Expert: Kevin - 9/13/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello

3 of my programs -  Info Select, Outlook Express and Quickbooks not working anymore.  As I start , they will appear and disappear quickly.  XP home and Firefox and some other programs are ok.  The message I got after trying to restore to earlier dates (several times is  
The application DLL:/windoessystem32/DDRAW is not a valid windows image.  Please check this against your installation disk.

I have Spysweeper, Bitdefender working ok.  I just did a reformat about 3 months ago and I really try not to through it again  - was very very long task.

I tried to reformat and after the windows installation message appear and I press Install  - I get a message that the version already installed on my computer is newer than the disk therefore can not install.... I still would like to solve this rather than formatting though.  


Can you help here please?


Thank you,   Gabe

ANSWER: Hi Gabe, did you do any updates to this computer after you reinstalled Windows? Go to Start > Run and type in:

sfc /scannow

and hit ENTER. Leave it on the first option and click on Scan Now. See if it finds any changes. If so, you may be prompted to insert your Windows CD.

I doubt the above is the problem. That file should be associated with DirectX. If the above doesn't work, download the DirectX run-time install at:

http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4846c891-d45d-4122-8230

Kevin.
Kevin's Resource Center - http://www.greyknight17.com
KRC Forum - http://www.greyknight17.com/bb

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello again and thank you for such a nice answer, however, after downloading it, and clicking install, I got an error message  "Directx has encountered a problem and needs to be closed..."

Then, came another error message , same one, this time regarding DrWatson Postmortem Debugger has encountered a problem/..."

I did update Adobe reader 2 days ago - I had an icon in the task bar .......
Thank you very much,   Gabe  

Could you guide me anymore, please,  Thank you,  Gabriel  

Answer
Hi Gabriel, were you able to run sfc from the run dialog box? Try typing in sfc and hit ENTER to see if it finds anything.

Does that DrWatson error show up when you open any other programs? If so, try disabling them by following the below:

http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/566/xp-sp2-how-to-turn-off-the-data-execution-pre

Kevin.
Kevin's Resource Center - http://www.greyknight17.com
KRC Forum - http://www.greyknight17.com/bb