Computer problem. Help please. :(

i don't know what happened. but the last person who used my comp is my sister and she claimed that she has nothing to do with it. i came home and she was still in my room probably using my comp. last nite she requested that i leave my comp on standby so she can use it the next day when i am at work, since she has no computer access. i reluctantly agreed, so as not to start another argument. (i don't like people to be in my room... the thought of someone in my room without me in there doing "whatever" just makes me uncomfortable. don't ask why. i don't know. it's just a feeling). anyway, she FINALLY left my room, i didn't pay too much attention and i just shut it down... it did seem that it's taking a longer period of time to go from standby to my screen again. at a glance there is nothing different. a few hours later i started my computer. it seems that it's taking a longer period of time for it to start. so i force it to shut down thinking it's just acting weird. then when i turned it on again... all my setting is GONE. completely gone. all my desk top is gone. everything is like it's reset. the shortcuts on the tray thing at the bottom of the screen is gone. my mozilla firefox and ie are all reset. all my book marks are gone! i tried itune, everything is gone! it want to reformat. i haven't try the other programs because i don't dare to see what is happening. looks like my files are still in my harddrive, just that everything seems to be resetted. i don't know what happened or what i should do. i have window xp. anyone? anyone want to help? Thanks.

It's possible that you - or she - logged you out. XP, by default, makes you log in everytime you start the computer. Hopefully it does that and you just need to restart and log yourself back in.

Yup - what T&P's mom said. Sounds like she created her own log-in. When you go to shut-down choose "Log-Off" instead of Shutdown or restart. Then let it go through its boot process and log-on as yourself. HTH

I am the one who shut it down. And when I turned it back on, all the setting is gone! I shut it down again and turned it back on, still the same. :(

I'd get your sister back over there ASAP.:D

Quote:

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Originally posted by lizbud
I'd get your sister back over there ASAP.:D

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She doesn't know a thing. :P

I am hoping it's not virus again. I just had a big episode back in January and spent tons of money to have it fixed and have been very careful ever since. :( I want to hide and cry.

bump

**bump

When you start up, right click on your start icon in the bottom left-hand corner and click "Explore All Users"

Is everything still on your computer? Can you still find your files in that screen?

I was going to say exactly what T&P said...but it is obviously not giving you the option to pick who you logged in as???

Tried Last Known Good Configuration , did nothing.

Tried logging off , but since I am the only user, no help neither.

All my desk tops are GONE. All the shortcuts on the bottom of my screen on the bar "thingie" are GONE. I am sure there are files gone too, but i am too upset to check and see what's missing. ;_;

My sis said she didn't do anything unusual, so I am clueless what's going on. And I don't want to reset everything. I am tired of computer problems. :crying:

Katz might be able to help...I will show her this thread when we get home from work(we both work swing shift so i am reading this at work).....don't worry!!!!......tom

thanks tom.

here is what happened in better detail...

=sis has been on comp (she said she didn't do anything)
=me shut down the comp as usual
=me turned on comp a few hours later, the comp seems funny, i forced it shut (by holding the power button).
=log in as usual
=*didn't pay attention on the screen yet, as my gigi wallpaper is still on* a pop up saying new features about window xp *still didn't realize that something is wrong and the recycle bin is on the other side of screen*
=looked at some of the new features *sigh*, turned that thing off
=*freaked out* *screamed* *cursed* finally discovered all the missing icons on the desktop and all the shortcuts on the task bar at the bottom of the screen are GONE!!! all my favorites are gone.
=checked to see the harddrive, seems that most files are still there
=double-clicked on itune to see if it works (just as a test), it acts like i just freshly installed it
=*freaked out MORE*
=shut down computer normally *hoping everything will automatically return to normal*
=turn computer on again, logged in as normal. things have NOT return to normal

The only thing I could suggest is to reboot with a back-up disk. Though I'm not really sure of all options with XP, as I'm still running 98. I would wait if you can for a techo on here that knows XP well. Another option would be to ring microsoft and talk to the tech people, I've had to do that in the past.

can you get to the start menu?
If you can, go to
all programs
accessories
system tools
system restore
click on restore my computer to an earlier time
then a calander will show and you either pick a highlighted date, or one of your own when the computer was working fine
follow directions
everything should be fine.
this will work only if you can get to the start menu to go to progtrams
let me know, if you can't we will go in another way.
I will try to e mail this to you too. iI work at 11am tomorrow, but i'll send you m y work # and you can call me there

Quote:

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Originally posted by tomkatzid
can you get to the start menu?
If you can, go to
all programs
accessories
system tools
system restore
click on restore my computer to an earlier time
then a calander will show and you either pick a highlighted date, or one of your own when the computer was working fine
follow directions
everything should be fine.
this will work only if you can get to the start menu to go to progtrams
let me know, if you can't we will go in another way.
I will try to e mail this to you too. iI work at 11am tomorrow, but i'll send you m y work # and you can call me there

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Ditto. I was just going to suggest the system restore. I've used this in the past and it is a god-send!

woo. i will try the system restore tonite when i get home from work. thanks!!!

I was going to suggest system restore but everyone else beat me to it.

My # 1 rule is NO ONE touches my computer without ME there to monitor what they are doing.. Some people do things, thinking they know what they are doing when in the real world, they do not and all it takes is ONE screw up to mess your computer up. They always say "I didn't do ANYTHING!" Famouse last words before you have to wipe it clean and redo it all over again...

jenfer, did the suggested fixes work?

Tried System retore. Actually I tried every date available in March and nothing works. I really have no clue what's going on. Sigh... :(

got your e mail, sorry it's not working. i just went into system restore in mine and made a new point just in case.
do you have virus protection and spy ware protection?
kataz

one more quick thing, you did make sure system restore is truned on, right... go to
start
control panel
system
system restore
make sure there is no check in the 'turn off system control on all drives' box
and that the status 'monitoring' is highlighted

also go all the way back to Jan or the first day that you can look at and try that day.
Katz

the box is not checked. but the other thing you mentioned is not highlighted... and it just look like the pic attached. and i do have virus protection and firewall since my last attack (which i had to take it to a shop)... so now it makes it twice within a 4 month period! yay! :rolleyes:

and this looks just like yorus, the light gray days I can not reastore to, same as yours? and you went back to the first restore date there is and tried it. ?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...ointscreen.jpg

yup, that's what it looks like.

WOW, this sucks, I have no idea. I hope your co worker can fix it easily by taking it home. Do get back to me. I will call Darrel first thing in the morning too and see what he says. I'm sending him an e mail now.
Katz

Yeah, it sucks. lol.

I will definitely let you know what's going on. Thanks for all your help. :)

You might have to disable the firewall before you do the system
restore & turn the firewall back on afterwards. If you're in doubt,
it's probably best to take the hard drive into Best Buys or some
place like that.

I'm having a few problems myself and I know how frustrating
it is. Good luck.:)