applications won't start

[e1w00d]

Hi Newbie here, but hopefully someone will be kind and knowledgable enough to help me out. None of my applications will start in Windows 7. Here is the history in case it helps:

I recently had an issue with internet explorer redirecting. Everything was normal apart from this. Scans with adaware came back clean except for 12 cookies. Scans with AVG also came back with a broken signature on an adobe air update.

I started to look for instructions on the internet for what to do next and found a site that appeared to be helpful. I started following the instructions and used some kind of web based program (possibly cleaning up the registry) followed by creating a restore point. I cannot remember the name of the program or the web site with the instructions.

When I tried to restart, Windows looked very odd (possibly broken) and all my settings had gone. I then went back to the restore point which restored the appearance of Windows. Windows 7 now looks normal as it did before all of this. Unfortunately none of my applications will now start (including internet explorer). The only application I can get to start is windows explorer.

Please can someone help me figure out what the problem may be.

Thanks

Elwood

 

[usasma]

I'd suggest trying this fix: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[e1w00d]

Thanks for this. It looks like I have some reading to do! I will report back with how it goes.

Thanks

 

[e1w00d]

I have tried the repair install but got stuck. At the point where the instructions said that it would ask me for a product code, it asked for a user name and password (it looks a bit like the windows log in screen but in lower resolution). My usual username and password for windows would not work and I cannot get past this point.

Any ideas how to proceed?

Thanks

Elwood

 

[usasma]

I'm gonna ask for help from an expert, please hang on...

 

[Brink]

Hello Elwood,

Were you using the retail Windows 7 installation DVD (not a OEM factory recovery DVD) that you used to originally install Windows 7 with?

If so, then you might consider doing a custom install instead. This will be just like a clean install, but everything from your current installation will be saved into the C:\Windows.old folder where you can copy files back into your new Windows 7 installation that you wanted to keep. You will need to reinstall all of your programs and drivers again though.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[e1w00d]

I installed using an update disk (sent as part of a package when I bought a new computer with Vista already pre-installed just before Windows 7 came out).

The title on the product key label says
"WinVista HmPrem-Win 7 HmPrem UPGMedia OEM Software"

Should I try to do a custom install with this, and if so do I start it in the same way as the repair install?

Thanks

 

[Brink]

You will not be able to do a repair install with this OEM DVD.

Unless it's a OEM "factory recovery" or "factory restore" DVD, you should be able to do a custom install (click on link for how) with it.

 

[e1w00d]

Thanks. I have started to work through that process. When I get to Step 8 I have to choose what partition to install this on. I have two options:

Disk 0 Partition 1:Win_RE (of Type "OEM (Reserved)" , 39gb)
Disk 0 Partition 2:WinVista(C (of Type "System", 890gb)

Would you happen to know which to choose?


Thanks again for all your help.

Elwood

 

[Brink]

Unless you have another drive/partition that you installed Windows 7 on, then it might be the WinVista since you upgraded to Windows 7. What was the name of the drive that you had Windows 7 installed on when you looked at it in the Computer window?

Do not select the Win_RE partition though.

 

[e1w00d]

I have tried the custom install but got stuck again. At the point (step 12) where I should be asked to set a username annd password, it acts as if a username and password are already set (it looks a bit like the windows log in screen but in lower resolution).

My usual username and password for windows would do not work and I cannot get past this point.

Any idea what I may be doing wrong?

Thanks

Elwood

 

[Brink]

Elwood,

It sounds like it was a OEM factory recovery that you did instead since it did not ask you to enter a user name and password during the installation.

 

[e1w00d]

The boxes that I clicked on (including the Custom Install option) did not say factory recovery.

If it was an OEM factory recovery, would the windows messages tell me this (they seemed to match as per the Custom Install instructions until asking for the username and password).

Thanks