Re: Program Errors

From: dcdon (olekingcole_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 07/04/04 

Date: Sun, 04 Jul 2004 00:39:08 GMT

Hi Adam,

Let's try running an online scan from Symantec first.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/ Look under Virus Definitions for
Online Virus Scan.

When you get through, if it comes up with anything, print it, and run a
Google search with the name of the infection. If you have done this before,
you should know the drill, but if you haven't, find the fix ***(s), print
them, and do all that they say in the order on the fix sheets. Also if you
have anything, "stinger", can fix a variety of infections. If you have
anything, you can d/l it, and keep it around until you get all cleaned up.
Just type "Stinger" in a google search. It fixes more than thirty
infections.

If you haven't found anything, I would run System File Checker first and
then a "repair install". To run SFC do this"
Start
Run...
"type" CMD /K <enter>
"type" C:\ <enter>
"type" SFC /SCANNOW <enter>

It may need your OS CD, so I would have it available.

If your not fixed up try this
Shutdown

Boot up
Using your 4 Floppy Diskettes or OS CD (may need to go into the BIOS to
change the first boot device to CD-ROM from Floppy)
Either one works fine, but the CD-ROM loads all the necessary files much
faster.
When you are asked if you want to run setup on "repair" choose "repair", and
let it do it's thing.
Afterward Restart, and see if all is well.
If it is not, you actually can do the Inplace Upgrade, but choose "setup",
go through the questions until it comes up again to "repair" or go ahead
with the installation, choose load the OS. After you get through, you will
need to d/l SP4 again, and do all of your Hotpatches again.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=292175 explains it better
than me.

After you complete all of this and boot, I would go to www.belarc.com and
d/l the small utility to get all of your information. Hardware, Software,
Service Pack installed, all hotpatches will show, also. This is important,
because the Belarc utility will tell you if any of the Hotpatches did or
didn't take by showing a check mark, or an "x". If you need to reinstall
any, click next to the "x", and you will be taken directly to that Hotpatch.

After you restart, try running a "CHKDSK /R", which will do a thorough
checkdisk (scandisk in 98), and will repair any other problems.

Always do an ERD, and back up your data at a time when your system is
healthy. You can find the ERD in the backup program. Click the check mark to
also backup you System State.

Hope this fixes you up completely.

You may also want to go to www.spychecker.com and d/l Adaware, SpyBot S & D,
Zone Alarm, , and Hijack This. These are very helpful, but will not take the
place of your setting "strong passwords", not using you Administrative
Account, creating another Administrator account for backup in case your
primary Admin. account becomes accessible of the password or user is
corrupted. As a normal User Account use a Power User account with a strong
password also. The hacks are getting better everyday.

Good Computing,
don
"Adam" <adamthomson_99@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:25e1001c46152$04eefc00$a401280a@phx.gbl...
> Hello
>
> I'm in pretty desperate need of some help.
> For some reason im unable to run any program without it
> closing and coming up with the Program Error Message.
> This happens for pretty much everything from internet
> explorer and media player to my trusty norton antivirus.
>
> Now my first thought was that i got a virus that somehow
> got past my firewall but as norton wont even open up im
> unable to check this out. I was however able to run norton
> in safe mode, but this came up with nothing.
>
> I thought that maybe reformatting my hard drive was the
> way to go. I had been considering it for a while now so i
> decided to try it, but the same Program Error arose when i
> chose to reinstall.
>
> Ive really no idea what has happened, so any help would be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Adam