Massive problem after first downloaded update

So I installed Vista Home Premium a little while ago, shortly afterwards it
started downloading a new set of updates. After the updates installed and
the system restarted the CPU monitor gadget was two odd shaped white blocks,
my ATI Catalyst program didn't start and won't run because it doesn't
recognize me as the admin even though I am, none of the shortcuts on my
desktop have their pictures and won't work(files directly on the desktop
still do), DivX stopped working, most files I try to access give me the "No
Association" message, nothing in the start menu works either. Just about the
only way for me to do anything is to open the "Computer" option and track
down the file manually. What happened and how do I fix it?

After a bit more experimenting trying to fix things, apparently the system
doesn't consider my profile(the only one on the computer) as the admin even.
What in the world did that update do to my computer?

"Daemonfyre" wrote:

> So I installed Vista Home Premium a little while ago, shortly afterwards it
> started downloading a new set of updates. After the updates installed and
> the system restarted the CPU monitor gadget was two odd shaped white blocks,
> my ATI Catalyst program didn't start and won't run because it doesn't
> recognize me as the admin even though I am, none of the shortcuts on my
> desktop have their pictures and won't work(files directly on the desktop
> still do), DivX stopped working, most files I try to access give me the "No
> Association" message, nothing in the start menu works either. Just about the
> only way for me to do anything is to open the "Computer" option and track
> down the file manually. What happened and how do I fix it?

"Daemonfyre" wrote:

> So I installed Vista Home Premium a little while ago, shortly afterwards it
> started downloading a new set of updates. After the updates installed and
> the system restarted the CPU monitor gadget was two odd shaped white blocks,
> my ATI Catalyst program didn't start and won't run because it doesn't
> recognize me as the admin even though I am, none of the shortcuts on my
> desktop have their pictures and won't work(files directly on the desktop
> still do), DivX stopped working, most files I try to access give me the "No
> Association" message, nothing in the start menu works either. Just about the
> only way for me to do anything is to open the "Computer" option and track
> down the file manually. What happened and how do I fix it?


Your first problem is that you fell for Microsoft's ads, and upgraded to
Vista much too soon; therefore, you get to be one of the ones who test the
program in the real world. Sorry. I guess you have to wait until Microsoft
gets enough complaints about the problem so that they fix it. Maybe, if your
complaint gets into Microsoft's complai nt file , they may tell you about it.
If you get lucky.

"Be not the first to try the new, nor the last to give up the old."----Galen

Wonderful, well, I've exhausted everything I can think of to even get my
desktop semi-normal again. Figured out what happened in part, every shortcut
on my desktop and every file in the Start menu is now a .lnk file with no
file association at all. Anyone know how to fix that? Tried downloading an
XP association file that was linked to in another topic but it kept telling
me Access Denied when I tried to unzip it. Or why it wouldn't let me do a
system restore and why the system restore points have now all disappeared?
Why nothing seems to recognize me as admin even though my profile is still
listed as admin? Why my system can't find any networks but can still go
online? Or why none of the gadgets work right? Anything other than "You
upgraded too soon"?

(cross-post added to Vista General)
"Daemonfyre" <> wrote in message
news:A137CEFD-6210-41C9-B1D5-...
> Wonderful, well, I've exhausted everything I can think of to even get my
> desktop semi-normal again. Figured out what happened in part,

> every shortcut on my desktop and every file in the Start menu is now a .lnk file
> with no file association at all.


Elaborate? Especially the "no file association" part.
E.g. Folder Options never shows a filetype associated with
the .LNK extension and the .LNK extension is always suppressed
normally. However, just as with .URL shortcuts I suspect it would be
possible to set a value to make them show if desired.


> Anyone know how to fix that? Tried downloading an
> XP association file that was linked to in another topic but it kept telling
> me Access Denied when I tried to unzip it. Or why it wouldn't let me do a
> system restore and why the system restore points have now all disappeared?
> Why nothing seems to recognize me as admin even though my profile is still
> listed as admin? Why my system can't find any networks but can still go
> online? Or why none of the gadgets work right? Anything other than "You
> upgraded too soon"?


You're unlikely to get knowledgeable assistance on those issues in the WU NG.
Cross-posting to Vista General for your convenience.


FWIW on XP it looks as if appwiz.cpl could have something to do with .LNK
files. E.g. the ShellNew Command value for it shows:

rundll32.exe appwiz.cpl,NewLinkHere %1

I just checked appwiz.cpl with DependencyWalker and found that
it has both a DllInstall and a DllRegisterServer so presumably you
could try (at least in XP) running:

regsvr32 /i appwiz.cpl

and perhaps get some kind of initialization done which would be
associated with that extension.


Good luck

Robert Aldwinckle
---

Just out of interest have you tried creating a new account with admistrive
rights. I'm wondering if part of the problem is that your user account has
become corupt.

Linda


"Daemonfyre" wrote:

> After a bit more experimenting trying to fix things, apparently the system
> doesn't consider my profile(the only one on the computer) as the admin even.
> What in the world did that update do to my computer?
>
> "Daemonfyre" wrote:
>
> > So I installed Vista Home Premium a little while ago, shortly afterwards it
> > started downloading a new set of updates. After the updates installed and
> > the system restarted the CPU monitor gadget was two odd shaped white blocks,
> > my ATI Catalyst program didn't start and won't run because it doesn't
> > recognize me as the admin even though I am, none of the shortcuts on my
> > desktop have their pictures and won't work(files directly on the desktop
> > still do), DivX stopped working, most files I try to access give me the "No
> > Association" message, nothing in the start menu works either. Just about the
> > only way for me to do anything is to open the "Computer" option and track
> > down the file manually. What happened and how do I fix it?

I can't, the option for "Manage other accounts" has the Admin permission
required symbol next to it(not sure if that makes a difference though, only
had Vista in a working state for a couple of hours) and does nothing at all
when I click on it, in fact, I don't think any of the options with that
symbol next to them do anything right now.

"LindaAnn" wrote:

> Just out of interest have you tried creating a new account with admistrive
> rights. I'm wondering if part of the problem is that your user account has
> become corupt.
>
> Linda
>
>
> "Daemonfyre" wrote:
>
> > After a bit more experimenting trying to fix things, apparently the system
> > doesn't consider my profile(the only one on the computer) as the admin even.
> > What in the world did that update do to my computer?
> >
> > "Daemonfyre" wrote:
> >
> > > So I installed Vista Home Premium a little while ago, shortly afterwards it
> > > started downloading a new set of updates. After the updates installed and
> > > the system restarted the CPU monitor gadget was two odd shaped white blocks,
> > > my ATI Catalyst program didn't start and won't run because it doesn't
> > > recognize me as the admin even though I am, none of the shortcuts on my
> > > desktop have their pictures and won't work(files directly on the desktop
> > > still do), DivX stopped working, most files I try to access give me the "No
> > > Association" message, nothing in the start menu works either. Just about the
> > > only way for me to do anything is to open the "Computer" option and track
> > > down the file manually. What happened and how do I fix it?

So I installed Vista Home Premium a little while ago, shortly afterwards it
started downloading a new set of updates. After the updates installed and
the system restarted the CPU monitor gadget was two odd shaped white blocks,
my ATI Catalyst program didn't start and won't run because it doesn't
recognize me as the admin even though I am, none of the shortcuts on my
desktop have their pictures and won't work(files directly on the desktop
still do), DivX stopped working, most files I try to access give me the "No
Association" message, nothing in the start menu works either. Just about the
only way for me to do anything is to open the "Computer" option and track
down the file manually. What happened and how do I fix it?

^My original post on the problem if anyone can make sense of what's gone
wrong.

I say that the files in the start menu are .lnk files too because I tried
using the default programs option to tie the .lnk files to something in an
attempt to get a reaction from them, whatever icon represented the program I
was trying for the .lnk files was placed as the icon for every non-folder
item in the start menu as well so I assume they've undergone the same
alteration.

I tried running that "regsvr32 /i appwiz.cpl" you suggested Robert, it
gives an error message reading : The module "appwiz.cpl" was loaded but the
entry-point DllRegisterServer was not found. Make sure that "appwiz.cpl" is
a valid DLL or OCX file and then try again.

At current, I can still run most of my .exes when I track them down manually
but some have simple ceased working at all since the updates downloaded,
namely Windows Media Player which no longer even starts and DivX which keeps
saying it "Stopped working." I am unable to create or modify user accounts
to try to validate my admin status. I cannot access any programs except by
going directly to their .exe file. And any attempt to system restore fails
saying it encountered an error and the files and setting were not modified,
not that it would do any good any more since all of the system restore points
have disappeared since yesterday afternoon.

"Robert Aldwinckle" wrote:

> (cross-post added to Vista General)
> "Daemonfyre" <> wrote in message
> news:A137CEFD-6210-41C9-B1D5-...
> > Wonderful, well, I've exhausted everything I can think of to even get my
> > desktop semi-normal again. Figured out what happened in part,
>
> > every shortcut on my desktop and every file in the Start menu is now a .lnk file
> > with no file association at all.
>
>
> Elaborate? Especially the "no file association" part.
> E.g. Folder Options never shows a filetype associated with
> the .LNK extension and the .LNK extension is always suppressed
> normally. However, just as with .URL shortcuts I suspect it would be
> possible to set a value to make them show if desired.
>
>
> > Anyone know how to fix that? Tried downloading an
> > XP association file that was linked to in another topic but it kept telling
> > me Access Denied when I tried to unzip it. Or why it wouldn't let me do a
> > system restore and why the system restore points have now all disappeared?
> > Why nothing seems to recognize me as admin even though my profile is still
> > listed as admin? Why my system can't find any networks but can still go
> > online? Or why none of the gadgets work right? Anything other than "You
> > upgraded too soon"?
>
>
> You're unlikely to get knowledgeable assistance on those issues in the WU NG.
> Cross-posting to Vista General for your convenience.
>
>
> FWIW on XP it looks as if appwiz.cpl could have something to do with .LNK
> files. E.g. the ShellNew Command value for it shows:
>
> rundll32.exe appwiz.cpl,NewLinkHere %1
>
> I just checked appwiz.cpl with DependencyWalker and found that
> it has both a DllInstall and a DllRegisterServer so presumably you
> could try (at least in XP) running:
>
> regsvr32 /i appwiz.cpl
>
> and perhaps get some kind of initialization done which would be
> associated with that extension.
>
>
> Good luck
>
> Robert Aldwinckle
> ---
>
>
>

"Daemonfyre" <> wrote in message
news:520A11E4-4877-4E9C-A328-
....

> I tried running that "regsvr32 /i appwiz.cpl" you suggested Robert, it
> gives an error message reading : The module "appwiz.cpl" was loaded but the
> entry-point DllRegisterServer was not found. Make sure that "appwiz.cpl" is
> a valid DLL or OCX file and then try again.


That may be a difference in the OS then.

In case there is still a DllInstall entry point only now
you could also try running:

regsvr32 /n /i appwiz.cpl

Actually it is just the fact that I found that reference to appwiz.cpl
under the HKCR .lnk branch that is prompting either suggestion.
It may be just as valid and useful to try the same things with shell32.dll


Good luck

Robert
---