Locked Options in Tools Menu item

Joe1

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May 4, 2009, 6:56:01 AM5/4/09

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Can someone give me a way to unlock the Options submenu under "Tools" in IE 6
besides the normally offered registry edits in H_C_U and H_C_M? I have tried
both to no avail. PC is XP SP 3 and I am trying to recover slowly from a bad
IE 8 upgrade attempt. Any more info from me at this point may make this
question very convoluted at present. Please bear with me on this for a short
time.

Thanks to all who offer help in these communities. you will never know how
much you help others as we can read a lot of responses without adding more
questions. Those helped are a larger audience than you imagine. Please keep
up the good work.

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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May 4, 2009, 11:41:05 AM5/4/09

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Please state your current IE version.

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed, is your
subscription current, and is it supported in IE8? What anti-spyware
applications (other than Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
Were any of these applications running in the background when you installed
and/or uninstalled IE8?

Has a Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this machine
(e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought it)?

Is there an available Restore Point predating the install of IE8?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

Joe1

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May 4, 2009, 2:54:03 PM5/4/09

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Thank you PA Bear. I had a IE 8 crash while communing with you on another
small subject. I run XP SP 2 (removed SP 3 to get rid of IE 8). AVG Free,
Comodo Firewall, SpyBot, Windows Defender, Not all at once of course. IE is
branded 7.0 but About: says 6.0, Belarc says 6.0. In trying to remove IE 8
due to the crash, I tried to reinstall IE 7 but got an IE that would not
run, lost a bunch of registry keys, probably using cleanup software, lost
Internet Options from Control Panel except it is unamed and hiding in the
upper left corner of the icon layout. Finally got back to IE 6 where I am now
which works fairly well, all registry keys are back (Regedit for review ONLY,
I do not want to be in there) but now have been locked out of "Options" under
"Tools" on IE 6. That last item is not relly important if I canget to IE 7 or
a working IE 8.

I always keep updated, I'm quite old so do not go to racy sites, careful
always. Auto update snuck in SP 3 between the two times I tried IE 8 and I
did not realize it. Therein I believe is the root of my problem.

I tried to install the recovery console for the original problem but my
current OS does not want to talk to my 2001 XP install disk, 'Setup detects a
newer version of thi software on the PC and is shutting down". Woe is me! I
will listen to any pleasant thoughts. It appears I also have problems with my
ISP as saome emails do not get delivered, like the notice of your reply here.
I came out of chance.

PA Bear, you have worked magic for me in the past, please don't say
reinstall XP. Thank you very much. Oh, this web site did not let me in using
FF, Opera or Chrome. Got redirected to an unknown Microsoft site that did not
exist. Now works OK as I am using FF 3.0. I'm finished. No rush as I can
still do most of what I want but it is flakey.

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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May 4, 2009, 3:18:33 PM5/4/09

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AFAIK, the only threads where you & I had been "communing" was this one in
WinXP General:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/browse_frm/thread/5f35a78c1003522d/c93503c790892948

I'm aware that you posted a "Me, too!" reply to this one but I didn't reply
to your post:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.internetexplorer.general/browse_frm/thread/91a5441f30373943/11eea0fd09953520

I am aware of your other recent thread:
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support/browse_frm/thread/583332daf52d4738/ee0d783195476dfa

Back on-topic:

To the best of your knowledge, you're running WinXP SP2 and IE6 now,
correct?

Are you telling me that Automatic Updates installed WinXP SP3 while you had
IE8 installed?

Had you been running IE7 before you installed IE8 and/or SP3?

What version of IE and what WinXP Service Pack was installed when you tried
using the Recovery Console?

Did you disable AVG Free (version?), Comodo Firewall, Spybot SDHelper & Tea
Timer and then enable the Windows Firewall prior to installing and/or
uninstalling IE8 and/or SP3?

Last but not least, do you have an available Restore Point which predates
the *original* install of IE8 *and* the install of SP3?
--
~PA Bear

Joe1

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May 4, 2009, 7:46:05 PM5/4/09

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I'll answer in order you posted as best I can. Info from Belarc says I have
Win XP SP 2 and IE 6. The IE 6 when loaded is branded IE 7 but that is not
important now.

Auto Updates brought SP 3 on board on April 14, between my attempts to
install IE 8. There may have been some residuals from the first attempt to
install ie 8 a week before. It seemed like an easy uninstall and I was back
to IE 7. I was running IE 7when SP 3 was downloaded and installed. I saw
nothing of sifnificance at the time. Easy update, as normal but I didn't
notice exactly what it was (user versus techie attitude I guess and trusting)

No Recovery Console was added as my old XP install disk was rejected as too
old compared to current OS.

AVG was not disabled nor was Comodo Firewall. Spybot was not on the PC at
the time as I had uninstalled it a couple of months ago due to tea timer and
the active monitoring drag on system resources. Newest version was installed
on April 20 when I saw something about the Immunize function and remeber I
had used it in the past. Windows Firewall was not on. at any time due to my
having Comodo Firewall.

The only restore point was a week before and did not help at all. I did use
the 'Remove Window Components' in 'Add/Remove Programs' to remove 'Internet
Explorer' out of frustration.

That is all I can recall. What is odd to (dumb) me is the fact I seem to
have a serious disappearance of registry keys for IE 7 and IE 8 for them to
even load.
I do use Ccleaner and Comodo Registry Cleaner which may have dumped broken
links, much to my horror.

Our previous meeting was a simple requst about the notification area setup I
wanted to keep during a reboot. No biggie. IE failed and I could not come
back here again with the browser available to me. Hope this can help you
prepare a potion to toss my way. Thank you once again. I feel like I'm
writing a book.

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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May 4, 2009, 8:46:17 PM5/4/09

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Let me cut to the chase here.

The fact that you did not disable AVG and Comodo Firewall and then enable
the Windows Firewall prior to installing/uninstalling IE8 (and, possibly,
SP3) has left your computer in a "confused" state.

Furthermore, if IE7 was installed before SP3 was installed and you
*attempted* to do a Repair Install (use the Recovery Console) without having
first uninstalled SP3 and then IE7, doing so only made matters worse. Ditto
for your use of Registry cleaners.

[If you ever think your Registry needs to be "cleaned" or "repaired," read
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099 and draw your own conclusions (as if
you need more convincing <wink>).]

RESOLUTION: Backup your personal data, then do a format & clean install of
Windows. Please note that a Repair Install will NOT fix this!

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx

HOW TO get WinXP SP1 or SP2 fully patched after a clean install
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b

HOW TO get WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched after a clean install
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/spyware/prevent.mspx

Best of luck!

Joe1

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May 5, 2009, 5:38:04 PM5/5/09

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That is what I was afraid of. One last question then. My health is poor. I am
in a terminal situation under Hospice. All I need is Windows to keep working
a little while longer and I can be happy using FF, Opera or (forgive me)
Chrome if really nesessary escept for afew MS sites.

do you think the OS will continue on limping along for a while longer or
should I proceed with a total reinstall as you suggest. I do not hold anyone
but me responsible for this problem, by the way.

It is difficult to get to this site using FF as inputs on the sign-in page
do not seem to be recognized and email reponses don't seem to come through.
This is only side info for you. Just add your response on this thread and I
will try to find it. I honest ly thank you for all the help. I will remove
the registry cleaner now and forever hold my tongue on the issue.

Joe1

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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May 5, 2009, 5:59:37 PM5/5/09

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I couldn't care less which browser you use. I *do* care about your
security.

Considering your circumstances, as long as all (not some, but all) of the
following work & continue to work properly, don't worry about anything:

1. You can access and update via the shortcut to Windows Update in your
Start menu;

2. You have AVG Free v8.5 installed, AVG auto-updates properly, and you can
check for & install updates manually via the AVG User Interface;

3. Start | Settings | Control Panel | Security Center reports that all is
well (i.e., AVG is working & updated; Comodo Firewall is working properly;
Automatic Updates is enabled); and...

4. You cross-your-heart-and-hope-NOT-to die <wink> promise NEVER to use a
Registry Cleaner again.

PS: Do NOT install IE7 or IE8 if it's offered by Windows Update or Automatic
Updates.

PS: I would NOT have this machine connected to any other machines via local
area network (LAN).

Joe1 wrote:
> That is what I was afraid of. One last question then. My health is poor. I
> am in a terminal situation under Hospice. All I need is Windows to keep
> working a little while longer and I can be happy using FF, Opera or
> (forgive me) Chrome if really nesessary escept for afew MS sites.
>
> do you think the OS will continue on limping along for a while longer or
> should I proceed with a total reinstall as you suggest. I do not hold
> anyone
> but me responsible for this problem, by the way.
>
> It is difficult to get to this site using FF as inputs on the sign-in page
> do not seem to be recognized and email reponses don't seem to come
> through.
> This is only side info for you. Just add your response on this thread and
> I
> will try to find it. I honest ly thank you for all the help. I will remove
> the registry cleaner now and forever hold my tongue on the issue.
>

Joe1

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May 5, 2009, 9:58:01 PM5/5/09

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You're a good man PA Bear. I figured I had been the cause of it all. I have
copied your advice, will verify everything is as you siggest and tell you
that the registry cleaner is now history. I promise not to use a registry
cleaner again. I do keep all the updaters on auto and as far as I know
without looking right now things are set as you laid out in this reply. I
will go verufy that now.

My return here was very easy just now, so thanks to whoever fixed that.
Thank you once again. I noticed that you were alone in responding which
tells me I got the best service available. I could not ask for more. Keep on
keeping on, PA Bear.

PA Bear [MS MVP]

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May 6, 2009, 1:56:17 AM5/6/09

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YW & best of luck. I'd still like to see you format & do a clean install,
though.

Joe1

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May 7, 2009, 9:11:01 AM5/7/09

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I have found a solution. I have a HD running on my PC that was my C: and it
failed, two years ago so I thought. I replaced it, did clean install of XP
and left old disk unconnected electrically in the PC. About a year ago I
shut down to move a video card, replugged in the old HD (SCSI) and the OS
found it and said it is E:\. I carefully removed all obvious Window
references from E: to avoid any conflict with the new C: and simply used it
to hold a few files like docs, works, credit card #'s, income tax. I need to
post a question in the correct community for advice on how to best prepare
this old C: to become the new home of XP. I still have the install programs
for my AVG, Comodo Firewall, etc, so internet acces is not necessary at
first. The C; failure was a channel of the SCSI interface. I reconnected the
working one without realizing it.

PA Bear or any kind soul, please direct me to the proper place to ask the
question so as not to overload this poor thread any longer. Thank you so much.