jpgs/bmps/default

[wilder]

I've done it again..

I can't open jpg/jpegs at all. Icons have changed. In iPhoto I get 'jpg format not recognized'. In file types all looks good.
With sfc I added .ico to the criteria, no problems reported.
Tried file manager, I don't know how to use that and in 'help' it says 'This file is not meant for browsing'. (Then why is is there??)

I know that "Windows Bitmap" file type was in the list of file types, but that's gone now too.

Could have been one of two things.
1)I downloaded and installed pencam software (associates with iPhoto+4.) Now I can't open jpg/jpegs with ip4 to edit. I tried associating with them in ip4 preferences, didn't help.

or 2) I created alot of new icons and EXTRACTED some from windows too just to keep in MY Icons folder. I like to change them. I may have extracted one I shouldn't.

I guess what I need is to know how to restore original file type (associations?) without deleting the new ones In a very simplified way .

I've done a search on this and I had alot of notes on the subject I got from this forum, but, I made another big error recently and lost them all, no back up.


Crappy old pc w/W98
Original software only
All the freeware I can get
Oh, yea, I have Plus!

[GaryRouth]

Hmm . . . seems like the absolute fastest way might be to save you iPhoto pics to a special folder, and uninstall/reinstall iPhoto?

Seems like that should restore those two associations without much work, and without affecting your other icons.

And at least if it doesn't work, it won't have taken up much time, and we can try something else.

. . . Gary

[wilder]

Tried that before I posted. I try to do everything I can think of before asking for help!
I'm backing up now..expecting the worst. But at least this time I'll be prepared....

[GaryRouth]

Hmm . . . did you already try uninstalling/reinstalling the pencam software too?

If you saved the download (or if you have broadband & it's not cumbersome to download it again), another approach might be to uninstall both the pencam and iPhoto - then try restoring your Registry from a date previous to this trouble. And test things out - and then reinstall those two. Might check on the website for the pencam software to see if there are any incompatibilities listed. If you haven't done a Registry restore before, you'd do a clean boot (from either your Win98 CD or a bootable floppy), and from the A: prompt, type scanreg/restore . . . and choose a date from the list.

Make your backups first, of course. It might end up that a Windows reinstall will save time from endless website searching for patches/fixes, I guess only time will tell. . .

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[If any techs out there reading this have iPhoto experience, please jump in any time - I don't have that software]

[wilder]

I believe I have found the problem. The dreaded WIN32.
I knew the other day I didn't recognize the C:\WINDOWS32 folder but with all the downloading I've been doing and with having to clean the HD and re-install, I thought it might just be something I missed before.
I got it from an icon replacement tool called 'icofldr35.zip' from download.com. But I have been using Camtech's programs for a long time and this is a first from them. I found 8 folders in search and one is win32.ico icon eplacement tool.
Now, if I have the virus and I send an attachment as a .gif DIRECTLY from a floppy, would it be in my system long enough to infect the gif?

[wilder]

It was according to someone who knows a just a little more than me some program in german or something like that. I know from now on I am going to be more careful. One of the affected files was in my vscan, so it wouldn't have done me any good anyway.I don;t have anything except McAfee.

[GaryRouth]

Glad you got it fixed. Does your McAfee scan in real-time? Seems like it should have caught it. I've heard from some security minded techs that when McAfee has been compromised, it's best to uninstall it, run a complete system scan from DOS (a clean boot), then re-install it and then immediately update the definitions.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[wilder]

Even though I know the cause, the problem is getting rid of it. It got into all my folders and file settings, I can't even get into my "My Documents" shortcut from my desktop. The only options I get there are 'cut, create shortcut, or delete'. I had already gone into Hkey_Clases etc. and fixed the bmp and jpg files when I learned you should uninstall the programs before doing that. So I had to re-do all that stuff. What a mess I have. It changed my drivers and hardware settings, couldn't even use my floppy drive last night. I've explored this thing enough to recognize when something doesn't look normal. It had a weird driver installed and when I tried to update driver I got the promt "We do not recommend you use the installed driver, do you wish to install the direct.b1 located in C:Windows\Temp? I checked yes (duh!) and I got another warning that that one was unknown to the trust providers, with the big yellow exclamation mark. I changed to show all files and looked in Temp and there's no driver there. Ha, I didn't know what to do. I finally found the original driver. Just a pain! I have files in folders that were never there like .DLL files in my documents folder, Man! I'm learning more about this machine than I ever expected. System checker took an eternity! So many files changed or deleted. Got prompts to restore certain files from the CD, those files didn't even exist! Oh well, at least I'm learning some valuable lessons. Still don't get the System32 stuff, I never had a file called System32. (I'm pretty sure) I guess my McAfee virus scan didn't detect anything because some of the (whatever,files?) in vscan had been changed or deleted. Got enough here to keep me busy for long time.
Questions! Questions!
I could write a book! Now my cursor's messin up. Hope it's just my old keyboard, I have a new one. Thanks for all the help! I wouldn't know half what I do if it wasn't for reading these posts.

[wilder]

Oh, Yea, another thing The driver for the PenCam is not recommended for use, I didn't need the thing anyway!

[GaryRouth]

Seems like your best bet might be to back up what you can (and then scan those backups for viruses) - try a full system scan from DOS (I'm hoping that the McAfee CD will offer to do this, like the Norton - but I'm not sure, since I don't have McAfee, nor do we use it at work) [the full system scan will make sure that nothing is in the boot sector] - and then either uninstall everything you can, and try a run of AdAware and The Cleaner, and then a run of RegClean (from the Microsoft download site). . . then reinstall McAfee and start over. - - - OR wipe the drive clean [even use a zero-write utility from the drive's manufacturer if you wish] and try a fresh install.

By now, the fresh install sounds pretty good. Just save the most important data to a CD-R & then scan the heck out of that CD before you put that data back on your fresh install.

[and when I say "scan from DOS", I'm referring to booting from your AntiVirus CD and running a scan from that - Norton disks can do this, I'm not sure if McAfee will or not] - you could borrow a Norton AntiVirus 2003 CD just for this one run (it doesn't install the program, it just checks the drive - and it runs very slowly= usually about 30-40min).

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[OOPs - perhaps I've been typing without thinking first. If you're computer is an older Compaq, Hp, Gateway, Dell, etc . . . you might want to use the "Recovery Disk" option, rather than wiping the disk yourself. The Recovery Disks will offer to wipe the drive and reinstall everything back to the condition of the PC when you 1st bought it. . . and all the proprietary things will be where they're supposed to be]

[wilder]

Well, it's not the ole keyboard. It's the driver! I was reading ---> back there about converting to FAT32 and saw where you state
w98/Fat32 the converter won't convert a drive smaller than 512mb. Out of curiousity I went to see what mine was because I was thinking about learning more about FAT32, and there was that familiar yellow EM! According to history I just changed the driver about 13 minutes ago! It's not even my type of keyboard!

Can't do a scan from the DOS, I don't remember my password. Don't you have to have a password to get into DOS? Or is that just MSDOS? The truth is I don't even know the difference!
Did a full system scan last night...before I discovered the vscan was corrupted. I tried through Housecall, but It after about 40 minuted it still hadn't downloaded fully! I gave up on that. My viruscan program is on the same CD as Windows 98, yea, still using the original 'complimentary' McAfee. But I just upgraded from their site on the 26th, when I did a complete HD format.
The fresh install??? Again already?? Yea, does look like that will be the only cure. Or better yet, just go out anbd buy a whole
new system!!

[wilder]

use this for my avitar when I have enough posts to this forum??

[wilder]

Just an update. Wasn't even a virus! Just bad help/advice from someone who thought he was helping. (NOT FROM HERE!) I've learned..when in doubt: go to a professional. Saves alot of headaches. Again, thanks very much.

[GaryRouth]

Well, you learned a lot about your computer along the way. Glad your system is working again (did you use Recovery disks, or a Win98 reinstall, or just fix a few drivers?). . .

As far as the DOS question: no password necessary: the one you saw may have been set in your computer's bios. On older DOS systems on DOS networks (yes, they did exist) passwords were setup for the network logon.

Never a dull moment.
. . . Gary