I have Windows XP with all the latest updates, both critical and optional, applied on both instances of my dual-boot system on C: & H:. ( I have a dual boot to hopefully workaround Windows errors. )
On my C: instance, I had installed Windows Search, but I did not like it's performance or behavior, so I uninstalled Search & use Search Companion. On my H: instance, I never installed Windows Search.

I am now finding that on both instances, search ( companion ) crashes with a C++ run time error.
I am searching my Q: drive - an external USB drive I use for backups.

I do not like Windows Search. I see no need to have that scanning/indexing workload. I prefer Search Companion - i.e. the "old" Explorer search. Since I have installed Windows Search, each time I click Search in Explorer I get the new Windows Search screen, from which I then need to click on Search Companion.
I find no way to uninstall Windows Search entirely so I don't get that annoying extra window.
Does anyone know how to reliable & safely uninstall Windows Search ?
( I have already turned off the service, but I would like to remove it entirely. )
Thanks, John

I find that after each reboot of Win XP ( w/ all latest updates ), wuaudt.exe creates a lot of I/O to my C: ( Windows ) drive. I turned off Automatic Updates entirely to prevent this symptom, but to no avail. Does anyone know how to prevent wuaudt.exe from running so often, hopefully running only when I check for updates?
Thanks, John

Hi,

HELP!!

I've got a corrupted system file on my existing XP desktop installation and I'm attempting to use the recovery console on the XP installation CD (definitely MS Windows and NOT an OEM version).

After the setup screen appears, I press 'r' to start the recovery console and, after analysing my existing setup and loading files followed by a lengthy pause, it says that setup is starting Windows only to get the set-up screen again!

Pressing 'r' again reboots my PC and the process is repeated!

Am I doing something wrong?

Access denied when deleting folder and previous files from previous OS remained...

I just wanna ask for help. I keep on formatting my pc because of virus issue then i noticed that the free space of my disk are getting smaller. Maybe its because of the stored files from my previous OS.. Is there any way to solve this problem? when i try to open the folders of my latter account it shows "ACCESS DENIED"...I could tell that its still there because when i ran system scan with an antivirus it shows the files stored in my previous account.

Hello,
I have a problem with some virus.It restricts me to login in winxp.whenever i login it immediately log me off.so I can't check my winxp files.for that reason I have installed windows7.but whenver i tried to open or copy a xls documents...it says no permission or file may be corrupted.The file appears to be written in green colour.The file is in xp's desktop....c:\Documents and Settings/user/dektop/>xls.......what should i do??

My system is a Core 2 duo, 2.66 w/2G Ram
XP, SP 3

Getting the following:
Runtime error! Program: C:\windows\explorer.exe
This application has requested the runtime to terminate in an unusual way.
Please contact the application’s support team for more information.

If I close this, windows explorer resets, and it returns. Additionally, Mozilla and Internet explorer will not work. Amazingly, Chrome does.

I have run full scans with MacAfee, Malware, Adaware, and Regcure.

Any suggestions??

Greetings! I'm new to the computer world and trying to troubleshoot problems. I feel like if you need help with something, then it doesn't hurt to ask someone who knows the answer. That's what I'm hoping to find here. :)

I have a Dell Inspiron1525 with a Windows Vista OS. It just recently started to give me some type of message when it's booting up. I'm not even sure if it's an error, for it doesn't really say. The message comes up as the following:

Checking file system on C:
The type of file system is NTFS.
Volume label is OS

HI could someone help me,
I just bought a windows XP pro disc for multiple PC's from microsoft.
I don't have a problem installing and activating windows on all the PC's
but it can be a pain in the neck to have to enter the serial key on 15 computers one after the other.
help please.