Vista Laptop - STOPPED WORKING!

[funkylad20]

Hi, I have a Packard Bell laptop, one year old, operates Vista. I got annoyed on AVG Virus trying to download updates on every boot, so I turned off some settings for this in scheduled tasks of the 'AVG Test Centre' after googling it.
However, on turning my laptop on today it has loaded with very primitive looking display settings. My desktop picture is still there, but the 'face' of the computer has turned to very basic Windows (ie - grey boxes, very basic looking...despite me having the settings previously to a smart looking modern Windows XP green).
Also, nothing seems to be working without the following sequence of events/notices on turning it on:
'Error to register device notification'
'Hcontrol has stopped working'
When I try to connect to an internet connection, it says 'The dependency service or group failed to start'
What does all this mean? What has happened to my computer? Is it a virus?!
I tried to 'roll-back' my computer to literally a week ago, and surprise surprise, windows visa does not do it...!
Also, if i hover over the internet connection (2 computers on bottom right of screen) and say 'diagnose and repair', it simply cmes up with 'Network Diagnostics cannot run because the Diagnostics Policy Service is not running'.
I have NO idea what any of this means, all I know is that I haven't done anything to my laptop that I don't normally do...

[SlackAlice]

deja vu!
My nieces laptop has just done almost exactly the same thing.
Spent several hours on it yesterday without success. Have managed to save all her work and was going to do a re-install of Vista.
Think I'll wait until some of the highly knowledge experts on here post some replies :)
Waits, with bated breath

[BillySugger]

When you say you tried to roll back your computer.....Vista doesn't do it -I presume you system restore. Vista does have system restore Start>all programs > maintenance > backup & restore center. works the same as XP

[SlackAlice]

BillySuggen
only problem in my case is that system restore is not available because 'Windows' reports it is unable to start the servce.

[BillySugger]

Try starting it from a command prompt, 'windows key + r' and type C:\Windows\System32\rstrui.exe then enter . Should open system restore

[funkylad20]

...and a biz red x comes up saying 'System Restore does not appear to be functioning correctly on this system. The Volume Shadow Copy service used by System Restore is not working. For more information view the event log (0x81000202)'
WHAT?!
Do you think all this has been caused by a virus?

[BillySugger]

Have you run a virus scan ?

[funkylad20]

Yes, resulted in nothing to note. Used AVG which I assume is ok?

[BillySugger]

Should be . Doubt if it's a virus , had a look around on Google found a few similar problems with shadow copy service . This is the closest I could find to an answer http://help.wugnet.com/vista/Unable-create-Res tore-Point-error-message-ftopict112644.html. Part way down there's an answer from Ronnie Vernon MVP which seems a possibility but to be honest funkylad I've never had to do this so can't really say if it's what you need . Might be an idea to go to the Microsoft site or possibly here http://thevistaforums.com/ . The other problems in your original post are a bit beyond me . Good luck

[funkylad20]

Thanks for all your help. What I have done is save all files on external hard drive, booted laptop and pressed F11 on boot. As it is Packard Bell, have manually reconfigured entire laptop to original factory settings. Has worked, thankfully. Now just need to sell it on eBay and either buy a Mac or simply get Windows XP!!!! ;o)

[BillySugger]

Glad it's sorted .

[Gromit]

I read your post yesterday, but as I have a Mac I couldn't help. Last night though, i got a call from a friend who was showing some pictures on his HP laptop. It was a pretty important meet and Vista collapsed on him half way through. I had copies of the photos and was able to put them on my iPod Touch and join him half an hour later and save the day.

You can dual boot the Mac now, so you can run XP as well as Mac OSX.