Help

Mike to System Control… we've got ignition! I'll try to do the new restore point now.

Hi Bob, I did as you said. I went to My Computer, Properties, System Restore. I checked on the 'turn off system restore.' I restarted the computer, unchecked that same box. But then I checked to see what the System Restore Calendar page looked like. I went to Control Panel, opened System Restore. At that point, a message box opened that said "system restore is not able to protect your computer at this time." So I restarted the computer, checked under My Computer, Properties, to see if the box remained unchecked. It was. But even after restarting my computer, I had the same problem getting to System Restore -a message box opened and said the same as before. What's wrong here? Thanks Mike

Look at this for me:

Control panel/administative tools/services.


Scroll down and find this service:
System restore services

Double-click on it.

Under the General tab, click the start button.

Then as start up type click Automatic.

Now check system restore again. It may already show you a new system restore point.
If not reboot and check system restore again.
Let me know.

Mike:
Please try the exact same procedure for
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)

You may have to do this one first.

Hi Bob, Trouble, I think. I tried first to go to Control panel/administrative tools/services. From the 'Classic view' of Windows, 'Services' is shown as a shortcut with a small square generic shortcut icon. Clicking on it does absolutely nothing. It doesn't open or show anything, or give a message. Just to check that the other system tools were working, I clicked on them. In other cases, I got the following message: "MMC cannot open the file C:\WINDOWS\system32\Com\comexp.msc This may be because the file does not exist, is not an MMC console, or was created by a later version of MMC. This may also be because you do not have sufficient access rights to the file." Something else I noticed a while ago, but didn't mention. I mention it now because of your subsequent (and most recent) post concerning the procedure for Remote Prcedure Call (RPC). I've discovered that when I go to START\All Programs\ there is now a listing for Remote Assistance. I don't think I ever noticed it there before. I wondered whether it was malware or something installed with your help, or if I just hadn't noticed it before (?). Thanks Mike

Mike, Do you have a windows XP cd ??

Hi Bob, Yes, I am pretty sure I do have an XP w/service pack one or two -I can't remember. I am not home right now, but I will be shortly. MIke

OK post back when you find it. This will influence a few things we're going to try to fix this mess. Before I post what I have I want to be sure you have a disk.

Hi Bob, What I have found is a disk from Dell that says "Operating System" and then it states "reinstallation CD" "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" "Service Pack 2". I think it's the Windows XP plus the service pack 2. Mike

That's not going to work unfortunately. What that is is a system restore disk. That will restore your system to the way it was when you bought it. A retail version of windows XP does a few more things than that will. So that's what you have we will continue anyway doing our best.
In essence it's a reformat.


Again we will try one thing at a time.

Try following the directions from here.
Basically download this file and run and instal MMC 3.0.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details…;displaylang=en

________________________________

With that done try the system restore point again.
By looking at start/control panel/administrative tools/services.
If it works stop there and let me know.
_______________________________

IF THAT DOESN"T WORK TRY THIS>

___________________________________
Reconfigure Windows XP to show hidden files::

Click Start. My Computer.
Select the Tools menu Folder Options. Select the View Tab.
Under the Hidden files and folders heading select "Show hidden files and folders".
Uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files (recommended)" option.
Uncheck the "Hide file extensions for known file types" option.
Click Yes to confirm. Click OK.


_____________________

• Navigate to c:/windows/inf/sr.inf
  
• RIGHT click the file and choose install.
  
• You may be asked for the Windows XP CD. If you haven't got a retail copy of the XP CD,click browse point your browser to the i386 folder.
  Here again you may have to search for it but should be located in one or both of these locations.
  ( C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles) or(C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache), locate the INF folder and see if you can install System restore from there. [/list}
  
  
• You may be asked for other files also.
  
• Thing to do here is do an all files for each file it asks you for exactly.
  
• Then right click the file and choose open containing folder.
  From the address bar of that contaning folder highlight the address for it.
  (Example. If your asked for file xxx.dll search for it and if it's in this folder (C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache) that's what you copy into the wizard searching for it. right click it and choose copy.
  When it's finished it will ask you to reboot. Please do so.
  
  You may also try this portion of the fix pointing your browser to the CD that you do have from Dell containing windows XP SP2. Although I'm not sure it will work.
  
  If any of these files left on the computer are corrupt we may end up with the same result.

Hi Bob, I downloaded MMC 3.0, and then tried to look at start/control panel/administrative tools/services. 'Services' is just a shortcut with a generic square icon. Clcicking on it did nothing at all. Again I received that same message from the other icons in this file "MMC cannot open…." I then tried the second set of instructions. I went to the hidden files and folders section and discovered that the 'hide protected operating system files' and 'hide files extensions' boxes were already unchecked (!). I don't recall having done it myself. The rest was a bit confusing for me. I navigated to "c:/windows/inf/sr.inf"/ I tried to install but the following message came up: "the file 'sr.sys' on Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 CD is needed" "type the path where the file is located, and then click OK" I then tried to find the file in C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles on my computer. (I think this is what you wanted). I couldn't find servicepackfiles. I did find C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache. and i386 seemed to be there. I then tried to put C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache in the browse section ("copy files from") of the window that had opened when I right-clicked sr.inf another small window opens that says "copying files from "C:\WINDOWS\inf\i386\sr.sys" and it shows a progress bar. But the bar never fills up and it remains undone. So I tried using the Windows XP Home Edition CD Service Pack 2. (Because the window in the 3rd paragraph -above- mentioned it.) Using the browse function, I went into the CD and I did find i386. It seemed to work from there. The computer told me to reboot for the settings to take effect. I hope this works. I didn't know what you meant by " /list " ? or by "Thing to do here is do an all files for each file it asks you for exactly. " Thanks

You actually have a windows CD not just the system restore disk from Dell? I must have misunderstood what you said. Don't keep me waiting man lemme know ! Did it work ??

HI Bob, I don't know. Looking over my previous post, I did indeed describe the title of my CD properly. Is this the whole XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2? I honestly don't know. It did seem to download i386. But please know that I went to System restore and tried to open it. I get the same window I had before that says "System Restore is not able to protect your computer. Please restart your computer and run System restore again." I tried to continue, going back to c:/windows/inf/sr.inf and installing. It asked for the file sr.sys . It turns out the my Windows XP Home Edition with Service Pack 2 does not have that file. It does have a file called sr.sy_ , but I don't think that's the same thing. Mike

Ok mike.

Click start/run.

Type or copy in exactly

sfc /scannow

(NOTE: The space between the "C" and "/" is needed sfc/scannow )

This will check windows protected files and repair or replace them as needed. Allow it to do what it needs. You do need your windows CD for this. This should repair alot of corupted or missing files.

Let me know how system restore acts as well as looking at services window.

Hi Bob, I did as you said. A progress bar popped up in a small window. It seemed to be "checking that Windows files are intact and in their original versions." For a moment when it opened, a black swuare screen oipened up that looked like a DOS coomand screen. but it disappears immediately. The progress bar took about two minutes to complete. Then it closed and their was no other indication that sfc /scannow had done anything. I think that it was shortcircuited somehow. System Restore shows the same problem as before: when I open it a small dialogue box/window is on top stating "System Restore is not able to protect your computer. Please restart your computer and run system restore again." The services function in Administrative Tools remains inoperable. It seems just to be a shortcut without a function. Mike