task bar hardly usable

[baronvongogo]

As you can see by the pick my taskbar and other parts are all blacked out, this happened since trying out some new xp themes And now i cant tell what anything says. Forms online like this i can see fine but icon text, all white windows are black any idea how to repair xp theme? without using software as i couldnt use it .

I went into safe mode although all the settings for the desktop seem not to alter normal mode. I am about to go into safe mode to run spyware scans etc. I have vista installed if i reinstalled xp would it mess up the boot loader?

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h82/baronvongogo/untitled.jpg

 

[KSoD]

Yes you would lose your Vista bootloader if you reinstalled XP. Over at Pro-Networks they have a couple of apps liek VistaBootPro that might be able to recover it. But i dont think it is from a full uninstall and format. I think that is just from a Repair.

Maybe this info i just found might help you out.

1. Right click the My Computer icon/Properties/Advanced/Performance/Settings. Verify that: Use visual styles on windows
and buttons is checked.
2. Windows Explorer/Tools/Folder Options/View. User Common Tasks in Folders.
3. Right click the Desktop/Properties/Appearance. Windows and Buttons choose: Windows XP style.
4. Start/Administrative Tools/Services. Scroll down to Themes and verify that the service is started.

Go to Start/Administrative Tools/Services/Themes. Set to Automatic. Also check your settings here:

Start/Administrative Tools/Services/Terminal Services/Log On. At the bottom ensure that Hardware Profile Original Configuration is Enabled.

If the above doesn't apply/nor help: Only windows Classic is listed under Appearance:

1. Right click on the desktop and choose Properties.
2. On the Theme tab, choose the Windows XP.
3. If this option is missing, you may choose Browse... to C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\Luna.theme
4. The Luna.theme is the theme of the Windows XP.

If Luna.theme is missing: Go to Start/Run/Msconfig/Expand Files: Luna.MS_ and Luna.TH_

Restore Luna Theme (Line 187)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Restore Themes Functionality (Line 187)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

Windows/Buttons Greyed Out under Appearance and/or Windows XP Style Changes to Windows Classic or (Line 214) http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm.

 

[baronvongogo]

sadly i cant do most of that unable to see anything due to it being blacked out . I think the problem is a little more serious than I had originally thought....cwshredder detected 4 things and removed, and CCleaner detects 1800 reg files and when i fix them they reappear

Then when iv just come back into normal mode zonealarm detected an IP that wasnt mine. Also my web home page was attempting to get hijacked.

....sigh....its going to be a long night for me...im tempted to just format my c: partition and reinstall xp.

 

[KSoD]

Maybe just a repair install will work? Have you tried Glarysoft Registry Repair? It is a bit more in depth than CCleaner. I have done a scan with CC and found about 30 items to be removed and then scanned with RR and found about 400 that it removed and cleaned up.

Guess i shouldnt install and uninstall so many Beta apps.

But i would think that the Repair would work. If you need the RR link just PM me. I also have the EXE on my External for safe keeping. I could send you that if need be.

 

[baronvongogo]

I have a feeling just a repair install wont work everything being in black is making it impossible to see what I'm doing.

Even in safe mode some programs wont install or uninstall so iv backed up and getting ready to reinstall. I think I need a complete partition format but i`ll have to do a **** of a lot of backing up and i'm too lazy to do that yet . I downloaded that program it crashed lol and going back and forth to safe mode is a pain.

I guess scanning a download isn't always a good bet it wont hurt your comp thanks for your help though i should be back online and kicking in an hour or so at least.

 

[Osiris]

Taskbar Repair Tool!

 

[baronvongogo]

I cant use it, the thing is just all black and it was more than just a taskbar error in the end. Some bad spyware or virus infected my system, Iv reformatted now only took an hour to reinstall and get the internet backup and running so not too bad .

Thank god for partitioning.

 

[Osiris]

Use this next time:

Follow these instructions carefully

Download ALL 11 programs and update if needed.

Ad Aware SE Personal Free

Ad-aware Messenger Service Plugin

Ad-Aware VX2 Cleaner Plug-In 2.0

Spybot Search and Destroy Free

Windows Defender 2 Beta

HijackThis

CWShredder

Ewido

CCleaner

Cleanup!

Follow these steps

Delete the prefetch folder C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch, this folder will come back on next reboot.

Delete all cookies and temporary internet files in the control panel, Internet Options.

Go to Start, run, type msconfig, go to startup, disable everything except your antivirus, Firewall, click apply, don¡¦t reboot yet.

Download Msconfig Cleanup below

Msconfig Cleanup

Run Msconfig Cleanup after you unchecked the items you were told to uncheck and recheck, click "Select All", then click "Clean up Selected", then click "Quit". Make sure your antivirus and firewall are not checked.

Now run each Spyware program 1 by 1. Running all 3 at the same time will slow most systems down.

When each program has finished scanning, remove everything.

Now go to the recycle bin and delete everything that is in it.

Then run CCleaner „² make sure you run the Cleaner section of Windows and Applications and then the Registry Cleaner. Make a backup if you wish while running the Registry Cleaner when it asks you.

When finished with the scans, reboot, and go into Safe Mode and run these scans again, remove everything they find, and then reboot back into Windows in normal mode.

Then run HiJackthis!

Save the log, copy and paste the log on www.techist.com
Do not attach the log, copy and paste always. This will make things go much faster.

 

[baronvongogo]

I did all those CWshredder detected 4 entries cant remember what, ad aware didnt find anything or spybot, xoftspy found 4 files. While CCleaner found 1800 reg entries that kept reappearing. MScleanup didnt help much either.

The main problem was i couldnt install software! it was all blacked out! and if i tried in safemode said "cant install in safe mode".

whatever it was it was nasty and zonealarm found an IP address that wasnt mind accessing my network and zonealarm settings got turned off :S.