[Resolved K] got something going on, what do you think?

[kevinf80]

What accounts do you see when you boot up?

When booted > select > start > control panel > user accounts, what accounts do you see here? Select an account here by left click, in new window you can change that account and its permissions....

Does the account you are using have admin permissions and can you access all of your previous files, folders etc...

[ngt]

In the control panel, there's only these two:

Owner (computer administrator)
Guest (guest account is off)

I don't see any account name when I boot up. I can access things. My old account was Eric and I think there's an Eric2, but a lot of folders are twisted and mixed in since that reset I was telling you about that happened at the end of last summer where the computer made another user account and moved mine.

If I go into my computer, into the C drive, and into documents and settings, it says "Administrator", "Owner", "Owner.Eric2", "All Users", and "Temp".

ideas?

[kevinf80]

The following folders should be from the set up prior to the repair/install:

"Administrator" - "Owner.Eric2" - "Temp".

The following should be from post repair/install

"Owner" - "All Users"

Can you open each of the pre repair/install folders ("Administrator" - "Owner.Eric2" - "Temp".) and see if there is any files etc that you need, if so copy to relevent folders inside "Owner" account folders. Reboot your system. Check "Owner" folders make sure all files etc are intact. If all is ok navigate to and delete ("Administrator" - "Owner.Eric2" - "Temp".)

Re-boot, see how your system is responding....

[ngt]

So what needs to be copied/ from where to where? am I copying or cutting and pasting?  My current desktop and documents things are all under TEMP.


Administrator:

Folders:
Administrator's Documents
Desktop
Favorites
Start Menu

Files:
avgrep txt
NTUSR video cd movie

Owner.Eric2

Folders:
Desktop
Favorites
ini
LocalLow
Owner's Documents
Start Menu

Files:
default (music file?)
ntuser video cd movie

Temp:

Folders:
Desktop
Favorites
My Documents
Start Menu

Files
hs_err_pid3848 txt
log txt

Owner:

Folders:
Favorites

Files:
NTUSER video cd movie

All Users:

Folders:
Desktop
Favorites
Shared Documents
Start Menu

Files:
NTUSER video cd movie

[kevinf80]

Copy/Move any files you want to keep. It will be benificial to simplyfy the accounts. At present you only have two, Owner and Guest.

When you boot you are in the Owner Account.

Select > Start > My Computer > C:\ > Documents and Settings. In that folder you should see the Account folders e.g Temp that was created as you describled. If you open that Folder and select Desktop you will see what shortcuts that account had on the Desktop. You can move those to your Owner Folder desktop. etc... same for any files you want to keep such as music, pictures etc etc...

Ideally when you are finished and you navigate start > my computer > c:\ > documents and settings > all you will have are two folders:

"Owner" and "All Users"

[ngt]

did it, couldn't delete the TEMP folder though.Wouldn't let me. Did add 1 minute onto the boot time though 

[ngt]

I think I just really F'd this computer up doing that. How can I get back to what it was? Any possible way? Every program takes about 5 minutes to start up now.

[kevinf80]

I do not understand how removing defunct folders would do what you describe, try System Restore and go back prior to the changes... If that does not help do you have your XP installation CD, if so what service pack level does it contain SP2?

[ngt]

I'm guessing the computer had the old folders and didn't recognize them in the control panel but still had programs and stuff running through those folders?? I don't know if that makes since, but it's a guess since most of my programs were listed under Owner.Eric2 and not under Owner. They were listed under TEMP, which is now empty after deleting Owner.Eric2. The programs are all still there under the start/programs, but it takes a good 3-4 minutes at least for any of them to open.  Is there a way to get the computer to find the shortest path for each program? Does any of what I'm saying even make sense? Either way, things are slower than before.

I have a "windows XP" installation CD, but it's not the one that came with my computer and it's not the media version that came with my laptop either. My laptop came with an upgrade cd for Vista and no XP cd. I don't want Vista. Can I use the other XP CD to fix the issues on my different version of XP?

Thanks again for the help!!

[ngt]

things are going wrong that weren't before. Acrobat reader PDF reader won't even load up web pages now.

[ngt]

did a system restore, the folders still aren't there and now I can't get Nortons Antivirus to even come on. The OWNER folder still has all of the stuff in it from my desktop before, but none of the stuff from the desktop folder in it is on the desktop. Only the couple of things in "ALL USERS" are on the desk top.  What's going on?

[kevinf80]

The easiest way round the issue you mention is to re-install none working or missing programs, do it from the account you are using.

I had thought about a repair/install, obviously the installation CD would have to be the same as what you have installed. You say this is a laptop that came with XP pre-installed, does it have a recovery partition?

[ngt]

any of these:

-system recovery C:\documents and settings
-system recovery C:\windows\system32\config
-applications and drivers recovery (didn't see windows in the list)
-CFrecovery C\windows\erdnt
-recovery software suite gateway D:\i386\apps\app12804
-recovery-m-creator D:\i386\apps\app05551

??

[kevinf80]

That information you give suggests that D:\ is the recovery partition. If you run the system recovery the laptop would be returned to factory release state, ie the way it was when you bought it. Any programs you`ve added or files you`ve saved; such as pictures, music etc would be lost.

If this was my own system that is the route i`d be taking. If you want to go that way couple of things to do first:

Back up any files you wish to save such as music, pictures, videos etc to an extenal source such as CD`s, USB memory sticks or external HDD.

Download and save as above SP3 and Internet Explorer 8, you can get them at the following links;

SP3.  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&DisplayLang=en

IE8. http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=43

I`m not sure how to access the recovery partition, if you supply the exact make and model number i`ll try to find out for you.

You could try the following at boot.

Tap F11 key as it boots, if no good hold ALT key and tap F11 at boot. Try the same with F10 key, if no good try holding CTRL key and tapping F11 at boot, if no good do same with F10 key.

Also try selecting > start > all programs > is there a "Recovery Option" in the startup list?

[ngt]

found the partition. I don't want to lose all of my programs . I looked in system restore and the only user it has in there is Eric2, which I'm guessing is part of the problem now, since I deleted Eric 2's user folder and everything in it is now in a new folder.(Owner)

any way to get my computer to look for the shortest or just a new path to each program and save a new path?


my laptop is a Gateway MX6453