Vista desktop problem, Please help!

shabbadoof · Sep 29, 2010

Hi All,
I've got a Vista PC, which once into the desktop, some of the services start running a bit wonky, apps will run, but if you go into Outlook, that bombs out. If you try and do anything specific with explorer.exe like run a install from the desktop or run something from the run command you just get the spinning orb and nothing else responds so its task manager > log off time..

Making a new login profile also doesnt fix the issue as It lets me create the new login but not login to it it just gets stuck on the spinning orb after I click on the username. So why cant I even login to a different user? Its like Vista is in a constant mode of Read Only and create new files etc to make a new profile outside of Safe Mode..
I've ran checks for malware+viruses and both come back clean
I'm not 100% convinved its a explorer.exe issue as I dont understand why if i go to the Run line and type in msconfig or services.msc nothing happens
if I log in with safe mode + Networking the PC works fine Also If i run a diagnostic startup from msconfig it also works fine

In Summary, I cant run anything from the Run Command, I cant run various applications, and Outlook bombs out if I try and run it.... Nothing but a spinning orb!!

Thanks

Jon

richc46 · Sep 29, 2010

Welcome Jon
Run a clean boot that should diagnose the problem.
How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7
You mention that if you run a diagnostic from Msconfig it runs fine. Well it wil run fine from clean boot Follow the procedue to find the cause.

I would run an SFC command and see if that shows errors. If it does run 3 times
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/66978-system-files-sfc-command.html

If that does not help, I would run a system restore from 3 days before the problem
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html

If you have trouble running any of the above, attempt while in safe mode.

Lorien · Sep 29, 2010

Do you know when this problem began? Try a System Restore to a point in time BEFORE the problem began. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/76905-system-restore-how.html. Be sure to check the box to show more than 5 days of restore points. If the first attempt fails, then try an earlier point or two. NOTE: You will have to re-install any software and updates you installed between now and the restore point, but you can use Windows Update for the updates. Use the recovery disk if the system prompt doesn’t work. The recovery disk works a bit different from the above procedures but if you follow the prompts from the System Restore menu option with the above information you should be able to restore with no problems.

If the System Restore doesn't work, do a Startup Repair by booting to the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk (or one you can borrow from ANYONE) or from a Recovery Disk with recovery options included on it. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/91467-startup-repair.html. To boot to the CD you may need to change the BIOS to make the CD-drive first in the boot sequence. To do that, wait for the screen that tells you the F key to push to access the boot menu or boot setup. Push it quickly. Make the changes, save your work, and exit. Put the CD in the drive and reboot. When prompted, push any key to boot from the CD.

If you don't have either disk, you can make a bootable Recovery Disk using http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/ along with burning software like: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/active-isoburner.html and, of course, a blank CD (perhaps made on a different computer or perhaps in safe mode with networking if that is working).

If that doesn't work, try to boot into safe mode (repeatedly click the F8 key while booting and go to safe mode with networking – or do so from the command prompt on the disk). Then let's check some of your system files:

Go to Start / All Programs / Accessories / Command prompt and right click on command prompt and click run as Administrator (you can skip this step if using the disk).

If using the disk, cd to C:\Windows\System32. Type sfc /scannow and enter and let it run. It will scan and try to fix some of your system files. Hopefully it will complete with no corruption it could not repair (if there is such corruption post back here or try to analyze it to find the problem file(s) using http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928228. Try to attach the report (you may need to copy it to your desktop before it will permit you to attach it) here so we can see if they can be repaired with good copies from the installation disk (unless there are too many).

While in Command Prompt, type chkdsk /f /r and enter and let it run. It will want to schedule itself to run at the next restart. Answer yes and then reboot to run the program. It will scan and try to fix any corruption or bad sectors on your hard drive and mostly remove that as a potential cause.

If that doesn't work, then please post any error messages from the Event Viewer concerning startup or explorer.exe or login (Start / Control Panel / Administrative Tools / Event Viewer). Here's how to use Event Viewer: http://www.petri.co.il/vista-event-viewer.htm. Look in the System section. Post the details of any of these errors here as they may help us identify the cause.

If that doesn't work, try a clean boot http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135. If the problem goes away then it's just a matter of tracking down the culprit causing the problem. Follow the procedures in the article. Once found, delete, remove, deactivate, or uninstall it. Once done be sure to reset Vista back to normal status as explained in the procedures. If the problem occurs in clean mode then just restore the system to normal status and reboot - this solution is not going to work.

You may be infected with malware. Try to run anti-malware programs (in safe mode with networking if necessary). To fix this problem (if it is a problem) download, install, and run the following two programs: http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php and http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html. You may also want to try the new, free Microsoft Security Essentials http://www.softpedia.com/progDownload/Microsoft-Security-Essentials-Download-131683.html (with the caveat that only ONE AV program can be installed and running on your system at any one time). Use removal tools when appropriate http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2009/05/05/comprehensive-list-of-uninstallers-or-removal-tools-for-antivirus-software/. You may also want to try the free Avira at: http://www.free-av.com/ and Avast at: http://www.avast.com/index. Reboot after completing all the scans. You may also want to try the free OneCare at http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/whatsnew.htm and let it run all the options (except the registry cleaner) because that’s good maintenance (it will take some time to complete but can be done in the background).

If that doesn't work, we'll need to do a system repair/upgrade using the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk (one you own or one you can borrow from ANYONE). To do this you have to also be able to boot normally. Here's the procedure: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html. Although this will not affect your data, settings, or programs, you should still backup your data before starting just to be on the safe side. You may have a lot of updates to re-install (including any service packs you had to remove). If the version on the system came with SP1 or SP2 pre-installed and the disk is an earlier version, then you'll need to make a slipstream disk as follows: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/151606-vista-sp1-slipstream-installation-dvd.html. Please reply before doing the next step as it is a radical option and I’d like to make sure we’ve ruled out all other options before taking that step. The results may suggest other steps to take or other options to try before resorting to what follows - and we should examine those first if possible (but without more information and results of what happened above, I'm not yet sure what those other options might be at this point).

If that doesn't work (or you don’t have the disk), then I'm afraid the only option is a clean install. You can use Knoppix http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html with a good ISO copier like: http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/isorecorder.htm along with a blank CD. This should give you enough access to the system (if you can't get in any other way) to backup your important data. If that doesn’t work, try slaving the drive to another computer and recovering the data using that other computer to access the disk. Once done, you can do a clean install either using the genuine Windows Vista Installation Disk or the Recovery Disk or the Recovery Partition (whatever process is dictated by your computer manufacturer – you may need to contact them for the procedure and perhaps to get recovery disks). To do a clean install proceed as follows: http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_install_03.asp (adapted as necessary by the procedures of your computer manufacturer). Then you will need to re-install all your programs, reset all your preferences, reconfigure your network and email settings, restore your backed up data, run Windows Update with possibly nearly 150 updates pending,...

Hopefully one of these procedures will resolve or at least identify the cause of your problem.

Good luck!

Vista desktop problem, Please help!

shabbadoof

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richc46

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Lorien

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