Now Add/Remove Won't Open - Windows 2000 Pro Is a Disaster

[Harry]

This is why I don't think anyone should pay for Bill Gate's programs when they don't even work right. I've been using Windows 2000 pro for only 2 weeks and already I'm having major problems. Windows Help Box won't function and now, I can't even install any software because the Add/Remove window won't open up. I guess there is no system file checker in 2000 because I tried to Run sfc.exe but that wouldn't work.

Soon as you fix one problem another one arises. I think a law suit should be filed that Bill Gates needs to personally fix 100,000 people's OS problems. Maybe then he'll get the message.

[raftero]

i don't think it's an os problem,be a little more specific,mb,vc,ps etc.and sometime you do just get a bad install,need to re-install.i've had very few problems with w2k pro and most of them have been bad software installs or drivers.maybe with a little more information some of the folks here can figure it out.

[Harry]

Thanks,

I just ran sfc/scannow and luckily that fixed the add/remove window.
It did not fix the Help Topics window which when I try to use it still closes all windows, gives a blank green screen and then goes back to the desktop.

The more information that you want is probably that I screwed things up when I highlighted my entire directory of movies that somehow were defaulted to the Winamp format after transfered them over the network from the desktop. I then tried to right click and open with Media Player since I think movies play better with Media Player (and the controls are better) though I might be wrong. Then I clicked the always use this program to open these files (my entire movie list) and pressed OK which resulted in a huge overuse of RAM and huge search and grab for virtual memory which after about 10 minutes I decided to just pull the plug since it wasn't even responding to the power off button. All I wanted to do was to change the file format for all files at once to Media Player instead of having to change the format one file at a time. Shutting off the power abruptly like that was probably damaging.

[CaptTuna]

Only 100,000? There will still be a lot of people left with Windows problems.

[raftero]

Harry i don't know what would correct it,maybe someone else does.if it were me i would format and do a clean install,and not try that again.experience is a good teacher.

[Harry]

Now I've got this warning coming up:

Files that are required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognized versions. To maintain system stability, Windows must restore the original versions of these files. I have put in the CD and run the system check.

I ran sfc/scannow about 5 times but the warning just keeps on coming back. I lowered security but that didn't help either.

I'm going to try to fix everything by using the upgrade feature of Win2000 Pro, that is upgrading Win2000 Pro over Win2000 Pro. Maybe that will correct all those bad and missing files. I can't even get to System Tools Information. It's a big mess.

[Markoman01027]

I have been running Windows 2000 for about a year now. Flawless. Only got a few BSOD but that is chipset related, but nothing else. No Crashes, Lock ups, or anything like that.

[GaryRouth]

Harry, I imagine a "repair" install should get you running smoothly again. Boot from the Win2000 CD and select the repair option.

Are you dual booting? or just one OS?
. . . Gary

[p.s. - if you haven't run the repair before: http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;238359 ]

[crjdriver]

Win2k is extremely stable. I have been running it for three years with no problems whatsoever. I would reinstall and then update to sp3 [since the reinstall will overwrite the sp updates]
If you install software in this order it will give you the least amount of problems.
Install os
Install sp3
Install chipset driver[s]
Install sound card driver
Install video driver
Now install other apps.