Windows 7 - System meltdown

Ok well it's not exactly melting down. I mean if my PC were on fire I would be running not posting.

Anyway for some reason my systems gone haywire and refuese to load programs. Even if I click on the file I want to open Windows 7 gives me a "Cannot find X file"

When I open control panel I have no options I just see "Adjust your computer settings" and thats it.

It was working fine last night and when I booted it up after work today its not working.

I tried restoring it to 2 earlier points but to no avail. I could try one further back but not sure if thatll work. Firefox wont even open.

Sorry bout no screen shots, I haven't gotten an image editor installed on this thing yet.

Help please!!

UPDATE: I rebooted into safe mode and the programs opened fine. Still at a lost for how to fix this

You don't need a third party app to post screen shots, use the Snipping Tool.
A Preferred Method of Uploading/Posting Screen Shots


Have you installed any program or drivers right before it happened?


If it works in Safe Mode just fine then it sounds like either some driver problem or malware infection. Go into safe mode and run a full scan on the highest scan level of whatever Antivirus program you have. If you don't have one, boot into safe mode with networking and install something like Avast Home Edition. Also try running a full scan with Malwarebytes. Use Microsofts Malicious Software Removal Tool on full scan as well.

Download FREE antivirus software - avast! Home Edition
Malwarebytes.org

64 bit MSRT
Download details: Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool x64

I'm running a couple scans like you suggested right now.

I think it may have been a driver. I think I attached a device before I put in the driver disk. That may have done it. I also did a regedit last night to try and get Adobe CS3 to install. Not sure how to locate the specific drivers though.

If you installed Adobe CS3 then see if uninstalling it will help. Also, change whatever registry enrty you modified back to what it was set at. Look in the Device Manager and see if you see any problems when you open it.

There's the option of a Repair Install too.

Sorry wasn't clear. I mean I tried to install CS3. It wouldn't work. After the initializing of the installer the setup disappeared.

2 scans still going and ccleaner found a buncha registry issues on its scan. waiting for the first 2 to finish before i have ccleaner fix those.

UPDATE: Its fixed, I was able to do it with system restore. I think it was the program Logmein that was the issue.

Thanks Airbot

You're welcome ryuuchiba, glad you found the problem.