Windows XP services, taskbar, start menu stopped working

[speedyturtle]

Hello guys, a friend told me to come here as he said you guys would be able to help so here I am, please bare with me as I am not as familiar wit the computers as some of you would be.

I have got a toshiba satellite pro u200 laptop, When I got the laptop it was really nice as really fast as I put extra ram(4GB) in it but I accidently clicked on something in google chrome and I got a virus but I tried to fix it on my own, the laptop got slow but as it was working I left it at that.

Now recently I had a problem 2 months back when it stopped working and it took me a bit long to get it done but I got it fixed 3 days back. As soon as it got fixed, the laptop started updating everything but was really really slow, so much so that I couldnt even use skype on it.

Once the windows was updated, I tried chckdsk but it got stuck so I pressed the power button and switched it off(my bad). After I tried switching it on, it was giving me some kind of error where it couldnt read the disk and was saying something about CTRL+ALT+DEL. I tried to search on a different computer and in the end I put the windows xp cd and tried to repair it. I was abe to do chckdsk from command prompt and got it working again.

Now I have got windows running but many of the windows services are stopped, I cant open Internet explorer, There is no task bar or start menu. The windows takes alot longer to load. Seems like its pretty messed up.

I would really appreciate you guys help and I am sorry if this thread was suppose to go in some other section of the forums and thankyou very much in advance.

 

[speedyturtle]

Sorry I forgot to mention this but I am unable to copy/cut and paste anything as I tried to copy windows folder file from the other computer but it did let me and its not allowing me to send anything to the other computer as well.

 

[learninmypc]

Unless somebody else suggests something better, I'd suggest trying to reboot & do a system recovery. NOT SYSTEM RESTORE.
I'm on my XP Pro MCE & had to do that after I got it but not for same reason thou.

 

[speedyturtle]

Unless somebody else suggests something better, I'd suggest trying to reboot & do a system recovery. NOT SYSTEM RESTORE.
I'm on my XP Pro MCE & had to do that after I got it but not for same reason thou.

I am not really sure and dont know how to do system recovery I did try to so system restore but there are no restore points. I have gone into safe mode and even that is not working. I tried to do something with registry and it said I am not administrator even though I am(dont know what and how that happened). Safe mode is doing the same thing as normal windows so I am not sure where I am going wrong.

 

[learninmypc]

I am not really sure and dont know how to do system recovery I did try to so system restore but there are no restore points. I have gone into safe mode and even that is not working. I tried to do something with registry and it said I am not administrator even though I am(dont know what and how that happened). Safe mode is doing the same thing as normal windows so I am not sure where I am going wrong.

Ok, since you can reboot, as it is rebooting, you should see someplace on the screen where it gives you the options.
You will have to look fast. Mine only lasts a second or two. But once you see it, do as it says.
A system Restore MAY do more harm than good.
When I did my System Recovery (about 4 years ago), I did it with no knowledge of what I was doing.
Cross your fingers & hope the best.
Hoping somebody more knowledgeable shows up in here too.

 

[speedyturtle]

Ok, since you can reboot, as it is rebooting, you should see someplace on the screen where it gives you the options.
You will have to look fast. Mine only lasts a second or two. But once you see it, do as it says.
A system Restore MAY do more harm than good.
When I did my System Recovery (about 4 years ago), I did it with no knowledge of what I was doing.
Cross your fingers & hope the best.
Hoping somebody more knowledgeable shows up in here too.

I think I am in that same spot and I have been giving this computer medicine without asking a doctor if that makes any sense and I just dont wanna lose all the data and the windows serial number at the bottom of the laptop is unreadabe.

If I should have been in another section of the forums than can mods please move my thread there, Thanks.

 

[speedyturtle]

Sorry, I know I keep bugging you guys but I dont think I can do windows recovery as its saying the version I got on the computer is newer than the cd I have got

 

[speedyturtle]

1) Bootup is extremely slow.. after initial Windows load screen, it takes forever to bring up my account name so I can type in my password, after that it seems to boot at a normal rate.

2) Taskbar is missing, CTRL+ESC doesn't make it show up and the start menu is inaccessible

3) I can still run some programs by going into the Program Files folders... but most are unable to open.

4) Programs running can be minimized and switched between by using ALT+TAB but as the taskbar is missing, they can't be seen when minimized

5) Cannot copy & paste any sort of file or text, the only way to "move" a file is to open the file then "Save As.." in another location. Also, no files can be dragged anywhere, not even within the same folder

6) External speakers do not work, error sounds come from the internal speaker as a loud "BEEP"

 

[LookinAround]

I think you should next go to our malware forum and ask the experts for help (they may still find a virus or its remnants on your machine) [FONT=Arial]For malware help, follow the 5 steps provided HERE. Create a new thread in the Malware removal forum. Be sure you PASTE all your logs (do not attach them).[/FONT]

Once they say your machine is clean and if problem still exists, post back here. In that case, you can try updating your Windows CD (I'm guessing your computer running XP SP3 but your disk SP1 or SP2). Or you may need to consider a full reinstall.

In any case, first go to malware forum to get checked out ( and tell them your problems started with a virus and complete those 5 steps so they have data needed to start looking at your machine)