restoring windows components.

[TheOldOne]

sorry about such a low tech topic compared to all of your topics but i am in a problem

the problem is as follows, my father has just bought a rather expensive laptop (windows xp) to learn how to use computers.

while he was on it he was complaining about msn signing in all the time and annoying him with those irritating beeping sounds.

being me i couldnt remember how to change the setting on msn to make the bleeps go away so i tryed to delete it.

i had no luck untill i went on controll panel and clicked add/remove windows components. i did this and saw that windows messenger was on the list. i highlited it and selected delete.

although i succesfully deleted msn i also delete a number of other windows programs including wmv, powerpoint excell, frontpage, movie maker and so on.

in other words all of the windows components except word have vanished.

ive managed to get back wmv and ive downloaded mozilla so he uses that insted of explorer.

my father not being very technically minded hasnt found out about all of the vanishing programs as hes only created word documents so far.

but each day on the computer for him brings more knowledge and i fear soon he will dicover the missing programs.

so, how do i restore the programs? as far as i know he didnt get any disks with the computer or if he has they will have been misplaced.

ive been on the microsoft website but that yielded no results. if anyone can give me a link to where to download the programs or any way of getting them it will be greatly appreciated.

thanks alot.

[Mordac85]

Did you try a System Restore from prior to your 'help'? I'd also highly recommend tracking down those restore CD's cuz you'll most likely need them, and the license key, for when you have to rebuild the system. When, not if, since a laptop is like an Indy race car. You'll be in the pits sometime, it's just a matter of when.

Also, it's advisable to uninstall applications, not just delete the program directories.

Edited April 13, 2006 by Mordac85

[Tulkens]

You don't have to delete the messenger. I suppose you're talking about the messenger that gets installed with windows XP...

If messenger starts, just go to the menu bar and look for:

tools > options > preferences

there you can disable messenger from running when windows starts

Hope this helps...

[Camarade_Tux]

Windows components can be removed and added from Add/Remove Programs, then Windows components button on the left.

You may need an XP CD in your drive.

But I don't understand, you got rid of IE ?

[TheFlash428]

Deleting or removing messenger should in no way remove all those other programs. Are you sure they were there to begin with?

If you have system restore on, I would try that. Hopefully it hasn't been that long since this happened and you will have a restore point prior to the incident. Go to Start Menu --> all programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System restore.

And I agree--you will probably need those disks one day. Always a good policy to save any and all software that comes with a PC/Laptop.

[TheOldOne]

thank alot for the advice - this could be a real life saver.