I REALLY need some help.

april · #1 07-25-2005, 06:36 PM

I'm not real smart when it comes to computers so I have no idea what to do with mine. I have windows 98 and recently installed a anitvirus program. It scanned and said that i had a trogan so I got rid of it. My computer worked fine twice after that, but now it doesnt work. I turn it on and log onto my name, but then nothing happens. I can see the picture that I have as my wallpaper, but I have no startup menu or icons. The computer doesnt respond to anything except ctrl+alt+delete to shut it down. I can move the mouse. I right clicked and didnt get the menu that it usually bring up. I brought up the task manager and it says nothing is running yet when I try to shut down it pops up and gives me a message that says program not shutting down and it give me the option to end the task or wait, but it shows no program as running, so I dont have any idea what program isnt shutting down. Do I have a virus or what? I really need my computer back. I'm having to use someone else's to write this. I would really appreciate any suggestions as to whats wrong and how to fix it. Thanks!

vidster · #2 07-25-2005, 06:49 PM

Hello april

Try this:
As soon as you turn on your computer start tapping the f8 key. Keep tapping it until a black screen pops up with loads of writing on it. This is called the boot screen.
Use the arrow keys and move to the option: 'Last Known Good Configuration'. Press Enter. If that doesn't work, restart and go back to Safe Mode. This time try selecting Safe Mode.
Once there do a full system virus scan. Hopefully you will then be fine.
Let us know how you get on

april · #3 07-25-2005, 10:31 PM

Ok. I tried I never got to boot screen, but I did get to safe mode, and still no icons or start menu. What now?

medidhisamit16 · #4 07-26-2005, 02:12 AM

the best possible way to get rid of the virus, is to fomat the 'c' drive and then reinstall win98 setup. after setup reinstall all the reqd sw in ur pc.
to me this is the last step to run again normally ur pc. if u dont know how to install win98 then dont try urself and dont ever fomat c drive.

vidster · #5 07-26-2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by april

Ok. I tried I never got to boot screen, but I did get to safe mode, and still no icons or start menu. What now?

OK, try this:
Open Task Manager again. Click 'File' then 'New Task (Run....)'. Now use the 'Browse' button and try to locate the antivirus program you have. Once you find it, look inside it and locate the .exe file. This should open the antivirus software. Run a full scan again and see if that helps.
Let us know how it goes

april · #6 07-26-2005, 08:17 PM

There is no 'file' on my task manager. When Task Manager comes up the only options I haver are "end task "shut down" or "cancel". Anybody got more suggestions. I would really appreciate them.

Disk_Contented · #7 07-26-2005, 08:37 PM

Not sure of a resolution yet, but I'd say explorer wasn't even starting.

U.S. Patriot · #8 07-26-2005, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by april

There is no 'file' on my task manager. When Task Manager comes up the only options I haver are "end task "shut down" or "cancel". Anybody got more suggestions. I would really appreciate them.

After much researching I found this site talking about it and several said it fixed their problem. You'll have to scroll down a ways to find the post about it.
Site:http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/t1042787721
I have copied and pasted the post here.

Boot Command Prompt only.
CD WINDOWS
EDIT SYSTEM.INI
Change shell=explorer.exe to shell=winfile.exe
ALT-F ALT-X (Save and Exit)
Boot Windows normally
Click File, Run C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ie6setup.exe
Download and re-install Internet Explorer.
Boot to command prompt and change your system.ini
file back to shell=explorer.exe

This isn't documented anywhere I have found but it resolved my background only and
no icon/taskbar problem.

If you don't have an internet connection to do this,
manually run Ie6setup.exe from a working computer,
click custom, click adavanced, choose download only and choose all options. Burn
this folder to a CD and copy to problem computer in WINFILE.

april · #9 07-28-2005, 12:00 PM

I went into boot command, typed cd windows, edit system.ini, changed shell=explorer.exe to shell=winfile.exe, rebooted, but was still unable to see my desktop icons/startmenu.

U.S. Patriot · #10 07-28-2005, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by april

I went into boot command, typed cd windows, edit system.ini, changed shell=explorer.exe to shell=winfile.exe, rebooted, but was still unable to see my desktop icons/startmenu.

According to your post, you only got half way through it. Did you "Save and exit" after changing the shell=explorer.exe to shell=winfile.exe? Then reboot in normal mode reinstall IE then boot to command prompt and change your system.ini file back to shell=explorer.exe. If you did save and exit it sounds like your at this point.

Boot Windows normally
Click File, Run C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ie6setup.exe
Download and re-install Internet Explorer.
Boot to command prompt and change your system.ini
file back to shell=explorer.exe

april · #11 07-28-2005, 11:38 PM

yes, I saved and exited. I started windows as normal, but still didnt have a start menu/desktop icons, so I couldnt download and reinstall explorer. Thanks for tryin to help. Do you think I'm screwing it some how, or is there something else wrong with the computer?

U.S. Patriot · #12 07-29-2005, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by april

yes, I saved and exited. I started windows as normal, but still didnt have a start menu/desktop icons, so I couldnt download and reinstall explorer. Thanks for tryin to help. Do you think I'm screwing it some how, or is there something else wrong with the computer?

Seeing how you can't get it to do anything, looks like you may have to reinstall windows. Just out of curiousity, I read on one forum where a guy on a Dell had this problem and couldn't figure it out. Then he had a power outage for several hours and when the power came back on the problem was gone. Before you go and reinstall try shutting down completely for 2 to 3 hours and unplug it also.
After 2 to 3 hours plug it in and start it up and see what happens, if it don't work you can still reinstall.
Good Luck

april · #13 07-29-2005, 10:19 PM

When I reinstall I lose all my saved files dont I?

U.S. Patriot · #14 07-30-2005, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by april

When I reinstall I lose all my saved files dont I?

Yes, most likely. I did find something else you can try. You need to change your system.ini file back to shell=explorer.exe if you haven't already.
This site talks about how you can do a restore.
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread10855.html

Re: windows 98 not showing desktop items and start menu
1. Start your computer, press and hold CTRL, and then choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Windows 98 Startup menu.

2. At the MS-DOS prompt, type cd\windows\command (where windows is the name of the folder in which Windows is installed), and then press ENTER.

3. At the C: prompt, type scanreg /restore, and then press ENTER (note the space before the forward slash).

4. Select the previous registry you want to restore, and then press ENTER.
NOTE: A properly working registry has the word "Started" next to the date.

5. When you receive notification that you restored a properly working registry, press ENTER to restart your computer.

april · #15 07-31-2005, 09:58 PM

Thank you so much. I appreciate yalls help so much. My computer is up and running now, only one more problem, now my McAfee internet secuity suite isnt running, so I have no virus protection. I tired to uninstall and reinstall, but it wont uninstall, therefore, I cant reinstall. I cant even get mcafeehelp.com to come up while I'm online. If yall could help me one more time it would be great. What should I do to get my virus protection working. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!