Mysterious error and uninstallation problems

[Emerald Boa]

For the past 2 weeks I've been getting a .dll error on startup.

At first I didn't notice anything wrong (aside from that, obviously) but now the icons for Office, Skype, Messenger, Adobe Reader, and quite a few other programs, have stopped working. The programs themselves are fine. I realised that they're all programs that came with the OS when I installed it; all the shareware I have is ok. I concluded that there must've been an error in the installation. Correct? :sarc:

I don't really want to reinstall Windows, even with the repair install, because my disk is partitioned (and I think some people have had problems with that) and I'm scared it'll screw up my connection (it's something that happens every time I so much as blink at it, so paranoia is justified).

So I thought, Ah ha! I shall uninstall the programs (none of them are paid for, after all) and then reinstall the lot. Eureka. But -joy oh joy- some of them can't be uninstalled. I get the following error:

Or, in the case of Office, a polite refusal. Uninstallation didn't work, sorry mate.

Argh.

Additional: now Secunia PSI (just installed) has no icon. Which it did, 2 min ago. This is getting scary.

 

[Jonathan_King]

I suggest a system files check. Open an elevated command prompt and enter sfc /scannow.

Also try a repair install. It shouldn't cause any problems, but in the rare event it does, we'll be sure to get them sorted out for you.

 

[Emerald Boa]

Scanned... not a sausage. I think I may have to reinstall.

I think the icon problem comes from a corrupt .dll, because rebuilding the icon cache didn't work and when I try to change the icon I get the following error:



...although it lets me give it a standard icon when I hit OK.

I managed to restore the Secunia icon without any trouble, though, so perhaps reinstalling the programs will fix it. Oh please lord let it fix it.