Weird problem with XP SP2 !!!

My problem could be an incomplete or faulty installation from a CD. This may be the root of my problems, such as the sudden "windows genuine" validation trouble.

Why I say faulty or incomplete, because in the control panel, “system” , it does show SP2 installed.
Yet there are many things missing, such as windows firewall, or that red shield in the quick launch menu ( pertaining to firewall, automatic windows update/AV ).
And my internet explorer 7 suddenly vanished, and even the previous version does not function properly !!

After installation of SP2, not only it damaged a lot of programs in my computer, it also did something to my newly installed “Internet Explorer 7”.

Not only the “Internet Explorer 7” is nowhere to be seen, hence no “Info bar” to continue with the validation, but also my previous version of “Internet Explorer” also is not functioning properly !!


I have tried the different suggestions made at microsoft’s website, which are:
1- In “Add or remove programs” and “updates” slot checked, I remove it.
But in MY computer, after checking the “updates” box, the SP2 does NOT show !!
Therefore, I cannot remove it by this means.

2- after installation of this SP2, all the previous “restore points” in my comp, have been wiped clean, so I do not have any date prior to the installation date to restore my comp to !!

3- I have also tried typing the following .exe program, in the “run” program , but the message says it cannot find the SP2 folder !!!
c:\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe

Please help me remove the current SP2 update, so I can download the proper SP2 update directly from the Microsoft website.
I do NOT want to use the CD again ( for obvious reasons ).

Thank you

Peyz

 

Presumably your genuine XP1 CD did not install correctly for some reason, and the problem got worse when you installed XP2 update. If that is the case in your situation I would format and start again. Install XP1 - activate and then put in the xp2 update followed by IE7 (if you must - I use either Firefox or Opera)
If however your XP1 CD is not an authentic M$ product then you will not be able to activate it and the only answer is to get the genuine thing!
The Academic version of XP is reasonbly priced I believe.

 

Dear Robert,

My original SP1 was working perfectly.... until this last installation of SP2 !!

and I do use firefox, but I dont see any harm in having the IE7 either.

 

OK I misunderstood your original post. In your case I would still format the whole shooting match reinstall XP1 - activate it and then install XP2 upgrade. If everything is working satisfactorily then put in IE7 and that should do it.
Others more expert than I may have a different or better solution but I see no other responses so far
HTH
Robert

 

Dear Robert,

At this moment, I am not in the states, and I dont have access to my original XP CD.
Which sort of makes "re-installing XP" or even "slip streaming" impossible for me.

However, I do have my SP2 CD.
Do you think it would resolve my problem (even if temporarily, until I get back to the states ), if I attempt to install the SP2 once more?

This is based on the presumption that maybe the first installation was faulty or incomplete, and the new one may take care of that.
Do you think this may solve things?

And if yes, will the new installation eat up into my hard disk space, or will it write OVER the previous one?


---------------

Dear TimW,
Before the attempt to install SP2, I did use my Adaware program to check the whole comp for any spyware and malware.
As well as my Norton corporate version of AV.
Both came up clean.

(Unless you meant something else by "do the read and run in malware section ..." , which I didnt understand ... which is normal, simply because I dont know much about computers ! and those "**** for dummies" series is targetted at people like me )

Also as I said earlier, one of the problems I cannot remove SP2 is because it wiped my "system restore" clean of any points prior to the installation !!!!
So, I'm quite helpless in that aspect !



Once again, thank you both
Peyz

 

Dear TimW,

I did go through almost all those steps regarding the malware.

all except the Panda scan, simply because the pop up window that emerges after you click on the "scn my pc" , had an error message everytime.
( yes, I did use my dysfunctional internet explorer for these programs ).

Also I didnt do the HijackThis.
In case you like to see that one also, I can do that too.

I am glad to know each one of these scans did rid my comp of a lot of trojans and viruses and spywares.

I am attaching the results of these along with this post.


Do you think if I attempt to re-install SP2 ( again ), now it should work ?

Thanks
Peyz

 

... and here's the last one:

I did try to upload the html version of bdscan, but it wasnt accepted !

p

 

Thank you Tim.

Dear chaslang
I did the 3 required tasks.
And have attached the new runkeys.txt to this post, as well as the HJT one.
However, I didn’t remove any viruses from the results of HijackThis, as I understand someone like me may remove some critical components of the computer without realizing it !
Do you think I should do that?


Also on shutting down, a message appears repeatedly ( 2-3 times, on every shut down ), for the past few days.

It says :

“End program – Explorer.exe

This program is not responding

To return to windows …
If you choose to end the ….”

Could be related to my dysfunctional internet explorer.

 

I did remove the “viewpoint …” from the add/remove program.
The newfiles.txt was done BEFORE this.
However, the runkeys.txt and HJT was done AFTER its removal.

Two questions:
1- If I uninstall my current firefox, and install the upgrade, will my bookmarks and favorites get transferred automatically? Or shd I do something different during the un-install of the current version?

2- will the java programs be re-installed automatically, or shd I do it manually?





Btw, I still have that irritating problem with the message about the explorer. And my internet explorer is still acting up and isn’t working !

 

Part 1 :

Dear chaslang,

I did as you recommended.

Did the removal of the java programs, upgraded the firefox to version 2.0
And now both runkeys and new files text doc’s are after the recent removals.

I did fix the said problems in hijackthis scan. All except the second one, which was nowhere to be seen !!
This is the one :
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = 127.0.0.1;<local>

Looked for it, but it wasn’t there!!

Then, went to safe mode and tried to find those two files in the system32 folder.
C:\WINDOWS\System32\sfg_47a6.dll
C:\WINDOWS\System32\kdpupd.dll
Again, to no avail.
They were missing too !


This isn’t good, is it ?

Ccleaner’s run too.

Did the IE procedure, but couldn’t find the “Offline content” tab or option to delete.

 

Part 2:


Now, onto the problem with my “Internet Explorer” and that error message.

1- one of the main problems I came to you guys IS this problem with my Internet Explorer.
A little background:
Don’t know whether it is due to an incomplete or faulty installation of SP2, but eversince this upgrade, I haven’t been able to use the IE ( version 6 ) !
Clicking on its desktop icon got me nowhere … except another “shortcut to IE” icon appearing on the desktop !
Having purchased my Dell from the States, I see no reason why suddenly ( after installation of this SP2 , by CD - I must add ) have problems validating my windows.
Each time I go through the process of validating, it just stops and gets stuck in the 3rd step of validation( where one needs to install or activate AtiveX from the info bar. Simply because I don’t see any info bar on my IE !! ) see PIC 1 - validation scrn shot.JPG attachment, plz.

The only way to open an IE is clicking on the warning icon on my quick launch tray ( telling me I need to validate my windows and may be a victim of software counterfeiting – when I have NOT changed my original XP Home edition at all ) and voila, an IE opens up but with the following error message:
See “ PIC 2 - windows valid'n error.JPG” attachment, plz.

I also have tried to troubleshoot my way, using the Dell “Help and Support” program, which gets me nowhere as I presume it runs on the troublesome IE !!
Ironic, isn’t it ?
( or it could be a mistake in IE configuration or … )


2- For the past 2 days, everytime I try to shut down, that error message appears:

It says :

“End program – Explorer.exe

This program is not responding

To return to windows …
If you choose to end the ….”

Sometimes, 2-3 times in a row !
And unless I click on “end now”, it just wont stop!

BTW, I also cannot use the “defrag” program anymore, as the following message appears ( see “defrag.JPG” attachment ) !!

 

1- Oh, yeah. silly me, I did see the "offline content" and did delete it.
my bad.

2- Yes, I truly believe the crux of the issue is the installation of this SP2.
whether it is an incomplete installation or faulty one , it is beyond me.
I think I will take your suggestion and take this to the software forum.

But thanks a million for helping me get rid of a whole bunch of malware and other critical issues.

Thank you both, chaslang and TimW.