i don't suppose anyone knows what to do to reverse changes to a pc that result in you not being able to open programes?
my sister has ad aware on her pc and when a window came up asking her if she wanted to block a dodgey programe, she said yes. every since she has been unable to open anything but her cd/dvd player, including system restore, help and trouble shoot. any ideas??

You may have to start your pc in safe mode(press F8 during loading) and run your av/as from there. You could use system restore but I would do that as a last resort.

__________________
If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

We get no error message, if you double click on an icon nothing happens and if you right click where it should say 'open' it says open archive.

We are running avg free edition

And we can't get into system restore either.

Hi Madmum

I don't know if this might help but give it a try

open your TASK MANAGER (alt+ctrl+delete) hold down alt + ctrl while pressing the delete button.

click on the APPLICATIONS and see if any program is running, if so click on the END TASK to terminate any program your not sure of.
Before doing so write down the name of the program so you can delete from your system later, please only end one task at a time checking your system each time to see which program caused the problem.

If there is no program running or after ending all programs running the problem this still there, open your TASK MANAGER again and click on the PROCESSES and under the CPU you'll see every program that is running DO NOT END any program from this just write down every program and post the results in the reply post for me or other people to check. All programs running will look like 01 or over any looking like 00 are not running so don't write them down.

While in your TASK MANAGER click on NEW TASK and see if you can open your folders though the BROWSER.

GO LUCK
wizliz.

since ad-aware is the problem
uninstall it
let the program run
get microsoft anti-spyware FROM MICROSOFT'S SITE
install ms anti-spyware and be happy

some people are tempted to use p2p to download stuff you can download off of the internet that wouldn't be infested with viruses...

stupid roommate downloaded a wmv porn file off of limewire.
IT WAS A VIRUS. the virus slowly ate up all my disk space so you couldn't run a scan and would kill virus scans when you would run them.

no more limewire on my machine anymore, and my friend now has his own machine he can infect that i'll clean every once in awhile.

Thanx for all your help, but, there is nothing running in task manager and there were no programmes in processes with 01 on them. I can't get into ad aware to uninstall it.

And ive just been onto microsoft site and it says I need to validate it but when I come to download it, surprise surprise I can't open that either.

Hi madmum

Go back into you task manager and click on processes again look for the aware program and right click on it you will have a choice to END PROCESS click and end it, I didn't mean the programs that had just 01 under the CPU any 2 digit numer other than 00 means it's running except SYSTEM IDLE PROCESS it should read something like this = 76. warning only delete the aware file.did you try opening the browser in your NEW TASK and try deleting it from there. Remember if you can end task go straight to you ADD/REMOVE file in your CONTROL PANAL and remove it COMPLETLY.


GO LUCK
wizliz

p.s. if that doesn't work I might have another idea.

The only thing with numbers is system idle which is going between 97 and 99. I can't see ad aware on the process list. Tried the new task thing and it says that ad aware needs to be opened with another file and gives me the option of going online to find a programme to run with. And I can get into control panel but I can't get into add/remove programmes.

Hi madmum

Is it possible to click on your START on the bottom left hand corner
if so click and open SEARCH

click on ALL FILES AND FOLDERS

type in the name of the problem folder and if it appears try deleting it.

If not sure of name type aware and continue.

If more than one file, folder or .dll appears delete them one at a time.

If any file can't be deleted please write it down the way it appears and post it in the reply thread


GO LUCK
wizliz

p.s. if that doesn't work I might have another idea.

Ok done that, ad aware is gone. But still can't get into anything. Still saying open archive instead of open.