HELP, with my computer............PLEASE?

Question

MY CHILDREN, MESSED WITH MY COMPUTER, AND SINCE THEN, IT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING RIGHT. I THINK ITS THE.......HELL, I DON'T KNOW, BUT THIS IS WHATS GOING ON. I CAN'T GO ON ANYTHING REQUIRING INTERNET EXPLORER...I CAN'T DOWNLOAD ANYTHING...AND I DON'T WANT TO PAY ALOT TO GET IT FIXED......OR BUY A NEW ONE.....I HAVE WINDOWS XP.....SOMEONE TOLD ME I HAD TO DOWNLOAD A NEW VERSION OF "WORDS".......WHATEVER THAT MEANS...HELP..PLEASE

Answer 1

try system restore it should work right after it gets all done :-]

Answer 2

It's pretty hard to tell from your description but it looks like Internet Explorer might be messed up. Go in to the Internet Options in Control Panel and set everything to default if you can, then try again. Also, from a command prompt, try the following command to see if your internet connection works (to get to a command prompt, click Start, Run, type cmd and press OK).

ping 4.2.2.2

If you get replies, you have a good internet connection. If you don't get replies, your internet connection is no good.

A word of advice -- once you get your system fixed up, make sure to password-protect your account on the computer and set up 'Limited' accounts for your kids. This is pretty easy to do from the 'Users' icon in the control panel.

EDIT -- I will also endorse the System Restore idea.

Answer 3

First update and scan your computer with your security products such as antivirus and antispyware applications. If your computer comes up clean after running your resident security products, you may want to consider running a System File Checker (SFC). This can be run in Safe Mode should you prefer. To get into Safe Mode, reboot and then either hold down or tap the F8 key repeatedly while the computer is starting up. To run SFC, close all applications such as Office, Messenger, Email, etc, and go to:

- Start
- Run
- Type in sfc /scannow (include the space before the " / ")

What SFC does is that it attempts to fix or replace critical operating system files. Sometimes this can be done without the installation disk, however it may prompt you for the appropriate operating system installation disk. If that is the case, then you know that you definitely have major file corruption or something missing. Insert the disk if prompted. Also you should run SFC using the Administrator account.

If you have the Vista operating system, the steps are a bit different due to the UAC. See the link below.
http://vistasupport.mvps.org/system_file_checker.htm

Don't surf, play games or do anything while SFC runs. After it is completed, reboot your computer.

One of the major culprits in missing or corrupt operating system files is running a registry cleaner or optimizer. They can flag important shared files for deletion or cleanup. Another cause is malware.

NOTE: Before running any registry cleaner or editing the registry, always ensure you back it up first. If the registry cleaner you are using doesn't have that function, you can do it manually. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756

Answer 4

Does Internet Explorer open? (In other words does the IE Task Bar at the top of the page open, but you can't go to websites?) Tell me what you do and what you see as a result, email me and I'll give you a hand.

Answer 5

Click help and type in system restore. Windows XP can go back to a point in time when your system worked properly. Pick the restore point that exists when your system worked and it should go back to that point and your problems will be over.

Good luck

Answer 6

It could be a virus hard to tell click start run and type in a web address eg www.ebay.com this will go on the internet through msn if it works ie may be the problem so reinstall or just download firefox or opera.

Answer 7

Don't go to a computer. They make you pay a lot. If they try fixing it and it doesnt even get fixed, you still gotta pay for labor. If you have a family or friend that can, do so.

Answer 8

You can do a system restore.
Go to Start
-Programs
-Accessories
-SystemTools
-SystemRestore.
From there do a system restore to a date previous to the kids messing with it.

Answer 9

Try to install Mozilla Firefox--use it instead of Internet Explorer--I like it better anyway. Its free, by the way.

Answer 10

Do a System restore.

Answer 11

If it was me, the first thing I would do would be to call the internet provider you have (cable, phone, whoever) -- they have people who can walk you through steps to get it back to normal. I would do that FIRST. They'v helped me on many occasions.....