Windows 7: Dear Start --> All Programs items - why did you suddenly leave me?!

Hi,

I hope that I'm posting this the right place.

Background
A couple of months ago, I got messages in Windows telling me, that some folder was corrupted and that I was supposed to run chkdsk. Since I didn't know how to make it run chkdsk, I left it there. I might have ran it once or twice on start up (like, if my computer freezes and I keep pressing the power button to shut it down, it asks if I want to run some diagnostics tool when booting up).

Problem
A couple of days ago a big part of my Start menu items disappeared suddenly - and still are. I don't know why exactly, so I scanned the computer for viruses and -again- it told me about the corrupt files, which I have in my scan log.

1. The corrupted files/folders are:

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games

• C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar

• C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

These 3 folders gave error 1392 in the antivirus scan.

2. Plus, there's one more error in the scan:C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\ks.inf_x86_neutral_2b583ce4a6a029a1\ks.PNF
It says that the file/folder can not be handled/read due to a I/O device error 1117.

3. When I try to access C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Games, it shows the game shortcuts (not working though) and here's a weird thing: I can access the Games folder, but I can not access the Programs folder (the "parent" folder for Games).

4. I've now tried running chkdsk by rebooting, pressing F8, starting windows repair, clicking on the command and running chkdsk from there - it found no errors, but I suspect, that it actually didn't actually work, because it completed in less that 20-30 seconds, which I think is way too fast for my laptop.

5. This might not be relevant, but I think that my computer treats my internal hard drive as if it was an external hard drive. I think that because I have the option of "Securely removing" my harddisk in the bottom right corner next to the clock. Though I can not actually remove it (it says that it's in use and therefore can not be removed).

Now - where can I find my start menu items and why did this happen? Is it some malware?

Uh, by the way. It's Windows 7 Ultimate, 32 bit.
Thanks in advance.

Welcome to SevenForums,

Please try the following:

1. Click Start
2. In the search box, type cmd
3. From the list, right-click on cmd.exe and choose 'Run as Administrator'
4. In the command window that opens, type sfc /scannow and hit enter

Report the results, once it completes, in your next reply.

Regards,
Golden

Dear Golden,

Thank you very much for your response.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work. This is what it prints (it's in danish, so I'll translate):

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Starting systemscan. This process can take a while

(Verify....)

Windows Resource Protection can not (complete/do)

It's like half the text is cut off - the text in the parantheses is just a part of the word, and I'm guessing what it wanted to write. When I try other commands like ping, it writes everything - all seems to be ok. I tried to make cmd write to a text file instead of on screen, but that didn't help showing me the full text - the text file contained same text.

I tried to google the problem with the Windows Resource Protection, and I found this: How to Fix "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service" Error When Running SFC in Windows 7 and Vista - The Winhelponline Blog

The link says that I have to set the TrustedInstaller service to 'manual'. It was on manual initially and was started. I restarted the service just to be sure - no difference.

Very frustrating!

Hello Bzzzt, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if you may be able to do a system restore at boot using a restore point (if available) dated before this happened to undo and fix it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Work through these additional Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.

They work up to a possible Repair Install or to run Asus Factory Recovery or Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7

I fixed it!

On boot, press F8, choose "Repair Windows". Then choose the first option, which is startup-repair. Though I didn't have any start-up problems, it did fix the problem.

And now for the funny thing - after logging into windows, a couple of minutes later, avast popped up with two viruses. Don't know why - it recommended me doing a boot-time scan, which I did (it found nothing).

The only remaining problem for me now is the "symptom" nr. 2:

Avast says, that it's a cyclic redundancy check error 23. I googled it, and it seems that there might be something wrong with my drive... Uh well, at least I can do my work now :-)

Thank you all for your generous help!

Run a full Malwarebytes scan.

Cyclic Redundancy most often relates to a GPT disk. Do you have an EFI BIOS? Look in BIOS boot order if there is an EFI Boot disk or Windows Boot Manager choice.

Hi,

1. Malwarebytes is scanning now - I did a full scan yesterday though.
2. sfc /scannow works now. It completed saying, that Windows Resource Protection found corrupted/damaged files, but couldn't repair all files. I have the cbs.log open (did access it through cmd in admin mode). It's a huge file! I can see, that there have been some errors. Do you want me to upload it?
3. About the GPT; I opened cmd in admin mode and wrote diskpart. Then I wrote list disk. None of my disks are GPT. Is that a correct method to see if it's GPT?
4. This reminds me of, that my computer treats my internal harddisk as if it was an external harddisk - I have the option of "Securely removing" my harddisk in the bottom right corner next to the clock. Though I can not actually remove it (it says that it's in use and therefore can not be removed). Is that relevant?
5. Another thing is, that when I rightclick on my C: drive ---> Properties --> Hardware tab, it lists some weird drives: There are two "Android UMS Composite USB device", a TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L633A ATA Device and a ST9500325AS ATA Device. That's a total of four devices!! I used my computer to flash my android phone, but did that really affect my harddisk?
   

If Windows 7 is installed in AHCI mode then you have hotplugging which shows the HD's in the SysTray to Safely Remove.

Did the problems and/or the new devices appear immediately after you flashed your phone? I would try System REstore to a point before then to see if it helps. If you don't need the devices then uninstall them.

I asked you if EFI Boot Disk or Windows Boot Manager are choices available in BIOS Boot order accessed via BIOS Setup at boot.

Follow the steps in SFC tutorial to attempt to repair System files. If they will not repair, and System Restore doesn't set them right, then you may need to Repair Install