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My drivers got drunk and died (Like 6 "Code 39s" at once, out of nowhere)

JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
edited November 2010 in Help / Advice Forum
I was doing "spring cleaning."

I don't remember doing anything 'significant'. Uninstalling games and shit I wasn't using. Also trying to get rid of Spyware Doctor manually. This included registry editing, but only on 'browser defender', 'pctools' and 'spywaredoctor' entries.

I restarted for good measure at one point, and when my computer came back on, my mouse and keyboard wouldn't work. At all. Period. Worked in the bios, but when the OS loaded, nothing. I found my Vista disk and "repaired" my computer, so I have interfacing capabilities with it, but my network, mouse, "terminal mouse server", CDRom, hard drive and video drivers all threw code 39s.

I don't actually know how I fixed my network driver. It just fixed itself. I asked to update driver and it just fixed itself like it had gotten lost and said, "Oh, wait. That's right, I'm not actually broken."



Code 39s for all the rest still, though.

Wtf?

JamesKeenan on

Posts

  • Code39Code39 Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Sorry!

    Code39 on
  • Code39Code39 Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    But, seriously. I have no idea what would have caused it, other than tinkering with something you weren't supposed to in the Registry?...

    Did you manually update all the drivers? Or was Windows able to self fix 'em?

    Code39 on
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited November 2010
    All I know is you probably deleted SOMETHING in the registry that made everything go south.

    Your best bet right now is if you have a System Restore point from before all of this.

    Also next time you can fire up Regedit and export your entire registry before messing with it.

    FyreWulff on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    what exactly did you do when you regedited?

    What you need to do is revert the files you deleted to their normal values. You probably deleted something that needs to have a value in it.

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    That's the problem. I did system restore to an earlier point. That's how I got my keyboard back to fix this in the first place.

    The rest didn't restore. In fact, system restore hasn't been able to work once because it is throwing errors also, that the restore can't complete because of an error in the registry.


    What bothers me is that I do not remember deleting anything that wasn't labeled "spyware doctor" or "pctools" or "browser defender."

    So I made some big mistake, or I mistook how deeply rooted the program was.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    That's the problem. I did system restore to an earlier point. That's how I got my keyboard back to fix this in the first place.

    The rest didn't restore. In fact, system restore hasn't been able to work once because it is throwing errors also, that the restore can't complete because of an error in the registry.


    What bothers me is that I do not remember deleting anything that wasn't labeled "spyware doctor" or "pctools" or "browser defender."

    So I made some big mistake, or I mistook how deeply rooted the program was.

    Right, what I am saying is that the things labeled "spyware doctor" probably had original registry value that needs to be restored.

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • ApogeeApogee Lancks In Every Game Ever Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Maybe do a repair install? Woudl solve the problem without nuking the whole computer...

    Apogee on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Ok, update.

    I found similar "code 39" issues online, and the manual fixes for them were to go into the registry to a certian part and delete "upperfilter", "lowerfilter" "upperfilter.bak" and "lowerfilter.bak" entries.

    So I go to do this, and lo and behold, I find those entries, with values of "PCTCore."

    PC Tools.



    I had and have no idea what that would actually "mean," but apparently deleting these entries was meant to fix my shit. So I deleted them and rebooted my computer

    And found I had again lost use of the internet and keyboard. Had to revert to a borked but lesser borked system restore. (Reverting to the earliest kept the issues this time where it hadn't before.)


    Had to re-reinstall my network driver, figured out how I did it. "Update driver -> Manual instal -> "Let me choose the location"

    And it just.... worked. This method didn't not work for any of the other 5 issues. I have no explanation for that one.



    It's not just the drivers that are bad. It often won't even let me update. Even attempted a new install fails.

    The better response is when it tells me the driver is up to date. It says, "Windows has determined you have the best possible driver for your system."



    I beg to fucking differ.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    whatever that does with the driver changes the registry to what it needs to be at.

    If you know what registry entries you deleted I would try and put them back to how they were at least, and look for what they should be.

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    JebusUD wrote: »
    whatever that does with the driver changes the registry to what it needs to be at.



    That sentence... does not make sense. I cannot parse it.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JebusUDJebusUD Adventure! Candy IslandRegistered User regular
    edited November 2010
    JebusUD wrote: »
    whatever that does with the driver changes the registry to what it needs to be at.



    That sentence... does not make sense. I cannot parse it.

    When you did the thing you did to fix the network card, that changed the relevant registry entry. That is why it seemed to work like magic.

    JebusUD on
    and I wonder about my neighbors even though I don't have them
    but they're listening to every word I say
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Ok, rolled back video driver.

    I found a backup of my registry from Ccleaner.

    How happy I am. Going to try it.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    JebusUD wrote: »
    JebusUD wrote: »
    whatever that does with the driver changes the registry to what it needs to be at.



    That sentence... does not make sense. I cannot parse it.

    When you did the thing you did to fix the network card, that changed the relevant registry entry. That is why it seemed to work like magic.


    It's not that I really believe computers are magic.

    It's just so goddamn fickle and... arbitrary.

    Why the hell did unplugging and plugging in my hard drive fix major slow downs and freezes?

    I would be using my computer for fine, and seemingly out of nowhere it would start locking up for 15 seconds at a time every 20 seconds. Big time. I'd have to shut it down, and sometimes only sometimes I would get a disk drive error.

    If I shut down again, unplugged the SATA cable and hooked it back up, the system would be fine for another week or more.

    This was standard operating procedure for almost a year without any extra issues.






    I just don't fucking get computers.

    JamesKeenan on
  • FyreWulffFyreWulff YouRegistered User, ClubPA regular
    edited November 2010
    That actually sounds like a capacitor was going bad. I had an issue on an old computer where the network card would eventually stop responding. The only way to fix it was to shut down the computer and pull the PSU plugs off the mobo for ~30 minutes and it'd work after for another couple of weeks.

    FyreWulff on
  • ApogeeApogee Lancks In Every Game Ever Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    JebusUD wrote: »
    JebusUD wrote: »
    whatever that does with the driver changes the registry to what it needs to be at.



    That sentence... does not make sense. I cannot parse it.

    When you did the thing you did to fix the network card, that changed the relevant registry entry. That is why it seemed to work like magic.


    It's not that I really believe computers are magic.

    It's just so goddamn fickle and... arbitrary.

    Why the hell did unplugging and plugging in my hard drive fix major slow downs and freezes?

    I would be using my computer for fine, and seemingly out of nowhere it would start locking up for 15 seconds at a time every 20 seconds. Big time. I'd have to shut it down, and sometimes only sometimes I would get a disk drive error.

    If I shut down again, unplugged the SATA cable and hooked it back up, the system would be fine for another week or more.

    This was standard operating procedure for almost a year without any extra issues.

    I just don't fucking get computers.

    This happens to me, too! I have no idea why. I need to open my comp and fiddle with the cabling about once a year.

    Apogee on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    So it turns out I've been ignoring a big part of my "problem."

    The specific error message for the remaining drivers which won't install.

    The driver was installed but can't function or something because the device needs an "interactive windows station."



    Googling this phrase turns up a host of issues similar to mine, and no (yet) conclusive answers.

    I either have to

    1. Disable all security monitoring/firewalls so the drivers can install
    2. Disable and uninstall any possibly conflicting drivers
    3. Disable 'System Restore'
    4. Reinstall Windows entirely.

    JamesKeenan on
  • HoothHooth Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    My money is on option 4. How much more time are you going to spend trying to figure this out vs just backing up your stuff and re-installing windows?

    Hooth on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Might also be worth mention that I have no cursor at all. Like, it's not stuck at the middle of my screen on startup.

    It never even appears. That might be the result of the dead "Terminal Server Mouse Driver" which I cannot find anywhere to replace because it's a core Windows file, or something.

    And anyways, it probably couldn't be installed and repaired because of this "Interactive Windows Station" issue.










    I have well and truly fucked my own system and I have no idea how.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Hooth wrote: »
    My money is on option 4. How much more time are you going to spend trying to figure this out vs just backing up your stuff and re-installing windows?


    A couple more days at least. I did this. There's got to be a way to undo it.

    JamesKeenan on
  • NailbunnyPDNailbunnyPD Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    You do know how you did it. When you format and reinstall Windows (which you are going to have to do at this point,) don't do it again.

    Hint:
    Don't fuck around in the registry.

    (edit) The only way to undo fuckups in the registry is to have a backup before you start deleting or altering things. REGEDIT has an export capability. God forbid you ever feel the need to do something like that again, use the Export function.

    NailbunnyPD on
    XBL: NailbunnyPD PSN: NailbunnyPD Origin: NailbunnyPD
    NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
    steam_sig-400.png
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    You do know how you did it. When you format and reinstall Windows (which you are going to have to do at this point,) don't do it again.

    Hint:
    Don't fuck around in the registry.

    (edit) The only way to undo fuckups in the registry is to have a backup before you start deleting or altering things. REGEDIT has an export capability. God forbid you ever feel the need to do something like that again, use the Export function.


    I did have backups, through Ccleaner. Backs up the whole registry when you run the cleaner. I had run it just a day or two ago. Restoring didn't work. In any case, I suppose I should feel bad, but I more simply feel baffled that an anti-malware program became so intertwined to the core function of my computer that it fucks up my... mouse? Network drivers, I suppose I could understand, but the mouse? And really, why any drivers at all?

    I know the actions that led to this circumstance, but no. I don't know what I did. I need an explanation. It's not enough to know the 'what.' I want to know the how and why.





    Also neglected to mention, I believe, that it's not just that the mouse doesn't work. I don't even have a cursor. And the mouse device itself doesn't 'activate' upon motion. So far as I've always known, all optical mouse lights dim during non-use, and brighten at any motion, rather than being a static brightness all the time.

    My mouse is no longer registering any motion, either...

    JamesKeenan on
  • NailbunnyPDNailbunnyPD Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    When you go tinkering in the registry without knowledge of what you are doing, bad things are bound to happen. Some aspects of the registry cannot be repaired with a simple restore of a backup.

    Antispyware programs are another thing all together. Much like the older version of Norton antivirus, they can embed themselves into your system (drivers, registry) and potentially do more harm than good. Sometimes, the only way to clean Norton off a system was to reinstall Windows.

    For most people, a solid AV (Microsoft Security Essentials, ESET NOD32) and a regular antispyware scan (Malwarebytes) should be sufficient.

    NailbunnyPD on
    XBL: NailbunnyPD PSN: NailbunnyPD Origin: NailbunnyPD
    NintendoID: Nailbunny 3DS: 3909-8796-4685
    steam_sig-400.png
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I am well aware of this now. I got Spyware Doctor initially because it was reportedly the only program truly capable of sniffing out a certain trojan/spyware I had acquired before. It did get rid of it (whereas a full scan of Ad-aware, AVG and Malwarebytes did not).

    So I'm grateful, but goddamn. Anyways, I'm trying 2 or 3 more things and then I'm abandoning all hope and just reinstalling.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Holy shit....


    I think I may have found the real problem... The reliability and performance monitor has a log of my system actions and... this may have had to do with...

    I'm still just as asinine and careless, but it may not have had anything to do with Spyware Doctor.

    It may have been the Logitech webcam shit I tried to get rid of. Affecting my Logitech mouse... Why my xbox can no longer recognize my computer, or why my Cd-rom no longer works, I cannot explain.

    JamesKeenan on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I feel like House. The webcam software could have affected the video driver, network driver. The Logitech would explain the mouse.

    Doesn't quite explain the Code 39 on the cdroms or keyboard, but... Oh well. I just hope I can do something about it now.

    JamesKeenan on
  • AurinAurin Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    I feel like House. The webcam software could have affected the video driver, network driver. The Logitech would explain the mouse.

    Doesn't quite explain the Code 39 on the cdroms or keyboard, but... Oh well. I just hope I can do something about it now.

    So now you just need to do a risky procedure on your computer and it'll be all better!

    Chemo for the desktop. >.> By which I mean, reformat it, it'll never work the same way again after all of this.

    Aurin on
  • JamesKeenanJamesKeenan Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    Aurin wrote: »
    I feel like House. The webcam software could have affected the video driver, network driver. The Logitech would explain the mouse.

    Doesn't quite explain the Code 39 on the cdroms or keyboard, but... Oh well. I just hope I can do something about it now.

    So now you just need to do a risky procedure on your computer and it'll be all better!

    Chemo for the desktop. >.> By which I mean, reformat it, it'll never work the same way again after all of this.


    All right, all right... I'm reformatting... It feels like giving up, though.

    JamesKeenan on
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