Please, Please, Please, Help!

hi!

It is really great to back up all of your personal files before trying to do any kind of repairs on the system. So get a thumb drive or some DVDs and make copies of all your personal stuff first.

Then you will need a microsoft XP installation disk, do you have that or can you borrow it?

All Hail The Soundguruman. Thank you for taking the time to answer my query, and providing a voice of reason. I wasn't actually trying to repair anything but was downloading an upgrade from Microsoft. Upon my return everything was shot to hell!!! However, your idea re backing up is not without merit & something I shall do in future.
I really hope to learn from people such as yourself on this site. I have the original installation disk (XP of course) that the PC came with so I assume this is what you mean.
I have lots of most of my Microsoft desktop icons (eg; Jpegs etc (?) went awol as did many others. I can't access accessories, Office etc. etc. (This is FYI).

Thanks for taking the time Soundguruman look forward to your reply. Sorry I was a while getting back but my birthday celebrations continued & I'm in Australia should that make a difference.

stylisticlady@bigpond.com

Hey bystander123 thanks for reading my woes re my PC. I'm a newbie to this site and need any & all help I can get! I'm really looking forward to learning & sharing. I live in Australia and enjoy all that this great land has to offer from great weather to great beaches.
Do hope I hear from you again and hoping you have a wicked day/night.

stylisticlady

We need more details on how it's acting strange. What are you doing when you notice the behavior? What are the odd actions that you see?

Thank you aford10 for entering into my problem ok, acting strange; a Large Majority of my desktop icons have reverted to the one that looks like an ipad with buttons, most do not respond. This also applies to any access to my PC, Control Panel etc. and my Programs. Often, when this first happened, I may have been waiting on the internet 4ever! and used Ctrl+Alt+Delete to get Task Manager up only to find a programme there that I can't access! Often there is a like a shadow glitching of a couple of seconds. Needless to say I can't delete obsolete data/programs which is adding to the fact that I am running in a rather sluggish manner. So what say you? I'd be ever so grateful for your time on this. I also want to learn so even criticism is good! Ta muchly. Stylisticlady!

First thing, is to check for malware. You have some pretty common symptoms. Run through the malware guide in my signature.

Thanks aford10 will do, you made me recall that at some time I did have a Trojan appear in my Adaware or AVG when I downloaded the Microsoft program that triggered this. Also one of my other 'strange' things is I can click on my icons & they respond, as in open, delete, etc. but no response or rather the action I ask for does not eventuate. And I really can't Thank you enough for a) responding b) your valuable advice & c0 not making me feel like an utter twit!
I will check for malware as you suggest & get back to you. Stylisticlady

aford 10 reread what I wrote re icons doesn't make sense - although on the desktop I can click & the icons ask if I want to open, delete etc. When I say...open there is no response. Sorry brain is like cottage cheese this morning.

It sounds like something has broken the association for what would open those icons (shortcut or non-shortcut). This is often caused by malware, but there are a few other things that can do it.

Run through the guide, and that'll give us a good idea of where to go next.

Dear aford10, Thank you for all your effort & help!None of the courses I've done have covered this so I feel a right twit! I haven't started any of the steps you recommend because I wish to be clear on the steps.

a) I start with my PC off.
b) The moment I turn on the PC I begin hitting F8 to place PC safemode.

Am I with the programme?

However my concern lies in the fact that when I download files they disappear into the PC ether. I can't locate them! Should I still soldier on?

Thanks ever so much, Stylisticlady!

I just realized I think I know you from before. Remember when your cmos battery went dead? And when I was talking with you on Tuesday and it was really Wednesday where you are? yup.
Did you change that battery after-all?
Anyway, you can do a repair of windows XP ....and that undoes all the updates....and sets the system back to day one
but this does not erase your files...usually
the directions are posted in this forum, fourth post from the top. you will need to follow those directions to set the system back to a default state...and you really should back up your files.

Yes, once you get that menu of options, arrow down to Safe Mode with Networking.

You may need to go into the internet browser options, and find out where it's downloading the files to. Or, you can change that default path, to your desktop. Then your downloads will go directly to the desktop.

Thanks.. you are so cute!  

Stylisticlady's/Juliana's sister here! I have no idea as to the protocol required here just that Jules asked me to answer. She was involved in a serious car accident with extensive injuries and has been in an induced coma for some weeks. I don't understand this site but she (they brought her back to a state of lucidity for short assesment) she gave me her password and asked me to contact her emails especially Tom. This is the only Tom I can find but it was important to her. I hope I've got this right. Thank You, Nadia Laughton. (Sister of Juliana J/Stylisticlady). I'm staying at her home during this time so I can pass something on if needs be (when she's lucid), as I said I don't understand computers. Am so sorry.

Wow, that's terrible.

She was just having some issues with her computer, and was looking for help. Though, after hearing that story, I'm not sure it's that important right now. Best wishes to her!