Please help. Messed up my computer. Windows XP Problem

To: library user

21 posted on 04/26/2011 1:14:50 PM PDT by library user (Just because you're homeless doesn't mean you're lazy.)

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

My parents’ machine had that happen. There’s actually a way to turn off the displaying of icons on the desktop.

To resolve this behavior, turn on the Show Desktop Icons feature:
Right-click the desktop.
Point to Arrange Icons By.
Click Show Desktop Icons.

22 posted on 04/26/2011 1:25:25 PM PDT by Dilbert56 (Harry Reid, D-Nev.: "We're going to pick up Senate seats as a result of this war.")

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Just be careful of any advice you get here. I assume you have not in the past created recovery disks, did any backups or have gone through the trouble of creating "restore points" where one in essence has the system save a lot of critical files required to maintain say your desktop attributes.
If this is the case I cannot offer you any help in how to restore to an earlier backup.
You may be best served to just pay say a Geek Squad employee that operates out of the BestBuy chain of stores, to come in and see what they can do. It sounds like you will need quite a bit of fixing done.
BUT. Since you still have the recycle Bin Icon showing. Right mouse click on it, choose Open and if you get the explore window coming up showing a lot of files. Carefully look for in the top area of the explorer window for the option Restore all Items. Then reboot your system. Beyond that, it can get hairy. What the action I suggest will do is put back all files that you have been deleting. Whenever you delete a file, it goes to that directory named recycle. So the file is still on your system. If you never have done this before you will find tons of stuff in that directory.
By restoring the files to their original directories you will upon rebooting find things have changed on your system.
One last note. If this can bail you out for the most part. Do remember. From now on. When you delete a file. Then right click on the recycle icon on your desktop. Decide if you really want to trash the file(s) forever.
Hope this helps you.

23 posted on 04/26/2011 1:28:34 PM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Honor must be earned....Duncan Hunter Sr. for POTUS.)

Found this way via the internet on the other computer on the network. Got my icons and programs back, but can’t find “My Documents” and my “Favorites” are gone from my browser. Wondering how I managed to delete everything.

24 posted on 04/26/2011 1:42:34 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)

This would be a good time to back up your files.

Well, that's another issue. Can't get my 300GB Maxtor drive back online. I saved a lot of stuff to it. It beeps like it's there, but doesn't doesn't show up under Windows Explorer. What a mess.

25 posted on 04/26/2011 1:44:12 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Depending on what you've done, or do from here, you may find your old My Documents in a saved user account in Documents and Settings.

26 posted on 04/26/2011 1:49:40 PM PDT by decimon

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

27 posted on 04/26/2011 1:51:48 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Got my icons and programs back, but can’t find “My Documents” and my “Favorites” are gone from my browser.

If you do a system restore, as mentioned above, you should get all those things back.

28 posted on 04/26/2011 1:52:29 PM PDT by library user (Just because you're homeless doesn't mean you're lazy.)

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Follow post #18. Try last good configuration if available. If not boot as best you can and hit the windows key on your keyboard, if no key, hit tab until start highlights. From the start menu highlight run. Type cmd. Inside that box type ‘sfc /scannow’. Hit enter.

29 posted on 04/26/2011 2:23:51 PM PDT by allmost

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

get a copy of combofix from bleeping computer. turn off your anti-viral stuff and run it. This is a very powerful program that needs to run independent of AV software. Disconnet from the internet.

30 posted on 04/26/2011 2:35:53 PM PDT by eyedigress ((Old storm chaser from the west)?)

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Well, good. The method I shown works when all else fails, I just use it first.

Your document folder is most likely still there. Use the search function to find *.doc or *.xls or *.jpg, etc... whichever type document is the most popular in your document folder. Once a string of familiar file types show up, right click to find the folder location. Make a shortcut to this folder on your desktop and you’re done.

31 posted on 04/26/2011 3:15:36 PM PDT by BushCountry (Make Love Not Kinetic Military Action)

Thanks for everyone’s help. I deleted some dlls somehow and I’m sure that is what caused it. Finally got everything back together. It is indeed stressful. Thank you everyone. I love Free Republic.

32 posted on 04/26/2011 4:19:46 PM PDT by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin (Freedom is the freedom to discipline yourself so others don't have to do it for you.)

To: MeneMeneTekelUpharsin

Glad to hear you got everything back. Please let everyone know how you resolved your problem. Thanks.

33 posted on 04/27/2011 9:18:02 AM PDT by GreatOne (You will bow down before me, Son of Jor-el!)

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