Hubby put my 'puter back to square 1 help!

My 'puter was really messin' up something terrible that I couldn't even get to desktop. So my hubby said that he would fix it for me and he did. Now I am back at the beginning and I have no idea what to do.
I am totally lost. But....I am better than I was when I couldn't do anything (I think) ~smile~. The font on everything looks funny.
I noticed that when I went to Add or Remove programs that there wasn't any where near all the stuff that I had on there before.
What do I do?
I did do a backup disk but I think that it was only for my pics. I'm not sure. I guess that I'm gonna have to get out the flashlight and start going through all of the disks that I have in my 'important, and don't get rid of ' pile. Ya right. ARHG!
Is there anything that I should do right from the gate that would help me to get started on all of this again? It's been so long.
Sure could use as much help as possible.
Thanks folks!

 

this could be about anything, from malware, not enough ram, too much starting up, etc, etc, although the later 2 shouldn't cause your fonts to change. how as it really messin' up? when did this start (all of a sudden)? after d/l'ing and installing a file? can you try to pinpoint it?

1 - you didn't give us any information about your comp. what os are you using (ie - xp, vista)? how much ram, etc. "right click" my computer, on the general tab, what does it say on "system", and "computer"?

2 - do you have an antivirus program, and is the subscription current? do you have antispyware program(s) installed? when is the last time you ran scans?

3 - how much memory do you have left on your comp? go to my computer, and see how much is used, and how much free space is left.

4 - how much do you have starting up? from the start button --> type "msconfig", in the run box, a new window (box) should open up. in the "startup" tab, can you take screenshot(s), and post them here. or if you have ccleaner (link below), you should be able to fit it all on 1 page (tools --> startup)? i'm showing my startup for example, this does not mean yours needs to look like this!! g/l, sos


checkout these 2 pics
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=90123&d=1212947517 <-- msconfig startup
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=90125&d=1212947792 <-- ccleaner startup


http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=26019 <-- Taking Screenshots
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=86880 <-- HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post


http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4191.html <-- CCleaner Slim (No Toolbar) 2.08.588


should you decide you want to try some things yourself, i've provided a link to get you started (you might at least want to read it). if you find this overwhelming, then we can help you out. whatever you decide, plz post the info i asked for above. - sos

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=106650 <-- Basic computer maintenance everyone should do

 

When you say "font on every thing" looks funny, I'm ready to presume the hubby did a clean install from the OS disk and forgot all about the drivers.

 

Do you know what your husband actually did?
If he did a "clean" install of your OS (XP-Vista etc.) then the hard drive has been completely wiped and everything that was on your computer has been erased (programs you have installed; files you have saved etc.)

If however he simply used System Restore back to a very early date, you can most likely undo his changes and save much of your system.

As sosaman said, it is essential that we know more about your computer (particularly your OS) for us to help.

 

When I start from scratch the first things I install are winrar and a zip client like 7zip (I'm assuming hubby took care of your firewall and anti-virus), these will allow me to open any programs I download that are compressed with those apps. You were probably infected with a virus, and thats why he reinstalled your OS, so you have to be careful what you choose to reinstall from your saved disks. If you reinstall the program that infected you, you will end up right back where you started. Try to get in the habit of scanning files with your anti-virus (right click scan with whatever) before you install them, or immediately after you download them. That way if you run across a virus or spyware you will catch it before it can do harm. That goes for your saved programs on disk as well, scan them with the AV before you install anything.

Another easy route to your PC is E-Mail, don't go opening e-mail just cause your curious, only open mail that you know where it came from and trash the rest.

 

I have an HP Pavillion. And am running Windows 2000 XP. And I have 101 GBs of free space.

What was happening was that things got so clogged up that it kept 'not responding' and having to 'end program'. Then it wouldn't reboot. Then after awhile I couldn't even get it to go to desktop or even turn the darn thing on without it having that white screen that says to do something about activating desktop. So I did all of those things and after awhile I was having to shut off the computer by holding the on/off button.
And then there was.....nothing. I couldn't get anything to come up that was any use.
I didn't have all the protection that I have now. I don't know why I thought that because I know the other 2 people that use it that I wouldn't need anything new or update what I had. Dumb, I know.
So anyway, Somehow everything is pretty much back to where I can live with it. The only thing that I can't get back is my Adobe P E. And I have that to reinstall when I feel ready for it.
What I have now protecting me is.....
Spyware Blaster
SUPER anti spyware
CCleaner
Ad aware
Avast
AVG anti virus
Spyware Doctor
Spybot Search and Destroy
Pop subtract
Spy subtract
Norton personal firewall

I did have threatfire but found that it wasn't as good as I would like to have it.
I do run my disc cleanup and defrag every so often. I don't wait too long to do it.
Since I have gotten all this neat stuff, I have been scanning and doing all the things that I need to do when it tells me to.

Now, is there anything that I should have?

And I really gotta tell all of you how much I appreciate all the good work and help that you folks do. I know that I would totally be lost more than just a few times and Major Geeks have always come through. THANKS FOLKS! YOU ARE ALL AWESOME!!!!!!

 

if it were me, i'd ditch the norton firewall (and use zone alarm, or something else from here). i'm not familiar with pop subtract, or spy subtract (i like yahoo's toolbar - toolbar.yahoo.com). you also, want to make sure you only have 1 realtime antispyware scanner running in realtime (i'm wondering about superantispy, and spyware doctor). it might be helpful to see your startup? anyway, g/l - sos

 

Use either AVG, or Avast. Using both will create a conflict. And bog down the system. Choose and decide.Use (Revo) http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5706.html to Uninstall the AV of your choice.

 

good catch sikvik, i didn't notice that one (i was at the end of my day). - sos

 

What does that mean? Are you running Windows 2000 or Windows XP? They are two different operating systems (OS).

Did your hubby or you go online and get Windows Updates after this rebuild of your OS?

If you have Windows XP, do you have Service Pack 2 installed, now that your computer has apparently been reformatted, i.e. the hard drive erased, and Windows reinstalled. To verify this, right click on My Computer, select Properties, and select the General tab (if not already selected). Under System, it will show your operating system and, if Service Pack 2 is installed, the Service Pack will also be shown. If you don't have Service Pack 2, you should download it from Microsoft and install it.