lost information
 

Returned from a week away to find that my address book has disappeared from Outlook Express ( Windows xp ). Then when trying to system restore later on noticed that this too was not possible due to it no longer being in the menu after start/programmes/accessories-then no system tools!!!!! Mcafee QuickClean is also no longer and I tried re-installing it but also nowhere to be seen !Some shortcuts have gone walkies also. Any of you experts any ideas?

zed3,

Lets start with an online virus scan by:

Trend Micro's HouseCall

It sounds like you have a destructive virus in your computer, but we will not know until we get a good scan of your system.

Take Care,

Richard

NAC inc - Richard ' you were the one I expected to reply!!! Many thanks , have done the scan you advised ( having also Mcafeed ) and seem to be virus free! I also thought of a worm or somesuch. Certain programmes - Olympus digital camera , HiTi photo printer , Mcafee Quick Clean and my Outlook address book have disappeared from sight but are probably lurking somewhere in the system , not being a computer wizard I can't work this out!

Hi Zed,
The address book is normally a *.wab file so I suggest you do a Find search. OE has an import address book function that could be pointed at any *.wab you find.
ATB, PTC

peeteechase , thanks - did a search and found no wab file but will try again.
TCS , there was nothing in the recyclebin but since this am two have appeared - mepsnd-gs.dat.bak and vmaplogs.old
the plot thickens - at least I can still pprune and email!!!

TCS - thanks , you are probably right about that Gator file , I've been trying to get rid of those for months now and they keep returning , dunno where from!

zed3,

Thinking about all the problems your system is going though, it might be worth trying a repair with the WinXP CD.

To reinstall Windows XP by starting your computer from the Windows XP CD, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows XP CD into your computer's CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, and then restart your computer. When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message appears on the screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.
   
   NOTE: Your computer must be configured to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive. For more information about how to configure your computer to start from the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, see your computer's documentation or contact your computer manufacturer.
2. You receive the following message on the Welcome to Setup screen that appears: This portion of the Setup program prepares Microsoft
   
   Quote:

   ---

   Windows XP to run on your computer:
   
   To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
   
   To repair a Windows XP installation using Recovery Console, press R.
   
   To quit Setup without installing Windows XP, press F3.

   ---

   Press ENTER to set up Windows XP.
   
   
3. On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.
4. Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected in the box, and then press R to repair Windows XP.
5. Follow the instructions on the remaining screens to reinstall Windows XP. After you repair Windows XP, you may be required to reactivate your copy of Windows XP.

I am just thinking of all the hours it will take trying to get your system running right again and most of the time, the system never ends up 100% again.

Take Care,

Richard

P.S. TCS what is your option?

NAC inc , I'm starting to think that this is the only way forward BUT I do not have a specific windows CD - only the Sony start disc with 'everything in one' - received with the laptop. Thanks guys for all the help , having worked this am , I am going to sit with a bottle of wine this evening , mull everything over and start again tomorrow - One shall hear from one!!! ( anymore ideas welcome , the more the better ) . Pprune reigns!
Thanks all , zed3.

NAC Inc and TCS - many thanks for your help. I have at last plunged and made a move after weighing up all the points! I decided to plump for TCS' CMD and restore which worked after I had figured out where to type CMD! I now have everything back except for my address book . I decided against a reinstall just before the Christmas period as that would involve resetting my cable internet programme , probably leaving me incomunicado for a week or so ! Relief all round and address books can be rewritten over time.
Many thanks again guys and a Merry Christmas to all!

zed3,

That is great news. When you think it is time to do a fresh install, let us know. We will go though step by step so your down time is measured in minutes/hours not days/weeks. ;)

Take Care,

Richard