Internet Explorer Broken After Windows Update (Can't access Internet Tools, Security Zones Gone)

I used Internet Explorer to apply some updates to my system (Win2K,
SP3). A while after re booting I started the browser up again and
found that it was broken. The symptoms are as follows:

1. From within IE
Doesn't browse anywhere; the file / open menu won't respond, URLs can
be entered into the address bar but browser won't attempt. Also, when
selecting the /Tools/Internet Options menu, nothing happens. NO error
messages are displayed.

2. When starting Internet Options from within the Control Panel
The security Zones are gone. When I look at
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings\Zones, I see 5 sub-keys, each with a slew of entries.

I have tried re-booting the system and finding a solution for this but
haven't been successful. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Since 2K originally came with IE5.5, the IE you have must be an upgrade and
should have the "repair/uninstall" entry in control panel/software list. Or
at least you can take IE6SP1 from one of the magazine cds and install it
over.

 

It looks like my problems go deeper than IE. When I double click (or
single click and hit enter on) Add/Remove Programs, nothing happens;
the app. won't load and no error messages are displayed.

 

Ok, I grabbed IE using a working PC (as opposed to mine which doesn't
work anymore). The procedure used was what is posted here:
http://www.updatexp.com/download-ie6.html

I then copied the install (Downloads) directory over to my system and
started the installation.

I can launch the installer and accept the license agreement, but the I
get the following error message:

The procedure entry point <some non printable characters here>
UrlCombineA could not be located in the dynamic link library ole
32.dll.

I click on ok (only option) and get presented with an error message
from Windows Update.

I've tried booting into safe mode to see if the previously described
problems would not appear in safe mode but they did. I also found out
the WMV files no longer play (same error as the IE installer). I
didn't try running the IE installer in safe mode.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Night Owl wrote:

.....

Damn. Noone else?
Appears it's time for a format (don't think a repair install will heal the
registry, but try first). If you need to format, consider making about 10G
free for a full-featured linux distribution. You will feel as helpless as
with your windows now, at a first glance, but there are rather supportive
newsgroups and maybe even a LUG near your location. And with linux you are
never really lost.
At least do yourself the favor and try out a live cd: www.distrowatch.com

Now forgive my linux advertising, but I am a happy camper for 2 years. No
virus, no spyware, no registry

 

What a complete crock of shit.

 

That was stupid. And prone to errors.

You need to uninstall what you've done and install from a cd. And BTW, Win2K
did not come originally with IE 5.5 like some other idiot mentioned.
If you dont won't to wait for MS to mail you a CD , find anyone who has
purchased a retail boxed modem in the last year or so, and borrow the disk
that came with it. You'll find a copy of IE 6 there.

 

The reason why I didn't simply start over is that I didn't want to be
bothered and was hoping for a quick fix. But, all good things must
come to an end. I got a good run out of this box and decided that it
is time to move on. The HW isn't exactly state of the art anymore so
I'll be buying a new system for a new start and transfer my data over.

I'll be re-using the old box as a server, probably with Linux (maybe
even as a terminal server; it has enough horsepower). I've used
various Linux distros on and off for the last 4 years or so and have
seen tremendous progress there. I plan on doing multi-boot and maybe
some VM stuff on my new system; I've posted the config I'm considering
in a thread titled "Request for help to validate a new PC hardware
configuration". I'm interested in constructive comments on these
choices.

Thank you for your help.

 

Nice idea, and Christmas is near

You are welcome
Honestly, I earn my living mostly from the existence of windows, and most of
the time (after tweaking some apps registry settings to work as non-admin,
or adjusting some permissions for datafiles some programs still place in
system folders) it works. In a corporate environment, behind a strong (unix
powered) firewall and proxy, that is. NOT "in the wild" directly connected
to the internet. So if you make a NAT router out of your "old" pc, with
linux/iptables, you could feel a bit more safe behind that one. But then,
there is still spyware and e-mail viruses. Both not yet a threat for linux.

 

ImhoTech wrote:

.....

Does this help the OP?
*PLONK*

 

Probably more than your post did.

And please take note of this, plonker...

http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?p=dict&String=exact&Acronym=PLONKER

 

Blah Blah Blah...You didnt GIVE him any help numbnurts.