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Windows XP reverted itself to default

M

MR

Flightless Bird
Hi, I turned on my HP laptop computer this morning only to find out these
odd things had happened:
* The wall paper on the desktop was a HP default & not the one that I had
prior.
* There was no documents in "My Doc" folder-just 3 default ones
* There was no pictures in "My pictures" folder-just 2-3 default ones.

There was, however, all the programs we have in the "program files" area.
I restored the computer to like 3 days ago-
After the reboot, the screen stated that the restore point could not be
completed. So I did it again and this time, used one week ago. AND that DID
work!!! Luckliy I had several restore points to choose from....

My question is this: How could this have happened from one day to the next?
I dont think that I had ever experienced this to any of my pc's. I am not a
tech by no means. I know just a few things here and there. And I probably am
not giving you much info but I really dont have much to give.
Windows XP home edition OEM sp2
using AVG, malwarebytes, windows firewall.
thanks in advance
 
P

Pegasus [MVP]

Flightless Bird
"MR" <mr@mr.com> wrote in message
news:#$H1GY2$KHA.348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> Hi, I turned on my HP laptop computer this morning only to find out these
> odd things had happened:
> * The wall paper on the desktop was a HP default & not the one that I had
> prior.
> * There was no documents in "My Doc" folder-just 3 default ones
> * There was no pictures in "My pictures" folder-just 2-3 default ones.
>
> There was, however, all the programs we have in the "program files" area.
> I restored the computer to like 3 days ago-
> After the reboot, the screen stated that the restore point could not be
> completed. So I did it again and this time, used one week ago. AND that
> DID work!!! Luckliy I had several restore points to choose from....
>
> My question is this: How could this have happened from one day to the
> next? I dont think that I had ever experienced this to any of my pc's. I
> am not a tech by no means. I know just a few things here and there. And I
> probably am not giving you much info but I really dont have much to give.
> Windows XP home edition OEM sp2
> using AVG, malwarebytes, windows firewall.
> thanks in advance


Windows did not revert to default but instead of using your normal profile,
it temporarily gave you a default profile.
 
M

MR

Flightless Bird
THanks pegasus.
But any ideas aso to WHY it did that and so randomly????
Was Windows protecting itself?
I do recall 2 days before this happened, my system crashed and Blue screen
of death. It fixed itself and all was well after. SO maybe a coincidence? Or
just one of those things that cant be explained...
thanks



"Pegasus [MVP]" <news@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:-O5Zgfg3$KHA.5808@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
>
> "MR" <mr@mr.com> wrote in message
> news:#$H1GY2$KHA.348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> Hi, I turned on my HP laptop computer this morning only to find out these
>> odd things had happened:
>> * The wall paper on the desktop was a HP default & not the one that I had
>> prior.
>> * There was no documents in "My Doc" folder-just 3 default ones
>> * There was no pictures in "My pictures" folder-just 2-3 default ones.
>>
>> There was, however, all the programs we have in the "program files" area.
>> I restored the computer to like 3 days ago-
>> After the reboot, the screen stated that the restore point could not be
>> completed. So I did it again and this time, used one week ago. AND that
>> DID work!!! Luckliy I had several restore points to choose from....
>>
>> My question is this: How could this have happened from one day to the
>> next? I dont think that I had ever experienced this to any of my pc's. I
>> am not a tech by no means. I know just a few things here and there. And I
>> probably am not giving you much info but I really dont have much to give.
>> Windows XP home edition OEM sp2
>> using AVG, malwarebytes, windows firewall.
>> thanks in advance

>
> Windows did not revert to default but instead of using your normal
> profile, it temporarily gave you a default profile.
 
D

Daave

Flightless Bird
The most likely explanation is malware. It's hard to know without the
codes from your BSOD. Perhaps you can run Event Viewer:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic40108.html

Do you have all the lastest security patches? Did you know that security
patches for SP2 will no longer be available as of July? Which version of
AVG are you running? Does it have the lastest definitions?


MR wrote:
> THanks pegasus.
> But any ideas aso to WHY it did that and so randomly????
> Was Windows protecting itself?
> I do recall 2 days before this happened, my system crashed and Blue
> screen of death. It fixed itself and all was well after. SO maybe a
> coincidence? Or just one of those things that cant be explained...
> thanks
>
>
>
> "Pegasus [MVP]" <news@microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:-O5Zgfg3$KHA.5808@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>
>>
>> "MR" <mr@mr.com> wrote in message
>> news:#$H1GY2$KHA.348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> Hi, I turned on my HP laptop computer this morning only to find out
>>> these odd things had happened:
>>> * The wall paper on the desktop was a HP default & not the one that
>>> I had prior.
>>> * There was no documents in "My Doc" folder-just 3 default ones
>>> * There was no pictures in "My pictures" folder-just 2-3 default
>>> ones. There was, however, all the programs we have in the "program
>>> files"
>>> area. I restored the computer to like 3 days ago-
>>> After the reboot, the screen stated that the restore point could
>>> not be completed. So I did it again and this time, used one week
>>> ago. AND that DID work!!! Luckliy I had several restore points to
>>> choose from.... My question is this: How could this have happened
>>> from one day to
>>> the next? I dont think that I had ever experienced this to any of
>>> my pc's. I am not a tech by no means. I know just a few things here
>>> and there. And I probably am not giving you much info but I really
>>> dont have much to give. Windows XP home edition OEM sp2
>>> using AVG, malwarebytes, windows firewall.
>>> thanks in advance

>>
>> Windows did not revert to default but instead of using your normal
>> profile, it temporarily gave you a default profile.
 
T

Twayne

Flightless Bird
In news:-O5Zgfg3$KHA.5808@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl,
Pegasus [MVP] <news@microsoft.com> typed:
> "MR" <mr@mr.com> wrote in message
> news:#$H1GY2$KHA.348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>> Hi, I turned on my HP laptop computer this morning only to
>> find out these odd things had happened:
>> * The wall paper on the desktop was a HP default & not the
>> one that I had prior.
>> * There was no documents in "My Doc" folder-just 3 default
>> ones * There was no pictures in "My pictures" folder-just 2-3
>> default ones. There was, however, all the programs we have in the
>> "program files" area. I restored the computer to like 3
>> days ago- After the reboot, the screen stated that the restore point
>> could not be completed. So I did it again and this time,
>> used one week ago. AND that DID work!!! Luckliy I had
>> several restore points to choose from.... My question is this: How could
>> this have happened from one
>> day to the next? I dont think that I had ever experienced
>> this to any of my pc's. I am not a tech by no means. I
>> know just a few things here and there. And I probably am
>> not giving you much info but I really dont have much to
>> give. Windows XP home edition OEM sp2 using AVG, malwarebytes, windows
>> firewall.
>> thanks in advance

>
> Windows did not revert to default but instead of using your
> normal profile, it temporarily gave you a default profile.


So? Now what does he do? Typical vague response.
 
P

Pegasus [MVP]

Flightless Bird
"Twayne" <nobody@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:-Omj2UxMALHA.1892@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> In news:-O5Zgfg3$KHA.5808@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl,
> Pegasus [MVP] <news@microsoft.com> typed:
>> "MR" <mr@mr.com> wrote in message
>> news:#$H1GY2$KHA.348@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>>> Hi, I turned on my HP laptop computer this morning only to
>>> find out these odd things had happened:
>>> * The wall paper on the desktop was a HP default & not the
>>> one that I had prior.
>>> * There was no documents in "My Doc" folder-just 3 default
>>> ones * There was no pictures in "My pictures" folder-just 2-3
>>> default ones. There was, however, all the programs we have in the
>>> "program files" area. I restored the computer to like 3
>>> days ago- After the reboot, the screen stated that the restore point
>>> could not be completed. So I did it again and this time,
>>> used one week ago. AND that DID work!!! Luckliy I had
>>> several restore points to choose from.... My question is this: How could
>>> this have happened from one
>>> day to the next? I dont think that I had ever experienced
>>> this to any of my pc's. I am not a tech by no means. I
>>> know just a few things here and there. And I probably am
>>> not giving you much info but I really dont have much to
>>> give. Windows XP home edition OEM sp2 using AVG, malwarebytes, windows
>>> firewall.
>>> thanks in advance

>>
>> Windows did not revert to default but instead of using your
>> normal profile, it temporarily gave you a default profile.

>
> So? Now what does he do? Typical vague response.


Read the OP's post before snapping back. He solved his own problem. If you
think you can contribute something productive then you might tell him *why*
it happened.
 
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