cant open most programs(win xp)

Hey,

well first i will tell you that im running xp with sp2. anyway so my current anti virus had just been unistalled(as i was going to reinstall avast - but the point being, i had(and still dont have) no anti virus. when i got a virus called (i should of bloody wrote this down but i didnt) mciexe-something-rather.exe bascially i new i had a virus b/c i couldnt open any programs and it installed a "elite tool bar" into my internet explorer. so i used one of those online virus scans and found the path and deleted it manualy. anyway. so thats gone. and now im left with a half functioing pc. i can reboot/login jsut fine and run IE (liek i am now) just fine, but i cant open any programs, for instance if i try to open say AIM.exe(aol instant messanger) the "open with" with list thingo comes up and asks me wat i want to open it with. ALso when i try to access the controll panel(i can open the "folder" but not like "add/romove hardwar" or any of those) it wont open(yea as i said jsut there) and it gives me the message
"c:\windows\system32\rundll32.exe
application not found "

so i thought , fair enough it deleted it. so i jsut downloaded antoher copy from the first thing googled after "rundll32.exe download" and sent it to the system32 folder. reboot. same problem.

i have no idea's as of wat to do next. i was thinking mayeb its another virus but i cant install anything either(thus i still dont have a new anti virus)

could anyone help? that would be great if you can.

thank you,

cypherdias

This is posted in the wrong area, hopefully a moderator will find it and move it to some place like newb security questions or something...

To answer your question, try starting in safe mode and see if you can open anything from there. If you can try installing the programs from a disc if possible...

Try restoring your computer to an earlier state.
Pick an hour/date prior to these problems, when using step 4 of the instructions below:

How to start the System Restore tool at a command prompt.

1. Restart your computer, and then press F8 during the initial startup to start your computer in Safe Mode with a command prompt.
2. Log on to your computer with an administrator account or with an account that has administrator credentials.
3. Type the following command at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
4. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore your computer to an earlier state. Again, pick an hour/date prior to these problems.

sys restore point work.

thank you a bunch ZT3000 :D

and if i posted this in the wrong forum, thank you moderators for not moveing it.

yet. lol

cypherdias

Hi,

This is a bit late but:

Go to this site and run "housecall" the online AV scanner

http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/personal.htm

The problem with restore points is that they restore viruses as well ;)

When you have a clean system, manually create a restore point and delete all the old ones.

:)

Efter you are done with virusscan of you computer and continue to have problem with windows xp you will need to repair it, here is link to site (with pictures) that have complete information about how you must do it:

http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm