Why I uninstalled FAH, just in case

[Barry]

Weird things started happening When I tried searching for and reading a file containing old exported bookmarks. All I did was try opening some files in Notepad, Wordpad, and Firefox. Kaspersky asked to install some things for Firefox and I said no. Then most of my desktop icons changed into some generic icons and when I tried opening them they opened as short text files with some kind of code. Same problem after rebooting, plus the task bar was identical as before the reboot, with the same things opened. Windows Restore fixed it. So, I'm not taking chances. I tried to uninstall FAH (a message said it has to be stopped before part of of it could be uninstalled, but now F@H isn't listed in my programs list so there may be something left installed that I can't uninstall). Then I uninstalled Kaspersky and tried installing Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), but it wouldn't install for some reason. I rebooted again and I got a message that the VBS handler wasn't found, so a start up program that I wrote in Visual Basic Script isn't working. I tried installing MSE again, but the progress still stayed at 0. I tried reverting to the video driver that Microsoft Update installs then I tried deleting the AMD Catalyst software suite that contained the later driver along with lots of stuff I didn't want (the software suite was recommended to me to solve a problem with F@H) but nothing in my programs list is called AMD Catalyst software suite and when I right clicked AMD Cayalyst Install Manager, there was no uninstall option. I just discovered the the "change" option supposedly lets you uninstall it, so I'll try that next. I may wait for Windows 9 before I reinstall FAH.

[art_l_j_PlanetAMD64]

It's hard to say from your description, but two possibilities come to mind:
1) a hardware failure, such as memory, hard disk, or power supply, or
2) software problems that may be corrupting files on your hard disk.

It could be something else, of course, but you could start by looking at these possibilities.

Try running this on a reboot, to try to repair a damaged hard disk:
chkdsk /r C:

Check memory using:
Memtest86 Free Download

For the power supply, the most reliable way (in my experience) to check for a bad one is to try replacing it with a known-good one of equal or higher power rating, if you can borrow one.

You could try to fix some software problems using Windows Restore (as you have already done), but to an earlier known-good time.

Here's hoping you have some success, or at least progress, in diagnosing your problems!

Edit:
Something else that has sometimes fixed "flaky" problems, is to shutdown the computer, unplug the power cable (to remove all power from the system), then one by one disconnect (unplug) and reconnect every internal cable in the computer. A poor or intermittent connection can cause all sorts of problems, and for me this action has occasionally fixed some otherwise "unexplainable" problems.

[bollix47]

If you're using Windows 8 there is no MSE for it. The functionality has been incorporated in Windows Defender.

[Barry]

I'm using Windows 7. With all the bad stories about Windows 8, I'll probably skip it. I don't have any hand held things to plug into it and it sounds like a headache to use it as just a desktop OS.

[bollix47]

FYI

There was a problem with one of the Windows security fixes delivered on Dec 11 and Microsoft did release a new patch for it this morning.

[Barry]

I was able to install MSE and a quick scan found nothing. Chkdsk found nothing either. The only remaining issue is VBS not working. For now I'm blaming McAfee AV, which I uninstalled about a month ago. I tried changing the registry according to the information below but Windows wouldn't let me. I may post to a Windows forum about this.



UPDATE: I posted to the McAfee Community, here. Other people have had this VBScript problem with McAfee products, but being unable replace a McAfee entry in the registry once you notice the problem seems new.

[art_l_j_PlanetAMD64]

I tried changing the registry according to the information below but Windows wouldn't let me.

For fixing Registry errors, I have used CCleaner:
CCleaner - Download
CCleaner was recommended to me by HP several years ago, and it has always worked perfectly for me.

[Jesse_V]

I tried changing the registry according to the information below but Windows wouldn't let me.

For fixing Registry errors, I have used CCleaner:
CCleaner - Download
CCleaner was recommended to me by HP several years ago, and it has always worked perfectly for me.

I'll add to that recommendation.

[Barry]

By changing permissions, I was able to fix that registry entry, but VBScript still didn't run. I finally fixed it by using "the McAfee Consumer Product Removal tool (MCPR) to remove data completely." Add/Remove Programs isn't enough to completely remove McAfee AV.