SFC

SFC in WinXP relies on two services: RPC and RPC Locator; the latter finds the database/cache of "good" files that SFC needs to reference in order to compare/replace, as necessary.

The Locator service does not run in Safe Mode.

Since you were able to get into the system using another User Account, perhaps it's best to recover whatever you can from this hard drive and rebuild clean. The system is 10 years old, right? All the CHKDSK, SFC, etc., activity takes a toll on any hard drive and, especially if yours is as old as the system itself, you are taking a huge risk of total failure.

Tenacity is a virtue, up to a point. But, if, for example, explorer.exe has gone missing, then certainly there are many more files that have been corrupted/deleted and you will presented with unending problems.

I know they are not my files, my data, my programs but, respectfully, I suggest your time is better spent reconstructing on a solid foundation.

If I can be of assistance....

Hello

Hey,

What can you my friend? Or do you prefer to fly stealth?LOL. Thanks for your insight and it makes a lot of sense. I am getting close though. I can navigate around with task scheduler but have no explorer.

When I run explorer.exe, it flashes for a microsecond like it is trying to open but can't. It is not running in task manager processes or programs.Nothing is running in task manager programs.

I realize that when I tried to restore the registry from that .reg file backup I nuked it. Read that it is not wise to do that kind of restore. Wanted to do a system restore but have no restore points but when I run ccleaner system restore, there are several. How can that be? If so where are they so I can do a system restore?

Before the meltdown, my IE7 would not open or run. I had downloaded IE 8 but uninstalled it. So the question is....Doe explorer need internet explorer to run?

I see my IE 7 files in the Wndows ie7 folder with ie7 in blue (20.4 mg folder). Does that mean compressed or hidden?When I click on properties of that folder, read and hidden was checked so I unchecked them both, went back and read was still checked so I unchecked it again and hit apply to "folders, subfolders and files".
Would uninstalling IE 7 help?

Let me know if you can help me with any specifics before I throw in the towel, Thanks!

Oops

Meant to say what can I call you my friend above. Are you in NYC hanging out in a skyscraper working a computer jog and doing this a a volunteer or do you work for the company that runs this site? BTW....I can run ERUNT from the windows folder and restore the registry back to 8-2-11. There is like 7 mg of hive files in a folder. What do you think?

I put almost all processes in automatic in case that was stopping things. Lastly, any program suggestions I can download and run from USB that might fix it? Their has got to be one of your world famous diagnostics that can show exactly what the problems are.

I know you think I should pack it in but I don't have another desktop which is where I do most of my computing so want to fix it. I have an interest in computer rehab so it is a challenge also that I would like to get the victory over. Thanks again!

Yogi Berra says...

"It ain't over 'til it's over."

Even Yogi Berra says...

"It's Over."

I still wear a pair of riding boots I had made... in 1982! So, I empathize completely.

-- Back up what you can and restore the system with your Recovery Disk. I don't think you will need serial numbers or product keys. You'll need to make a bootable USB drive to do this, as the desktop has no optical drive, right?. HP has a nice tool for this.

-- Does your laptop have a CD/DVD drive?

-- With a final nod to your tenacity and since I am an enabler , please look for a link to another tool which will be useful, if not in this instance then certainly later.

Yes, I have a cd burner in this old laptop. Aren't you going to answer my questions above or was the fat lady singing to loud in your ear?

-- Withdraw my question re laptop-CD/DVD burner. It's irrelevant.
-- Time to start building that bootable USB drive in order to re/install an OS on the desktop. You have the links to the necessary tools.
That earlier "gesture" still stands. Other than that,

?--Back up what you can and restore the system with your Recovery Disk. I don't think you will need serial numbers or product keys. You'll need to make a bootable USB drive to do this, as the desktop has no optical drive, right?. HP has a nice tool for this.:


I don't have a recovery disk. I have the original Sony application recovery disks (2) but not the system recovery disk. From some earlier troubleshooting, the windows recovery console was installed which is from some recovery file, isn't it? Stands to reason I can get the other files from the same place or no?

...Going down with the ship....lol

No final nods!

Get a Windows XP disc and do a repair install. Please backup. Or, get an XP disc and do SFC in Normal Mode. Let's all remember, tenacity is what killed the GLaDOS.

Malware?

Ran malware bytes yesterday and this came up...

C:\WINDOWS\explorer1.exe (Trojan.Agent) > No Action Taken
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe (Heuristics.Reserved.Word.Exploit)> No Action Taken

Tried to remove but seems can't remove explorer.exe or even replace it which I was trying to so thus the explorer1.exe (from another machine).
Nothing from Adaware, Spybot, Malware rerun, House call on line scan, Kapersky TTDS Killer, Mcafee Root Kit, Mcafee Portable AV.

This is an OEM machine so aren't reinstall files present? Can I offload and use them?
False positive's you think from Malware Bytes? Also ran combofix if you would like to see log. Thanks!

If you found malware, go post in the dedicated virus forum. You can post your logs there. They will not drop you.

Reply

Okay, Thanks!