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How-To Geek Forums / Windows XP

Cannot open any folder or file

(2 posts)
  • Started 5 years ago by TYKO
  • Latest reply from AlanMCC
  • Topic Viewed 4517 times

TYKO
Posts: 1

HI

I have been using XP for some time now. I have reinstalled XP on my Dell countless times:) Whatever problems I had would be gone with a fresh copy of XP.
2 days ago I had 2 reinstall it again. After reinstalling brand new XP for the first time I noticed something wasn't right. When I open My Computer, double click on C Drive, it opens in another window. I went on line and found a fix for that (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell). That didn't help.
When I open My Computer, right click on C Drive, instead of showing me the options-Open, Explore, Search----it shows me-Autoplay, 'o^$*^(0)(weird numbers), Search, Explore. Now, I know those weird numbers after Autoplay shouldn't be there. After double clicking on C drive one time in starts to behave normal. After sometime when I open My Computer, there is a windows icon on the new window, after that I cannot do anything. Cannot open or close any folder. Cannot even restart the computer.
If I still have a virus in a fresh reinstalled XP, how can I delete it?
After another 10-15 minutes a warning sign comes up saying-REG.exe open files are currupt and need 2 close down.
Can any one please help me with this. I have never in my 7 years of working with XP had this weird problems.
Thank you so much!

Posted 5 years ago #
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AlanMcC
Posts: 0

This might be a bit too obvious

First of all, the fact that your machine is showing random charaters after autoplay and that autoplay shows up on your c drive means your OS is corrupt. The most likely cause is that your hard drive is failing. A virus would not exist after a format reinstall except in the case of old boot viruses which are very rare and near impossible on varly new machines.

I recommend that you get a new hard drive. This would also explaing the drive confussion. If you know how to fit drives your self. take out any excess drives, and just have the primary hard drive on ide 1 and the cd rom on ide 2 and do another fresh install. IF not, then get someone who knows what they are doing to scan the drive using many online tools and replace the drive in teh event that errors are found

Regards, AlanMcC

Posted 5 years ago #
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