Re: Cannot access Help and Support, Search, Windows Installer

From: zoew54 (zoew54.1ce411_at_pcbanter.net)
Date: 09/10/04 

Date: Fri, 10 Sep 2004 18:32:10 +0100

I have same probs but maybe worse. I am quite new to this I got my pc
in July, it didn't come with a disk to install XP it was already on
computer and it is new. I don't understand the computer jargon
everyone is talking in either. My start menu and taskbar have vanished
and I have checked that it is not hidden, help and support does not work
on any site or on xp, neither does search facility, AOL check up does
not work at all it is just blank, I do not appear to have win doctor
and windows update doesn't work. also Symanatic , is it? states it
needs reinstalling when I start up and then a black box pops up and
saysC:\PROGRAM~1\COMMON~1\UPDMGR.EXE C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEX.NT
cannot run on this system(m-dos I think), which I then close and then
another box pops up and says cannot run esnsengine.d11 cannot be found
and to reinstall it, what is it!!
I don't want to have to reinstall everything if I can help it as I
don't have the disk. I haven't done anything to computer I just use
internet and virus scan regulary. I am puzzled any help would be
appreciated (in english pls) and if you can tell me what caused this so
I can watch out for it in future.
p.s
my pc had a message on this morning saying this computer had suffered a
serious error twice or something like that and asked me to send a
report, your not kidding eh!HELP!
Taurarian Wrote:
> Hi David, your problems are definitely a challenge. The only thing I can
> suggest
> is that you now do a sfc or a repair installation.
>
>
> Replacing missing or corrupt files in OS System – Win XP
> Place the Win XP CD in the CD drive.
> When Autoplay starts just click the X and close it.
> Click Start button, select Run and type in “sfc /scannow” without
> the quotes and
> the system should scan for missing/corrupt MS OS files and replace them
> with the
> originals found on the disk.
> Scans all protected system files and replaces incorrect versions with
> correct
> Microsoft versions.
>
> NOTES –
> The Windows File Protection is constantly checking whether important
> files are
> missing or overwritten and restores them if so. Sometimes it can happen
> that a
> file is corrupted anyway, but then one can use the util SFC.EXE with
> the
> /SCANNOW option to do a full scan of the critical files and restore
> those, which
> has become corrupted:
> SFC /SCANNOW
> This operation cannot complete without the install CD. Therefore it is
> important
> to insert the install CD before launching the above command. If the
> install path
> have changed since the original install, then you have to change the
> source path
> so SFC can find the install files.
> Sometimes the WinXP Home will ask for the WinXP Pro CD, but this is not
> problem
> as long the above condition have been met. Though it might require that
> one
> press Retry several times before the System File Checking begins.
> Note to see all options for the System File Checker:
> SFC /?
> If you need to change the install path
> You can change where XP/NT expects to find the XP/NT CD, to do this
> edit the
> registry.
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows NT \CurrentVersion]
> Sourcepath=D:\I386
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE \Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion
> \Setup]
> Sourcepath=D:\
> http://tinyurl.com/3p2vn
> Description of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 System File Checker
> (Sfc.exe)
>
>
> Note you can save the registry key first by:
> On the File menu, click Export.
> In the File name box, type SaveKey, and then click Save.
> Or create a system restore point prior to editing.
> Note: If the registry key is not there, you can simply create one by
> going edit
> new.
>
>
> http://tinyurl.com/bpov
> HOW TO: Back Up, Edit, and Restore the Registry in Windows XP
> Disclaimer: Modifying the registry can cause serious problems that may
> require
> you to reinstall your operating system. Use the information provided at
> your own
> risk.
>
>
> The other option is to do a repair install.
> How Do I Do a "Repair Installation"?
> http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_repair_install.htm
>
> Also see:-
> http://tinyurl.com/2zgk
> How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP
> http://tinyurl.com/x2ge
> Install and Use the Recovery Console in WinXP
>
> See if this rectifies any of the problems you're having. I haven't come
> across a
> blank page in Windows Update as yet, only page cannot be displayed. Try
> the
> above, then work on Windows Update.
>
> With regards to Nortons, they say it can be safely ignored.
>
> Hope the above assists you.
>
>
> "Brambory" anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com wrote in message
> news:0AD26744-7ECD-4EFF-A196-A61B04ACF9E5@microsoft.com...
> Thanks, Taurarian.
>
> Regarding the missing file notification from Win Doctor, should I just
> ask NWD
> to ignore it so I don't see it every time I run Norton?
>
> I tried the two things you suggested regarding Help and Support. No
> change.
> When I hit Start Menu Help and Support I hear the hdd clicking for a
> few
> seconds, but nothing on the screen. When I hit Search I get the right
> window,
> with the left column all gray, and the right square all white. File and
> Edit
> menus are grayed out.
>
> I tried the instructions given in the kelly's korner thing. I went to
> the
> Windows folder and found the srchasst file. When I right click on it I
> don't get
> the option to "install" on the popup menu, just the usual Open,
> Explore,
> Find...on down to Properties. Kelly suggests downloading a fix form
> some expert,
> but I'm quite hesitant to do that. For one, nothing else has worked, so
> maybe
> we're on the wrong track anyway. Also on general principles -- with
> billions of
> dollars of r&d and some of the brightest minds of our generation, and
> XP the
> pinnacle of two decades plus of perfecting Windows, shouldn't the fix
> be within
> Windows, and shouldn't it be able to figure it out and fix itself? I do
> not mean
> this to sound like the people who bellyache about MS, I'm just a bit
> dumbfounded, like the kids in the fairy tale about the emperor's
> clothes.
>
> I'd appreciate any further thoughts you have about the problem,
> especially
> some way to fix it within Windows. Also, do the fixes that you
> suggested, and
> those in Kelly's Korner, address the problem that I have with not being
> able to
> access Windows Update? I get the window but it is empty. Is that
> connected to
> the same problem that I have with this web page -- I can get to it but
> the
> windows stay empty and I can't pull up any search? Thanks for you
> time, David
> Morris 

-- 
zoew54