Corrupt Language Pack

[Kari]

As far as I have understood everything, the steps taken and so on, this case is very simple. Some unknown to us setting or missing service is making it impossible for you to use Japanese IME as input language on a PC and we seem to be unable to solve this issue, whereas an identical (your words) other PC has no issues with language bar and Japanese input.

Repeated SFC scans have not been able to fix the error, nor has repair install helped. We have also cleared that a corrupt language pack is not the culprit, simply because language packs are not needed for using secondary input languages.

Only thing that remains is a clean install. It is of course up to you if you decide you'll rather not use Japanese Input Language on that PC; if so then there is no need to reinstall.

If you however decide to reinstall, it might be this issue occurs again sometime in the future. To make future analysis and fixing easier, I recommend you after possible reinstall make a habit of creating system restore points before installing any third party applications or major updates. This way, if something goes wrong you only need to restore your system.

Kari

 

[Layback Bear]

I have been reading this thread from the beginning. Its very interesting. I know very little of language packs just trying to learn. Because your problem only happens on one computer and Kari can't duplicate the problem I have some suggestions.
1. Remove all anti what ever programs completely (Avast,Rkill, Comodo, Spybot ect.) and install MSE. Use the built in Windows 7 Firewall. You probably have the same programs on your other computers but its worth a try.
2. msconfig/Start Up and uncheck everything except your security, MSE reboot. Then go to Services and check Hide All Microsoft Services. Uncheck everything except security,reboot. Start you language program for testing.
Then add one thing at a time and reboot and see if you can isolate the problem.
The object is to find the snake in the wood pile.

 

[incurablegeek]

make a habit of creating system restore points

Geez, Kari, that is so very obvious. I will do so in the future. Now you see why I never try to come off like I know everything!

@Layback Bear - Your idea is so very stupidly obvious. I should have thought of that. Will do so now and let you know. For what it's worth, the older I get the dumber I become.

Thanks all.

For what it's worth, this forum is beyond incredible. I have been through a number of other topics on this forum, just out of curiosity, and I am amazed at the quality of thought I find here.

I think I'm totally out of my league. Please don't kick me out.

 

[Kari]

No worries. Nobody is perfect, I know it is difficult to believe but even I have made three mistakes in my life. They are called ex-wives #1, #2 and #3.

 

[incurablegeek]

Sunuvawitch!

I disabled all the services in config and rebooted. (Forgot to disable, then re-enable the IME) And now,

My Language Bar Works Perfectly!

Yee Hah!

Layback Bear, for what it's worth, u da man!

Note: I will enable services in blocks of 5 to speed up the process of isolating the problem. Rest assured I will report back on the cause of the problem.

(Damn, this is way better than sex! )


​

 

[Layback Bear]

I'm the blind one that helped find the nut. Believe me Kari knows more about language packages than I will ever know.
I will go back to watching.

 

[incurablegeek]

Sooner or later you guys will think I'm a sad and lonely troll who is making all this stuff up because I need the attention. But sorry to disappoint. That is not the case.

Try this problem on for size. I renabled all services in config. The language bar EN opens when clicked upon. The menus appear and choices can be made.

BUT (there's always a but)

The characters I type come up in the Wrong Kana! (If you're unfamiliar with Japanese, let me just say it this way: It's like I type in a "y" and a "p" appears in the document.) The kana are kind of like random characters, though I'm sure there is some pattern to all this madness.

Yes, Kari really knows language bars. But Layback Bear, please don't go back to your den quite yet. I'm gonna try disabling services from the bottom of config to see if I can isolate the culprit.

Are we having fun yet?

 

[Layback Bear]

Pay close attention to services. Sometimes a infection will load a strange service. Sometime these strange services can be bypassed using Safe Mode. Just thinking.

 

[Layback Bear]

It could be a infection ever though you have had protecion. These are things I would do if it was my computer to make sure your computer is clean.When people like you and Kari who use language packs all the time are having problems like your having is could be a infection.
1. http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/166445-windows-defender-offline.html

2. How to remove malware belonging to the family Rootkit.Win32.TDSS (aka Tidserv, TDSServ, Alureon)?

http://support.kaspersky.com/2663

3.How do I download and install my Windows ESET security product using the ESET offline installer? (5.x) - ESET Knowledgebase

 

[incurablegeek]

Sometime these strange services can be bypassed using Safe Mode.

Layback Bear, you are a true master of the obvious, meaning you catch things that many of us tend to overlook. Yes, I know that really well-crafted malware hides itself well. I did do the safe-mode thingy and still had the same problem of scrambled hiragana. In other words what appeared on the screen was not what I typed. So I tried everything. Even switched my Das mechanical keyboard for a cheap membrane keyboard that typed Japanese nicely on the other computer. Nothing worked.

Now before I render you and poor ole Kari suicidal, here is what I plan to do.

Reinstall. (OMG I used the "R word")

Please understand that this is no small feat. I'm taking screenshots of all the monitors (running three) and program settings - primarily Allway Sync (very nice synchronizer) and CrashPlan online backup. All my programs are loaded in a partition for an easy install.

Oh, when I mentioned how many times I had actually done an install, I was not exaggerating. I had a school for gifted students (about 300 - MIT, Berkeley, Harvard level kids) and we had a policy of doing a reinstall of all the computers in our computer lab after every session. Especially the website design students would bring in lots of their own creations and hence lots of viruses. Result: I'm pretty good at making the process as painless as possible. That doesn't mean that I don't hate feeling like poor old Sisyphus.

Sure does seem to be a malware problem, since we've checked everything else. So I guess it's time to "flush".

 

[gregrocker]

I certainly don't want to come across as the "know it all" you referred to, but in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which I recommended no less than five times in this thread, there is this step when setting up Win7:

12. Don't let any programs write themselves into msconfig>Startup as they slow startup, become freeloaders on your RAM/CPU, can spy on you and cause conflicts.

● As illustrated in Startup Programs - Change uncheck everything except AV, gadgets (aka "sidebar"), Sync program in msconfig>Startup.

● Then after reboots do the same in msconfig>Services after checking "Hide All MS Services."

● Check back with both lists periodically to see if anything writes itself back in, turn it off in its Program Preferences.

● If you have any questions about a listing, Google it to learn what it does.

● However I would not install Google programs which are relentless spyware. Only use the stable Google search box in your browser and don't stay signed into any Google web apps.

● Avoid spyware tracking cookies placing interest ads by Opting Out of Network Advertising.

● The most important thing you can do to avoid spyware creeping in is to watch your program installs like a hawk at every step because programs have found ingenious ways to sneak in spyware with tricky checkbox choices, even in the License Agreement. I always do a Custom install and only allow the features I know I want, later removing any extra in Control Panel>Change.

● Keep an eye also on your Browser Add-Ons to only allow the ones you know you want or are required to make a page display correctly, including Flash, Shockwave, WMP or Quicktime plug-in, Silverlight.

Even if you don't plan to Clean Reinstall, you'll benefit by the tools and methods given.

 

[Layback Bear]

We have some good Tutorial on clean install that might bring back some old memories.
Tutorial search - Windows 7 Forums

 

[incurablegeek]

It seems my travails just keep getting worse and worse. In the past two days I have managed to reduce two perfectly fine computers to Barney Rubble.

1) On the other computer where the Language Bar was actually working, I managed to forget my rather arcane password (backed up everything else but the password).

So I used a program that allowed me to delete the password completely. Worked perfectly and effortlessly.
Reset Windows Password - Reset Administrator Password for Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2008, 2003, 2000

When the screen comes up that asks you which accounts to delete passwords on, I selected both the AV (name of the computer) and Administrator.

Now what I've got is Two Separate Accounts. When the computer boots up the Win 7 Welcome Screen has two choices: Administrator or AV. All the settings are scrambled. That's the only way I can say it.

++++++++++++++++
Travail #2
I did a reinstall on the computer where the Language Bar was not working. Took screenshots of everything, so things went pretty smoothly.

Now I'm getting a warning in Win 7: "Optional Fan #2 Running 1130 rpm". Geez, I have never encountered that one before and therefore have no clue how to fix it.

I took the case off and all the fans are spinning nicely. Yes, I know. It's time to get down on my hands and knees and find out exactly which fan it is.

Could this be a false alert though?

 

[Layback Bear]

1130 is about normal. Give this little program a try.
CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

 

[incurablegeek]

Layback Bear, please forgive my not having reported back. As I expected, that was a false report, either from the mobo or from the ASUS software. All I did was switch the fan power to a different connector (not on the mobo) and No More RPM Warning plus the fan is humming along appropriately.

Although I have tons of utilities to monitor such things, I will certainly take a look at the one you recommended. As always, Thanks! ++++ Oh silly me. I have that program. And, yes, it is the default best out there.

One thing: On many forums I have met some serious @$$holes who are eager to put me down or tell me that I just can't learn something. On another forum just recently I was told to stay away from Gpedit, that it was just too complicated for me to understand. I thanked the guy for his fatherly advice.

I really do appreciate you, gregrocker and kari for not being like that. It's been my experience that people who are really secure in their knowledge don't engage in chest-pounding.

I surely do appreciate all your assistance and I most definitely respect all of you!