Need help figuring out Win7 complex problem

oliviervue

Prominent
Dec 30, 2018
4
0
510
Hi!

My PC suddenly had issues getting past the boot screen. It would just get stuck before getting to the login page. After a few dozen reboots where I'd let it keep booting for an hour each, it finally got to the point where it downloaded and installed Windows Updates for three reboots, after which I did manage to login.

Upon login, I quickly realised that my W7 session was very different from what I originally had:

-The Aero theme, backgrounds and changes I had made in personalization had all been set back to default.

-I could no longer access my Desktop, instead getting the message "Location is not available C:\\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\Desktop refers to a location that is unavailable. It could be on a hard drive on this computer or on a network. Check to make sure that the disk is properly inserted, or that you are connected to the Internet or your network and then try again. If it still cannot be located, the information might have been moved to a different location."

-I could no longer access my default Downloads folder, getting the message "Explorer.exe This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Please install a program or, if one is already installed, create an association in the Default Programs control panel."

-Could not make any kind of Search from the Start menu. Any term queried would get the message "Windows cannot find 'search:query=whateverisearched'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again.

-Can't find CMD in Start bar, can only launch it through 'New Task' in Task Manager and not as Admin.

-Trying to run many System tools like services.msc or System restore would always get the message "C:\\Windows\system32\whateveriasked The dependency service or group failed to start"


I've been googling my problem for a while but can't seem to find the right search terms to see if anyone has encountered the same issues. Can anyone here help me fix my PC? I've got a week before I get access to another PC that would let me make the tools required to reinstall W7 but I'd like to see if I can avoid resorting to that.

I apologize in advance if I didn't format my post correctly and will try to provide as much information as required.


Some information on my system that I got off dxdiag:

Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1 (7601.win7sp1_ldr_escrow.181228-0954)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Acer
System Model: Aspire X1301
BIOS: )Phoenix - Award WorkstationBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 215 Processor (2 CPUs), ~2.7GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
Page File: 3771MB used, 4415MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce G210
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce G210
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0A60&SUBSYS_2180174B&REV_A2
Display Memory: 2257 MB
Dedicated Memory: 466 MB
Shared Memory: 1791 MB
 

oliviervue

Prominent
Dec 30, 2018
4
0
510


I tried but since I can't open CMD in admin I get 'You must be an administrator running a console session in order to use the sfc utility'. Is there a way I could run CMD as admin through the Task Manager or somewhere else?