We bought an anti-spyware program off of eBay :rolleyes: It was from someone who had excellent feedback, which is why we risked it. The disc turned up (eventually) yesterday, but it was really scratched, which obviously we weren't pleased about, but anyway... hubbie started to install it, in case it would work, and got about 20 seconds into the download before the disc stopped and we thought oh well, we have had our fingers burnt!

But then some websites started looking a bit strange, instead of being all laid out nice and neatly, all of the writing is on the left hand side, and apart from a few pictures, there are no graphics. My hubbie tried to do a system restore (? I think thats what he called it, basically it should have put all the settings back to how they were before we put the cd into the drive) and although you can access the file "system restore" when you click on it nothing happens, and the page comes up completely blank. I have today tried to have a look through all of the menu's and under 'file' at the top left of the page, there is a file called page set up, I thought this might have the answer to the problem, but when I click on it, the message from microsoft comes up to say 'this program is not responding'. I have downoaded a few updates from windows, and looked through all of the help topics I can find, but no luck. I have it in my head that it has something to do with html (???) and text only, but only because I have seen this in various emails we have had. I am on the right track, or way off???

I know a bit of basic stuff about computers, but if anyone thinks they can help, please put it in laymans terms, because I really am not that clever!!! :D

Thanks, Nat :D

I've always used Ad-aware that my son downloaded , its free!

Try uninstalling the program then defrag then restart. Might not work but wont do any damage if not. It could be a virus so run your software and update it before running. Also firewall settings might of been changed so have a look at those. Something to try if not already done these things.

Erm, when I used Ad aware the exact thing as described in the qeury here happened to me, and I ended up having to format my hard drive. Same thing happened to a friend of mine as well. Seems it works for some but not others... :(

Sadly in the case in question here, if not even System restore works, (and if it ISN'T a virus, has a full virus scan of the entire computer been done?) then it sounds as if the only available option is a System recovery if that is available on the computer in question (this brings it back to the day it was bought, i.e. to the factory settings -all files saved and all porgrams installed since are lost) or a format of the hard drive which wipes everything. :( But before doing anything like this it is probably worth having a word with say PC World, they can do a full service and attempt to fix it and if nothing else help to save files. Good luck.

Marianne

My mistake it was McAfee Anti-virus software, but it makes no difference it has b*&&**ed up my computer :( I have asked on a windows forum and someone is helping!!

Thanks for the replies! :D

I have that too , i could have sent it to you via IM for free :p

Microsoft have a free anti-spyware programme (Beta version) http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

Daisy

E-mail microsoft support and ask them for possible solutions.
We had proiblems a few months baqck with the pc not accepting updates, couldn't defrag, and a few other things.
|They were really helpful and gave us detailed things to try.  Sadly in the end it turned out we had a corrupt file so had to do a format and clean install.

We have tried nearly everything except to re-install the operating system, and still no luck, we have a couple more things to try, and then we will have start again, if they don't work!

Aparently, it is either that the McAfee software, has clashed with Norton, and both of these programs need to be fully uninstalled, but they are both very difficult to completely un-install, or we have picked up a virus, and the McAfee software was just a coinsidence - or a trigger - for the virus :rolleyes: who knows?

At least we can still use it, we have an internet ready PC upstairs, but I like the freedom of the laptop!

Oh well, we live and learn! :)

Thanks you guys, for trying to help, we are off to Bolton Town Show now, whoooo hooooo!!! (LOL there will be Aussies there!!!! :D )

Hi,
Have you tried to take your system back to a point in time, eg 3 days ago? You can do that by going on start, programs, accessories, system tools, system restore. You do not ahve to do a full system restore, just take it back a few days and it should be fine. I used to work at PC World, and McAfee was not the best programme and caused lots of proobs like yours.

uninstall both norton and McAfee then run a registry cleaner such as registry mechanic. This should get rid of any bits of the progs left behind after the uninstall.reboot then scan with the reg cleaner again to make sure you have got everything. If this still doesn't work i'm afraid it looks like you'll have to reformat :( Back everything up that you don't want to lose onto data disks with nero. I had a similar thing happen to my pc, the system restore wouldn't work and things were in the wrong places and duplicated and god knows what. Still don't know what caused it now, it wasn't a virus or anything but reformatted and everythig was fine. Good luck hope you get it sorted one way or another :)

We have done all the registry cleaners, and uninstall this that the other!!! Aparently the NAV is really difficult to get off the system completely, and with the disc being all scratched up it looks like the McAfee has caused one of the NAV files to corrupt - leaving us in the mess we are in!!!!

I think we are looking at a complete reformat! :(

How did we all get on without computers? LOL :D

:D don't you just know that the pc had to be invented by a man coz they are both so annoying and never do what they're supposed to?? ;) I don't know what else to suggest really other than a reformat :( You could try taking it to a technician or pc world or something but they will probably charge a ridiculous amount of money just to look at it and then still tell you to reformat :rolleyes: Where did you get your pc from and how long have you had it? Some manufacturers give free technical advice I know hewlett packard do. Good luck in getting it sorted anyway :)

Well we finally got it to accept a virus scan last night, it found over 100 viruses/trojans, and then went on to fix it all, did a registry cleaner again, and that picked up a few more things and fixed them, but the computer is still the same! :( We think that all of these problems it as picked up on, are all of the corrupted files that the McAfee software caused, and so has deleted all of those files, but a file that doesn't work and file that isn't there, is the same thing, so nothing has got worse (except it took over five minutes to start up and get on the internet this morning!!) and nothing is better.

Hubbie will start the reformat at the weekend! :(

Thanks to all for trying to help though! We do apreciciate it :D

Nat :( :) :P

Hi Debbie, We have tried to take it back to a certain date but the file just isn't there to do it! We are getting to the point where only a proper restore will do the job! We have tried all sorts!!! :rolleyes:

Nat :D

Hi Natalie

A slow pc can indicate a virus sometimes. I can't help cure this one but once you are up and running go and buy Norton Ghost. This program is super. It will make a backup of your whole system as a cab file on either your hard drive or a cd or two or a dvd then if you have a similar problem you can copy the backup back on to your computer. This saves hours of work. You must keep regular backups then you will not lose to much info if you do need to install it.
I also use Bootvis which is a small app my brother added to my pc to help speed up the startup time. It sorts out what drivers/applications to load in the correct order.
I also use Netlimiter to monitor my packets that are leaving my pc.

Thanks Minipeace, once we have done the reformat, we will be buying every 'anti' software going!!! :P

You could try installing your main software again. It might put back the files you have lost. Before you do this make sure you back up everything you want as it could wipe your memory like in a reformat or you might be ok but if you have things like photos etc... back them up on to disc/cd so you dont loose them. Also in the meantime run an anti virus program everyday and block everything from your firewall then allow only what you want allowed. A program might of installed its self and causing problems - this happened to me :( A reformat might be the way but i would also get in touch with the person you brought the disc from and ask for a refund. A scratched disc should not IMO cause all these problems infact i would of expected it not to work at all, but i could be wrong on that. Was it an original disc?

This is the problem Sonny, the seller from eBay, is now a no longer register user! :( If people want to make some money why don't they just not send a disc, or send a blanck one, why does it have to be a dodgy disc?

We have finally managed it to accept a free virus checker, and it seems to be doing the job, it found about 160 virus'/trojans when we first did it, and has flagged up 2/3 times a day saying it has blocked a trojan, but we think the first lot were maybe not virus' or trojans, but in fact th corrupted files, and so has deleted them, it hasn't helped any of the problems, because obviously a corrupted file is the same as a deleted one!

We don't think it had much to do with the disc being scratched, but more to do with the fact that we tried to install the McAfee software, while the Norton was still in place. We didn't realise that this can cause problems obviously, but until we reformat (thus clearing everything off the laptop, so it will be as it was when new) we should only have the Norton on, as it did come installed with the laptop.

The first thing we did when we realised we had problems was back up all of the photo's, the rest of it to be honest doesn't realy mean anything, we could I suppose try to keep all of the email settings and what not's but, it doesn't seem worth the hassle when you think, it would take just as long to re-load them all into the computer again, as it will to set them up manually!

Thanks for your help :D

Good luck with reformatting.
Just a word of caution. Make sure you have ALL OF THE SOFTWARE IE DISCS before you start. I have done a reformat and i didnt realise that i was missing a disc for the onboard graphics card and i couldn't fully install the pc so i was left with a pc on the dining room table which would boot up and nothing else i had to go and buy a new card so i could install it then install the software for it. Once i did my pc sprang to life :) Noton might not be left on you laptop so either make sure you have the disc or get a better one. kaspersky do a good one, i use this since i had problems simular to yours. I did have norton and i installed something (cant remember now) and it clashed big time and infact ruined my hard drive. I was told that norton do clash with a lot of programs so i changed to something that was better.
This link might help you [link] http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/tp/esppp-coverage-eligibility.html[/link]

We have got all of the disc's, except the Norton one, but we are going to change to a different software anyway after this!! The laptop came from Dell, so we have back up from them as well.

I can't wait until it is done, it sounds stupid because obviously we can still use it, it is starting up a bit slow but once it has got going it is the same as usual, but the annoying thing is having to put usernames/passwords in everytime we change the page, and having to manually re-direct on some pages etc. as I said it sounds silly, but it is so annoying!!!

AVG do a great anti virus as well which is free!! :D Kaspersky a/v is really good but as I desperately need to upgrade my memory it was nearly crashing my pc to do a full scan so I switched to avg and have had no problems with it. After the reformat don't forgot as soon as you've installed a firewall and anti virus go to windows update to make sure you have everything you need. Any drivers that may be missing can usually be got from there (its where i always have to get my soundcard driver from)

My hubbie will sort all of that out. I know the words for these things, but am useless at putting them into practise! :D