Windows XP problem

A little while ago my laptop kept randomly shutting off. Before I realized that it was overheating (which I later fixed), when I turned it back on again the computer asked me if I wanted to revert to a previous working setting to try and fix the problem (random/incomplete shut off). Now my Windows interface looks like a Windows 98 version and when I tried to get updates from Microsoft, the icon in the tray disappeared a little while after it started downloading and nothing happened since. How can change back to my original XP look and possibly complete the updates?

Thanks

 

The revert to the windows xp look, right click on the desktop, go to properties, select the apperance tab and under the heading 'Windows and Buttons' select Windows XP style. If you have automatic updates turned on they will download themselves and ask you to install them when they are ready.
Hope that helps

 

I have tried the right click, but there is no 'appearance' tab, only settings (which only has color resolution settings) and screen saver. Also, I do have the updates turned on, but when I tried to download them the status icon disappeared after a few minutes.

 

Hi again,
There might be entries in the registry which are disabling the tabs in the display settings.
Locate this key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
and check if there are any DWoRD Values such as "NoDispScrSavPage" with a value of 1. (That example disables the screensaver tab but other entries might be present for the other tabs) If so change the value from 1 to 0.
Incase you don't know, to get into the registry type 'regedit' into the run command. Becareful when changing stuff in the registry as it could bugger up your system if you delete something by mistake, back it up first!
As for the windows update problem, have you tried getting them from the website? There should be a icon at the top of All Programs on the start menu or simple search for windows update on google. The website will download and install them seperatly from the automatic updater.
Hope that helps you some

 

I changed the reg values and the tabs showed up, but under the windows and buttons heading there is no "windows xp," just "windows classic." Also, I was updating directly from the microsoft website, but when it started the tray icon to monitor the progress it disappeared after a few minutes and never prompted me to install. Would it have done all of that w/o notifying me that installation was complete and have me restart the comp.?

 

You can also try right-clicking "my computer", then click "properties", then "advanced", then "performance settings". In the "performance options" tab, the default is "let windows choose what's best for my computer". You might find it has been set to "adjust for best performance", which will give it a Windows 98 look.

 

I checked that but it is set on the default "let windows choose what is best."