My System Restore Doesn't Work...

Help Please

Tuesday, February 1, 2005 by Kenshin4o8 | Discussion: Windows XP

I just noticed my "System Restore" feature doesn't work... Whenever I run System Restore, it just gives me a blank white page with nothing on it and no words. It looks like a blank page of "Notepad" or something like that. I tried using Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox to do an online virus scan, but it doesn't work for some reason. I tried to install Norton Antivirus 2005, and it asked me to do a pre-scan to eliminate viruses that might affect the installation, and so it did, and it removed one virus (the only one). When it started installing, I kept getting errors and the installation was never successful no matter how many times I tried it. Therefore my computer is pretty much screwed from here on out... Can anyone help me? (The only other option I have is to format my hard drive, but I don't want to do that yet because there might be another option.) Thanks
Phoon
Reply #1 Tuesday, February 1, 2005 5:43 PM
Well, if your Anti-Virus program cannot succeed with installation I think it would really be in your best interest to reformat and reinstall. Sounds like the damage is done and it won't be right ever again unless you do.
PurrBall
Reply #2 Tuesday, February 22, 2005 3:54 PM
Yep do a clean install, ONLY REFORMAT IF YOU HAVE TO!
Double Zero
Reply #3 Tuesday, February 22, 2005 4:14 PM
Unfortunately it only takes "1" pesky virus to ruin your whole day, Phoon and Meowy are correct, reinstall..as soon as you get everything back up and running INSTALL your Nortons AV!..LoL..there are a TON of virii about these days..


Zero.
LittleBearJason
Reply #4 Thursday, February 24, 2005 12:02 AM
This can be easily cured by disabling system restore and turning it back on.
lilstarfish
Reply #5 Thursday, February 24, 2005 12:31 AM
lo Kenshin4o8.


Visit these links for more info on how to work with System Restore;

Additional Windows ME/XP Cleaning Instructions (Trend Micro)
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/security/advisories/win_me_clean.htm
and
Disabling or enabling Windows XP System Restore (Symantec)
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001111912274039?Open&src=sec_doc_nam&docid=2001012513122239&nsf=tsgeninfo.nsf&view=docid&dtype=?

good luck!
Oo_NUKLEAR_oO
Reply #6 Thursday, February 24, 2005 1:53 AM
hey i have that same problem, just noticed it yesterday when i tried to log on to gmail.. it said that my browswer wasnt supported...wich was weird being that i had loged in a day before, im not one to be downloading stuff around the net, the only downloading i do is here, as for email attachments that's out of the question. So if its a virus, i have no idea how i got it. I thought i had changed some settings around without knowing so i tried to do a system restoration and all i got was the blank page kenshi is talking about.. also i noticed that some stuff on internet sxplorer was hiden.. like "download, sign in" buttons on some sites like download.com.. even when i tried to download firefox from its home page the "free dowload" button was hidden somehow i managed to get a link to it but it was a pain it the arse. I been trying to find out what the problem is since yesterday and havent found anyting.. another thing that i noticed is that the "system information" doesnt even come up, when i open Norton AV, it just says "refresing" under the system status options.. it wont let me do anything, it just stays like that. Everytime i turned my pc on there was a pup up from symantec telling me that my norton subscription had 8 days to expire now it just says "%s days to expire" that's pretty much all i've noticed, other than that my pc is working as usual.. i have no idea what to do.. im ready to call the geeksquad lol.. arggg.. frustrating!!
LittleBearJason
Reply #7 Thursday, February 24, 2005 2:09 AM
Personally , I dislike Norton / Mcafee You always have to pay for subscriptions when they expire. Plus they are extremely buggy.

I personally like the following freeware Antivirus Programs as they do just of good of a job as the big antivirus programs out there.


AVG Antivirus : http://www.grisoft.com

Avast Home Edition 4.6 : http://www.avast.com

Anti-Vir Personal Edition : http://www.free-av.com/

Clam Antivirus (Open Source) http://www.clamav.net
RedBuzzard
Reply #8 Thursday, February 24, 2005 2:48 AM
Go to this thread https://www.wincustomize.com/Forums.aspx?ForumID=144&AID=64863#509029. You do not have a virus. Dragon had a similar problem. The solution to your problem is to reinstall your windows script file. It can be found here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c717d943-7e4b-4622-86eb-95a22b832caa&displaylang=en.
Oo_NUKLEAR_oO
Reply #9 Thursday, February 24, 2005 3:22 AM
Red you're a life saver, it works!!! ahaha thank you so much, this is why i love this comunity now my only question is why did that happen?
RedBuzzard
Reply #10 Thursday, February 24, 2005 3:46 AM
Not really sure how it happens but I found that some programs when you install them will alter your scipts not sure what programs or how but it happens. Anyway, Keep it in mind for the next time!! Glad I could help!
Bushman
Reply #11 Thursday, March 10, 2005 9:01 AM
I have a situation that has been repeating it's self. I haven't been able to track it down yet but this is what it does. I loose the Windows Update page, the ability to access my user accounts area Norton gets screwed up plus more probably even more than I know. I've had to reformat 5x in the last week. Lost all my work, saved games, email, everthing and it's happening now. I think it's a browser hyjacker but I'm not sure. I could use some help.
Double Zero
Reply #12 Thursday, March 10, 2005 12:15 PM
Bushman, purely speculation, but it almost sounds as if you have an "Upper Memory" Virus ::sighs:: These, to put it in real blunt terms..suck.. The only way to get rid of them is to run scanners on your BIOS before windows loads..

There is a free utility that can do this and many other things, I have used it to fix probelms on my daughters PC as well as quite a few friends machine's.. it has 2 different AV proggies on it and a bunch of other helpful goodies..

I *Definitely hope this helps Link

Zero.
Hazy_Lunar_Rain
Reply #13 Thursday, March 10, 2005 2:19 PM
Bushman... If thiss is the case you could try to get to your computers manufacturer and see if they have a ROM update as well... Reburning the ROM should take care of it.. Then go from there. Thats what I did.

And Nuklear, sometimes if you do a hard shutdown it can eat crucial files as well. My dead laptops in the closet on the bottom shelf is my testimonial,lol. I really should work on them and give them to the kids......
Bushman
Reply #14 Monday, March 14, 2005 7:55 AM
Double Zero if you could tell me who these programs are it would help. Thanks. I have just gotten done with another format
Double Zero
Reply #15 Monday, March 14, 2005 12:11 PM
Double Zero if you could tell me who these programs are it would help. Thanks. I have just gotten done with another format


The Program is called *Ultimate Boot Disk* and is offered freely by "Start Disk Media" the link I provided however is to *PC-world* Download page..
What you have to do is download the program then burn it to a CD, set your boot order to boot to CD, reboot the PC and choose the utilities that you would like to run, ie: Virus Scan, Memory check, Disk check..etc..etc..

If one of the utilities cannot fix the problem at least it can tell you what the problem is, and you can go from there..

Hope this helps,
Zero.
Jafo
Reply #16 Monday, March 14, 2005 6:06 PM
 Double Zero ...that proggy isn't for XP....it's for 2000 and before...
yrag
Reply #17 Monday, March 14, 2005 6:30 PM
Double Zero
Reply #18 Monday, March 14, 2005 8:57 PM
Thank you Jafo, :oints at Yrag's link:: thats the exact one that should be used..I was wondering what the ***** happened to it..LoL..it sure didnt look the same anymore!

The link I provided says that it is for windows NT as well..
Anyway.. Yrag Link is to the exact disk that you want Bushman, Sorry!..

Zero.

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