problems with my pc

[washablemarker]

Hey, ive had these problems on my computer for a while now. Could i please get some advice on how to go about fixing them. It would really be appreciated.

When i attempt to access Program Files in my Quick Start Menu, the following messages pop up:

1. Program Error
explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by Windows.
You will need to restart the program.

This message only allows me to 'cancel' which afterwards does nothing.

2. DrWatson Nono Fatal Error
Cannot Open DrWatson Log File.
Press OK to Browse for new directory.
Windows 2000 returned error code = 3.
The System cannot find the path specified

After clicking ok, the next message pops up.

3. Dr Watson Log File Directory Browse

It then allows me to browse through drive c: but i have no idea what to do. When i press cancel, it brings up yet another message.

4. DrWatson Fatal Error
Connot Open DrWatson Log File.
Windows 2000 returned error code = 0.
The operation completed successfully.

After all of this, the program icons on the start menu are reorganized and my firewall is shut down.

Also, i recieve this messagge upon startup:

16 bit Windows Subsystem
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXE.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'close' to terminate the application.

It also provides with the option to 'Ignore'.

Thank you, and once again, advice will be greatly appreciated.

[GaryRouth]

Hi washablemarker

At first glance, this sounds like what we'd expect from a system suffering from infections or attacks. If you have a well-protected 2nd computer, the quickest repair might be to pull the hard drive from the current computer, and "slave" it in the other, using the host computer's antivirus and antispyware tools to clean the drive. If you have or can borrow an external USB 2.0 hard drive housing, these make such work much easier, as you don't have to fiddle inside the helper-computer's case. [Such enclosures start about $20 and go up from there].

You can also try bootable CDs that contain current up-to-date antiviral tools (there are Knoppix CDs, "Ultimate Boot" CDs, "Bart's PE" CDs,... all sorts.

If it turns out that the system was indeed infected, and you are able to clean the drive fairly well - you could then proceed to try a normal boot. If serious errors keep the system from booting, you could then try a "repair" reinstall. Here's a guide, complete with screenshots, that walks you through this step-by-step http://www.windowsreinstall.com/wind...pair/index.htm
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If you have any reason to suspect the system's hardware, run some diagnostics. If this is a laptop, some manufacturers build-in diagnostic tools - check your documentation [Dell and IBM, for example, provide such tools for many of their laptops and desktops]. If your system didn't come with any diagnostics, you can test the system memory modules with MemTest86, an open-source free tool http://www.memtest.org To test the hard drive, use the diagnostic tools downloadable from the hard drive manufacturer's website.

Best of luck!
. . . Gary

[P.S. ... don't reconnect to any networks, especially the Internet, until antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software is installed and active once again]

[Ok, one more thing: if you don't have an external hard drive enclosure available, and want to see some of the details involved with "slaving" a drive into a "helper PC". . . here's a little guide (I wrote it in a bit of a hurry, apologies for it's less than elegant presentation) http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=106182 ]