Local Disk vs File!

[ziloo]

Hello folks,

I have windows xp installed on two different computers.
On one of them, when I use "My Computer" to look into
my partitions and drives, xp considers each partition as
a "local disk" and when I click on the corresponding icon,
 the next window shows the content of that partition as
a bunch of folders.

On the other hand, on my second computer when I use
"My Computer", the xp considers each partition and
drive as a "File" and when I click on the corresponding icon,
windows ask me "what program should be used to open
that file!!".  Then I have to click on the "Folders" button on
the main toolbar to have a left menu open and then in that
menu I should press on the corresponding "File" to get it
opened and show its content.

How can I change the latter setup to be like the former
(first) setup?

Thank you

ziloo

[Allan]

Has the second system always been that way? What is the drive layout?

Have you had malware problems on the second system? Run a full scan with your AV and with MalwareBytes.

[ziloo]

I went ahead and applied AV and Malwarebytes
followed by xp repair pro followed by a windows
repair installation, but the problem is still there!

One thing that I hadn't noticed before is that the
first computer also considers my Flash memory as
a file although the Properties says it is a disk drive.
But the other drives are treated as drives.

The second computer considers all of the drives as
files and "My Computer" does what I said earlier.
I found several viruses on my flash memory earlier
and they were all removed, however I can't say
for certain whether the problem was the result of
those viruses or not.

ziloo

[Allan]

Please post a screen shot of computer management

[P_90]

screenshot fyi, is ctrl+print scrn

[Allan]

screenshot fyi, is ctrl+print scrn

I promise - when I need your assistance I will ask for it.

[ziloo]

Thanks Allan for your response....

News Update

After talking to a friend about my problem, he told me
that a similar situation had happened to him after he had
used a USB Flash to copy a program downloaded
on a different computer.  According to him, the malware
would not allow him to open HDDs, and other Removable
Storage devices directly using windows explorer, and he
had to click on the Folder button in the toolbar and treat
each device as a Folder!

He advised me to find a malware removal program called
RRT which has a free demo trial version.  After using the
software on one of my computers, the system went back to
normal.  RRT finds and removes those restrictions that the
malware places on the computer.

I am still struggling with the other computer where all the
storage devices are inaccessible by direct use of the
windows explorer.  When I click on the symbol for Local
Disk (C:), windows explorer opens up with a window that
is used for "Search" and finding a file!

Thanks also to P_90 for his comment; When I read Allan's
advise, I was going to use my Photo editing software to
get the screen shot and then uploading it as an attachment! 
However my computer system was acting up, and I couldn't upload
the image .

ziloo

[ziloo]

Yet another News Update

After using RRT on my second computer, although
the restrictions set by the malware were gone, but
the system still showed the same symptoms.  I then
updated my Malwarebytes software, and had it
scan the system and remove two more anomalies.

Then windows started complaining about some
unrecognized files, which prompted me to do a
repair install of windows.  Lo' and behold, finally
the windows explorer came around and started
behaving as it was supposed to!

Thank you Allan....great job!

ziloo 

[Allan]

Glad to help. You should still go to the link below and post logs in the malware forum (not here) and let one of CH's malware specialists check to make sure your system is really clear of malware.
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html