HELP! - SO MANY Windows 7 problems!!!

[windows7fix]

I've had so many problems with Windows 7 since i installed it via student discount a month ago. The only reason i am able to get onto seven forums is through dual boot (Vista & 7). Here are some of the problems:

1) Windows Explorer will not show any icons other than empty folders or blank icons (refresh icons won't solve problem)

2) Windows Explorer's preview pane will not work. I also cannot view properties of files folders, or drives.

4) Windows Explorer occasionally crashes, wont respond, and windows cant close the window, regardless if you select the option of "close window" in task manager

5) My computer, control panel, and explorer all have loading progress bars at the top that never seem to end and keep going on and on.

6) Microsoft Office Word hangs about every 1/10 openings. When i click restart program, all I'm left with is a white, non-responsive window that cant close even with task manager. (I've already tried office diagnostics)

An interesting thing to note is that when I access my files in a way other than My Cpmputer, documents, or any windows explorer (like going to Windows Live SkyDrive or sending files in Messenger), all of these problems don't seem to apply. the explorer in these (online) programs works normally.

I am using Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit build 7600, HP Pavilion Elite m9360f

I have Norton 360 installed and Webroot Internet Security Complete Beta. I ran scans and nothing came up.

This was a clean install on a fresh hard drive (2 X 500GB).

Please help me fix these problems. I've put up with this for a month and scoured the internet only to not find anything.

 

[richc46]

Welcome Windows,

I am sorry that you are having so many problems. You may want to try this. Run it several times

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

 

[Tepid]

Download the ISO again and burn it at the slowest speed possible. If you had to download it.
Reinstall Win 7 from Scratch.

Then don't use Webroot, just trust me.
Norton is not much better...

I recommend Microsoft Security Essentials

Overall I think you have a bad installation of Windows.

 

[jfar]

Hi, first thing I would do is uninstall one of your Anti Virus programs, it is not a good idea to run two together. And I would get rid of Norton.

 

[madtownidiot]

Norton will slow your system down worse than most malware and viruses out there, and anything that requires a removal tool to get rid of might as well be classified as an infection. Replacing it with something like MSE would probably help immensely.

 

[windows7fix]

Do you all think that MSE is much better than webroot or norton? I paid for norton and wouldnt want the money to go to waste or to buy it again if its not the best

 

[richc46]

Do you all think that MSE is much better than webroot or norton? I paid for norton and wouldnt want the money to go to waste or to buy it again if its not the best

Unqualified yes. Use MSE, Its free and no annual fee. Most members of the Forum recommend it. Made just for Windows. Use it in conjuction with malwarebytes. You will have very good protection at no cost.

 

[windows7fix]

and do you think norton 360 delivers better protection than MSE? What about webroot internet security?

 

[richc46]

The problem with the software that you mention, is that they slow down the system, create problems and are a major problem to uninstall. MSE in conjunction with Malwarebytes, has none of those problems and has a good track record catching problems before they begin.

 

[Tepid]

Keep this in mind.

Norton has been around so long that good virus/malware writers know how to circumvent it.
There is a nasty little virus/malware going around now that Norton gets trashed by,, don't have the name of it at this time.

MSE is designed by windows for windows and integrates very well,, while it may not be the absolute best thing on the market,,, for free,, it is better than Norton or Mcafee, and smokes AVG (garbage). Avast is ok, but my opinion is MSE is better.

MSE is getting better all the time. the more people using it the better it will get.

Also,, webroot is what GeekSqaud forces on people to clean up systems,, and I have cleaned up many many many many GeekSqaud trashed computers.

 

[windows7fix]

and if MSE isn't the best, then what is?

 

[windows7fix]

also, is a repair install my only option? I would like to try a less aggressive approach if there is one

 

[richc46]

Either I mispoke or you misunderstood. My position is that MSE is the best.

My prior quote


Unqualified yes. Use MSE, Its free and no annual fee. Most members of the Forum recommend it. Made just for Windows. Use it in conjuction with malwarebytes. You will have very good protection at no cost

 

[jfar]

As was suggested to you, Uninstall the anti virus and see if that is the cause, you can always reinstall it later, if it proves not to be.

 

[richc46]

One benefit of this forum is one problem presents many ideas. I have mine. That with so many problems a repair install is in order. Others have suggested other solutions. Pick the one that suits your needs. As you wait others will come along and offer suggestions, too.

My true wish is that you get the system working the way it should and that you can enjoy it again.

 

[Tepid]

With all the problems you are having,,, yes,, Repair install or clean install is the best route.
You will spend more time trying to fix these issues than backing up data and starting from scratch.

There is not one perfect over all AV suite. While Norton did very well last year and does a very good job at cleaning up or keeping a system clean, it has it's issues which outweigh those things.

MSE is high on the list of good AV with AV-Comparatives - Independent Tests of Anti-Virus Software - Welcome to AV-Comparatives.org
MSE got 2 Golds and a Bronze which is not bad.

Yes, they have named Symantec AV of the year, but they don't take into count what impact is has on the system as a whole.

 

[windows7fix]

thank you all very much for taking time to provide solutions to this problem. i am going to try all of these solutions and hopefully it will work.

 

[madtownidiot]

I don't think norton provides much protection at all. I've worked on dozens of infected computers that were supposedly "protected" by norton. But as suggested earlier, MSE and Malwarebytes combined is more than adequate protection for people who don't try to download pirated software or search for pornography or the like.. Common sense will help as much as a good antivirus.
Also, if you get a pop-up that says your computer is infected while surfing the internet, whatever you do, DON'T download anything. Close your browser and scan your system. Try to remember where you saw the pop-up and report it as a site that's serving malware. The fake antivirus scams out there are worse than most viruses

 

[Tepid]

I should add that,,,,,,

There is not a single AV Suite out there that is going to catch or clean everything.

Some are better than others, and AV suites change all the time. They have to.
You should, from time to time,,, find an On-Line Scanner such as Live Safety Scanner from Microsoft, or Eset On-line scanner, or KAV or Panda, not the full products, just scan on-line with different ones, cause nothing is going to catch everything. And keep in mind that there are such things as false positives/negatives and that some scanners will detect things that aren't a major problem but might point them out as such.

AV Scanning is a "know what you are looking for art form, to some degree".

Some will detect cookies and call them malicious, well they are easily taken care of, but could alarm someone who doesn't know better. So, you have to take these things into account.

I hope this info is helpful and that I wasn't just babbling.

 

[Wishmaster]

Guess I disagree with most here.

MSE is good, great in fact for a free alternative.

However, if you have a paid sub to Norton, I would recommend upgrading to NIS 2010 over the 360. You should be able to.

fact of the matter is: NIS VS MSE
NIS 2010 will offer:
a much higher detection rate
less false postives
faster scanning
uses slightly more resources than MSE / much less than 360

Its much better than 360 all round.

the new NIS is nothing like past versions. Far superior in every way, and is rated one of the best security solutions this year.
My 2c for what its worth