IE upgrade failed, now Windows won't load!!! 1

[snoopy75]

I was upgrading my IE 5.5 to IE 6 last night through the Windows Update website. All the files downloaded fine, but the install hung at 76%. I crossed my fingers and rebooted the computer. It booted fine, I logged in, it made the "sound", and showed my desktop background, but that's it! No icons, no taskbar, nothing. I hit Ctrl-Alt-Del to bring up the task manager, and the only thing loaded is "nprotect", which I assume is something Norton. No Explorer, no Systray, nothing.

So I've messed it up good, apparently. Is a re-install required, or is there any way I can manually replace some critical system file from DOS to get it working again?

I'm very stressed out about this. Thanks in advance for your help.

--Ryan

 

[bgauntt]

What OS are you running? If it is W2K you could boot from the OS disk and run a repair on your install.

 

[snoopy75]

I'm not that lucky... I'm using Windows ME. I tried using the "Reinstallation Disk" that Dell included with the computer, but it also hangs just before it starts copying files to the hard disk. Seems I'm just out of luck wherever I turn... :-( Any suggestions?

--Ryan

 

[joegz]

Basically you hosed the registry by doing the reboot. In win 9x you can typically boot with a startup disk and then use scanreg to bootup with a previous version of your registry before you attempted the update.

I have never used Windows ME but I am sure there is still a way of doing this with this OS. You may want to post in the Windows 95/98 forum if no one else here knows how it is done in Windows ME. joegz
"Sometimes you just need to find out what it's not first to figure out what it is."

 

[Wantaknow]

I updated to to IE 6.0 also and have the same problem. Login as usual, but no icons, not positive result from Ctl-Alt-Del, natta. It appears to be a software conflict with another security software. The solution needs to work or come through DOS. Everything else is hidden on my desktop. I'm using Win 98. Any new ideas out there?

 

[joegz]

I just looked this up in technet and the process is still the same in ME as in 98. Boot to DOS then run the command

scanreg /restore

Then pick the registry date from before you tried the update.

You may need to change the DOS prompt to C:\windows\command

It is not uncommon for the update to IE to look like it is stuck during the update but I have found to just leave it alone and it eventually completes. It is almost 100% guarantee that if you reboot before the update completes your registry is toast. joegz
"Sometimes you just need to find out what it's not first to figure out what it is."

 

[snoopy75]

Yes, I have now learned that. ;-)

What I finally ended up doing was buying a new hard drive and doing a fresh install of Windows, then copying all the files I needed over from the old hard drive. That probably wasn't the cleanest solution, but hey, I got a new hard drive out of it.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

--Ryan

 

[Guest_imported]

I think Explorer 5.0 or 5.5 works better than 6.0/ I have win98 2nd edition.
What I did when that problem happened is...

1/ start- Settings control panel- remove programs
scroll down and click on microsoft explorer .A window will pop up and ask you whether you wish to repair explorer. When you delete the 6.0 , windows puts back the previous version of Microsoft explorer that was operating before you upgraded.

Next, go to start Accessories- system tools .
Click on the taskbar and utilize the registry fixer . It will scan your registry and fix the damage that the 6.0 di to your system. Let the registry save the file to a log and then reboot.
Voila! See if this can help you.
Again, I think 6.0 has many bugs. I wont use it . How about you?
Davini

 

[ANFPS26]

Davini,
Well, I may be alone on this, but I like 6.0 BETTER than 5.0, 5.1, or 5.5. I had a lot of problems with those. I have Win98 first edition with all updates applied and my system is much more stable with IE 6.0. I had a lot of invalid page faults with those others--none with 6.0. I never have any freezing of web pages anymore, either. I have probably jinxed myself by saying this. I'll knock on wood and toss salt over my shoulder.
nobrain I could be wrong, so don't hold that against me. At least I'm trying! I hope I've helped in some way........

 

[Guest_imported]

Every time I upgrade a MS product I regret it. This time I upgraded IE5.5 to IE6. ALthough the IE seems to run okay, my WIndows Explorer will not run with the folders showing on the left. I can only get it up without crashing by using the "My Computer" or "My Documents" icon.

Has anyone else experienced this IE-Explorer interaction? Is there a fix?

 

[kquest]

In my computing life, I've downloaded and installed what seems to be billions of software programs (I'm pretty much a compulsive junkie when it comes to accumulating freeware) -- without doing AV checks...also over time have done hundreds of careless regedit experiments....and despite this uncautious lifestyle, have never run into any serious problems from it. One of the few serious problems I have had was a physical HDD crash. Every single other serious problems I have ever had was always a direct consequence of my passively surrendering my machine to the Micro$lop update site. It is a high risk venture, a dangerous place.

Not that I don't still go ther on a regular basis... But it's the most important time for a full backup, right before one goes to that dangerous place. Whether the result is two weeks of diagnostic headaches, or whether the result is complete system failure and new HDD need, the stakes are high, when you enter the MS Update danger zone. =(

 

[kquest]

Xenophile wrote:
" my WIndows Explorer will not run with the folders showing on the left. I can only get it up without crashing by using the "My Computer" or "My Documents" icon. "

- - -
Xenonphile,

Click Start...Run... then paste the line below and
hit OK.

start C:\windows\explorer.exe /e

If really lucky, then that will give a normal display.

You did say crashing, though. Might check for a malware BHO. Two of the free utilities to examine your system for BHOs.

1. BHO Captor,

http://www.xcaptor.org/

2. BHO Cop,

http://www.pcmag.com/article/0,2997,a=4432,00.asp

If you don't have a username for PCMag to log in and download their utility, use "forgotten" for username and for password.

Even if a BHO doesn't turn out the source of your problem at this time, it wouldn't be time wasted, since you'll then have a utility installed to make sure no malware BHO's (not that all BHO's are bad, but some are) lock into your system in the future.