I recently updated XP Home from SP1 to SP2, and installed IE 7.0 and Windows Defender. Everything seemed to be working normal. I left the computer on to autoupdate. When I got the next morning, I was suffering from the symptoms described in this thread:
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1061853506
When I start up XP, the machine goes through a NT type log on screen asking for a password, which it never did before. It then goes to the desktop, but will not load any icons, nor am I able to call up the task manager with ctrl-alt-delete. Instead I get the following error message:
"explorer.exe application error the application failed to initialize properly 0xc0150002 error code"
I can boot in safe mode, but same results. I can boot in safe mode with the cmd prompt and I have tried all of the fixes listed in the above referenced thread with no success. Here is what happened:
1. Used system restore from the cmd prompt, but it did not help, no change to the activity
2. Tried to uninstall SP2 from the add/remove panel called up via appwiz.cpl while in safe mode cmd prompt screen. It fails with the message "windows could not load the installer for disk drive"
3. I tried to rename the files in the C:\winnt\system32 directory, but when I enter that in the command prompt it says the path is invalid
4. I do not have the Google desktop, but I do have the Google toolbar installed. However, when I try to remove it via the add/remove programs panel, it does nothing. Screen flashes, but no activity occurs.
5. I can call up the windows directory and it shows the KB923191 update was installed. When I tried to run the commands suggested relative to $ntuninstallerkb923191$, I get various messages that the path is not valid or the file can not be found. In the add/remove programs panel, it says that this update can not be uninstalled.
According to the log in the win directory, KB923191 was installed when I did all of the remaining critical updates after the install of SP2. The machine was running fine afterward but I left it on to be sure Windows Defender would run and update overnight. Auto update was also engaged. When I got up the next morning and checked the machine, I found it in the state discribed above.
When I boot up in safe mode with cmd prompt, the prompt reads as follows: C:\Documents & Settings\Mary Brown.Mary> where Mary Brown is the users name. I am assuming that I enter all commands after the > in this string. I try to enter them with the C:\ prefix followed by the command, and with just the command alone, but they all fail except for the two related to the add/remove panel and the restore commands.
Does anyone have any suggestions? I read the posting at andrewsworld about replacing two files
http://www.andrewsworld.org/manual/s...s/c0150002.htm
but I am not sure if this would help or even how to do this, I would need more detailed instructions. thanks
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