I’m posting from my old backup computer, having set it all up and run kilometres of phone line from the wall socket several rooms away so I can plug the NBN modem into this pooter (it runs XP which is pre-Wifi).

Why? Because I stupidly followed people’s advice and installed Skype on the main computer, and it totally fucked up Windows.

Now when I boot the main pooter, it goes to the desktop picture with no icons, and when I try to open Chrome and most other things, the icon showing the program is active appears in the taskbar, but no window opens on the screen.

I can’t do System Restore because although Control Panel opens as a window, and then the Recovery screen, when I click on System Restore that too refuses to open as window.

I uninstalled Skype but Windows did not return to normal.

Never experienced this bullshit before and I have no idea what to do about it :(

tried booting in safe mode, if it has it

transition said:

tried booting in safe mode, if it has it

And restoring from there hopefully

Cymek said:

transition said:

tried booting in safe mode, if it has it

And restoring from there hopefully

might be a start.

Bubblecar said:

I’m posting from my old backup computer, having set it all up and run kilometres of phone line from the wall socket several rooms away so I can plug the NBN modem into this pooter (it runs XP which is pre-Wifi).

Why? Because I stupidly followed people’s advice and installed Skype on the main computer, and it totally fucked up Windows.

Now when I boot the main pooter, it goes to the desktop picture with no icons, and when I try to open Chrome and most other things, the icon showing the program is active appears in the taskbar, but no window opens on the screen.

I can’t do System Restore because although Control Panel opens as a window, and then the Recovery screen, when I click on System Restore that too refuses to open as window.

I uninstalled Skype but Windows did not return to normal.

Never experienced this bullshit before and I have no idea what to do about it :(

Load in safe mode, see if that works.

What version of Windows are you using?

How do I load in safe mode? Haven’t had to do it for years, and I’ve never done it on that machine.

poikilotherm said:

Bubblecar said:

I’m posting from my old backup computer, having set it all up and run kilometres of phone line from the wall socket several rooms away so I can plug the NBN modem into this pooter (it runs XP which is pre-Wifi).

Why? Because I stupidly followed people’s advice and installed Skype on the main computer, and it totally fucked up Windows.

Now when I boot the main pooter, it goes to the desktop picture with no icons, and when I try to open Chrome and most other things, the icon showing the program is active appears in the taskbar, but no window opens on the screen.

I can’t do System Restore because although Control Panel opens as a window, and then the Recovery screen, when I click on System Restore that too refuses to open as window.

I uninstalled Skype but Windows did not return to normal.

Never experienced this bullshit before and I have no idea what to do about it :(

Load in safe mode, see if that works.

What version of Windows are you using?

Windows 8 with Classic Shell.

What version of windows is on that computer?

Bubblecar said:

poikilotherm said:

Bubblecar said:

I’m posting from my old backup computer, having set it all up and run kilometres of phone line from the wall socket several rooms away so I can plug the NBN modem into this pooter (it runs XP which is pre-Wifi).

Why? Because I stupidly followed people’s advice and installed Skype on the main computer, and it totally fucked up Windows.

Now when I boot the main pooter, it goes to the desktop picture with no icons, and when I try to open Chrome and most other things, the icon showing the program is active appears in the taskbar, but no window opens on the screen.

I can’t do System Restore because although Control Panel opens as a window, and then the Recovery screen, when I click on System Restore that too refuses to open as window.

I uninstalled Skype but Windows did not return to normal.

Never experienced this bullshit before and I have no idea what to do about it :(

Load in safe mode, see if that works.

What version of Windows are you using?

Windows 8 with Classic Shell.

restart the computer and press F8 frequently.

If you open task manager does it show what applications/processes are running and can you switch to them and see if they work that way

thought you had win 10, you telling me’s win 8

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/5-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-8-windows-81

I’ll try booting in safe mode but first I have to get this 19 inch monitor out of the way of the 27 inch monitor. Fucking chaos on this desk…

hitting f8 during boot to get into safe mode (recovery environment)doesn’t work reliably from win8 onward, so maybe hold shift key down when you hit restart, might do it

Just thought, might have something to do with Microsoft password. I opened a Skype account with my Microsoft account, but couldn’t find the password anywhere so I got a new Microsoft password. Maybe Windows is trying to log me in with the old password and it fails. NFI.

Bubblecar said:

Just thought, might have something to do with Microsoft password. I opened a Skype account with my Microsoft account, but couldn’t find the password anywhere so I got a new Microsoft password. Maybe Windows is trying to log me in with the old password and it fails. NFI.

haven’t logged in as another user on your terminal, car, so all ya usual shit’s not on the screen

I’ve got HP’s Recovery Manager on screen when I pressed F8 while booting. Looks dicey though.

I can choose “I need help immediately” (System Recovery) or “I’d like to take precautions” (File Backup Program).

Bubblecar said:

I’ve got HP’s Recovery Manager on screen when I pressed F8 while booting. Looks dicey though.

I can choose “I need help immediately” (System Recovery) or “I’d like to take precautions” (File Backup Program).

HP’s good that way, if you get into serious trouble(which not convinced you are yet), i’ve used it a few times

just roll back with your system recovery for a start, previous (most recent)one before you did the changes that you think are causing you trouble.

transition said:

just roll back with your system recovery for a start, previous (most recent)one before you did the changes that you think are causing you trouble.

That’s System Restore. This is “System Recovery”. It might erase all my files, dunno.

Bubblecar said:

transition said:

just roll back with your system recovery for a start, previous (most recent)one before you did the changes that you think are causing you trouble.

That’s System Restore. This is “System Recovery”. It might erase all my files, dunno.

I was right. It reinstalls the original factory shipped software and all files and programs installed since purchase will be lost.

So I WON’T click that one.

Bubblecar said:

transition said:

just roll back with your system recovery for a start, previous (most recent)one before you did the changes that you think are causing you trouble.

That’s System Restore. This is “System Recovery”. It might erase all my files, dunno.

If you go to system restore and select the last date saved, your files will be safe, but it will return your settings to what they were at that time.

I’VE FIXED IT!!!!!!!!!

Bubblecar said:

I’VE FIXED IT!!!!!!!!!

With help from tech support at a cost of $75 an hour no call out fee as its online

Don’t know how the EFF it happened, but it seems the problem was that Display had somehow decided I was using two monitors, and the windows were all opening on the non-existent phantom twin monitor.

Seems all back to normal now, after a wasted afternoon of extreme stress.

I plead innocence. All accusations should be directed to my lawyer.

One reason to have your My documents folder on another drive and backed up continually to a third drive or separate partition

you can either buy one big hard drive and partition it into two drives

or buy two hard drives

once that is done

create a system restore point and run a backup

then move the my documents folder onto and second drive

or buy a usb drive and copy your documents and other files to it

or create an online account with google or another company, lots of them to choose from

and copy your files to a remote drive

you should create a restore point and run a backup if you haven’t already

and make sure you have a separate windows recovery disk or recovery usb drive etc

keep serial nos and license keys in a secure place