My computer is, um...dead.

GEC: Discuss gaming, computers and electronics and venture into the bizarre world of STGODs.

Moderator: Thanas

Post Reply
User avatar
Ice
Padawan Learner
Posts: 151
Joined: 2002-07-06 11:27pm

My computer is, um...dead.

Post by Ice »

I can't logon to the internet with it anymore. I now get my task bar freezing itself, Program Manager will tell me it's crashed multiple times, and then my whole computer will freeze! In fact, when I tried to post earlier, it froze, and now I'm using a laptop to get on.

The last thing I did was clear out some spyware and try and get this annoying ISearch toolbar to go away, and deleted the various install things that shouldn't be there. I killed the searchbar thing, but also, it seems, the rest of my internet.

Can anyone help me fix this?

And, as a last resort, I'm going to just delete everything on my machine. Everything. Can anyone tell me (just in case) what command that is? I know FORMAT, but I heard there's one stronger, that you can't restore anything from afterwards, and that's what I want.

Thanks for any help you can provide!
Image
"Honor isn't about making the right choices. It's about dealing with the consequences." - Midori Koto
User avatar
Exonerate
Sith Marauder
Posts: 4454
Joined: 2002-10-29 07:19pm
Location: DC Metro Area

Post by Exonerate »

ERr, its possible it might've messed up the registry... Can you use the comp when you don't try to connect? You might've deleted something that was useful...

BoTM, MM, HAB, JL
User avatar
Dalton
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
Posts: 22637
Joined: 2002-07-03 06:16pm
Location: New York, the Fuck You State
Contact:

Post by Dalton »

Let me guess, you tried to clean off the computer with a non-updated spyware cleaner. This happened to me before. It sounds like you deleted some key Internet Explorer components, which, since IE is stupidly, inextricably tied to the Operating System, completely hosed your box.
Image
Image
To Absent Friends
Dalton | Admin Smash | Knight of the Order of SDN

"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster

May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
User avatar
aerius
Charismatic Cult Leader
Posts: 14801
Joined: 2002-08-18 07:27pm

Re: My computer is, um...dead.

Post by aerius »

Ice wrote:And, as a last resort, I'm going to just delete everything on my machine. Everything. Can anyone tell me (just in case) what command that is? I know FORMAT, but I heard there's one stronger, that you can't restore anything from afterwards, and that's what I want.

Thanks for any help you can provide!
Format /q /u Instantly wipes everything on the disc, presto bingo, good as new.

If that's not enough then use Fdisk and kill the partitions, but you better know what you're doing.
Image
aerius: I'll vote for you if you sleep with me. :)
Lusankya: Deal!
Say, do you want it to be a threesome with your wife? Or a foursome with your wife and sister-in-law? I'm up for either. :P
User avatar
RogueIce
_______
Posts: 13388
Joined: 2003-01-05 01:36am
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Contact:

Post by RogueIce »

Dalton wrote:Let me guess, you tried to clean off the computer with a non-updated spyware cleaner. This happened to me before. It sounds like you deleted some key Internet Explorer components, which, since IE is stupidly, inextricably tied to the Operating System, completely hosed your box.
It was Spybot S&D, the most updated there is. Tje only physical deletion I did were of various installer programs, except the one ISearch folder (that might've done it... :cry: ). Is there anyway to fix it, or should I just start all over and format/deltree (I think that's the command)?
Image
"How can I wait unknowing?
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)

"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
User avatar
aerius
Charismatic Cult Leader
Posts: 14801
Joined: 2002-08-18 07:27pm

Post by aerius »

Does your spyware remover have an "undo changes" option? If so you could try restoring everything and see if it works, and then go delete things one by one again.
Image
aerius: I'll vote for you if you sleep with me. :)
Lusankya: Deal!
Say, do you want it to be a threesome with your wife? Or a foursome with your wife and sister-in-law? I'm up for either. :P
User avatar
Dalton
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
For Those About to Rock We Salute You
Posts: 22637
Joined: 2002-07-03 06:16pm
Location: New York, the Fuck You State
Contact:

Post by Dalton »

RogueIce wrote:
Dalton wrote:Let me guess, you tried to clean off the computer with a non-updated spyware cleaner. This happened to me before. It sounds like you deleted some key Internet Explorer components, which, since IE is stupidly, inextricably tied to the Operating System, completely hosed your box.
It was Spybot S&D, the most updated there is. Tje only physical deletion I did were of various installer programs, except the one ISearch folder (that might've done it... :cry: ). Is there anyway to fix it, or should I just start all over and format/deltree (I think that's the command)?
Don't. Try reinstalling your OS first. You can probably just install it over the old version or do a repair installation without nuking all your files.
Image
Image
To Absent Friends
Dalton | Admin Smash | Knight of the Order of SDN

"y = mx + bro" - Surlethe
"You try THAT shit again, kid, and I will mod you. I will
mod you so hard, you'll wish I were Dalton." - Lagmonster

May the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce.
User avatar
RogueIce
_______
Posts: 13388
Joined: 2003-01-05 01:36am
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida, USA
Contact:

Post by RogueIce »

Dalton wrote:Don't. Try reinstalling your OS first. You can probably just install it over the old version or do a repair installation without nuking all your files.
*whew* Thanks for remind me about the reinstalling thing! Got me to remembering, "Wait, I got this from someone else...do I even have a Win98 CD?"

Which, it seems, I do not. So, anything I do can't involve reinstalling, unless I can get my hands on a new OS CD (I think one was in here earlier from my dad's work, let's see if I can find it...).
Image
"How can I wait unknowing?
This is the price of war,
We rise with noble intentions,
And we risk all that is pure..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, Forever (Rome: Total War)

"On and on, through the years,
The war continues on..." - Angela & Jeff van Dyck, We Are All One (Medieval 2: Total War)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." - Ambrose Redmoon
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent, The Dark Knight
Post Reply