corrupt registry/missing dll's

Tech-Archive recommends: Speed Up your PC by fixing your registry

I have my PC with XP Pro SP2 which no longer would not connect to some
websites. Generally there was no particular problem when using IE Explorer
(IE6), except when trying to log into a specific sites that required a
username and password (secure sites eg hotmail, banking, forums etc). When
the correct login details were entered, and the login button clicked, nothing
happened, no error message, no screen refresh, nothing - the page just
remained on the screen.

Poking around some more I discovered the following:

a) In IE, selecting Help>About brought up the version screen but the details
for Version, Cipher Strength and Product ID were blank. This window could not
be closed by clicking on the OK button, only by clicking on the window's X
button.

b) When System Information was selected from System Tools, no system
information was displayed (nothing happened at all).

c) When Search was selected from the Start menu, the search window opened
but the window was blank with no input boxes or text, therefore it was not
possible to execute any searches.

d) When User Accounts was selected from the control panel, the window that
opened was blank except for Back, Forward and Home icons that were inactive.

e) When running Windows Update the Windows Update window opened but was
blank. It was not possible to see if updates were due and none could be
installed.

f) most of the system tools are not loading inc system restore - nothing
happens

g) Windows Media Player no longer loads/works (get application error)

Googling the problem uncovered this Microsoft link
support.microsoft.com/de...px?scid=kb;en-us; 274696, which describes similar,
but not identical, behaviour in Windows 2000, which is attributed to access
permissions having been changed in the Dcomcnfg.exe tool. However, this may
have nothing to do with the current problem on the machine (as it is
different on XPSP2)

The system was scanned by Ad-aware and Spybot. Also Norton Systemworks2003
was uninstalled as the subscription has run out and it not used. Windows
update was also run. I think that the uninstall of NortonSWks has stuffed the
registry and or dll's as this has only happened since these 2 things happened.

There are no pop-up error messages.

I have run sfc/scannow and it had no effect.

I try to download/reinstall IE6 SP1 but get a message saying that a newer
version is already loaded.

I needed a fix to get access to the web sites we couldn't access, I
installed Firefox and was browsing again, no problems with it.

Can anyone explain and how to fix it?

If I have to do a XP SP2 repair, what is the best way, what info will I lose
as Outlook Express is working OK with no problems.

Thanks
.

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