svchost.exe problem

[TrippyJing]

Earlier, I was cleaning out my computer and eliminating all the spyware and adware I could find. However, I was a little click-happy and ended up deleting svchost.exe as well.

Now when I start up, I can access the start menu, copy and paste, or click and drag. I do not want to have to reformat unless it is my very last option.

The svchost.exe is still in the recycle bin, but I cannot restore it, nor can I use cut and paste or drag it. Is there anyway I can put the original or a replacement back in windows/system32/?

Windows XP SP2, by the way.

[TrippyJing]

I CANNOT access the start menu, etc.

Is there an edit button in case you screw up a post?

[bvw]

Try a system restore, might work.

Edit is the icon next to the Quote icon under your username.

[nellie2]

If you put your windows disk in the CD drive then go to start > run and type sfc /scannow (note the space between c and / ) then hit ok, Windows will scan your system files for missing or corrupt files and replace them.

[TrippyJing]

I haven't tried sfc /scannow yet, but I do need to ask another question. If I cannot bring up the start menu in the first place, how do I get to start > run?

And not to mention yet another problem. I seem to have misplaced my Windows XP cd. Do I have to use my particular copy of the disc, or can I use another copy?

[bvw]

Use the keyboard shortcut:

CTRL+ESC to bring up the Start Menu.

Windows Logo+R to bring up the Run dialog box.

[TrippyJing]

NOTHING happened. I ran the scan, but nothing changed. The svchost.exe is not in the system32 folder, and I still see it in the recycle bin.

So any other ideas?

Ugh, that's right...the system restore. I'll try that next...so how do I go about doing that?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

The svchost.exe is not in the system32 folder, and I still see it in the recycle bin.

If the file is still in the recycle bin, why don't you just restore it from there...?

• double-click the Recycle Bin on your Desktop
  
• right-click the item you want to restore, and select Restore
  

[TrippyJing]

Can't copy and paste, click and drag, or restore.

I believe I said all this in the first post.

[nellie2]

System Restore

[Guest be@vis]

If all else fails, the relevant files are on your instalation disc, in the i386 folder. Copy them to your HD. They are in a compressed state and need to be opened using winzip or another zip utility.

[trackrat]

press windows key or Ctrl + Esc / use up/down/left/right keys to highlight all programs then press enter / use arrows again to highlight accessories press enter / then do the same for system tools and do the same again for system restore.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Can't copy and paste, click and drag, or restore.

I believe I said all this in the first post.

Sorry for that; I didn't read it careful enough.

If you installed SP2 over an earlier release of XP, then you should have svchost.exe in C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386

Yes, I did read that you cannot copy/paste or drag/drop. But you may be able to use the DOS COPY command from the command prompt.

[TrippyJing]

DOS COPY? Can you clarify? Because I have no clue as to how to use that particular command. Or much of the commands in the command prompt for that matter.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

OK, open Command Prompt, as you did earlier for the SFC command. You can use HELP COPY to get the general syntax of the COPY command.

Next, go to the source folder. When I open Command Prompt on my system, it opens in location C:\Documents and Settings\my_userid

From here, type the following to get to the root of drive C:

CD ..\..

Now type (commands and names do not have to be case-specific):

CD WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386

Make sure that the file you need is indeed here:

DIR svc*

And copy it to the target folder:

COPY svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32

Verify that it has been successfully copied:

DIR C:\WINDOWS\system32\svc*

When you're done, just type:

EXIT

Good luck!