IE and Standard Programs have Disappeared

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

A couple of weeks ago my Internet Explorer along with the games and calculator that come with windows computers have disappeared. I just realized this because I think this is the cause for my Itunes no longer connecting to the online store because it uses IE to do so. The problem is that the program file for IE is still there, but there are no icons I can click on to run IE. There are no short cuts on my desktop, in the start menu area, or in the program file itself. I tried to install the newest version of IE again, but it did nothing. It is the same as it was before. I don't know what to do and I don't know how these got deleted. I tried doing a system restore but the farthest point back was 4 days ago. What good does this do when my Itunes issue started a couple of weeks ago?

Please help! Please........ :cry:

[{11}O/8|Pvt.madlulz!]

Try this first, start->run->iexplore

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

^the window came up but i have no connection to the internet. I ran diagnostics, says it may be caused by the firewall. But i have turned off my firewall with no avail. Same problem.

Last diagnostic run time: 04/26/08 19:16:08 HTTP, HTTPS, FTP Diagnostic HTTP, HTTPS, FTP connectivity info FTP (Passive): Successfully connected to ftp.microsoft.com. warn HTTP: Error 12029 connecting to www.microsoft.com: A connection with the server could not be established warn HTTPS: Error 12029 connecting to www.microsoft.com: A connection with the server could not be established warn HTTP: Error 12029 connecting to www.hotmail.com: A connection with the server could not be established warn HTTPS: Error 12029 connecting to www.passport.net: A connection with the server could not be established error Could not make an HTTP connection. error Could not make an HTTPS connection. info Redirecting user to support call DNS Client Diagnostic DNS - Not a home user scenario info Using Web Proxy: yes No DNS servers DNS failure Gateway Diagnostic Gateway info The following proxy configuration is being used by IE: Automatically Detect Settingsisabled Automatic Configuration Script: Proxy Server:202.6.86.161:80 Proxy Bypass list:*.local info This computer has the following default gateway entry(ies): 192.168.1.254 info This computer has the following IP address(es): 192.168.1.65 info The default gateway is in the same subnet as this computer info The default gateway entry is a valid unicast address info The default gateway address was resolved via ARP in 1 try(ies) info The default gateway was reached via ICMP Ping in 1 try(ies) info Skipped gateway connectivity check because of IE proxy configuration IP Layer Diagnostic Corrupted IP routing table info The default route is valid info The loopback route is valid info The local host route is valid info The local subnet route is valid Invalid ARP cache entries action The ARP cache has been flushed IP Configuration Diagnostic Invalid IP address info Valid IP address detected: 192.168.1.65 Wireless Diagnostic Wireless - Service disabled Wireless - User SSID Wireless - First time setup Wireless - Radio off Wireless - Out of range Wireless - Hardware issue Wireless - Novice user Wireless - Ad-hoc network Wireless - Less preferred Wireless - 802.1x enabled Wireless - Configuration mismatch Wireless - Low SNR WinSock Diagnostic WinSock status info All base service provider entries are present in the Winsock catalog. info The Winsock Service provider chains are valid. info Provider entry MSAFD Tcpip [TCP/IP] passed the loopback communication test. info Provider entry MSAFD Tcpip [UDP/IP] passed the loopback communication test. info Provider entry RSVP UDP Service Provider passed the loopback communication test. info Provider entry RSVP TCP Service Provider passed the loopback communication test. info Connectivity is valid for all Winsock service providers. Network Adapter Diagnostic Network location detection info Using home Internet connection Network adapter identification info Network connection: Name=Local Area Connection, Device=Intel(R) PRO/1000 PL Network Connection, MediaType=LAN, SubMediaType=LAN info Ethernet connection selected Network adapter status info Network connection status: Connected HTTP, HTTPS, FTP Diagnostic HTTP, HTTPS, FTP connectivity info FTP (Passive): Successfully connected to ftp.microsoft.com. warn HTTP: Error 12029 connecting to www.microsoft.com: A connection with the server could not be established warn HTTPS: Error 12029 connecting to www.microsoft.com: A connection with the server could not be established warn HTTP: Error 12029 connecting to www.hotmail.com: A connection with the server could not be established warn HTTPS: Error 12029 connecting to www.passport.net: A connection with the server could not be established error Could not make an HTTP connection. error Could not make an HTTPS connection.

[{11}O/8|Pvt.madlulz!]

Ok first off a few things, what sort of connection are you running on? DSL/Cable/FiOS/etc.
What OS?

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

DSL, Dell XPS 400. Its an XP.

[{11}O/8|Pvt.madlulz!]

Ok, for half of this I can get to you tomorrow because I'm about to go to sleep and I'm on my vista cpu right now anyways, but...

Firstly, make sure you are not in 'Work Offline' mode File->Work Offline. To be honest, it's one of the most common problems because people just don't think it could be that simple. Haha. I'll post some other things to check in a couple hours.


While I don't believe the games disappearing and iTunes Store not working correctly are related, they could possibly be. Could you screenshot your Task Manager (Ctrl+Alt+Del), and your System Configuration Utilites [Panel Services, and Panel Start Up] (To access this Start->Run->MSConfig.) This is just to let me know what programs you have that may be hidden or malicious.

Also, is the error when trying to connect to the iTunes Store simply "Could not connect to the iTunes Store"?

[[USAC]S|Cpl.TinFoil]

Madlulz has your problem about to be narrowed down, but I'll chime in anyway. I think it's either a virus or some odd NTFS partition error (with the latter usually solved with a chkdsk). Ad/Spyware usually doesn't go that deep. Did you happen to visit/download things from any websites you haven't before? Have you been looking at prons or pirated software? (be honest. For example, I do the latter.)

Good diagnostic skills, anyway. :)

(Also, madlulz, your typing and edit reason reminds me of /g/ and the rest of the site)

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

Sorry, but how do I get to the "work offline" part? And that is the correct error I get in itunes.

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

If I need to take the screenshot so you can see if iexplore is there it is not. There is nothing in the task manager with explore.

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

Oh did you mean file in IE? I went file > Work Offline. There was no checkmark next to it. I toggled it and it didn't change anything. I tried to do the msconfig thing but it said an access denied error showed, it said I may need to log in as an admin, but I am the admin account.

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

does anyone else know how to fix this? I got IE back, but it will not connect to the internet. I still don't have the other programs back though.

madlulz has tried to help, but so far nothing has worked.

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

also I did what you said to do tinfoil and nothing was found to be wrong.

[PATH-1{@//*_*\\@}]

hey pdiddy it sounds like a registry problem have you tried the windows repair console (off xp disk ) or sys restore
check the you have iternet auto detect settings also check your microfilter!

and rollback drivers for waht ever you use for internet ie lan or wireless
somtimes the software conflicts with windows !

i have done some repairs with windows disc before and it sorted problem. which was caused by windows update and f*&^ed my registry up bad

[Dragon007]

Pdiddy,

Who do you use for your DSL provider? By your diagnostics, it looks as though you are going through a proxy server to connect to the Internet, which could be on your providers end, or it could be a browser hijacker, though they typically redirect you to sites of their choosing as opposed to stopping you all together.

I ping'd the IP of the proxy in your diagnostics and it comes back as nextdigital.com. Are they your ISP?

Still not sure on the lost games/calculator. I agree with Path that it sounds a lot like a registry issue.

It could be that one of your registry files got corrupted. Likely the Software Hive. I'll look for a Microsoft Knowlede Base article that explains how to replace it from the Windows XP Repair Console and then restore a recent version so you don't lose everything.

Do you have your Windows XP disk? Or did the computer just come with a Dell System Restore disk?

[[BFE]pdiddy[XIII]]

I use AT&T DSL. XP My comp is a Dell XPS 400. I think the proxy is done by my DSL, but if I go to check my IP it is the same one I would get without the proxy.

I also have 3 blue disks from Dell that came with the comp.

1st Disk: Contents: Anti virus Software, Support, Multimedia, Internet Software.

2nd: Device, Drivers, Diagnostics/utilities, computer docs.

3rd: Drivers, Diagnostics/Utilities, Online docs, Modem on Hold.

What does the xp disk look like?