like the email I use as a primary, windows update won't open....etc etc...but some will. What happened was I did a system restore, it went fine. I didn't think it would restore to that far back a date (only about a week and a half) but it did and thought well if I go back further, less bugs in my computer. Well I think I went too far back (restoring one on top of the other whereas I probably should have gone back one date) and now some apps won't open. In the beginning it was a real mess but I managed to get to a point where somethings were ok, but others are not. I though .NET framework was messed up and reinstalled that but it didn't help. I imagine it must be a dll problem, but I dont know how to fix it. Can someone figure out what this problem might be and advise? Another clue I can give you, on my homepage which is Yahoo, I have the local tv schedule on it, it will show an hour or so, and is usually up right off, but it is "loading" constantly....can someone tell me what I should do? Thanks alot...
have internet problems....some applications won't open....
(17 posts) (6 voices)-
watcher13
MemberYes, Surf, you might be able to fix a lot of it, but you should act fairly quickly. As you realize, when you use system restore, you restore the computer back to a point before you did certain things. If, for example, you restore your machine back to 3 weeks ago, practically all of the critical information your computer logged for any software that you installed between 3 weeks ago and today will be lost, as if it never happened. Much of this is stored in the computer's registry: locations - like DLLs - file associations (what file can be opened by what programs), and so forth. When you restore, it's basically like wiping all that stuff off a blackboard.
The good news is: restore protects against itself. So when you use restore a new restore point is made. Go back and look again and try and find one from when your machine was working the best. Either before you did any restores or maybe after that first week and a half one. Or a date that your remember when you got good results. As long as your sure. If not, go back to before that first restore. This may not work. As you can see, restore on top of restore can really start to scramble your eggs. Still, it might be worth it to try and turn back the clock to before you let the genie out of the bottle.
Of course, if you've done any kind of recent backups or - better - disk images, restoring from them is the best and easiest way. Some of the more sophisticated here may be able to suggest a better solution, if you don't have backups. Some are going to simply say use your Windows disk to repair as much as you can or to reinstall your OS. If you restore from your original disks, anything that came with Windows - Windows Update or IE, and the stuff from your computer manufacturer, HP or Dell, for examples, can be eventually fixed (the manufacturers stuff assumes you store bought your machine and didn't install windows yourself).
If you don't have any backups, your real issue is going to be how many non-Windows apps. you'll lose. If you've got a lot of those apps stored somewhere or can re-download them, reinstalling them is the best fix. If not, you might be out of luck on a lot of them. If someone here can suggest another solution (other than restoring from a backup, reinstalling from your Windows disk, or using restore and then trying to reinstall any apps not working that you can find copies of), then you might want to do it fairly quickly, especially if you're running out of space. That's also true if you try to use restore. If your computer has lost track of a file, it can overwrite that space on the disk with a new file. If you've got plenty of space it will just move to the next open sector. But, if you're running out of space, it may have to overwrite those sectors that have the old files. That will make restoring without using backups or reinstalling even harder. You might have even overwritten a file or two by reinstalling .net. Even surfing can do it. Again, it depends on whether you have much free space. You ought to look at that. If you seem to have a lot more free space than when you started restoring, you'll know you've lost a LOT of files.
By the way, your problem with the TV schedule is probably either that you've damaged the browser, or you've lost some files that allow you to run the script the TV schedule uses. Often websites use java and you may have restored to an earlier version of Java.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
Posted 16 years ago # -
surfidiot
MemberHi Watcher,
Wow thanks for the great response...my problem though is that restore now wont open, windows update wont open, it seems like critical apps won't open. But Yahoo homepage (even though TV is "loading") does open, my primary email won't but gmail does open...so it's kind of wierd what does open and what doesn't. I've been trying to go into restore to get back to where I was in the beginning (oh will I ever learn) but it just opens up to a blank screen, as does anything else that won't open. What do you think?? Thanks again...PS...I have Advanced Windows Care...have done many backups, that would be the best place to go but how does it work? It has to open system restore in order to initiate one of the backups, correct? If it has to do that it won't work.
Posted 16 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberYeah, you may be at least partially screwed. I'd try to do what restoring I could from your original Windows disks. I'd say that what likely happened is that, as you installed more software, that software changed some of your Windows software settings, registry entries, dlls (especially if that software doesn't use a Windows or Install Shield type of installer), etc. Then, when you restored back past the points of installing those new software, it didn't fix the changes that those newer installs made. Basically, that crippled a lot of your Windows functions. I'd wait and see if you get a better response from others here, because there are a lot of people here way ahead of me. But, sorry, your very close to being screwed. At least in the sense of not having to start at least partially over. I'm assuming you're saying that you don't have any backups or disk images, because that would DEFINATELY be the way to go, considering your current state.
5 future suggestions - besides being careful with restore - look into standalone apps like some portables, for example (these make no changes to your registry), look into a virtual testing program like Returnil (this allows you to make sure you want a software before permanently applying the registry changes), look into a registry backup and restorer like ERUNT, look into a sophisticated uninstaller like Revo, or look into an install monitor. I haven't tested the last, but Ashraf says ZSoft Uninstaller can be used instead as an install monitor (he says it's not that good of an uninstaller). I'm sure someone here can suggest a good dedicated install monitor. You might want to do a forum search. You won't need all of these protections, but one or two can keep new software from screwing up Windows too badly.
Posted 16 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberSorry Surf, I didn't see that part about Advanced Windows Care. Don't have it myself, so can't advise you. Yeah, if you can get some phone or online support from them or MS or anyone else on how to do the backup with it or any other repairs, I'd recommend it. They can't make it any worse. The answer may be on the Advance Windows Care website. I wasn't aware it was tied to restore.
Or wait a little, because I'm sure someone here can help you with your backup and likely give you some better suggestions than I have. Again, you've definitely don't some damage, so backup restore is probably your best bet.
Posted 16 years ago # -
Anonymous
Unregisteredtry diskcheck or chkdsk C: /f or r [it same as click on the harddisk] at the command prompt type sfc /scannow [system file checker will check for all damage or lost system files & replace any from the CD so you need the windows CD you can allso do it it run sfc /scannow [this will fix all system dll's]watcher13 is right with java & browser
get new is best but take old fist,Advanced Windows Care dont do a one click look fist.Posted 16 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberThanks hotdoge, I didn't think of that. I'm really sorry, hotdoge is right, you should do these first. In fact, you should have done both of these before you ever tried restore. It's good to do this on a regular basis. I'm thinking you should run chkdsk, then SFC, then it probably wouldn't hurt to run chkdsk again for your current problem.
I'd think I'd run chkdsk first. As he said, to run SFC you have to do it from a DOS command prompt. If you're using Vista, right click on the cmd prompt in your Accessories menu and run it as administrator or you won't get the right results. As HD said, this will try to restore all your system DLLs from the original disk. You can run check disk the same way, but it's about as easy to run it inside Windows, for future reference. And, in one sense it's better. /F means fix the file system, only. /r means also try to recover data from bad sectors. If your machine is pretty new, this may not be necessary. To use either or both, you'll have to restart your machine. If you just type chkdsk in, it will check without fixing, so, if your curious as to whether there's any damage, you can see the results first without having to restart. You can run chkdsk from inside Windows by clicking on My Computer, then right clicking on the C: drive and going to "properties" at the bottom. This will open a box with various options including a tool tab. At the top click on "error checking". If you leave automatically repair errors checked, you'll have to restart. If you uncheck that, you can run it, but it will only report, not repair. You can check "scan for and attempt for recovery of bad sectors" either way, as you see fit. That's the advantage of running inside Windows. You can run the /r - bad sectors - check without having to restart. However, if you do it that way, it may stop and wait for your manual approval for every bad sector it finds. I don't know, because I haven't used it on any disk that I new had a bad sector. Either way, if you check for bad sectors, it will probably take overnight.
Posted 16 years ago # -
surfidiot
MemberHey, thanks guys, I'm going to do the options of checking disk, I did look for that option earlier in the start/accessories/system tools butit wasn't there (always thought it was) and maybe that'll help. I can always do a clean reinstall but I'd rather wait until there are no more options. Strange because almost everything else seems ok, just a few important ones that wont open. Im going to wait till tomorrow and try these you've mentioned, I've been at this all afternoon trying to get it fixed. I assume you mean put the OS CD in and bring up the cmd prompt and do the check that way?
I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow, one big error seems to be "jscript"....seems it's maybe dll's and scripts that aren't working right. By the way watcher, I would probably be the bottom of the totem pole on knowlegde of computer fix-it on this or any forum. I try breaking the ice right up front....'surfidiot'...lol.Posted 16 years ago # -
giveawayfan
MemberDownload TuneUp edition 2009 trial, run it and see if that makes any difference.
I love that software and when you think that your problem cant be solved, this software works wonders.
http://www.tune-up.com/products/tuneup-utilities/Posted 16 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberSurf, you never did say what OS your running. No, we meant run these tools from Windows, not your disk, but that's an option, especially if you can't run Check Disk and System File Checker from your system because those functions are damaged.
Normally, you only need the original disk for SFC if it needs to extract a damaged file from it for replacement. Check disk's predecessor, Scandisk, used to be in system tools. Command prompt is in start/programs/accessories/ in Vista, and XP if I remember correctly. If not, Start/Programs and should be after all the program folers. Either way, it's in there somewhere. If I remember right, SFC was in System Tools, too, at least way back in Windows 98. Some of that stuff was moved out of System Tools. Now SFC has to be run from a command prompt because MS has tried to hide it from the average user. It's supposed to be only for IT pros now, which is stupid. (!) I always thought it was one of the most useful System Tools, although I always screened any changes before I made them, which was an option in the old days. It had a nice Windows interface, then. Trust MS to downgrade and hide a good tool. Definitely run it!
Posted 16 years ago # -
aRenegade
MemberOkay, enough lectures. You've made your mistake. Can you get your data back?
It's hard to say. There's a slim chance you can get everything back, a good chance you'll get some of it, and a real possibility you'll get none. The problem isn't that the recovery tool erased everything on C:, but that once it finished erasing, it started laying down files. It's the overwriting, not the erasing, that destroys your precious bits.Your chance of recovering files decreases every time something writes to that hard drive. Letting the recovery tool complete its job lowers your chances. So does booting into Windows and using the computer. Here's another issue: The more fragmented the files on your PC, the less likely they will be successfully restored. The registry backup that Advanced Windows Care Free Version does is simplistic. You just don't get that kind of recovery performance for free because if you did, those developers would go hungry and their houses would be in foreclosure (something I call a brutal fact).
Sure you could run a Chkdsk procedure or a repair installation off of the Windows CD, that you got when you bought the computer. Keep in mind that once you do, and it doesn't correct the problem, then you'll pretty much will be looking eye to eye at running a clean install. All those rewrites against the registry will destabilize the OS even more so and could send you to the land of the 'Blue Screen Of Death'. Also keep in mind that a clean install will blow away any GAOTD programs, and you'll be prompted for the registry keys for any MS Office programs including the Windows version you're running. So get that stuff ready because you are going to need them. Here is where you can get the details about running Chkdsk. The information is from the MS Knowledge Base and the help is guided.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
If you think all this stuff sounds scary, you're right! So before you really get in over your head consider a remote assist from someone more knowledgeable. Things take a different perspective when a tech support person can see your desktop. There had been many a time I've blown away my OS when all I had to do was something simple. Good Luck
Posted 16 years ago # -
Anonymous
UnregisteredIf you have xp, vista or win7 do system restore by booting to options with you windows disk in the cd rom drive.
Personally it's virtually fail safe.
From windows it can fail quite often.
System restore is the best thing for making sure system files don't get screwed up.
I would suggest running your system to do a system restore every day and leave a third of your disk space for that purpose.
Posted 16 years ago # -
surfidiot
MemberWell, I tried CHKDSK, couldn't run it right off from command, it said busy, or 'being used somehwhere else'...it also said something was locked, I believe the "NTSF"....but it asked to run at a restart, so I did that, rebooted, CHKDSK came right up but was done it a blink of an eye. I previously had put it with the "/F" in cmd thinking it would come back this was at restart, but I don't think it made a difference. I'm not sure anything happened at the reboot, it was done in a minute.
One of the problems (of the too many) is for instance, couldn't download the "Guided Help" but when the clean install is done (at this point I realize this is what has to be done) coming back here and downloading it for future reference. Thanks a million for all the input, as you all stated depending on the damage your suggestions may or may not work. What is good though is I've gathered more info to fix in the future thanks to all of you. Back later when it's "good as new"...thanks again.
PS Lee, I wish I could bring up system restore, but I can't....one of my "many" problems...it is also what started my problems, restoring back to a date, then doing another restore on top of that going back further, and doing that a couple more times along with "undoing" a restore....got myself into a real mess. I'll never learn. Oh, well maybe this time I will. LOL. Jethro would say, "this isn't prettier than a mess of fried catfish"...Posted 16 years ago # -
watcher13
MemberTo try and clear something up, if I remember correctly: whenever you've got to Recover files Surf, it is best to do it as soon as possible. However, generally as far as I know, all versions of Windows write to your disk completely from front to back before starting over, so if you've got a lot of free space, it's a lot more likely you can recover. That's why you'll find you have very little problem with fragmentation until you completely fill your disk at least once. The real problem is with critical data that is often needed for applications as there is an exception to the front to back rule. Some data is earmarked for specific places on your hard disk, only the very front or back of it for example, although even those earmarked sectors are written through once before Windows starts them over. You can see these specially placed files if you watch a defragmenter that has a graphical display. So, especially with files, recovery when you have lots of free space shouldn't necessarily lead to panic. Unless something's changed from the old days, in which case I apologize. Sorry for all these lectures surf, but I have a bad habit of trying to answer questions when people ask for help, to the best of my ability. It's a character flaw. :)
Posted 16 years ago # -
surfidiot
MemberI appreciate the help and "lectures" it shows a friendly concern, a great attribute. I would feel "flawed" if nobody answered. But what I had to do was a reinstall of the OS and now it's mostly done. Now I'm going to get that helpers guide and save it for my next computer meltdown. Hopefully it won't be for a long time. I have a new respect for System Restore now, oh well live and learn. I should have had a check list to go by, something I've been wanting to have, making sure everything is installed. Pages seem a little slow loading, but I dont think I've forgotten anything. Flash, Dx, Java, all installed (got Java 11 probably should put in 12) I know these would have that kind of effect if they weren't installed. All updates are in, right down to zero except SP 3, I never use it. What I'd like to find is a good speedy optimizer that can run in the background. Something that works on it's own. I tried Actual Booster before, don't know how good it worked, at times it seem to help, but most of the time couldn't tell. There is one in Speedguide.net called TCP/IP Optimizer, I've used it before but don't know how to really use it properly. The little I did with it seemed to make a difference. Haven't been to that site in a while maybe they have something new.
Anyways, thanks for the help and advice, do appreciate it.Posted 16 years ago #
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