I rebooted my computer this afternoon, and it reboots enough to show my online connection, but nothing else on my boot screen. When I click on any program or shortcut I get "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You many not have the appropriate permissions to access the item." The only way I can access my browser is by going to the control panel and clicking on windows update. I noticed in one of my attempts to get everything to boot, that the date was saying 4/4/2010, but I went in boot with c prompt (or whatever it's called) and did manage to change the date to the 1/1/2010, but that didn't fix the problem at all. I cannot access system restore, I get the message above. I look at the control panel, but cannot click on anything without the above error message. I can access my files and documents, and look at the thumbnails, but I cannot actually open any of the files. Is there any way this can be corrected without having to call in a pro? Is there something I can type into the DOS commands on the recovery panel or something. The computer is about 5 years old, and it's running windows XP with sevice pack 2.
Jude, you can try a system restore from safe mode. On next startup tap F8 and it should give you a menu. Select Safe Mode. If windows boots Ok then do a system restore. If that doesnt work you can do a Repair Install. Check below for more info. http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm "Jude" <Jude@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:2B9490EE-0BEA-4B6C-9058-41BB025F3354@microsoft.com... >I rebooted my computer this afternoon, and it reboots enough to show my > online connection, but nothing else on my boot screen. When I click on > any > program or shortcut I get > "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You many not > have the appropriate permissions to access the item." > The only way I can access my browser is by going to the control panel and > clicking on windows update. > > I noticed in one of my attempts to get everything to boot, that the date > was saying 4/4/2010, but I went in boot with c prompt (or whatever it's > called) and did manage to change the date to the 1/1/2010, but that > didn't > fix the problem at all. > > I cannot access system restore, I get the message above. I look at the > control panel, but cannot click on anything without the above error > message. > > I can access my files and documents, and look at the thumbnails, but I > cannot actually open any of the files. > > Is there any way this can be corrected without having to call in a pro? > Is > there something I can type into the DOS commands on the recovery panel or > something. > > The computer is about 5 years old, and it's running windows XP with > sevice > pack 2.
Why hasn't SP3 been installed by now? What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)? Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought it)? Jude wrote: > I rebooted my computer this afternoon, and it reboots enough to show my > online connection, but nothing else on my boot screen. When I click on > any > program or shortcut I get > "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You many not > have the appropriate permissions to access the item." > The only way I can access my browser is by going to the control panel and > clicking on windows update. > > I noticed in one of my attempts to get everything to boot, that the date > was saying 4/4/2010, but I went in boot with c prompt (or whatever it's > called) and did manage to change the date to the 1/1/2010, but that > didn't > fix the problem at all. > > I cannot access system restore, I get the message above. I look at the > control panel, but cannot click on anything without the above error > message. > > I can access my files and documents, and look at the thumbnails, but I > cannot actually open any of the files. > > Is there any way this can be corrected without having to call in a pro? > Is > there something I can type into the DOS commands on the recovery panel or > something. > > The computer is about 5 years old, and it's running windows XP with > sevice > pack 2.