrl + Alt + Del, and that will bring up the Task Manager.

Then go to File, select Run, and type in explorer.exe.

That should get your task bar and start menu back.

Once it comes back, run System Restore, and restore to a date before the trouble started.

For whatever reason, explorer.exe isn't loading up and running.

And remember: Upgrading is NOT always a good thing.

In your case, re-setting the CMOS is a waste of time. You only want to do that when your drives aren't being seen, or in the case that you PC won't get past the POST.

Edited December 2, 2005 by Specter

[RatoN]

could it be this time of year for a fresh installation of OS and everything maybe?

*coughflusheverything*

[Specter]

could it be this time of year for a fresh installation of OS and everything maybe?

*coughflusheverything* 

←

Could be, but probably not necessary. System Restore will usually take care of stuff like this, with no degradation of the OS.

FFR'ing isn't as necessary as it used to be.

That's one thing I'll give to Microsoft, and everyone here knows how I feel about them.

XP is probably their best product to date, and they did a fairly good job. NOTE: I said a FAIRLY good job. It's still a resource hog, and bloated with alot of unnecessary services running, but it's pretty stable as far as Windows OS's go.

BUt Windows 3.11 and DOS 6.22 still has it beat.

[Cpl Ledanek]

When the desktop comes up, hit Ctrl + Alt + Del, and that will bring up the Task Manager.

Then go to File, select Run, and type in explorer.exe.

That should get your task bar and start menu back.

Once it comes back, run System Restore, and restore to a date before the trouble started.

For whatever reason, explorer.exe isn't loading up and running.

And remember:  Upgrading is NOT always a good thing.

In your case, re-setting the CMOS is a waste of time.  You only want to do that when your drives aren't being seen, or in the case that you PC won't get past the POST.

←

No dice on the explorer.exe on the taskbar.

....

[Specter]

Format and reload, bro.

That's your best option at this point.

Sorry bro.

[RatoN]

Cpl Ledanek

if you are going to redo your machine, I would suggest that you take that opportunity to install these protections on your PC, as they work better on a fresh windoz installation

AVG: you already use this anti virus i think

Spybot: detects spywares. Use with SpywareBlaster.

SpywareBlaster: protects Internet explorer and FireFox. Use with Spybot.

ZoneAlarme: Fire wall, ya

Been using this combination of 4 progs for years, and I’ve had 0 probs

[GreyHaired]

You can run a repair and maintain your desktop settings, docs etc.

set boot device in bios to cd rom

have your XP cd and key ready

boot on XP cd, bypass first "repair" and choose install (new install)

choose the drive with Windows and when asked if you want to delete or repair, press "R" for repair.

I'm not sure but believe you have to update to get SP1 and/or SP2 again unless these are included on your XP cd.

But a format once a year ain't a bad idea.

[Cpl Ledanek]

Format and reload, bro.

That's your best option at this point.

Sorry bro.

←

I've been itching to do it too bro. But my Visa bill came in and I'm still in shock.

This is before the Xmas shopping too.

@GreyHaired, I've never done a Repair, so I might as well get the experience.

@RatoN I've got those running already. Those are my first line of defense.

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm not putting up the Xmas tree this weekend.

[Specter]

Format and reload, bro.

That's your best option at this point.

Sorry bro.

←

I've been itching to do it too bro. But my Visa bill came in and I'm still in shock.

This is before the Xmas shopping too.

@GreyHaired, I've never done a Repair, so I might as well get the experience.

@RatoN I've got those running already. Those are my first line of defense.

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm not putting up the Xmas tree this weekend.

←

What does an FFR have to do with your budget?

It's only formatting and re-installing Winblows. Doesn't cost ya' anything but time.

[Cpl Ledanek]

Format and reload, bro.

That's your best option at this point.

Sorry bro.

←

I've been itching to do it too bro. But my Visa bill came in and I'm still in shock.

This is before the Xmas shopping too.

@GreyHaired, I've never done a Repair, so I might as well get the experience.

@RatoN I've got those running already. Those are my first line of defense.

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm not putting up the Xmas tree this weekend.

←

What does an FFR have to do with your budget? FFR?

It's only formatting and re-installing Winblows. Doesn't cost ya' anything but time.

Time is what I need. I need time to figure out what the missus wants for Xmas.

That of course, will also will NEVER EVER be right.Unless its diamonds. Diamonds= NO 7800GT videocard for me

←

[Specter]

Format and reload, bro.

That's your best option at this point.

Sorry bro.

←

I've been itching to do it too bro. But my Visa bill came in and I'm still in shock.

This is before the Xmas shopping too.

@GreyHaired, I've never done a Repair, so I might as well get the experience.

@RatoN I've got those running already. Those are my first line of defense.

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm not putting up the Xmas tree this weekend.

←

What does an FFR have to do with your budget? FFR?

It's only formatting and re-installing Winblows. Doesn't cost ya' anything but time.

Time is what I need. I need time to figure out what the missus wants for Xmas.

That of course, will also will NEVER EVER be right.Unless its diamonds. Diamonds= NO 7800GT videocard for me

←

←

FFR=Fdisk, Format, and Reload. You won't need to do the Fdisk paft unless you want to alter your partitions.

FFR is just short for an OS wipe and reload of Winblows.

[Cpl Ledanek]

Now it gets worst. It worked for a good while, I installed all my drivers.

Then I forgot I needed to update my mobo BIOS.

I used Asus Updater with a BIOS that I saved earlier.

The most current one accdg to website.

After the reboot, the machine boots up but nothing can be seen on the monitor.

Nothing is showing up.

bad vidcard?

[Dannik]

Does the green indicator light on your monitor stay in the blinking 'power saving' mode? Does it turn red/amber? Does it appear solid green?

[Cpl Ledanek]

Does the green indicator light on your monitor stay in the blinking 'power saving' mode?  Does it turn red/amber?  Does it appear solid green?

←

I got two colors: Green when its on and working, yellow on standby. Its a Viewsonic E90fb. Its stays on yellow. I turned the monitor off and on and I get this "on standby-something in 5 sec."

I plugged my laptop to the Desktop and I can see whats on the laptop.

thanks Dannik

[Dannik]

So it's locking in standby mode after a BIOS flash. Instinctively, I suspect the flash reset some CMOS options. I'd check to ensure that the default VGA device setting is pointing to your SLI setup.

After that, not being intimately familiar with your system config, if the problem began with a BIOS flash, flash it back?

[Cpl Ledanek]

So it's locking in standby mode after a BIOS flash.  Instinctively, I suspect the flash reset some CMOS options.  I'd check to ensure that the default VGA device setting is pointing to your SLI setup. 

After that, not being intimately familiar with your system config, if the problem began with a BIOS flash, flash it back?

←

this is not the SLI. This is the BLUE PC specs on my sig. How do I flash something I can't see?

The monitor keeps going to "off mode in 5 sec" everytime I turn it on and off

[WhiteKnight77]

You have a bad BIOS setting. I had that when I first got my new chip. Pull the battery to get back to safe settings and then set everythng to normal settings such as the FSB and multiplier. If they are out of spec, then it will do just as you describe.

[Dannik]

How do I flash something I can't see?

←

Youch. It's worse than I thought. Unless you can find/remember exactly the steps to reflashing your BIOS, and work blind from instructions, that motherboard, or at least the BIOS chip, is probably hosed. BIOS chips can be replaced, and so can the entire board, but as you said earlier, your Visa bill came in, and it's just about Christmas.

I wish I had better info for you. Hopefully someone else does.

[Cpl Ledanek]

How do I flash something I can't see?

←

BIOS chips can be replaced, and so can the entire board......

←

Like how realistic/practical is that to replacing it with a newer board?

I'll give it past Christmas bill before I would consider it though.

Thanks for reminding me btw.

[Specter]

How do I flash something I can't see?

←

BIOS chips can be replaced, and so can the entire board......

←

Like how realistic/practical is that to replacing it with a newer board?

I'll give it past Christmas bill before I would consider it though.

Thanks for reminding me btw.

←

Pull the battery for a full minute, then re-insert the battery and see if it goes back to the BIOS default settings. It should.

Then you should be able to redo your BIOS settings to the way you want them.

CMOS chips are very difficult to replace, especially for the uniniated. I wouldn't even try it if I were you, should it come down to a fried CMOS chip. Just go for the new mobo.

[Cpl Ledanek]

How do I flash something I can't see?

←

BIOS chips can be replaced, and so can the entire board......

←

Like how realistic/practical is that to replacing it with a newer board?

I'll give it past Christmas bill before I would consider it though.

Thanks for reminding me btw.

←

Pull the battery for a full minute, then re-insert the battery and see if it goes back to the BIOS default settings. It should.

Then you should be able to redo your BIOS settings to the way you want them.

CMOS chips are very difficult to replace, especially for the uniniated. I wouldn't even try it if I were you, should it come down to a fried CMOS chip. Just go for the new mobo.

←

I gave it a try with the CMOS and battery. Restart with my finger on the "Del" key...no dice

change vid card....no dice

change monitor...no dice

Is there a mobo similar to mine so I can recycle majority of my parts.