Windows Vista boots but isn't functional

Windows Vista Home Premium w/2GB RAM; SpySweeper; Avast; DSL; IE7 and Firefox & was using Windows firewall.

I installed Webroot's desktop firewall. It appeared to go without a hitch. I did disable Window's firewall, SpySweeper and Avast before installing. After I went into my email and discovered I couldn't send and my POP account wasn't being recognized. I decided to uninstall the firewall until I could talk to Webroot as I had things I had to do on my computer. That also seemed to go without a hitch. After uninstall I couldn't even open email account (Windows Mail). The Windows Mail sign would come up but then the blue circle just went round and round with nothing happening.

I restarted thinking that might bring things back but after restart I couldn't even open a simple folder on my desktop or access my start up -- nothing. I had to force a shutdown. I restarted in safe mode and did a system restore, which I have done three times now. The computer boots just like there isn't a thing wrong with it and my desk top opens right up. SpySweeper, Avast and RoboForm don't load, nor does the Windows firewall icon appear in the task bar and then I discover that I'm in the same boat where I can't access anything -- just like everything is frozen shut.

I seem to be able to do anything in safe mode with no problem. If there is anyone out there who knows what I might try, PLEASE, PLEASE help.

thanks
Nikilet

 

If that's all you did, then Webroot uninstaller is sloppy.

Try creating a new user account & check it out.

 

I restored back to the earliest date I had so now I have no restore points (dumb!) and this was well before I ever installed Webroot's firewall, but it makes no difference. The computer boots just fine and now my SpySweepr and Avast are loading too, but I can't click on them and open them. I can't open anything. Unless you can tell me some other way to start a new account, I can't do it because I can't open my start menu.

I did run a startup repair first thing today when I booted and everything passed indicated by 0X0, until I got to the end. There it said "System volume on disk is corrupt." It indicated that there had been an attempt to repair and if it worked my system would start normally and if not System Repair might start again, but it did not.

Everything seemed to load this time, but then it all stopped with a big white window on my desktop that said RegCure not responding. That's all the further I got after waiting a good 30 minutes so I forced a restart, booted in safe mode with networkng and here I am.

I do have my system backed up on an Iomega external USB drive with Acronis True Image 10, but I got to reading the instructions for that which I printed off a long time ago and they are not clear to me at all, so I'm scared to use it.

 

Startup programs can cause problems. RegCure should not be starting up at logon. Instead, either schedule it to run at a time or run it manually. It might be trying to clean up registry which is being locked & all other programs are waiting for it to be released.

Press CTRL R in desktop to bring up a run window, then enter msconfig, weed out the startup programs.

 

I actually uninstalled RegCure. It didn't make a difference. I also created a new "Standard" user in safe mode and that didn't make a difference either. I notice that after I created that new user and booted with it, hardly anything on my desktop showed up. I guess that's the way it's supposed to work. I booted in normal mode once today and was actually able to open my start button for the first time in days and then it froze right away.

I don't know what's going on. I did boot in some mode where I ran a bunch of tests and it found two errors that were described as "IDE decive failed the read portion of the test." Do you have any idea what that means?

Also, there was one more error which said "Block 23716533 uncorrectable data error or media is write protected."

For a while this morning I had lost my Internet connection. I went to Control Panel/Network and then double clicked my "Local Area Connection" and clicked on properties. It had Comodo Firewall Driver listed and I don't even have Comodo anymore. There was an option to uninstall so I did that.

If there is any more advice you can offer it would be appreciated. I guess I will have to contact Dell but I'm just dreading it because I never can understand when they talk.

Thank you,
Nikilet

 

Run software explorer (part of windows defender) and see if it will tell you what is (NOT) happening.

 

I couldn't run Windows Defender. I tried and message said it won't run in safe mode.

But anyway, after talking to Dell and them telling me I had to do a complete reinstall I ran the full "Check Disk" sequence and after it was finished my computer booted into Normal mode and everything seems to be working. I never would have thought that would work or I would have tried it earlier.

I'm really fed up with Dell tech support. When I purchased this computer I purchased a 3 year extended service agreement at around $378 and what a waste of money! Every time I call them with a problem (which has only been twice) they tell me I have to do a complete reinstall.

You've been great so just wanted you to know that it appears I am back up and running. I also wanted you to know what actually worked.

Thanks a bunch!
Nikilet

 

Thanks for the feedback.

I like Windows Defender, it's really very good, but many paid for, so called better, programs turn it off.

 

The error relates to scandisk. You can run a full scandisk in either safe or normal mode, CTRL R, CMD, enter:

chkdsk c: /f /r

You'll have to restart pc for this to take effect. It will take a long while, and fix any disk errors.

 

Thanks -- just for being there. I used to run my "Check Disk" feature faithfully at least once a month and quit doing it because with both options checked it took so long and I usually only turn my computer on when I want to use it for something. I won't make this mistake again.

Nikilet

 

you don't need both the /f and /r switches.

The /f switch corresponds to ticking the radio box in windows to fix file errors.

The /r switch incorporates /f and also fixes sector errors. In Windows you need to tick both boxes.