SYSTRAY gone? Windows Explorer ?

[oliverclosov]

I did everything the instructions told me to do to delete my virus, but the virus files were not in any of the .ini files--all of the registry looked normal. So I rebooted in DOS and did scanreg /restore and I started up using an older registry from before my problems started BUT now my anti-virus is working but my systray is not showing up when I do "ctrl + alt + delete" is that ok? I was always told that I must have systray and explorer running all the time. ALSO when I open up windows explorer only my C drives files show up on the right hand side and on the left hand side it is just a blank grey screen with an X that I can click to close the grey part and expand the C drives files, usually (where it is now gray) I would see "my computer, C:\, D:\, A:\, F:\, etc.... with "+" buttons that I could click to expand those drives and access their files. Does anybody know how to fix this ?
Please help me
Thanks a lot

[GaryRouth]

Hi again oliverclosov

When you are referring to virus-removal, are you referring to the same viruses that you had trouble with a few months ago? Or are these brand-new arrivals? Which viruses?

First of all, you want to verify that your computer is virus-free. If you can still access the Internet from that computer [obviously yes if it's the one you posted this note from ] - go to http://housecall.trendmicro.com and run HouseCall as you did back during the summer. Norton may or may not be compromised. If you have an antispyware tool, run that too. Should you not have one, you might try either AdAware [ http://www.lavasoft.de ] or Search & Destroy [ http://security.kolla.de/index.php?l...&page=download ]

Once you are certain things are virus-free and spy-free, download and install the latest IE Service Pack from Windows Update.

See if that fixes the troubles with %thisdirname% and other interface issues. These are usually associated with Active Desktop problems.

Best of luck
. . . Gary

[might check on the Norton site to see the best method they have to verify that the copy on your system is fully functional. Should you decide to go with an upgrade to the 2004 version, some retailers are providing it a $5 ($40 at the register, then a $20 rebate, and a $15 rebate for upgraders)]

[oliverclosov]

Hey there, nope, these are new viruses, and I did remove them, but it didn't fix my trouble so I restarted in dos mode and did scanreg /restore and started up with an older registry that worked before these new troubles, when I did this I seem to have lost SYSTRAY from my statup tab under msconfig. I don't know where it went or how to get it back?

[GaryRouth]

For a try at a quick repair (if you have broadband it's quick), download & install the most recent IE Service Pack & see if that gets you going again. [if you are on dialup, you can try a repair of IE from the Tools menu of System Information - to avoid the long download times]

Do you still have the exclamation mark appearing over the Norton program icon? Is this computer on a network? . . . and do the networking connections seem to be working normally?

If either a fresh download, or a repair, of IE doesn't help: you could run either an over-the-top like you did in summer [http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=70846], or try just the system file verify [boot with Windows installation CD, "start computer with CD-rom support", from the command prompt for the install cd drive, type the command "Setup /p f" without the quotes, but include the spaces.]

If nothing else, the IE download/repair should get rid of the %thisdirname% problem.
. . . Gary

[oliverclosov]

I was able to get my systray and norton working again BUT I still have that little problem when I open windows explorer ? Any ideas ?

When I open up windows explorer only my C drives files show up on the right hand side and on the left hand side it is just a blank grey screen with an X that I can click to close the grey part and expand the C drives files, usually (where it is now gray) I would see "my computer, C:\, D:\, A:\, F:\, etc.... with "+" buttons that I could click to expand those drives and access their files. Does anybody know how to fix this ?
Also I am not able to log in to my hotmail account, when I type in my name and password and hit enter I get a blank explorer window that show it is finished loading ?

[GaryRouth]

What have you updated so far? did you try the IE update yet?