Windows 7 Windows 7 reset to default

[Whaat]

So I turn off my computer last night with nothing out of the ordinary going on. I start up my computer this morning, and it says something like "Setting Up Desktop" for about 5 minutes after I type in my password to log on to my computer. I finally log on, and all my custom desktop things are gone, my wallpaper, my icons(There are still icons, only not as many as I had before), windows theme set to default, all cookies, history, everything from browsers deleted, and google chrome is nowhere to be seen. Everything I've ever downloaded has been deleted, downloads folder is empty, My Documents folder is empty, pretty much every folder has been cleared out besides the Program Files folder.... but the strange thing is, I still have exactly the same amount of memory remaining, so I believe the files are still there.

 

[cybercore]

Hello and Welcome to the Forums. : )

You say nothing extraordinary preceded this event, maybe system restore? Check your event viewer.

Do you have enough free disk space on the system drive?

 

[Trouble]

Along with Cybercore's recommendations, you may also want to take a look at C:\Users and see if there is a username present that you dont' recognize or has a similar name to your profile but with a one off number or special character

 

[Hazzard]

Hi all
I am having the exact same issue at the moment as Whaat posted in September 2010. This forum post explains it exactly like it is.
After reading this post I found an admin folder with everything that went missing. Specifically downloads.

I have the same problem every time that I log on. It defaults back to the windows classic theme and all my itemes are missing including the Nexus sidebar.
An attempt to redo the theme proves to be of no help as it just resets back to the default classic.

Can anybody please assist as this is bloody frustrating.

#1 Whaat, Sep 25, 2010 - I turn off my computer last night I start up my computer this morning, and it says "Setting Up Desktop" for about 2 minutes after I type in my password to log on to my computer. I finally log on, and all my custom desktop things are gone, my wallpaper, my icons(There are still icons, only not as many as I had before), windows theme set to default, all cookies, history, everything from browsers deleted, and google chrome is nowhere to be seen. Everything I've ever downloaded has been deleted, downloads folder is empty, My Documents folder is empty, pretty much every folder has been cleared out besides the Program Files folder.... but the strange thing is, I still have exactly the same amount of memory remaining, so I believe the files are still there.-

# Trouble, Sep 25, 2010 - Along with Cybercore's recommendations, you may also want to take a look at C:\Users and see if there is a username present that you dont' recognize or has a similar name to your profile but with a one off number or special character

Thanks

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Quite likely you have a virus or Windows Update that may have scrambled your existing settings. First thing to do is to BACKUP ALL YOUR PERSONAL DATA (LIBRARY FILES) TO EXTERNAL MEDIA; 2 DIFFERENT SOURCES ARE RECOMMENDED BEFORE STARTING REPAIR AND TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURES IN ORDER TO AVOID IRRETRIEVABLE DATA LOSS!!!

Cybercore mentioned the System Restore point. If you haven't done that while attempting to fix your problem, you might wish to try it after doing your data backup as mentioned above. This will often undo virus related damage or general windows corruption caused by Windows updates coming into your computer and messing things up on your desktop.

Next thing to try is to scan your computer for viruses using whatever AV program you are currently running on your computer. Scan/remove all found viruses. Then go to malwarebytes.org and download the free MALWAREBYTES antispyware virus program and scan/remove all found spyware viruses. Most AV programs cannot detect or remove many of the new spyware viruses out there including Ransomware viruses, and that's even if you are using a paid AV program such as Norton, Avast, or McAfee. Reboot your computer and retest. If your problem was fixed, you had a virus attacking your computer, and you are now fixed and ready to go!

If no viruses are found, and your problem persists, it could be due to one of the other Windows corruption issues I mention, and then can be quite tricky to nail down. I recommend you do hardware testing first, and then apply software repairs to your PC. If you do it in the other order, you may fix your problem temporarily, but if you have a failing hardware component, the problem will reappear again in a day, a week, or a month from now and you have to start all over again; either that or throw your computer out the window!

If you get to this point in the Post, and you're still experiencing difficulties, take a look at my comprehensive Troubleshooting Guide here: Windows 10 - Unclickable Task Bar

Post back if you get stuck along the way or have any questions. We are here 24x7x365.

Best of luck,
<<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[Kerbankle]

Get a virus scan online from ESET or something, you might have a virus.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Forget about using ESET!! I have 2 Customers that got hit by very nasty Ransomware running paid version of ESET Nod32 (both these Customers were recommended this AV by another Tech here in my community). The NEMUCOD and CRYPTOLOCKER Ransomware are not detected or stopped by ESET. Both of these Ransomware categories also will lock up ALL connected external hard drive and flash drives where any of their backups are stored that are plugged into the computer at the time the virus payload executes. My one Customer had 20 years of his business files and 80 years worth of his irreplaceable family photo archives all locked up and encrypted by the virus. They attempted to extort him for 400 bitcoins; about $257 US. He decided he wouldn't pay the ransom, and hired 2 techs before me to get access back to his data. It took me about 5 weeks to finally fix it for him.

Acceptable online scanners are from Norton, Avast, McAfee, and TrendMicro. Acceptable spyware scanners are Malwarebytes which I already mentioned in my Post.

<<<BBJ>>>

 

[Kerbankle]

Forget about using ESET!! I have 2 Customers that got hit by very nasty Ransomware running paid version of ESET Nod32 (both these Customers were recommended this AV by another Tech here in my community). The NEMUCOD and CRYPTOLOCKER Ransomware are not detected or stopped by ESET. Both of these Ransomware categories also will lock up ALL connected external hard drive and flash drives where any of their backups are stored that are plugged into the computer at the time the virus payload executes. My one Customer had 20 years of his business files and 80 years worth of his irreplaceable family photo archives all locked up and encrypted by the virus. They attempted to extort him for 400 bitcoins; about $257 US. He decided he wouldn't pay the ransom, and hired 2 techs before me to get access back to his data. It took me about 5 weeks to finally fix it for him.

Acceptable online scanners are from Norton, Avast, McAfee, and TrendMicro. Acceptable spyware scanners are Malwarebytes which I already mentioned in my Post.

<<<BBJ>>>

So malwarebytes is all good and dandy? Because I really dont need a crappy antivirus that spots 5000 + problems every minute

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Definitely! It's superior to all other antispyware programs we've tested here. A few of the guys here have good luck with SuperAntiSpyware; but I've received multiple computers that had this installed, and it's auto-detect feature and manual scan failed to find the NEMUCOD Ransomware I mentioned. Don't know about Cryptolocker, as I haven't been able to get a copy of the virus in the wild to test it. But, of few of the guys here mentioned that they have a copy and it protects against some of the variants, but not all. Endorsement-wise my local Computer Club has been using it for at least 4 years; and it also is recommended by the APCUG, the International Association of Technology and Computer Users Group, and by many of their member Computer Clubs as well. Here's their website: http://apcug2.org/

Also, MBAM as we call it, I use in my standard security virus/malware load on all computers I repair or install for my Customers and it's part of my backstop protection which sits behind the primary AV program I install (usually Avast or Norton). It has produced excellent results in about 250 computers here in my community I've worked on.

<<<BBJ>>>