major problems :\
 

I dunno. Every 30 minutes, or so, without even touching my computer, explorer.exe seems to get an error. Most of the icon images don't show up. When I click start -> programs, nothing happens. If I try to click on mymusic or mydocuments, nothing loads up. Everything open works fine. To fix this problem I just go to task manager to end explorer.exe, then I click new task and start it up again. It seems to fix it for a while, but then it craps out again.

:clueless:

I also have a bunch of spyware or something on my computer that just won't get off. I've run Adware to get rid of the spyware, run registry repair, xp repair pro, and nothing works. I'm pretty sure it was something to do with IE, since the ads popping up says IE in the title, but I don't even have IE on. I tried to uninstall it, but some other program is using it, probably the spyware. When I open up IE there's this screen with a bunch of error messages on it.

http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/4757/1wn5.th.png

The ads I am getting say something about my security settings are too high to allow activex to work properly and so the page doesn't show up correctly. Maybe that's why whenever I visit a Vbulletin forum (on FF) it's all screwed up. I try to lower my security settings on IE to see if it works, but that security page I get sends a message saying that I'm not allowed to change the settings, but I can bypass that if I choose custom settings, but I don't know which settings to choose.

I'm screwed. :uhoh:

Re: major problems :\
 

You need to reformat. You have too many problems to fix, and you'd never be able to fix them all.

EDIT- Also, don't install anything from the webpage you've posted an image of, it's completely bogus.

Re: major problems :\
 

Oh, great... DELL didn't sent me a reinstall disk with my new laptop like they did with my last one. And I don't think that other disk is going to work since the serial numbers are different. I guess I have to send my laptop in. :'(

Re: major problems :\
 

Have you tried CCleaner? www.ccleaner.com

Re: major problems :\
 

I tried that just now and I didn't seem to help IE at all. I havn't gotten any popups in a while, so I don't know if it got rid of them. I'll tell you as soon as/if I see one.

Re: major problems :\
 

It wouldn't surprise me if you had a hidden partition on your HD that has all of the OS reinstall data on it.

That's what HP did with both my desktop and laptop.

Re: major problems :\
 

Okay... yah, you have way too many problems. Spyware is sometimes uncleanable, especially when it gets into your system files and replaces them. Unless you know a significant ammount of Windows source code, you're screwed. The only thing anyone's most likely going to recommend is reformatting. But... there is one program you didn't list. AVG Free, it's a great virus/spyware removal program, it's free - and legit. No strings attached, just a great little program. It acts as an active remover as well, meaning it won't let it get installed in the first place.

Just google AVG Free Edition and you'll find it. Give it a try and run a scan. You might be suprised. xD

Also, if you call Dell I'm sure they have some recovery CDs you can order - and probably only pay $10, if that! I have a question: are you running Windows XP Home or Pro?

Re: major problems :\
 

I'm running home(o) edition.

How do you reformat if it's on a hidden partition?

Re: major problems :\
 

You usually need a disk that will activate it. With Sony you can usually access it by pressing a function key right after post. But Dell usually has their reinstallation data on a CD only. Just contact Dell about it, or if you have a manual, check there.

Also, I would just go buy a clean install of Windows XP Pro *cough* that way you can upgrade w/o the hassle - and the stupid Windows Explorer thing won't happen.

Re: major problems :\
 

Actually, I was wrong. I have media edition. Big woop, right? :p

Re: major problems :\
 

Well... not neccesarily. From what I've heard, Windows XP MCE has many bugs and defects that make it vunlernable to things like this. Like I said, go get a Windows XP Pro disk from either the store or a friend. xD

Re: major problems :\
 

Personally I think having MCE on a laptop is the most pointless thing ever. As suggested, it would be best to get a proper XP disc, but a fair bit cheaper to order a restore disc from Dell. Depends whether you can put up with the amount of useless crap they insist on installing on their systems.

Re: major problems :\
 

I can put up with the popups everyonce and a while, but the explorer.exe is the devil.

Re: major problems :\
 

Mate, your computer (or, rather, Windows) is fubared, frankly what you can put up with is irrelevant; it'll be much better for you to get rid of all this crap and MAKE SURE you don't get it again. How you got that many issues with your PC to begin with, I have no idea...if it's someone else, I suggest you bar them from the thing. If its you, get some common sense because that's the one of the best defences against things like spyware.

Yes, AdAware and Spybot and an anti virus program are all fine and dandy, and very helpful if you do have a problem. But think about it, wouldn't it be better for that kind of junk to not get on your system because the people using it don't let it?

Don't click popups. Don't visit dodgy sites. Don't download programs that say they can help clean up your PC, or fix your registry or whatever. I mean, you're even using a screenshot from a rather dubious looking site to demonstrate your problems to us...perhaps that kind of thing is why you have such a huge amount of crap wrong with your system?

Also, your taskbar icons are hidden so I don't know what you have running, but do you actually have an anti-virus and firewall program running?

Re: major problems :\
 

I had McAfee on for the past couple months until I figured out why my games were freezing and my internet connection crapped out during online games.

I don't click any popups. Maybe dodgy sites... if you know what I mean. the only spyware program that I use is Adaware, which I have been using for the past couple years.

The only way I see how the spyware got on was when I downloaded some game demo. A bunch of them have a checkmark box that asks if you want something installed on your computer or not -- I must have accidently passed it up.

Re: major problems :\
 

The worst thing a (legit) game demo could do is install GameSpy. Which is bodering on spyware.

Are you sure there's not a recovery option somewehere in the "all programs" portion of your start menu. Trust me, even your dell came with some kind of recovery stuff.

If you call Dell tech support and are real nice, they'll often ship you a copy of Windows for free.

Re: major problems :\
 

It doesn't matter. The college I'm going to in three weeks has a free H.E.L.P. service that will install Xp Pro for free.

Re: major problems :\
 

That'll just end up being messy. I just deleted a lot of programs... I don't want to have re-uninstall them

EDIT: I don't know what program did it, but it seems like that explorer.exe thing went away.

Re: major problems :\
 

It was CCleaner! I know it :nodds:

Re: major problems :\
 

lol. I think it was. Thanks.

Re: major problems :\
 

Glad you got itsorted. Free Windows...I hate you. :p

Re: major problems :\
 

I also figured out how to get rid of the spyware in my system32 folder. You need to download a program called autoruns, restart in safemode, use autoruns to disable the spyware files, and deleted them while still in safemode. :D