You're a good man PA Bear. I figured I had been the cause of it all. I
have
copied your advice, will verify everything is as you siggest and tell
you
that the registry cleaner is now history. I promise not to use a
registry
cleaner again. I do keep all the updaters on auto and as far as I know
without looking right now things are set as you laid out in this reply.
I
will go verufy that now.
My return here was very easy just now, so thanks to whoever fixed that.
Thank you once again. I noticed that you were alone in responding which
tells me I got the best service available. I could not ask for more.
Keep
on
keeping on, PA Bear.
:
I couldn't care less which browser you use. I *do* care about your
security.
Considering your circumstances, as long as all (not some, but all) of
the
following work & continue to work properly, don't worry about anything:
1. You can access and update via the shortcut to Windows Update in your
Start menu;
2. You have AVG Free v8.5 installed, AVG auto-updates properly, and you
can
check for & install updates manually via the AVG User Interface;
3. Start | Settings | Control Panel | Security Center reports that all
is
well (i.e., AVG is working & updated; Comodo Firewall is working
properly;
Automatic Updates is enabled); and...
4. You cross-your-heart-and-hope-NOT-to die <wink> promise NEVER to use
a
Registry Cleaner again.
PS: Do NOT install IE7 or IE8 if it's offered by Windows Update or
Automatic Updates.
PS: I would NOT have this machine connected to any other machines via
local
area network (LAN).
Joe1 wrote:
That is what I was afraid of. One last question then. My health is
poor.
I
am in a terminal situation under Hospice. All I need is Windows to
keep
working a little while longer and I can be happy using FF, Opera or
(forgive me) Chrome if really nesessary escept for afew MS sites.
do you think the OS will continue on limping along for a while longer
or
should I proceed with a total reinstall as you suggest. I do not hold
anyone
but me responsible for this problem, by the way.
It is difficult to get to this site using FF as inputs on the sign-in
page
do not seem to be recognized and email reponses don't seem to come
through.
This is only side info for you. Just add your response on this thread
and
I
will try to find it. I honest ly thank you for all the help. I will
remove
the registry cleaner now and forever hold my tongue on the issue.
:
Let me cut to the chase here.
The fact that you did not disable AVG and Comodo Firewall and then
enable
the Windows Firewall prior to installing/uninstalling IE8 (and,
possibly,
SP3) has left your computer in a "confused" state.
Furthermore, if IE7 was installed before SP3 was installed and you
*attempted* to do a Repair Install (use the Recovery Console) without
having first uninstalled SP3 and then IE7, doing so only made matters
worse. Ditto for your use of Registry cleaners.
[If you ever think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired,"
read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions
(as
if
you need more convincing <wink>).]
RESOLUTION: Backup your personal data, then do a format & clean
install
of
Windows. Please note that a Repair Install will NOT fix this!
After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new
computer"
so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise
connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key
that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:
5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx
HOW TO get WinXP SP1 or SP2 fully patched after a clean install
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b
HOW TO get WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched after a clean
install
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c
Also see:
Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/spyware/prevent.mspx
Best of luck!
--
~PA Bear
Joe1 wrote:
I'll answer in order you posted as best I can. Info from Belarc says
I
have
Win XP SP 2 and IE 6. The IE 6 when loaded is branded IE 7 but that
is
not
important now.
Auto Updates brought SP 3 on board on April 14, between my attempts
to
install IE 8. There may have been some residuals from the first
attempt
to
install ie 8 a week before. It seemed like an easy uninstall and I
was
back
to IE 7. I was running IE 7when SP 3 was downloaded and installed. I
saw
nothing of sifnificance at the time. Easy update, as normal but I
didn't
notice exactly what it was (user versus techie attitude I guess and
trusting)
No Recovery Console was added as my old XP install disk was rejected
as
too
old compared to current OS.
AVG was not disabled nor was Comodo Firewall. Spybot was not on the
PC
at
the time as I had uninstalled it a couple of months ago due to tea
timer
and
the active monitoring drag on system resources. Newest version was
installed
on April 20 when I saw something about the Immunize function and
remeber
I
had used it in the past. Windows Firewall was not on. at any time
due
to
my
having Comodo Firewall.
The only restore point was a week before and did not help at all. I
did
use
the 'Remove Window Components' in 'Add/Remove Programs' to remove
'Internet
Explorer' out of frustration.
That is all I can recall. What is odd to (dumb) me is the fact I
seem
to
have a serious disappearance of registry keys for IE 7 and IE 8 for
them
to
even load.
I do use Ccleaner and Comodo Registry Cleaner which may have dumped
broken
links, much to my horror.
Our previous meeting was a simple requst about the notification area
setup
I
wanted to keep during a reboot. No biggie. IE failed and I could not
come
back here again with the browser available to me. Hope this can help
you
prepare a potion to toss my way. Thank you once again. I feel like
I'm
writing a book.
:
AFAIK, the only threads where you & I had been "communing" was this
one
in
WinXP General:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr..._frm/thread/5f35a78c1003522d/c93503c790892948
I'm aware that you posted a "Me, too!" reply to this one but I
didn't
reply
to your post:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr..._frm/thread/91a5441f30373943/11eea0fd09953520
I am aware of your other recent thread:
http://groups.google.com/group/micr..._frm/thread/583332daf52d4738/ee0d783195476dfa
Back on-topic:
To the best of your knowledge, you're running WinXP SP2 and IE6
now,
correct?
Are you telling me that Automatic Updates installed WinXP SP3 while
you
had
IE8 installed?
Had you been running IE7 before you installed IE8 and/or SP3?
What version of IE and what WinXP Service Pack was installed when
you
tried
using the Recovery Console?
Did you disable AVG Free (version?), Comodo Firewall, Spybot
SDHelper
&
Tea
Timer and then enable the Windows Firewall prior to installing
and/or
uninstalling IE8 and/or SP3?
Last but not least, do you have an available Restore Point which
predates
the *original* install of IE8 *and* the install of SP3?
--
~PA Bear
Joe1 wrote:
Thank you PA Bear. I had a IE 8 crash while communing with you on
another
small subject. I run XP SP 2 (removed SP 3 to get rid of IE 8).
AVG
Free,
Comodo Firewall, SpyBot, Windows Defender, Not all at once of
course.
IE
is
branded 7.0 but About: says 6.0, Belarc says 6.0. In trying to
remove
IE
8
due to the crash, I tried to reinstall IE 7 but got an IE that
would
not
run, lost a bunch of registry keys, probably using cleanup
software,
lost
Internet Options from Control Panel except it is unamed and hiding
in
the
upper left corner of the icon layout. Finally got back to IE 6
where
I
am
now which works fairly well, all registry keys are back (Regedit
for
review
ONLY, I do not want to be in there) but now have been locked out
of
"Options" under "Tools" on IE 6. That last item is not relly
important
if
I
canget to IE 7 or a working IE 8.
I always keep updated, I'm quite old so do not go to racy sites,
careful
always. Auto update snuck in SP 3 between the two times I tried IE
8
and
I
did not realize it. Therein I believe is the root of my problem.
I tried to install the recovery console for the original problem
but
my
current OS does not want to talk to my 2001 XP install disk,
'Setup
detects
a newer version of thi software on the PC and is shutting down".
Woe
is
me!
I will listen to any pleasant thoughts. It appears I also have
problems
with my ISP as saome emails do not get delivered, like the notice
of
your
reply here. I came out of chance.
PA Bear, you have worked magic for me in the past, please don't
say
reinstall XP. Thank you very much. Oh, this web site did not let
me
in
using
FF, Opera or Chrome. Got redirected to an unknown Microsoft site
that
did
not exist. Now works OK as I am using FF 3.0. I'm finished. No
rush
as
I
