I would use Ageless's routine if your system is really messed up. It could call for re-installation of many updates and an investment of several hours of your time.

I always try to take the simplest path before calling in the 'Big Surgeon'...":>

As an aside, I was watching the American Football Conference championship game yesterday and was amused when during the 1st half the Micro$oft Surface tablets(adopted by the NFL as preferred sideline team communication devices), stopped working,......for the Patriots side only.....was Window$ 10 pushing an update?........";D>......too bad for their side......";D>

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

Thank you for your suggestion. A problem is I don't have a restore CD. I bought the PC from HP and they gave me nothing. :(

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

Thank you for your suggestion. A problem is I don't have a restore CD. I bought the PC from HP and they gave me nothing. :(

HP`s usually have a recovery partition on it.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

No problem. The system files checker uses the Windows 7 installation cache, that's a cache that got installed on the hard drive during the original installation of Windows. Only when this cache is damaged in some way, will it ask for the DVD. The only way the cache can be damaged is if you have a hard drive problem, but then you're better off buying a new HDD... :)

It will only, most probably, put whatever files it finds that are damaged back to its original form, the form they were in when Windows got installed on the drive. And as such, you'll need to run Windows Update on it after sfc is done, and you rebooted.

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...I was watching the American Football Conference championship game yesterday and was amused when during the 1st half the Micro$oft Surface tablets(adopted by the NFL as preferred sideline team communication devices), stopped working,......for the Patriots side only.....was Window$ 10 pushing an update?........";D>......too bad for their side......";D>

Yeah, wasn't that priceless?
Guess I missed the part where it was only the Pats affected, thought it was everybody. Whatever the issue was, it was related to their wireless, as the fix was to run for a while with Ethernet hardwired. Wonder how much M$ paid the NFL for that product placement?

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Wonder how much M$ paid the NFL for that product placement?

AND I wonder if they've come to regret it or don't the teams mind all their files(playbooks) being the property of M$? Or do they even realize it?

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

Having bought a HP PC with Windows 8, I made a backup of it on 4 DVD. But when it was updated to 8.1 I was not allowed to make another backup. Then Microsoft upgraded it to Windows 10 and I made a repair disk on one DVD. When the PC crashed, probably due to an error of mine, I used the repair disk and the PC restarted without all the HP software, only Microsoft. I then bought a 1 TB external disk via USB to save my files on its FAT32 file system. Windows 10 refused to make a backup on that disk because "other people might read it". By hook or by crook (I am not a Windows expert) I reduced the FAT32 partition to 32 GB and formatted the remaining to NTFS. Then I made a full backup, and it will be done weekly,taking about one hour. I suspend all BOINC tasks while making the backup.
Tullio

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Smart Tullio, I did pretty much the same with my files and backup using a Buffalo NAS HDD enclosure and 2 WD 3TB drives. I have a seperate NAS for streaming movies and other programs I have recorded which is always attached to my system, the backup NAS however is turned off unless I'm doing a backup.

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

BAD PROBLEM TRYING TO REMOVE "Bad Windows Updates"

Please see my Message posting 1759106 dated 25 Jan 2016 for a step by step description of a problem with my Win 7 64-bit PC.

It is titled "FAILURE CONFIGURING WINDOWS UPDATE - REVERTING" An M$ screen message I got.

A somewhat shortened synopsis is as follows:

I reviewed the group posting Message 1750074 - Posted: 18 December 2015 listing "bad Windows updates." These are bad as they are involved in M$ attempts to force a Win 10 update on Users of earlier OS's by M$.

Using the above list, and choosing those marked in BLUE for Win 7, I removed the first 3 bad Windows updates with no apparent problem. A required re-boot took 3 or 4 minutes.

I then tried the next 3. This time the "removal" rattled on for an HOUR and ended with the "FAILURE CONFIGURING......" screen message mentioned above. The 2nd group of 3 files had NOT been removed.

I found that my listing of files, those I had already updated in past days, was corrupted, as now I was told I'd never up-dated anything before. Geez...

I decided to STOP as this was getting SCARY.

END OF "somewhat shortened synopsis." :)

NEW STUFF BELOW:

I have since discovered add'l ANOMALIES, today, in my Win 7 PC. I run M$ "Windows Virtual PC" in Windows XP Mode as it permits me to run old XP programs I wrote that would not work w/o it. When I run it I get a small window in XP mode in the center of my 24 in. Win 7 screen. It is set up with AVG Free and MalwareBytes for protection from 'outside malware.' It works FINE and I can do my work.

I needed XP Mode today and did a "Start / Windoes Virtual PC / Windows XP Mode." It took unusually long to come up and when it did I was horrifed to see an all black screen with tiny icons scattered around the outer perimeter of my large screen! Yoiks! I found I could not even 're-size' the screen! This was totally awful. What to do? I could not EXIT Win XP Mode as I normally would. I was forced to unplug my PC and reboot.

I then tried a 2nd time to bring up Win XP Mode and was met with "black and white boxes" in the center area of my screen. I re-booted again and on the 3rd try a normal XP screen appeared and about 5 X 7 inches in the center area of my much larger screen. The icons were in disarray and I had to re-locate them. When I clicked on program icons in the lower right system tray, nothing worked. I could not open MalwareBytes or AVG Free. I could open BOTH by double-clicking their main screen icons tho. I tried to 'update' the MalwareBytes list of 'bad stuff' but nothing happened. I then opened AVG Free. It said my file was out of date so I clicked "Fix Now" to up-date. The supposed 'update' ran on and on and on. After 15 minutes I saw "Update failed" and "General Error" on the AVG Free screen box.

I then found I COULD exit Win XP Mode in the normal manner whereas I could not before. I exited, waited a few minutes, and then re-started Win XP Mode. This time the XP screen opened as normal, albeit, more slowly than usual. I found that MalwareBytes was not listed as "running" in my system tray altho I had the program set to "run autimatically at Windows startup." It had NOT started. I again ran AVG Free and saw, in RED, the msg "UPDATE FAILED." I again clicked "Fix Now" to update and was told "update started," or some such. After several minutes I finally got an 'Updates installed" msg. Whew!

Win XP running inside Win 7 now looked norma, BUT... BUT...

I can no longer xfer DATA in the form of numbers or text inside a .txt file in/out! I can't open a .txt file in win 7 and paste it into a .txt file existing in Win XP. All my calculation programs are now worthless. :( I then tried opening a .txt file inside Win XP and pasting it into a .txt file on my Win 7 desktop. NO LUCK!

When the "virtual machine" starts up, one of the msgs you see inside the XP window is "enabling integration features." This is likely WHY I can no longer xfer .txt file data in and out of XP. This is AWFUL! It appears that "integration enabling" is no longer working.

One other anomaly is I now get an error msg in my Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail client when I try to send. It says "Sending of the message failed. Unable to open the temporary file C:\Users\Linda\AppData\Local\Temp\nsmail.tmp. Check your temporary directory setting." WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS?

THOUGHTS:

After what I've been thru with my Win 7 64-bit PC in trying to remove "bad windows updates," I have to say it seems a risky business to me. But then I have to think "others have done it with no problems?" But then, Why me? :)

There is something flaky going on with, I think, M$ "update removal" code? It seems to create bad anomilies with other files and cause damage?

Maybe the method suggested in group Message 1759116 dated 25 Jan 2016 may be safer? "JaundicedEye," passed along a batch file for use in removing bad M$ updates. Maybe THIS method gets around sloppy M$ code? Anyone have an idea on this?

Also, "Ageless" offered a suggestion. His was put forth in group Message 1759182 dated 25 Jan 2016. He suggests "doing a cmd.exe" and then typing "sfc /SCANNOW" and hitting Enter. The premise is, I presume, that it will seek out and fix bad stuff? Perhaps he might comment on whether it may fix what I am experiencing as detailed above?

There is an option, in Win 7, to "Restart my computer to an earlier time?" Should I try THAT? Go back a few days and see if it fixes this multitude of problems? For some reason tho, my 'restore points' only go back TWP days! Why after using this PC for 6 months?

I hope anyone in the group can tell me how to fix this in plain language? :) Right now my PC is in bad shape.

Help appreciated. In return you get a huggie and access to any left-overs in my fridge. :))

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

If you need a Virtual Machine why don't you use Virtual Box? it is free and works on my Windows 10 PC where there are 5 Virtual Machines, and on the two Linux boxes with one Virtual Machine each.
Tullio

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Also, "Ageless" offered a suggestion. His was put forth in group Message 1759182 dated 25 Jan 2016. He suggests "doing a cmd.exe" and then typing "sfc /SCANNOW" and hitting Enter. The premise is, I presume, that it will seek out and fix bad stuff? Perhaps he might comment on whether it may fix what I am experiencing as detailed above?

I didn't suggest you do a cmd.exe, I suggested you do an elevated cmd.exe. Big difference here, because by elevating to the administrator of the machine, not just the administrator account you may be working with, you have more rights.

Only the Windows administrator can check if there are problems with system files. Which is why you elevate yourself to system administrator to run the system file checker.

Will it fix all the problems you have? I don't know. Until you try, you won't know either. But it's better to do an elevated SFC than it is to continue to try to fix the system from within.

If all fails, there's always the Repair Windows 7 option, and before you say you don't have a Windows 7 DVD, please first look at the article I linked to as that's handled as well.
There's a last ditch option for when even the above doesn't work, and that's to reinstall Windows 7 while keeping all your programs, personal data, and user accounts intact.

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If you need a Virtual Machine why don't you use Virtual Box? it is free and works on my Windows 10 PC where there are 5 Virtual Machines, and on the two Linux boxes with one Virtual Machine each.
Tullio

Hi Tullio,
I would use Oracle VM Virtual Box if I were going to run software written for other OS's like Linux, Mac OS X, or Solaris x86 OS. My software, created some 40 years back using Borland Turbo-Basic, runs on a Windows OS. That being the case, the free M$ product Windows Virtual PC, running Windows XP Mode, perfectly fit my needs. :)

When M$ created Win 7 they blocked access to the full hi-res graphics screen and ruined my ability to run full page highly intensive code that created, if you know the name, a full screen "Smith Chart," needed for a wide variety of microwave circuit designs. The ONLY way I could find to continue using this vintage code of mine was to run Win XP on a screen inside of Win 7. Get it? :)

Altho Win 7/8 progs work within the Oracle VM Virtual Box software, graphic intensive Win XP code, and older M$ OS's does not. I would assume, but am not certain, that Win 10 would not allow my XP graphics code to run in it.

Since I do not have Win 10 I cannot know if it will run Windows Virtual PC in XP mode. Do you know about that?

I'm unsure HOW to post a .jpg graphic image in this group or I would show you some images. :)

Thank you!

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

Also, "Ageless" offered a suggestion. His was put forth in group Message 1759182 dated 25 Jan 2016. He suggests "doing a cmd.exe" and then typing "sfc /SCANNOW" and hitting Enter. The premise is, I presume, that it will seek out and fix bad stuff? Perhaps he might comment on whether it may fix what I am experiencing as detailed above?

I didn't suggest you do a cmd.exe, I suggested you do an elevated cmd.exe. Big difference here, because by elevating to the administrator of the machine, not just the administrator account you may be working with, you have more rights.

Only the Windows administrator can check if there are problems with system files. Which is why you elevate yourself to system administrator to run the system file checker.

Will it fix all the problems you have? I don't know. Until you try, you won't know either. But it's better to do an elevated SFC than it is to continue to try to fix the system from within.

If all fails, there's always the Repair Windows 7 option, and before you say you don't have a Windows 7 DVD, please first look at the article I linked to as that's handled as well.
There's a last ditch option for when even the above doesn't work, and that's to reinstall Windows 7 while keeping all your programs, personal data, and user accounts intact.

Ahhhh, I see, said the blind carpenter, as she picked up her hammer and saw!

I have never heard the phrase elevated cmd.exe I have always been the administrator as mine have always been single-user machines. :)

OMG, I hope never to have to go so far as to do a virtual "re-install of Windows." That would totally ruin my day. :( This is a nightmare.

In regard removing the M$ "bad updates," from what I've seen and experienced, the ONLY way that is SAFE is if you CATCH the up-dates BEFORE they are installed. If you go in, innocently, as I did, and try to use the M$ "unistall update" feature you are taking your life in your hands and risking ruination. I know some will say "I had no problem" but then others will as I have. I dunno why? I suspect slight differences in each User PC or some such may account for it. It is a mystery. ONE thing is for certain. YOUR PC and my PC are different, even tho both may run Win 7. Our OS code is not identical; it varies over time.

Thank you for your kind help. It is much appreciated. :)

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

Linda, I know very little about Windows. I am only using it as a Virtual Box platform to run CERN programs. Besides that, I have installed two SuSE Linux Virtual Machines on it. On one of them I have loaded a second tier Virtual Box to run CERN vLHC@home on it and it works. The other is running SETI@home Linux programs on a Windows 10 PC. I have also installed a Solaris 11.3 Virtual Machine, but there are no BOINC projects in Solaris (a derivative of Berkeley UNIX, which have used in my professional life). So I can't help you, sorry.
Tullio

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Linda, I know very little about Windows. I am only using it as a Virtual Box platform to run CERN programs. Besides that, I have installed two SuSE Linux Virtual Machines on it. On one of them I have loaded a second tier Virtual Box to run CERN vLHC@home on it and it works. The other is running SETI@home Linux programs on a Windows 10 PC. I have also installed a Solaris 11.3 Virtual Machine, but there are no BOINC projects in Solaris (a derivative of Berkeley UNIX, which have used in my professional life). So I can't help you, sorry.
Tullio

Wow, you know a lot more than I do!!! your post reads like a quote from Einsteins resume. <g>

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

Maybe i missed it, but did you run sfc /scannow (as administrator)?
What happened?

Maybe i missed it, but did you run sfc /scannow (as administrator)?
What happened?

No, haven't done it yet. Trying to exhaust other things first. I do know I'm now extremely 'leery' about trying to remove M& 'bad updates.' Not sure the safest way to deal with them.

Thank you for asking! :)

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

Please do this first.
Otherwise you may make things worse.

Please do this first.
Otherwise you may make things worse.

I got Win XP running again inside of Win 7 by an uninstall and reinstall. My e-mail sending is acting right again. I'm just afraid to go any further on trying to remove M$ bad updates. :(

I worry about what I have not seen yet that was messed up by using the M$ 'update removal' tool.

Huggs

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"

I can understand that.
However, this SFC is an integrity checker and does not remove anything.
It scans, if win 7 is working ok and not corrupted.

Being corrupt may have caused the mess.

I run it once per month or so, just to be on the save side.


If it is working right now, then fine.