won't let me install anything.

I am aware that my family are less computer-compitent than
I. Every time I leave I come back and there are new
problems with the computer. This time it's something
big. First I had to reinstall Windows ME because
something happeed to the NIC card drivers. Then whenever
I turn on my computer with something new it gives me this
error

"windows cannot upgrade %1 from %2
%1 %2"

I truly don't understand what that means, not to mention
these following things.

a) All of the sudden half the time that I am viewing a
webpage an error pops up that says something along the
lines of 'there has been an error in MSHTML' and forces
me to close internet explorer.

and b) I can't install anything. This is from microsoft
updates, to MSN messanger. It just gives me an error and
says to try again later or something.


For Virus protection I am using Norton Antivirus 2001,
which I've heard isn't all that effective. So I'm
wondering (if it is a virus) what would be an effective
approach to finding and eliminating them. Or if it isn't
how to effectively solve these problems.

If this is not the correct forum to post these distresses
in then PLEASE alert me to a better forum or person.
Thank you so very much.

Thank you in advance,
Jeff Zumstein

For details of how to fix your "Windows could not upgrade the file %1 from %2.
%1: %2" error see what follows. This has quite possibly been caused by
running malware from Symantec on the PC as this is a known vectored for this
problem.

First boot to DOS using a floppy and check whether you have a WININIT.INI
file in your C:\WINDOWS folder. If present rename it to something like
wininit.old and try booting again. It is also probable that you will have to
repeat the last software install or update that you made. See MS KB283069 -
"Error Message: (http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=283069).

If you can't find a wininit.ini file then I suspect your problem is due to the
C:\_RESTORE\TEMP folder having around 64K files in it which is the limit
(2**16) for the number of files that can be located in a folder using the
FAT32 filing system. This then results in the "Cannot upgrade file %1 from
%2.." message when booting. I suggest you try deleting the _RESTORE folder
with the loss of any system restore checkpoints you might have (not that I
think they are now usable) and see if that solves the problem. Delete the
folder as follows:
a) Boot to DOS using a floppy. Do NOT choose "Minimal Boot" from the menu
when booting from a floppy but rather choose "Start computer with (or without)
CD-ROM support" otherwise the ATTRIB command will not be available.
b) At the DOS A:\ prompt, type:

ATTRIB -H -S -R C:\_RESTORE
and then
REN C:\_RESTORE OLDREST

c) Remove the floppy
d) Reboot your PC

Another problem though is that the update you were doing was probably never
completed so your system may still be unusable. If however it does manage to
boot then
e) Delete the folder C:\OLDREST
f) Check that an automatic system restore checkpoint was created.
g) Finally adjust the space allocated to the restore folder:
System | Performance | File System | Hard Disk and adjust the restore slider
to your preferred setting. A figure of 200MB is normally more than adequate
for day to day use allowing perhaps a week of checkpoints to be available
although increasing this to perhaps 400MB for a few days during periods of
large installs such Microsoft Office is advisable.
--
Mike Maltby MS-MVP



Jeff Z victimsofadown@comcastnet wrote:

I am aware that my family are less computer-compitent than
I. Every time I leave I come back and there are new
problems with the computer. This time it's something
big. First I had to reinstall Windows ME because
something happeed to the NIC card drivers. Then whenever
I turn on my computer with something new it gives me this
error

"windows cannot upgrade %1 from %2
%1 %2"

I truly don't understand what that means, not to mention
these following things.

a) All of the sudden half the time that I am viewing a
webpage an error pops up that says something along the
lines of 'there has been an error in MSHTML' and forces
me to close internet explorer.

and b) I can't install anything. This is from microsoft
updates, to MSN messanger. It just gives me an error and
says to try again later or something.


For Virus protection I am using Norton Antivirus 2001,
which I've heard isn't all that effective. So I'm
wondering (if it is a virus) what would be an effective
approach to finding and eliminating them. Or if it isn't
how to effectively solve these problems.

If this is not the correct forum to post these distresses
in then PLEASE alert me to a better forum or person.
Thank you so very much.

Thank you in advance,
Jeff Zumstein