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reinstalling mysteriously lost XP programs

Roma

Master Poster
Roma
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
2,073
Okay so my computer is really old but it's all I have so bear with me.
Somehow all of my Windows XP Office 2003 programs on my Dell computer have disappeared, I don't know how but this likely happened a couple days ago, my control panel lists all of the Windows XP updates, some very recent, I have internet, outlook express, lots of other stuff but no Windows XP Office programs like Word, which I need.
I have all the disks so I can reinstall them but I am an old computer phobic person who gets anxiety just thinking about doing that.

Please tell me how to start,
and please tell me what I should not do 'cause I'll do it ya know.

Thank-you
 
Programs don't unfortunately disappear for no reason. It could point to a recently performed System Restore, a corrupt registry, an infection (some recent trojans have been hiding files - not deleting them, just hiding), even a problem with the hard disk itself.

If the programs really are absent, try reinstalling Office 2003; it should be straightforward enough, provided you have the disc(s) and licence key. It shouldn't affect any existing documents, but if you're concerned about those, copy them first to an external source such as a flash drive or CD. Use the default options when installing, if adjustments are needed they can be looked at later.
 
Super slow internet ? Yes, I turn on the internet then go make myself a cup of tea while I wait for it to load, and for that I pay $160/month for high speed internet service.
So that's a malware kinda problem ?
So I look for that problem before I reinstall ? and if so, how ? where ?

thank-you
 
commandlinegamer said:
...... Use the default options when installing......
Click to expand...

Will it say "default option" when prompting me ?
I am familiar with clicking on things like "run" and "next" and things like that but I can't remember anything more specific. I just need to prepare myself before I begin so I won't become overwhelmed when things like that come up.

And what about this "safe mode" that I've been told about, just how do I begin if I have to go there ? Do I go there first then put in the reinstallation disk ?

thank-you
 
Roma said:
Super slow internet ? Yes, I turn on the internet then go make myself a cup of tea while I wait for it to load, and for that I pay $160/month for high speed internet service.
So that's a malware kinda problem ?
So I look for that problem before I reinstall ? and if so, how ? where ?

thank-you
Click to expand...

Hi Roma,
Well that is sort of dependant on what the Malware is, I am thinking that your internet should load very quickly if you have high speed.

Sooo

Download Rkill
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/anti-virus/rkill
Save it to your desktop, and then double click to run it. A DOS window will open, let it do its thing. This program will stop many malware processes.

If the machine tells you that it is infected, just start Rkill again, until it gets the malware. If Rkill closes try downloading the ones with names like Rkill.scr and eXplorer.exe

do not restart your machine
Then
Download Malwarebytes Free
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

Install it, do not let it update automatically, let the program start or start it yourself, click on the Update tab and manually update.

Then run a quick scan. If it says that it must restart the computer let it do so. Once your machine restarts then run Rkill again.

Please post the scan log from malwarebytes, that way I can look at the malware, as can others.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free
 
Roma said:
Will it say "default option" when prompting me ?
Click to expand...

No in so many words, all I was suggesting was to use any automatically selected options during the installation procedure for the time being.

However, I think checking for infections may be more productive just now; if nothing else as something to be ruled out.
 
Okay I did malware.bytes and rkill

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.51.1.1800
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: 7312

Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702

28/07/2011 7:50:09 PM
mbam-log-2011-07-28 (19-50-07).txt

Scan type: Full scan (C:\|)
Objects scanned: 286637
Time elapsed: 2 hour(s), 41 minute(s), 40 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 0

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)
 
and this was from the virus scan from the program my cable company provides:

Scanning Report
28 July 2011 21:18:43 - 23:38:13
Computer name: ROMA-**********
Scanning type: Full scan
Target: C:\ + system + rootkits


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Result
No malware found




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Statistics
Scanned:
Files: 184482
Not scanned: 1
Result:
Viruses: 0
Spyware: 0
Suspicious items: 0
Riskware: 0
Actions:
Disinfected: 0
Renamed: 0
Deleted: 0
Quarantined: 0
Failed: 0
Boot Sectors:
Scanned: 2
Infected: 0
Suspicious items: 0
Disinfected: 0
Files not scanned:
Cannot open file (click here for more info) C:\PAGEFILE.SYS
 
Last edited:
Sooo....do I do this now ?

from bleepingcomputer:

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic76702.html&h=CAQDjQt4y

To install the Recovery Console, follow these steps:
1. Insert the Windows XP CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2. Click Start, and then click Run.
3. In the Open box, type d:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons where d is the drive letter for the CD-ROM drive.
4. A Windows Setup Dialog Box appears. The Windows Setup Dialog Box describes the Recovery Console option. To confirm the installation, click Yes.
5. Restart the computer. The next time that you start your computer, "Microsoft Windows Recovery Console" appears on the startup menu.
 
Last edited:
Oh, some one told me to do this, is this safe ?

from bleepingcomputer:

this is possibly an infection. This infection family will also hide all the files on your computer from being seen. To make your files visible again, please download the following program to your desktop:

Unhide.exe


Once the program has been downloaded, double-click on the Unhide.exe icon on your desktop and allow the program to run. This program will remove the +H, or hidden, attribute from all the files on your hard drives. If there are any files that were purposely hidden by you, you will need to hide them again after this tool is run.
 
Roma said:
Oh, some one told me to do this, is this safe ?

from bleepingcomputer:

this is possibly an infection. This infection family will also hide all the files on your computer from being seen.
Click to expand...

Can you post the entire response of which this is part? From your logs so far it hasn't indicated anything. Did you run another scan which did find something?

I don't think we're at the format-reinstall stage yet; if the problem is hardware-related that won't necessarily solve it.
 
This happened to me two weeks ago.

We where on windows explorer and looking at the contents of a folder. Suddenly, a folder inside that folder vanished in front of our eyes. We immediately suspected a virus.

We checked the backup to see if we can recover the missing folder. We noticed that one of the folder is suddenly twice the size of the backup.

What happened is windows "thought" we were dragging the missing folder and dropped it inside the other folder. Whew.

Anyway, no virus except for windows explorer.
 
Roma said:
Oh, some one told me to do this, is this safe ?

from bleepingcomputer:

this is possibly an infection. This infection family will also hide all the files on your computer from being seen. To make your files visible again, please download the following program to your desktop:

Unhide.exe


Once the program has been downloaded, double-click on the Unhide.exe icon on your desktop and allow the program to run. This program will remove the +H, or hidden, attribute from all the files on your hard drives. If there are any files that were purposely hidden by you, you will need to hide them again after this tool is run.
Click to expand...

Yes unhide.exe is a great little program very safe.

If it is malware it will take more than Mbam to budge it. (Something like an OTL scan and more)

Did you run Rkill first?

Did it stop any processes?

Disappearing files is usually big sign along with the way slow internet.

But it could be something else, what happens if you search for the word Office?
 
Last edited:
Have the programs actually disappeared, or just disappeared from the start menu? I have a laptop which, for some reason, does not put programs on the menus properly. I have only one account, log on as administrator, and cannot select other than the "all users" menu, yet almost all my programs disappeared from the menu, and new installations don't appear there. I can go to another menu in Explorer, and there they are, but I can't log onto it. I must transfer the items in explorer back onto the default menu! All the programs are there, though.

I imagine there's a better fix for this which I'm too lazy to look up, but in the meantime my advice would be to make sure the programs are actually gone.
 
the Windows programs are not listed in my control panel or start up
there were some things detected in malware.bytes yesterday but it says I need to reboot to delete them, here are the logs, I'll reboot after I post this. Then please tell me where to begin my reinstallation of the Windows XP program, do I need to go into safe mode to do that ?
thank-you

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.51.1.1800
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: 7310

Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702

28/07/2011 2:49:29 PM
mbam-log-2011-07-28 (14-49-29).txt

Scan type: Full scan (C:\|)
Objects scanned: 286251
Time elapsed: 2 hour(s), 38 minute(s), 15 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 1
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 3

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
c:\program files\windows live\messenger\msimg32.dll (PUP.FunWebProducts) -> Delete on reboot.

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

10:43:39 Owner MESSAGE Protection started successfully
10:43:49 Owner MESSAGE IP Protection started successfully
14:48:20 Owner MESSAGE Scheduled update executed successfully
14:48:33 Owner MESSAGE IP Protection stopped
14:52:04 (null) MESSAGE Database updated successfully
14:52:14 (null) MESSAGE IP Protection started successfully
14:54:57 Owner MESSAGE Protection started successfully
15:13:55 Owner MESSAGE IP Protection started successfully
15:56:41 Owner MESSAGE Protection started successfully
15:57:26 Owner MESSAGE IP Protection started successfully


13:03:19 Owner MESSAGE Scheduled update executed successfully
13:03:45 Owner MESSAGE IP Protection stopped
13:05:16 Owner MESSAGE Database updated successfully
13:05:27 Owner MESSAGE IP Protection started successfully
 
Hi Roma,

Did unhide.exe help?

What were the two infected files found by Mbam? It says it found 3?

Is you internet still slow?
 
Last edited:
Problem solved, yesireeee :)

I got a phone call from Microsoft this morning saying that they have noticed I have been sending a lot of error reports lately. It was the opinion of that tech guy that I have a lot of dangerous viruses on my boot and that if I didn't get them off my computer would be useless soon.

Well I was going to reinstall my Windows program this afternoon but you guys have convinced me that reinstalling the programs if there are still viruses is useless, and I am not up to the job right now anyway after ending up in the hospital with assorted injuries.

Anyway, the Support4urpc.com tech guy that phoned me took control with that remote assistance from Microsoft's end and with the help of other tech guys there helping him for six hours today my computer is back to normal, all cleaned up and protected for six months for just $69.

Thank god for Microsoft remote assistance and Visa cards ;)

And thank you guys too because I would have just reinstalled the programs and found myself right back at square one again if not worse.
 
Last edited:
Roma said:
Problem solved, yesireeee :)

I got a phone call from Microsoft this morning saying that they have noticed I have been sending a lot of error reports lately. It was the opinion of that tech guy that I have a lot of dangerous viruses on my boot and that if I didn't get them off my computer would be useless soon.

Well I was going to reinstall my Windows program this afternoon but you guys have convinced me that reinstalling the programs if there are still viruses is useless, and I am not up to the job right now anyway after ending up in the hospital with assorted injuries.

Anyway, the Support4urpc.com tech guy that phoned me took control with that remote assistance from Microsoft's end and with the help of other tech guys there helping him for six hours today my computer is back to normal, all cleaned up and protected for six months for just $69.

Thank god for Microsoft remote assistance and Visa cards ;)

And thank you guys too because I would have just reinstalled the programs and found myself right back at square one again if not worse.
Click to expand...

Ohhhhh boy.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_other-security/does-support4urpc-exist-or-is-it-a-scam/01d318b9-569a-4136-b31b-f70feefa6ac5

Bad, bad, bad.
 
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