Windows settings always changing: HELP!

TheSmJTheSmJ
edited September 2003 in Science & Tech
This has been happening for the past couple months... it's happening more and more often.

An example: My Windows theme (and saved theme file) get messed up. The theme file downloaded disappears, and my saved theme (I modified the color scheme a bit) reverts to the "Classic" theme with my color scheme applied to it.

Another example: My power/screensaver settings change. The screensaver setting moves from 'None' to the default Windows XP screensaver. The monitor's power settings change from 2 minutes, to Never.


I've been keeping NAV 2003, and SpyBot: S & D updated and they have been scanning weekly.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Geeky and I have concluded that the following process would benefit you:

    Format and reinstall.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited September 2003
    But...... but...... there must be something else I could do?
  • CBCB Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Der Millionendorf- Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Nope... Reinstall.
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited September 2003
    Has anyone even heard of this? Could it be something else causing this issue? Could it be something I've done?

    If I have to reinstall, I'd like to know what happened so I could prevent it from happening again...


    Edit: If there is really no other way, do you think a format is really necessary? I have a lot of things I would like to keep, but I have no place to back up. :banghead: :(
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited September 2003
    Thrax said
    Geeky and I have concluded that the following process would benefit you:

    Format and reinstall.

    For god sake you guys, give it a rest. This isn't the computer playschool here, this is the pro shop, format and re-install is the sort of comment you should only see at the end of a very long thread.:rolleyes2

    TheSmJ, I suggest you try this, just for starters. It's basic, but's that's where we should start.

    1) Run through your Add/Remove programs list, get rid of anything you don't recognize or need anymore. + Clean out all your temp files and folders.

    2) Competely swipe clean your msconfig startup list.

    3) Restart and test the water.

    4) If your problem remains the go to point 5), if it doesn't, all you have to do is one by re-check the startup items then restart, until all of them are back in place. If the problem was being caused by a program on the list, when you re-engage it, it should make itself known as the perp.

    5) Run a full, free space included disk check.

    Once you've done all of the above, then post back and let us know how your getting on. If the problem still remains after all that lot, then I'll have a more indepth think. I have a few other ideas as to what it could be.

    Cheers

    SPINNER
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited September 2003
    Well, due to how this problem is so random (although, happening more recently) I have performed a repair install of WinXP.

    I'd have loved to have done what you said, spinner, but the fact is I always check my disks before a defrag (once a week) and delete ANYTHING I dont need, as soon as I come accross it.

    After performing the repair, I reinstalled my video drivers (as they had gotten a bit screwed it seems) and everything is back to normal, accept I'm stuck installing service packs/updates again.

    Only issue is, whenever I go into the "System Properties" by right clicking on My Computer on the desktop, (but not when entering it through the Control Panel) I get the message:

    Error Window title: rundll32.exe - Entry Point Not Found

    Window Body: The procedure entry point RemoteAssistancePrepareSystemRestore could not be located in the dynamic link library WINSTA.dll.

    This is worrysome, I never had received this message before.

    ANyways, once you click Ok, the dialog box appears, nothing seems out of place, and there are no other errors, or at least that I have come accross yet...



    UPDATE:

    It seems installing SP1 fixed the above error, only now my USB is broken. Both the mouse and UPS cannot connect, so I was forced to use the PS2 adapter for the mouse.

    Next I'll uninstall the USB devices, and reinstall them. If windows cannot do it itself, I'll reinstall with the drivers on the ABIT disk.


    UPDATE AGAIN:

    Thankfully all it took to fix the USB was to uninstall the devices from the Device Manager, and reboot the system. I will continue to install Windows Updates.

    So far so good!
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited September 2003
    Ok, repair install/update reinstall finished. Everything is back to normal.

    Only time will tell if this all fixed the problem. I'll post as soon as something like before happens again, if it ever happens again.

    Lets hope I never need to post to this thread again.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited September 2003
    Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you to figure out what the problem was and (apparently) fix it?

    //Edit... I mean the amount of time you spent working on it, not how long the entire thing took (just making sure...)
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2003
    Geeky1 said
    Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you to figure out what the problem was and (apparently) fix it? (without leaving yourself stranded with no PC like I do)

    Fixed ;)
  • Omega65Omega65 Philadelphia, Pa
    edited September 2003
    Spinner said For god sake you guys, give it a rest. This isn't the computer playschool here, this is the Pro Shop.....
    [/B]

    God I love this comment!

    Short-Media!
    This aint Computer Playschool here, this is the Pro Shop.....
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited September 2003
    Geeky1 said
    Just out of curiosity, how long did it take you to figure out what the problem was and (apparently) fix it?

    //Edit... I mean the amount of time you spent working on it, not how long the entire thing took (just making sure...)



    I dont know what the problem was exactly... or weather or not it's fixed.


    On a (possibly) related topic, NAV caught/killed a virus (some trojan, I'll have to look at the loggs to see it's name) a few minutes after I finished with the Windows Updates. This could have been, or could not have been, the cause of the problem.



    EDIT: Ohh, I thnk I know what you're asking Geeky.

    The whole process took about 2 hours.
  • Geeky1Geeky1 University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA, USA)
    edited September 2003
    Ya know, a format and reinstall would've only taken about 1.5 if you'd had a second hard drive to back everything up onto...

    SEE Spinner? :D;D
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited September 2003
    Geeky1 said
    if you'd had a second hard drive to back everything up onto...


    Yeah, and replace/fix the settings, and put the files back.... Not to metnion I dont have enough space to back things up at the moment, I would have had to take it to a friend's house. Getting everything the way I wanted after a format could have easily taken a day or two.

    The Windows repair saved me a LOT of time.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited September 2003
    Geeky1 said
    Ya know, a format and reinstall would've only taken about 1.5 if you'd had a second hard drive to back everything up onto...

    SEE Spinner? :D;D

    With Windows XP, a format and re-install is for the most part a last resort measure. I have never ever had to re-install XP because of a system problem which started happening after a successfull install.

    It usually isn't just a case of backing up, it may be for you guys, but it takes me days to get one of my machines running the way I like it after an fresh install, spending a while working the problem can save people un-necessary hassle and time. I know a re-install fixes pretty much everything, but if we took the "I can't be arsed trying to figure out this problem, just wipe that sucker" attitude, 1) this forum would be a bit pointless and 2) Nobody will come to us for help.

    I know Thrax and yourself Geeky' are only messing around, but your "format, reinstall" posted are un-productive and for the most part pointless, seeing as I'm sure 99% of people who come here do already know that performing a re-install will fix their problem, they come here to seek an alternative solution.

    I see your above "format, reinstall" posts as SPAM, nothing more, and nobody likes SPAM. Especially not me. It was funny for a while, but it is not funny now.

    I'm not trying to be nasty, I just want it to stop. Be productive, more helpfull and understanding to what sort of help people are looking for. PM me if you have a problem with this.

    TheSmJ, glad you're making some headway, keep us uptodate.

    SPINNER
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