System Restore and other system apps do not work

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan
  • Start date Start date
D

Dan

I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
installation of an update.
Some of the symptoms are:

When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box “Windows
needs your permission to continueâ€
I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard is
already running.†However, it is not visible.

Task Manager also remains invisible.

When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows Featuresâ€
box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.

When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays "Preparing to
install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so “Install
server is not respondingâ€.

At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No responding
mode and I must reboot.

When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I use the
hardware shut down button.

Chkdsk found nothing wrong.

Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line for ever.

The same in Safe Mode.

When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed with the
mouse cursor but then nothing.

Is there a way out?

Thanks,
Dan
 
Dan,
Since you can't use system restore from within Windows, I would try it
during boot.
I mean, press F8 during boot and choose System Restore from there.
What I still cannot understand is why do you also have issues when booting
with the Vista DVD alone.
Carlos


"Dan" wrote:

> I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
> Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
> The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
> installation of an update.
> Some of the symptoms are:
>
> When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box “Windows
> needs your permission to continueâ€
> I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
> I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard is
> already running.†However, it is not visible.
>
> Task Manager also remains invisible.
>
> When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows Featuresâ€
> box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.
>
> When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays "Preparing to
> install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so “Install
> server is not respondingâ€.
>
> At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No responding
> mode and I must reboot.
>
> When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I use the
> hardware shut down button.
>
> Chkdsk found nothing wrong.
>
> Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line for ever.
>
> The same in Safe Mode.
>
> When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed with the
> mouse cursor but then nothing.
>
> Is there a way out?
>
> Thanks,
> Dan
>
 
Thanks for your message Carlos.
I used System Restore during reboot. I am not sure it restored a previous
version, anyway all the symptoms are still present.

Not being able to reboot from the DVD is due possibly to a malware present
in the system.

Thanks,


"Carlos" wrote:

> Dan,
> Since you can't use system restore from within Windows, I would try it
> during boot.
> I mean, press F8 during boot and choose System Restore from there.
> What I still cannot understand is why do you also have issues when booting
> with the Vista DVD alone.
> Carlos
>
>
> "Dan" wrote:
>
> > I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
> > Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
> > The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
> > installation of an update.
> > Some of the symptoms are:
> >
> > When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box “Windows
> > needs your permission to continueâ€
> > I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
> > I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard is
> > already running.†However, it is not visible.
> >
> > Task Manager also remains invisible.
> >
> > When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows Featuresâ€
> > box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.
> >
> > When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays "Preparing to
> > install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so “Install
> > server is not respondingâ€.
> >
> > At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No responding
> > mode and I must reboot.
> >
> > When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I use the
> > hardware shut down button.
> >
> > Chkdsk found nothing wrong.
> >
> > Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line for ever.
> >
> > The same in Safe Mode.
> >
> > When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed with the
> > mouse cursor but then nothing.
> >
> > Is there a way out?
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Dan
> >
 
Once an OS is installed on the hard drive the optical drive has to be set in
the BIOS to be higher in the boot order than the harddrive in order to boot
from a dvd. Check your boot order in the BIOS.

"Dan" <dan@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:038E2DEC-DE3A-4EF7-AC6D-A8A134411199@microsoft.com...
> Thanks for your message Carlos.
> I used System Restore during reboot. I am not sure it restored a previous
> version, anyway all the symptoms are still present.
>
> Not being able to reboot from the DVD is due possibly to a malware present
> in the system.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> "Carlos" wrote:
>
>> Dan,
>> Since you can't use system restore from within Windows, I would try it
>> during boot.
>> I mean, press F8 during boot and choose System Restore from there.
>> What I still cannot understand is why do you also have issues when
>> booting
>> with the Vista DVD alone.
>> Carlos
>>
>>
>> "Dan" wrote:
>>
>> > I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
>> > Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
>> > The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
>> > installation of an update.
>> > Some of the symptoms are:
>> >
>> > When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box
>> > “Windows
>> > needs your permission to continueâ€
>> > I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
>> > I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard is
>> > already running.†However, it is not visible.
>> >
>> > Task Manager also remains invisible.
>> >
>> > When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows
>> > Featuresâ€
>> > box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.
>> >
>> > When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays
>> > "Preparing to
>> > install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so
>> > “Install
>> > server is not respondingâ€.
>> >
>> > At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No
>> > responding
>> > mode and I must reboot.
>> >
>> > When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I use
>> > the
>> > hardware shut down button.
>> >
>> > Chkdsk found nothing wrong.
>> >
>> > Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line for
>> > ever.
>> >
>> > The same in Safe Mode.
>> >
>> > When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed with
>> > the
>> > mouse cursor but then nothing.
>> >
>> > Is there a way out?
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> > Dan
>> >
 
Dan,
Already thought of that, but neither malware nor virus can prevent booting
from the DVD because they are still not running.
Colin's advice about boot sequence in BIOS is the first thing to look at.
By the way, did you do any hardware changes lately?
Can you unplug as many external devices as you can and then check again?
Once you have solved the issue, I suggest you go for full backup setup.
Software: Acronis True Image Home
Media: External (USB) hard disk
I do full Vista backups once a month after the second Tuesday (MSFT monthly
updates) and it is really a life saver.
I had to resort to it a couple of weeks back when my system started to give
many errors after having experimented with video/audio decoders.
Best of luck.
Carlos

"Dan" wrote:

> Thanks for your message Carlos.
> I used System Restore during reboot. I am not sure it restored a previous
> version, anyway all the symptoms are still present.
>
> Not being able to reboot from the DVD is due possibly to a malware present
> in the system.
>
> Thanks,
>
>
> "Carlos" wrote:
>
> > Dan,
> > Since you can't use system restore from within Windows, I would try it
> > during boot.
> > I mean, press F8 during boot and choose System Restore from there.
> > What I still cannot understand is why do you also have issues when booting
> > with the Vista DVD alone.
> > Carlos
> >
> >
> > "Dan" wrote:
> >
> > > I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
> > > Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
> > > The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
> > > installation of an update.
> > > Some of the symptoms are:
> > >
> > > When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box “Windows
> > > needs your permission to continueâ€
> > > I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
> > > I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard is
> > > already running.†However, it is not visible.
> > >
> > > Task Manager also remains invisible.
> > >
> > > When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows Featuresâ€
> > > box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.
> > >
> > > When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays "Preparing to
> > > install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so “Install
> > > server is not respondingâ€.
> > >
> > > At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No responding
> > > mode and I must reboot.
> > >
> > > When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I use the
> > > hardware shut down button.
> > >
> > > Chkdsk found nothing wrong.
> > >
> > > Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line for ever.
> > >
> > > The same in Safe Mode.
> > >
> > > When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed with the
> > > mouse cursor but then nothing.
> > >
> > > Is there a way out?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > > Dan
> > >
 
I do the full backup with ATI just before Patch Tuesday just in case an
update will cause me issues that I cannot correct by uninstalling the
offending update, but the same idea.

"Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A284A239-29C2-44AB-9A14-BDC89D6811E6@microsoft.com...
> Dan,
> Already thought of that, but neither malware nor virus can prevent booting
> from the DVD because they are still not running.
> Colin's advice about boot sequence in BIOS is the first thing to look at.
> By the way, did you do any hardware changes lately?
> Can you unplug as many external devices as you can and then check again?
> Once you have solved the issue, I suggest you go for full backup setup.
> Software: Acronis True Image Home
> Media: External (USB) hard disk
> I do full Vista backups once a month after the second Tuesday (MSFT
> monthly
> updates) and it is really a life saver.
> I had to resort to it a couple of weeks back when my system started to
> give
> many errors after having experimented with video/audio decoders.
> Best of luck.
> Carlos
>
> "Dan" wrote:
>
>> Thanks for your message Carlos.
>> I used System Restore during reboot. I am not sure it restored a
>> previous
>> version, anyway all the symptoms are still present.
>>
>> Not being able to reboot from the DVD is due possibly to a malware
>> present
>> in the system.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>>
>> "Carlos" wrote:
>>
>> > Dan,
>> > Since you can't use system restore from within Windows, I would try it
>> > during boot.
>> > I mean, press F8 during boot and choose System Restore from there.
>> > What I still cannot understand is why do you also have issues when
>> > booting
>> > with the Vista DVD alone.
>> > Carlos
>> >
>> >
>> > "Dan" wrote:
>> >
>> > > I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
>> > > Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
>> > > The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
>> > > installation of an update.
>> > > Some of the symptoms are:
>> > >
>> > > When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box
>> > > “Windows
>> > > needs your permission to continueâ€
>> > > I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
>> > > I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard
>> > > is
>> > > already running.†However, it is not visible.
>> > >
>> > > Task Manager also remains invisible.
>> > >
>> > > When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows
>> > > Featuresâ€
>> > > box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.
>> > >
>> > > When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays
>> > > "Preparing to
>> > > install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so
>> > > “Install
>> > > server is not respondingâ€.
>> > >
>> > > At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No
>> > > responding
>> > > mode and I must reboot.
>> > >
>> > > When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I
>> > > use the
>> > > hardware shut down button.
>> > >
>> > > Chkdsk found nothing wrong.
>> > >
>> > > Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line
>> > > for ever.
>> > >
>> > > The same in Safe Mode.
>> > >
>> > > When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed
>> > > with the
>> > > mouse cursor but then nothing.
>> > >
>> > > Is there a way out?
>> > >
>> > > Thanks,
>> > > Dan
>> > >
 
Well, I actually keep two backup copies.
1.- A "pre-Tuesday" one, which is really the "post-Tuesday" of last month.
This is the one I keep "outside" the computer in an external drive.
2.- A "post-Tuesday" one, of the current month.
This one is kept "inside" the computer in a dedicated partition.
So, after Patch Tuesday, I first push the "inside" copy "outside", deleting
the old one and then create an "inside" backup of the current state.

Better safe than sorry.
:)
Carlos

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> I do the full backup with ATI just before Patch Tuesday just in case an
> update will cause me issues that I cannot correct by uninstalling the
> offending update, but the same idea.
>
> "Carlos" <Carlos@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:A284A239-29C2-44AB-9A14-BDC89D6811E6@microsoft.com...
> > Dan,
> > Already thought of that, but neither malware nor virus can prevent booting
> > from the DVD because they are still not running.
> > Colin's advice about boot sequence in BIOS is the first thing to look at.
> > By the way, did you do any hardware changes lately?
> > Can you unplug as many external devices as you can and then check again?
> > Once you have solved the issue, I suggest you go for full backup setup.
> > Software: Acronis True Image Home
> > Media: External (USB) hard disk
> > I do full Vista backups once a month after the second Tuesday (MSFT
> > monthly
> > updates) and it is really a life saver.
> > I had to resort to it a couple of weeks back when my system started to
> > give
> > many errors after having experimented with video/audio decoders.
> > Best of luck.
> > Carlos
> >
> > "Dan" wrote:
> >
> >> Thanks for your message Carlos.
> >> I used System Restore during reboot. I am not sure it restored a
> >> previous
> >> version, anyway all the symptoms are still present.
> >>
> >> Not being able to reboot from the DVD is due possibly to a malware
> >> present
> >> in the system.
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >>
> >> "Carlos" wrote:
> >>
> >> > Dan,
> >> > Since you can't use system restore from within Windows, I would try it
> >> > during boot.
> >> > I mean, press F8 during boot and choose System Restore from there.
> >> > What I still cannot understand is why do you also have issues when
> >> > booting
> >> > with the Vista DVD alone.
> >> > Carlos
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > "Dan" wrote:
> >> >
> >> > > I am using Vista Ultimate x64 Build 6001 SP1.
> >> > > Intel® Core(TM)2 CPU 6700 @ 2.66GHz 2.66 GHz Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
> >> > > The behavior described below started suddenly, possibly after the
> >> > > installation of an update.
> >> > > Some of the symptoms are:
> >> > >
> >> > > When I click on System Restore I get (as expected) the dialog box
> >> > > “Windows
> >> > > needs your permission to continueâ€
> >> > > I click Continue. Apparently nothing happens.
> >> > > I repeat the above and I get the message “The System Restore wizard
> >> > > is
> >> > > already running.†However, it is not visible.
> >> > >
> >> > > Task Manager also remains invisible.
> >> > >
> >> > > When I click on “Turn Windows features on and off†the “Windows
> >> > > Featuresâ€
> >> > > box is displayed with “Please wait...†but nothing happens.
> >> > >
> >> > > When trying to uninstall an update, Windows Installer displays
> >> > > "Preparing to
> >> > > install..." and remains so forever. Click Cancel, after 10 min or so
> >> > > “Install
> >> > > server is not respondingâ€.
> >> > >
> >> > > At times Visual Studio and the Office 2007 programs go in No
> >> > > responding
> >> > > mode and I must reboot.
> >> > >
> >> > > When I shut down the computer "Logging off " is displayed until I
> >> > > use the
> >> > > hardware shut down button.
> >> > >
> >> > > Chkdsk found nothing wrong.
> >> > >
> >> > > Sfc /scannow doesn’t start the cursor is blinking on the next line
> >> > > for ever.
> >> > >
> >> > > The same in Safe Mode.
> >> > >
> >> > > When I try to start from the DVD the Vista background is displayed
> >> > > with the
> >> > > mouse cursor but then nothing.
> >> > >
> >> > > Is there a way out?
> >> > >
> >> > > Thanks,
> >> > > Dan
> >> > >
>
 
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