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Nomad84
11-05-2005, 08:58 PM
I am trying to help my cousin over the phone (115 miles away) and not having much luck. He is running XP and gets the following error message when he boots:

Explorer.exe application error. The application failed to initialize properly (0xc0000022). Click OK to terminate the application.

When he clicks OK, it goes to a blank screen. Ctrl-alt-del brings up task manager, but the list is empty. He can boot into safe mode, but I wasn't sure what to tell him to do at that point. I've tried to do a search of that error code, but I've come up empty-handed so far. Does anyone have any suggestions?

astroglide
11-06-2005, 01:10 AM
http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ has an assload of hardware diags on it and it runs after booting from cd. if there's any way he can get it himself, cool. if not, you could mail it to him cheaply with usps media mail. memtest86+ would be where i'd start. you can run the hard drive diagnostics to test failure on that, prime95 for overheating/motherboard stability, etc.

Nomad84
11-06-2005, 04:50 AM
So you think it's likely a hardware problem? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

astroglide
11-06-2005, 03:37 PM
it's a strong possibility. but if you're 100 miles away and the guy sounds like he isn't skilled enough to back up his data, format, and reinstall windows. what else are you going to suggest without costing him any money? at least this rules something out before sending him off to compusa to get the reload done or whatever.

OrcaDK
11-06-2005, 04:02 PM
I don't think this is a hardware issue. It's most likely a case of spyware/adware/trojan/crap he's got installed that's messed with his system. He should run Adaware and Spybot, one after the other, until it works again.

astroglide
11-06-2005, 04:29 PM
if he's infested with spyware it's unlikely that he's got antispyware software. unless safe mode with networking is functional for him, he's going to need to obtain it somehow.

i've also never seen spyware that actually took out explorer. it sort of defeats the purpose of spying on a user or hitting them with ads if they can't even boot their computer.

OrcaDK
11-06-2005, 04:42 PM
[ QUOTE ]
if he's infested with spyware it's unlikely that he's got antispyware software. unless safe mode with networking is functional for him, he's going to need to obtain it somehow.

i've also never seen spyware that actually took out explorer. it sort of defeats the purpose of spying on a user or hitting them with ads if they can't even boot their computer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Trust me, this can happen. Not only have i experienced it myself, but i've fixed other computers where this was also the case.

Get him a CD with Adaware & Spytbot. Guide him through starting the installers using a command prompt, and how to start the apps afterwards using the command prompt.

Nomad84
11-06-2005, 07:42 PM
I also feel that some sort of malicious software is most likely. He uses Firefox, but the rest of my family refuses to use anything but IE. Also, he said my sister had been installing some games that she got online, so I bet it's related to that. He ran Spybot from safemode and got rid of one or two things, but it still won't boot except for safemode. I had Adaware on there also, but it was gone when I tried to tell him where it was. The Lavasoft folder was still present in Program Files, but it was empty. I'm pretty sure he said AVG didn't turn up anything either, but the definitions probably haven't been updated in a while. As far as CompUSA or similar, won't happen. If he can't get it working, he'll just have to wait until next time I'm home. That should be in a week or two since I have to help my sister move soon. He's dying for a computer of his own so he doesn't have to deal with this crap.

That machine needs a fresh install of windows bad, but I never have the time to deal with it when I'm home. Maybe that will be a project for Christmas break.

So is it pretty much down to AVG/Adaware/Spybot and the boot CD? When I get home, could I try installing Windows over the top of the current installation without a format to try to repair any damaged files? Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

gr8vertical
11-07-2005, 12:15 AM
Yeah, I would just tell him to backup all his important files and info and reinstall Windows

OrcaDK
11-07-2005, 12:31 AM
If he has his XP cd, try making him open the command prompt and running the command "sfc /scannow" - while the XP disc is in the CD drive.

Nomad84
11-07-2005, 03:04 PM
[ QUOTE ]
If he has his XP cd, try making him open the command prompt and running the command "sfc /scannow" - while the XP disc is in the CD drive.

[/ QUOTE ]

It won't be a normal XP disc. If he has it at all, it will be the manufacturer's restore CDs. I think it's a Compaq but I'm not sure.