Losing computer settings in XP Pro

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

On Friday, I allowed the computer to install a number of security upgrades as
well as a malicious software removal tool from MS. Since that reboot, the
following things have happened:
Got warning about failure of writeback cache
Blue screen about kernel that MS reported was due to bad HD
Finally able to boot into safe mode and found no HD errors.
No longer getting blue screen but....
All desktop settings coming back in default:
Background
Task bar
XP Tour
Icons that are displayed as well as position
Sounds
Printer selection
Empty recycle bin
Notepad file on bootup showing desktop file
XP security center

After making changes, including adding new desktop icons, toolbars and even
which monitor the icons show up, all is good..... until I reboot. Then we
are back!

Thought registry corrupted, so tried to redo with a reload ontop of the XP
Pro but the program said it is older than that on computer (probably SP2) and
won't let me reload.

What could have gone wrong, how would I fix?
What can I do about reloading program?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

RCH wrote:
> On Friday, I allowed the computer to install a number of security
> upgrades as well as a malicious software removal tool from MS.
> Since that reboot, the following things have happened:
> Got warning about failure of writeback cache
> Blue screen about kernel that MS reported was due to bad HD
> Finally able to boot into safe mode and found no HD errors.
> No longer getting blue screen but....
> All desktop settings coming back in default:
> Background
> Task bar
> XP Tour
> Icons that are displayed as well as position
> Sounds
> Printer selection
> Empty recycle bin
> Notepad file on bootup showing desktop file
> XP security center
>
> After making changes, including adding new desktop icons, toolbars
> and even which monitor the icons show up, all is good..... until I
> reboot. Then we are back!
>
> Thought registry corrupted, so tried to redo with a reload ontop of
> the XP Pro but the program said it is older than that on computer
> (probably SP2) and won't let me reload.
>
> What could have gone wrong, how would I fix?
> What can I do about reloading program?

If you perform a repair install, your installation media (CD) needs to
really be the same service pack level as your currently installed system.
You will likely need to create a new CD from the old one with SP2
slipstreamed/integrated into it. Something like "AutoStreamer" would assist
you in making this new CD from the old one.

Create a SP2 Slipstreamed Windows XP CD with Autostreamer
http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html

Perform a Repair installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Thanks for the reply.

Autostreamer link doesn't work, autopatcher server can't find it.

Is this the only option to fixing what ever went wrong? Have you seen this
before?

Rob

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> RCH wrote:
> > On Friday, I allowed the computer to install a number of security
> > upgrades as well as a malicious software removal tool from MS.
> > Since that reboot, the following things have happened:
> > Got warning about failure of writeback cache
> > Blue screen about kernel that MS reported was due to bad HD
> > Finally able to boot into safe mode and found no HD errors.
> > No longer getting blue screen but....
> > All desktop settings coming back in default:
> > Background
> > Task bar
> > XP Tour
> > Icons that are displayed as well as position
> > Sounds
> > Printer selection
> > Empty recycle bin
> > Notepad file on bootup showing desktop file
> > XP security center
> >
> > After making changes, including adding new desktop icons, toolbars
> > and even which monitor the icons show up, all is good..... until I
> > reboot. Then we are back!
> >
> > Thought registry corrupted, so tried to redo with a reload ontop of
> > the XP Pro but the program said it is older than that on computer
> > (probably SP2) and won't let me reload.
> >
> > What could have gone wrong, how would I fix?
> > What can I do about reloading program?
>
> If you perform a repair install, your installation media (CD) needs to
> really be the same service pack level as your currently installed system.
> You will likely need to create a new CD from the old one with SP2
> slipstreamed/integrated into it. Something like "AutoStreamer" would assist
> you in making this new CD from the old one.
>
> Create a SP2 Slipstreamed Windows XP CD with Autostreamer
> http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html
>
> Perform a Repair installation
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

RCH wrote:
> On Friday, I allowed the computer to install a number of security
> upgrades as well as a malicious software removal tool from MS.
> Since that reboot, the following things have happened:
> Got warning about failure of writeback cache
> Blue screen about kernel that MS reported was due to bad HD
> Finally able to boot into safe mode and found no HD errors.
> No longer getting blue screen but....
> All desktop settings coming back in default:
> Background
> Task bar
> XP Tour
> Icons that are displayed as well as position
> Sounds
> Printer selection
> Empty recycle bin
> Notepad file on bootup showing desktop file
> XP security center
>
> After making changes, including adding new desktop icons, toolbars
> and even which monitor the icons show up, all is good..... until I
> reboot. Then we are back!
>
> Thought registry corrupted, so tried to redo with a reload ontop of
> the XP Pro but the program said it is older than that on computer
> (probably SP2) and won't let me reload.
>
> What could have gone wrong, how would I fix?
> What can I do about reloading program?

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> If you perform a repair install, your installation media (CD) needs
> to really be the same service pack level as your currently installed
> system. You will likely need to create a new CD from the old one
> with SP2 slipstreamed/integrated into it. Something like
> "AutoStreamer" would assist you in making this new CD from the old
> one.
>
> Create a SP2 Slipstreamed Windows XP CD with Autostreamer
> http://www.autopatcher.com/autostreamer.html
>
> Perform a Repair installation
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

RCH wrote:
> Autostreamer link doesn't work, autopatcher server can't find it.
>
> Is this the only option to fixing what ever went wrong? Have you
> seen this before?

Bummer on the AutoStreamer link - good application. You can still get it
from here:
http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/1092632287/1

As for it being the only solution (meaning a repair installation) - no,
unlikely. You did ask directly what you could do about reloading.. That is
truly what I was answering. Seems that is what you wanted to do. =) Had
even figured out it had to do with having a pre-sp2 CD and an SP2+ system.

Sounds like your profiles are going corrupt for whatever reason. Look in
C:\Documents and Settings\ and see how many directories you see for
yourself.. They may have .0000 or .0001 etc extensions. The latest one is
likely the one you are using. If so - this could mean many things - but one
likely candidate would be a bad hard disk drive. Perform a full CHKDSK on
your system.

How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265

Also - try creating a new user and logging in using that user. Does that
user display the same symptoms?

When was the last time you did a full system cleanup? Backed up your
installation media (executables, CDs, the keys for installing it all) and
placed it in a safe place? Checked for viruses/trojans using something
other than the installed AV software? Checked for spyware/adware/malware?
Uninstalled any unused applications from Add/Remove Programs control panel?
Used Disk Cleanup to erase old Restore Points and cleanup your temporary
files and such? Updated any hardware drivers? Checked for BIOS upgrades
for your motherboard? Defragmented your hard disk drive?

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html