Help and Support/Restore won't open

Hi.

Hope i'm in the right category.

I bought a used Dell Inspiron 1100 last week. Worked fine. Yesterday I installed Norton IS and ran all the updates, etc. It slowed me down so much that I decided to restore back and install each update separately to see which update slowed me down. I was at the point where it was taking 30 seconds to open my ISP logo.

After the last restore, everything went haywire. I can't open Help and Support to even get to another restore point, I can't open my ISP, I can't open almost every other application. Varying messages. Several mention Windows Installer or some Symantec DLL files.

I reloaded the disk and uninstalled Norton IS. But still no change. Tried to come up in Safe mode, still can't access Help/Support or open applications.
I can get to Control Panel, My computer, etc., but my ISP hangs (never even gets to where it's recognized as an application. Help and Support flashes the hourglass for a few seconds, and then nothing.

The only thing I've done today is restore back and do LiveUpdates, so I know it's related to Norton. Windows Media Player gives me 'internal app error'. A game I had gives me 'Prog...Symantec\S32EVNT1.DLL An installable Virtual Device failed DLL initialization'.

I tried in Safe mode to go back to last good restore, nothing. I tried to get to Restore from 3 different pointers. Nothing

I found a Windows Installer update that I hadn't run and hoped that might do the trick, but it didn't

Any way I can restore back to yesterday or troubleshoot this? Can't get to the internet.(I'm on my desktop).

If I have to re-install Windows, can I use the install disks I got from Dell with my desktop? Would there be drivers I wouldn't have (like for the touch pad, etc)?

I'm hoping that somebody out there has run across this. Thanks a bunch. Miriam

Removing S32EVNT1.DLL



then I would suggest you go to an online scan like trend micro

http://housecall.trendmicro.com and run that through as well as downloading a program like adaware or ms antispy to check and clean the system.

The dell restore disk type depends on the machine and the windows version... check each CD and tell us what it says ... oh and tell us the windows version...

Loading windows over the top (after doing what Mayet suggests) should put it back straight. The next thing to ask is what version Norton (exact version please) and how much ram you have.

Hi.

Tried Trendmicro, PCPitstop, etc., but can't run those. Ran PCPitstop last week, but today can only access internet on a limited basis. Can't run apps, no secure sites, passwords, etc.

I went to my neighbor to get the CDs, but she used to have a Dell desktop too and so she gave me a bunch of them and I'm not sure what's for what.

I have the following CDs (the laptop is Dell Inspiron 1100, Windows XP, shipped 10/03 (I have the packing slip).

1) Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP HOme Edition, incl SP1a

2) Drivers and Utilities 'For reinstalling Dell Inspiron System Software' ...Contents: Device drivers, Diagnostics and utilities,
online documentation

The packing slip says Money 2004, Encyclopedia for Inspiron, Dell Picture studio Image, but I don't really care about those. I don't have those CDs.

The other thing I see on the packing slip is 'Intervideo Software DVD Solution for Inspiron Systems. I assume that means I should have another CD?

When I had to reinstall Windows on my desktop, I had a separate CD labelled 'Drivers and Utilities' for installed Fax/Modem. Should I have this for the laptop? I don't see a CD for this on the packing slip.

Tried to Explore the Driver CD, but couldn't tell anything from that and I didn't want to let it run for fear of getting in too deep.

The Norton I tried to install was Internet Security 2003, but I don't think I'll do that again. The laptop only has 256 RAM so Ill just install AntiVirus if I ever get going again. Will buy more RAM, but only had this for a week.

Can I back up the Drivers folder on the laptop now (if I can find it..Search doesn't work)? Would that help me to reinstall if I don't have the drivers I need on CD?

Thanks again.

I had my step mom call me with exactly the same problem. She can't get to help and support but everything else seems.
She has a Dell but has Mcafee not Norton, so it may a different issue.
When I had her check services, help and support was listed as started. Had her stop and start it but it did not help.

Hopefully someone can help with this.

Charley and Boem try this fix from mskb - you may not get the error message, but you can check to see if the file exists and ensure the registry key is correct.

Boem - I think the best thing to do here is get the service tag from the Dell - let's see exactly which spec you got there... if you don't want to post it here - pm me with it.