In a recent email newsletter, I wrote about a question by a subscriber who was having severe problems with Windows XP. I had some suggestions for John, and I asked my subscribers if they had solutions, too:
For the last several months I’ve been unable to install any new or updated software on my computer. I’m running XP. Is there software that will examine my computer and make repairs? This is really frustrating!
Well, the helpful suggestions came rolling in via email and via comments on my Terry’s Computer Tips blog.
Here are a few of them:
Reader Clif of the Clif Notes Newsletter wrote:
Hi Terry,I’ve used this before to fix system issues without loss of data.
No Format Reinstall of XPHave fun!
Clif
This was a great suggestion that I had forgotten. I’ve used this trick in the past to handle Windows problems after hardware repairs.
If you use it, be sure to immediately do your Microsoft Updates or Windows Updates — it will change a number of files back to earlier versions, so you’ll have all those bugs and security issues again, until you do the updates.
Subscriber James Biddle commented on my blog to say:
I had a similar problem once and I uninstalled (or just deleted) MSInstall. I think MS has a fix on their site. When that is uninstalled go to MS Update and it will update to the newest version.
Subscriber Vinay Nair wrote to suggest:
Hi Terry,
You could suggest running CCleaner for a good wipe out of the system. There is a detailed blog post around on google which will take you through the basic steps of ccleaner and warns you of the outcomes and then lets you make your choices.
My 2 cents.
Vinay
I’m not sure if CCleaner can be installed on a flash drive from another computer and then used to inspect John’s computer. I think it has to be installed, and John says he’s unable to install programs.
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