homepage hijacked by: http://awesomehomepage.com/newsletter.php?list=positivethoughts

And since when did this all happen? Because it's quite confusing since I don't know what other steps you have performed in between. I know you have been fixing entries in HijackThis in between as well, so are there any other steps you have done? Been scanning with another scanner? Using tweaktools, registry cleaning tools etc? Because Combofix isn't the cause here since the two folder it deleted have nothing to do with your problems.

But what I do see is that you have been running Combofix more than once, the first time I asked you to run Combofix.
Why was that? Also, how does it come that you fixed entries in Hijackthis I didn't ask? Or are you receiving help somewhere else as well, and someone else posted these instructions?

I am asking you this, because something got corrupted here and I cannot see what happened here in between.

Anyway, I also suggest you temporary uninstall Pestpatrol. This because 1st, it's a poor scanner and second, the process running in the background does the same as Teatimer, so it interferes with manual modifications.

web windows disappear when i minimize
Click to expand...
Is this with other programs as well? If you open a program and minimize it into your tray, do they disappear as well?

Also when i open a folder i cannot move files from it
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Is this for any folder? Do you get an error or something?

system restore does not function. if i try to use it, a window comes up saying that system restore is not able to protect my computer
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Looks like System restore is disabled/not running.
Go to start > run and type: services.msc
Scroll to System Restore.
Doubleclick it.
Status of the service should be started, and the startuptype should be set to automatic.

But with this all, I am starting to wonder if your userprofile got corrupted.. Not sure if Windows Desktop Search caused this, because most problems you are talking can be a result of this. I have seen the same problem once before when Google desktop was installed. It corrupted an entire userprofile, also because Registry Cleaners were used in between.

Are there other userprofiles present? If not, try to create another userprofile with admin privileges and let me know if you're having the same problem there.
 
all this happened when after the last combofix and the pc restarted.

when i minimize an open program it disappears too. seems like the system tray( is it called so?) at the bottom of the screen is not fully functional. System restore is also not functioning. as i told you earlier, when i go to accessories>system tools> system restore a message comes up saying sys rest is not protecting my pc.

I have used combofix more than once yes, but that was before you started your much appreciated help. i haven't asked for help elsewhere, but i did scan my pc with kapersky, f-secure, housecall and combofix before you started to help me.

I cannot move the files in any folder. No error message comes up. I cannot drag and drop.

Now I have installed internet explorer, and that is working properly.
 
when i typed services.msc in the run browser and clicked, system restore was not in the right window, actually 1/4 of the right window is all blu with an icon of two gear wheels on the top left hand corner. no words, letters or numbers whatsoever.

there are 2 user profiles on y pc (if i'm understanding you correctly) one is administrator and the other lina(with administrative priviliges).
 
ok found system restore in services.msc. i waslooking in the extended window but now i realized there was another window called standard. yes, startuo is set to automatic
 
the status for system restore in services is blank. I tried to set it to start but a window comes up:
Could not start the System Restore Service service on Local Computer. Error1068: The dependency service or group failed to start
 
but now i realized there was another window called standard. yes, startuo is set to automatic
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But is the service started? What does it say next to status of the service? It should be started. In case if it's not started, click the start button under it.

all this happened when after the last combofix and the pc restarted.
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Yes, but as I already said, I don't see how Combofix should cause this. Main errors were related with your windows Desktop search when you opened Internet Explorer after using Combofix and then I saw that you have been fixing entries in HijackThis in between as well. Combofix did restart your computer, but I guess if you didn't use Combofix and restarted your computer, that you would have had the same problem.
So what I am trying to explain here is, modifications mainly happen after a reboot, so if you fix certain entries in HijackThis, most changes will only show after reboot.

For your programs that won't minimize, go to this page:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm
There, click the "Minimized Programs Missing" and download the vbs file to your desktop. Once on your desktop, doubleclick the xp_taskbar_desktop_fixall.vbs and let it perform it's job.

Now I have installed internet explorer, and that is working properly.
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Now, since you reinstalled Internet Explorer, did you reboot? After reboot, look if drag and drop works again, because this problem can occur if Internet Explorer files become damaged.
 
I see you posted in between..

the status for system restore in services is blank. I tried to set it to start but a window comes up:
Could not start the System Restore Service service on Local Computer. Error1068: The dependency service or group failed to start
Click to expand...
Hmm, just found this thread:

http://www.errorforum.com/security-...system-restore-services-desktop-problems.html

It looks like it's exactly the same combinations of problems and this indeed looks like the userprofile got corrupted.

there are 2 user profiles on y pc (if i'm understanding you correctly) one is administrator and the other lina(with administrative priviliges).
Click to expand...
So, this one is the lina userprofile?
Log off from this userprofile and log in into the administrator userprofile and let me know if you're having the same problems there.
 
i could only access the administrator userprofile through safe mode. in admin profile the windows still disappear on minimize.
when i went to user options in control panel , it was empty and i could not create a new user profile.
i have noticed another fault. when i click on a link like the ones you send me in yr posts, the link does not work. then i highlight it and right click>copy. but when i try to paste the copied text the PASTE is greyed and i cannot choose it. this happens with both lina and administrator user profiles.

do you think i should uninstall windows and install it again? or should i reformat my pc? i need your expert advice.
 
another error i have found is that i cannot reply to mail in outlook express. after trying to reply and not succeeding, outlook express closed and will not open anymore.
 
I am sorry to hear that more and more problems appear..

Looks like a lot got corrupted - and I guess this is mainly because services are failing to start - most probably because of a corrupted registry/corrupted files.
I really have no clue how this suddenly all happened.. Guess it was already corrupted before.. And as I already explained, it had nothing to do with what Combofix removed - it was mainly what was done to the system before and that last reboot after using Combofix made it final.

No need to reformat - A repair install should normally solve this as well. :)
A repair install doesn't remove your files, but it will be a good idea anyway to backup your important files you don't want to loose - this just in case.

Then read here how to perform a repair install:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Afterwards you should reinstall all Windows updates again.

Sidenote and important note - do not use scanners such as Pestpatrol, True Sword, Uniblue, because I don't like them since I have seen them deleting a lot of false positives as well. Stick with Spybot s&d as your Spyware scanner. Also, don't visit cracksites anymore, because malware is always present there and malware damages A LOT.
 
i did repair on my pc, but things got only worse. then i reformatted, lost some files because i couldn't copy after the repair.

reformatting ran smoothly. now pc is definitely clean.

thank you for your much appreciated help.
 
Good everything is Ok now. Guess the damage was worse than expected.

I just hope you keep in mind not to visit cracksites or other illegal sites anymore.. because that's what I already said in my first post - that's where malware is lurking and malware damages A LOT.

Please read my Prevention page with lots of info and tips how to prevent this in the future.
And if you want to improve speed/system performance after malware removal, take a look here.

Happy Surfing again!
 
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