Some, not all, .exe files destroyed.

First let me apologize for not being able to comply with the directions in the "Please Read This Before Asking for Help" posting in this particular column.

I cannot use the computer that is in trouble to connect online, and I am on a borrowed unit.

The first incident I encountered was loss of IE6, I would click on it and just got the hour glass, briefly, then nothing happened.
I transfered by flashdrive Avant browser, and it worked for a single session online, then, it too failed to startup.

And then, to my amazement, my Windows Explorer failed to work as well as Control Panel and most other programs on the thing except AutoCAD and yet the screensaver comes up after the requesite time and does its thing O.K..

Any ideas?

Thanks,
John

If you can't run any executables on the machine you're probably going to end up having to do a clean reinstall of windows.

You could try doing a Windows Repair first, the attempt the steps outlined in the "Please Read This..." post.

Get your Windows CD, or your vendor Restore CD, boot from it. Choose Install windows at the first option, then press R for repair at the second option and choose your existing windows installation. That should get your windows explorer back long enough for you to run the necessary scans and see if you can get started cleaning the machine.

Download Avast! portable antivirus: http://www.avast.com/eng/down_cleaner.html, transfer it to flash drive, or CD, and run a full scan on bad computer.

Broni,

I have just put Avast on a flashdrive. Will let you know in a few moments what it does for my laptop.

Thanks,
John

The Emporer,

Thanks for your reply.
The laptop in question as well as the desktop I am using now, were gifts from my employer when the company upgraded.
The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 7500 running Win2000Pro.
The desktop is a HP Brio also running Win200Pro.
Needless to say, I do not have the software disk, as all computers in the company were loaded by the IT department.
That was 2 years ago in Illinois, and I have since moved to North Carolina. I did write an email back to them asking for a disk, but they could not send one as "they are still using that software".

I thougt perhaps there is a way to 'clone' the Brio HD onto the Dell HD via the USB flashdrive. Just a dream???

Thanks for your time,
John

Broni,

Scan is finished.

Only thing of note is:

C:/Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Temp\s2.tmp. . . file could not be scanned!

(Exclaimation point theirs)

No virus body found.

Using good computer, and your flash drive:
Download, install, and run LSP-Fix: http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
Restart computer, and see, if it helped.
If not...
Download, install, and run WinSock XP Fix: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html
Restart computer, and check again.

Broni,

I was able to use windows explorer now. Went in to locate that file - s2.tmp and did find it.

I deleted all files in the Tmp folder, but this s2 file would not be deleted as it says "Cannot delete s2: There has been a sharing violation. The source or destination file may be in use."

O.K., going to website now to download.
Thanks

Good computer + flash drive + Unlocker: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/ installed on bad computer to remove that file.

LPS states:

Repair summary
No changes necessary

Running Winsock now.

O.K., Winsock said it made a repair and did a reboot.

Still don't have IE6, and when attempt to click on C:\WINNT I get the message --

Microsoft Internet Explorer
An error has occurred in the dialog.
Error: 30
Unspecified error.

Then back to my desktop.

Will now try ccollomb

I appreciate your patience.

No problem...

when attempt to click on C:\WINNT I get the message --

Microsoft Internet Explorer

Do you mean Windows Explorer?

No, it said Internet Explorer.

I just finished with the unlocker, and was able to delete said s2 (1.57MB). And rebooted, but still no IE6.

It is late here, 11:30, and I have lost the joy of chasing this rabbit.

I appreciate the time you have extended to me, but I must sign off for now.

Thanks,
John

See you tomorrow