Help-my laptop is ignoring me!

Question

I have a Dell running Vista. I can't install any programs or remove any-even though I am the sole user and logged on as an administrator.I used to get a message saying I wasn't logged as an administrator(even though I was!)but that message doesn't appear anymore.I can download programs to the desktop but can't open them. I can't even do a system restore to fix it. Any ideas anyone?

Answer 1

Run a malware scan

http://malwarebytes-anti-malware-1-16-fr...

Answer 2

Hello,

(ANS) one of the biggest & most annoying features in MS Windows Vista is UAC (user account control). UAC is enabled when Vista is installed and that is for ALL users on the system even the machines administrator.

NOTE: UAC learns as you go along until it almost disappears entirely in the end. However, UAC usually gives you a pop-up message asking if you really want to do such & such a task. You then have to give the task & vista explicit permission to carry out that task i.e. such as installing software.

**I believe that you can turn off UAC completely but I have a feeling the setting to do this is buried down several menu layers some were in Vista. Its an advanced setting so my guess is that you do have to be the administrator to turn this off.

**No! I doubt you have a Tojan or Virus because Vista has been rebuilt by Microsoft with security of the OS tightened up & the core of windows is MUCH harder for viruses to attack. Its NOT impossible but its NOT very likely in my opinion.

**I think your problem here is far more likely to be UAC than anything else. Although having said that you should run any Anti Virus software you have over your system. Have a look at Bit Defender and its logs?

**Have you looked through windows Vista EVENT LOGS, this is the best place to start looking for system or software related problems. The event logs will give you extra useful information if you can make sense of them of course. They are written in Microsoft speak unfortunately.

**DON'T USE SYSTEM RESTORE EVER, if your system does get infected with a virus or parasite so can the system restore feature. Thus you clean off the infection run the restore and then find your re-infected NOT a good situation. **NOTE:- Turn off system restore will make your machine run faster & take up less disk space. Instead make regular backup's using the Backup Tool that comes with windows its called NTBackup.exe (you will find the backup tool in system tools). It also has some nice wizards that step you through the backup process.

Kind Regards Ivan

computer veteran, ex IT professional, MCSE trained, system builder.

Answer 3

I had that problem ...

-First i made a new administrator account for myself.

-Then i moved all the files i want to keep onto the other account.

-Then i deleted my old account

-Then i virus scanned my computer, and i was good to go.

P.S. To do this u have to start Ur computer in safe mode.

If u don't know how to do that, google it cuz i can't remember right now.

Hope I helped.

Answer 4

Problem may be that the memory is all confused, just switch off your pc by the on/off button do not do a close down after a few minutes switch on, the pc will then go through a stage and sort out the programs,andthen youshould be ok,

Answer 5

It sounds like you have a Trojan/virus on your PC.

Run either of these free scanners to help clean up this malware