Well, not sure what the problem is but I may have to do a total wipe. I got home lastnight and had no desktop and when I rebooted it told me that Windows Explorer had an error and wouldn?t do anything. Then I took my windows xp cd, chose to restore as I have no back ups for any of my files so hoping it would fix and not have to do a wipe. I got my desktop icons back, but nothing works on the desktop or the bar below. When I try is says it won?t work and to click ok. So yeah, looks like I may have to wipe tonight and start over which also means countless hours of re-installs?. blech.

Yeah, doesn't sound good.

But you have a router to share your connection between PC's, right? Which effectivly means you have a network.
So you could copy accross Ryzom (at least) from your second PC once you've got the broken one working again and that wont take any time at all compared to re-downloading/installing.
Another worrie maybe that you'll have lost all your map markers/UI, Keys config. Seeing as windows is screwed up for you, you could try using good old MS-DOS to copy your "cfg" and "save" folders from Ryzom to a floppy disk. You being an older gal will know what one of those looks like, right?

You should be able to get in to MS-DOS by pressing the F8 key if I remember right during start up. this should help with the commands.
"help" is a dos command too.

Oh my, so sorry to hear Lexi. Had a hard time with my older computer, so I understand your frustration. take it easy young Lady,

._. darn fickle computers.

Hope this one listens to reason and gets back to doing its up right soon!

Must be the evil kami are at it again.

Older gal? Sheesh? At least Ari said young lady? rofl

Anyways, even if I could get a network going, I don?t know that I could even get to the files to copy them? possible though. I did try to set up a network before though and wasn?t able to succeed. I can?t remember why though if it had something to do with the router itself or because I have pro on one and home on the other but for one reason or another I couldn?t get any shared folders working.

I don?t want to lose my markers, but at least I remember where most stuff is. I?m more worried about the personal photos and files and countless screenshots I have. Ari, at least I got that recipe done and e-mailed before my puter went poo? lol Unfortunately I don?t have a burner (dumb I know) on this computer either.

Lexi:

When your computer starts up, try F8, and try to startup in 'Safe Mode'. Often sick/broken computers let you startup that way. If that works, then the next thing is to try to get what can't be reinstalled copied to the other one or somewhere.

There is also a mode for 'safe mode with networking' which may allow you to see the other computer, if you can startup that way.

Safe mode starts windows without most of the drivers (actually NONE but very generic ones), so your video settings will be awful, etc. By the way Safe mode takes a VERY long time, longer than the installation because the drivers have to try a couple variations of themselves to figure out how to control the computer... if it doesn't fail immediately, go do something for 10 minutes and check in on it.

Some programs 'hook into' explorer itself (which is what the desktop is called, if this program crashes so does windows), these programs are _not_ loaded in safe mode, so you have a fighting chance of starting your computer if just a couple things are wrong with it.

If none of that works, there's a slim chance 'safe mode command prompt only' will let you see files and copy them. That's the DOS Jayce is talking about.

The problem of course is, everything we have today is bigger than a floppy disk so on a truly sick computer, it's really hard to get any useful data off of it.

Failing all else, if there's things on that computer you've never backed up before, then install Windows XP on TOP of itself, then use that sort of messed up installation to copy the files to the other computer.

After that is done, it is really worth wiping the drive and starting again, because whatever caused your problem coudl still be lurking.. do you guys use Anti-virus program? Explorer crashes come from some viruses, the other thing is some failure in the hardware (memory or hard disk drives can do that), and it is possible it's just a messed up windows installation, but if it happens again, then you may have further problems to fix .

Good luck! If you need help beyond some advice like this, let me know.

Disk partitions work too if your not interested in a second hdd.

I would be willing to bet I have some type of virus with the way my boys like to DL things on my computer, though I?ve told them time and again not to do so. I don?t have any anti virus software (I know I know bad bad Lexi), though I do use a firewall and Ad-Aware Pro along with Spy-Bot. I am thinking due to this I probably am better off with a wipe, I just don?t want to lose my files. I think you are onto something with the programs being ?hooked? into it. I was reading something earlier that said there are certain programs that do not work with internet explorer and due to that it would also make windows explorer crash. I do not use ie, but it doesn?t mean something in the background isn?t making it run and crash and again with the crap my boys have put on my computer, it wouldn?t surprise me if there was something in there like that albeit a virus or not. Maybe if I go into safe mode I can set up some type of temporary network but I am not even sure how to do that as I couldn?t get it to work last time.

Sin, I am not sure what an HDD is? Is this something I should consider doing if I have to wipe so next time I don?t have to re-install the game? Does it have something to do with setting up a separate partition or platform or something?

Bleh I don?t know near what I should about this stuff?

Hard Disk Drive.