IE and search problems

[Canary]

Hi.

 

I haven't knowingly made any changes to my computer, but I've suddenly found that a) the Search Companion window is blank when I open it; and a number of websites - including Hotmail and Talk21, both of which I use regularly - come up blank (although most other web pages seem to work fine.

 

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do about this?

 

Thanks.

[hazelnut]

Can I just clear things up? Are you saying you have 2 problems, one is that in start, search on your computer, the search companion is missing. Then two some of your internet pages come up blank?

 

Any help here first

 

http://ask-leo.com/my_search_companion_window_comes_up_empty_and_i_cant_search_how_do_i_fix_it.html

 

I take it you are using XP?

[Canary]

Can I just clear things up? Are you saying you have 2 problems, one is that in start, search on your computer, the search companion is missing. Then two some of your internet pages come up blank?

 

Any help here first

 

http://ask-leo.com/my_search_companion_window_comes_up_empty_and_i_cant_search_how_do_i_fix_it.html

 

I take it you are using XP?

 

Hi - thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, they are two problems, but both have started at the same time. That could be a coincidence, I guess.(And yes, I'm on XP.)

 

Thanks for the Ask Leo link. I'd already been there and followed the link through to this page (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=831430), but that's where I got lost. Under "Resolution", I followed Method 1, but got lost with stages 4,5 and 6.

[Canary]

Hi - thanks for your reply.

 

Yes, they are two problems, but both have started at the same time. That could be a coincidence, I guess.(And yes, I'm on XP.)

 

Thanks for the Ask Leo link. I'd already been there and followed the link through to this page (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=831430), but that's where I got lost. Under "Resolution", I followed Method 1, but got lost with stages 4,5 and 6.

 

And I've just found that "Help and Support" on the Start menu doesn't work, either - and nor does "System Restore".

 

Help!

[ishan_rulz]

Thanks for the Ask Leo link. I'd already been there and followed the link through to this page (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=831430), but that's where I got lost. Under "Resolution", I followed Method 1, but got lost with stages 4,5 and 6.

You got lost... what exactly are you not following?

 

Note: You require the Windows XP CD.

[Canary]

You got lost... what exactly are you not following?

 

Note: You require the Windows XP CD.

 

I don't know what to put into these three boxes:

 

4. In the File to restore box, type the name of the file that you want to restore.

 

5. In the Restore from box, type the path of the Windows XP .cab file where you want to restore the file, or click Browse From to locate the Windows XP .cab file.

 

6. In the Save file in box, type the path where you want to extract the new file, or click Browse To to locate the folder that you want.

[DennisD]

Hi Canary.

 

There's a simpler way to get that jscript.dll registered properly.

 

Download a program called "Dial-A-Fix" from here ...

 

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix#Mirrors.2Fdownload_locations.2C_and_articles

 

Once downloaded, extract the files from the Zip file. Right click and select "Extract All", and just click through the dialogue, and it will place the files inside into a folder in the same location you downloaded the Zip file to.

 

Double click the "Dial-A-Fix.exe" file. The .exe file extension part may not be visible, but no worries, that's the way your PC is set up (hides well know file extensions). It's also a simple standalone program. It doesn't install anything.

 

You should now see the Dial-A-Fix window. Check the boxes as I have them checked here ...

 

 

Just the one box, as that one includes checking for the availability of the jscript.dll and re-registers it.

 

This is a well known and respected utility for machines running XP or earlier, and won't do any harm to your PC.

 

Let us know if that makes any difference to your problem, and if you have questions about downloading and extracting, just post back. No worries.

 

If the dll is missing, I'll guide you through replacing it from another location on your computer.

[Canary]

Hi Canary.

 

There's a simpler way to get that jscript.dll registered properly.

 

Download a program called "Dial-A-Fix" from here ...

 

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix#Mirrors.2Fdownload_locations.2C_and_articles

 

Once downloaded, extract the files from the Zip file. Right click and select "Extract All", and just click through the dialogue, and it will place the files inside into a folder in the same location you downloaded the Zip file to.

 

Double click the "Dial-A-Fix.exe" file. The .exe file extension part may not be visible, but no worries, that's the way your PC is set up (hides well know file extensions). It's also a simple standalone program. It doesn't install anything.

 

You should now see the Dial-A-Fix window. Check the boxes as I have them checked here ...

 

 

Just the one box, as that one includes checking for the availability of the jscript.dll and re-registers it.

 

This is a well known and respected utility for machines running XP or earlier, and won't do any harm to your PC.

 

Let us know if that makes any difference to your problem, and if you have questions about downloading and extracting, just post back. No worries.

 

If the dll is missing, I'll guide you through replacing it from another location on your computer.

 

Hi - it says there's a problem - it's either missing or corrupt.

[Canary]

I tried to upload the screen shot of the message I got, but for some reason I can't seem to upload it.

[DennisD]

Right. Can you navigate down to ...

 

"C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache"

 

In there, you'll find a copy of the "jscript.dll" file. They're all in alphabetical order.

 

Right click it, and select "copy".

 

Then navigate back one level to "C:\WINDOWS\system32", and in any empty space, right click and select "paste". It should ask if you want to overwrite (unless it's missing). Click to overwrite.

 

That should work without any problem, and then you could run Dial-A-Fix again to make sure it's registered.

 

If it refuses to copy over, we may have to remove the corrupt file first. But again, no worries.

[Canary]

Right. Can you navigate down to ...

 

"C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllcache"

 

In there, you'll find a copy of the "jscript.dll" file. They're all in alphabetical order.

 

Right click it, and select "copy".

 

Then navigate back one level to "C:\WINDOWS\system32", and in any empty space, right click and select "paste". It should ask if you want to overwrite (unless it's missing). Click to overwrite.

 

That should work without any problem, and then you could run Dial-A-Fix again to make sure it's registered.

 

If it refuses to copy over, we may have to remove the corrupt file first. But again, no worries.

 

I've found the System32 folder, but there's no dllcache in there.

 

There's a dllhost file in there, but no folder called dllcache.

[Canary]

I've found the System32 folder, but there's no dllcache in there.

 

There's a dllhost file in there, but no folder called dllcache.

 

But I've just noticed that jscript.dll is already in the System32 folder.

[DennisD]

No dllcache folder?

 

Ah well, have a look in System32, and see if the jscript.dll file is there or missing. There are a few jscript.dll files scattered around Windows in various locations but the version numbers are different, and as of yet I don't know if that's significant.

 

If it's there, mouse over it, and see if it gives you a version number.

[Canary]

No dllcache folder?

 

Ah well, have a look in System32, and see if the jscript.dll file is there or missing. There are a few jscript.dll files scattered around Windows in various locations but the version numbers are different, and as of yet I don't know if that's significant.

 

If it's there, mouse over it, and see if it gives you a version number.

 

Yep - it says it's version 5.8.6001.22960

[DennisD]

My mistake.

 

Open any explorer window, go to "Tools\Folder Options", and click the view tab.

 

Then scroll down to find and check the "Show Hidden Files and Folders" box. Also just beneath that, uncheck the "Hide Protected Operating System Files" box. Accept the warning popup.

 

Now look for the dllcache folder.

 

EDIT: You could also go to Start\Run\enter "%systemroot%\system32\dllcache" (no quotes) and press OK.

[Canary]

I've done all that, and tried once again to run Dial-a-Fix, but again it's not having it. It comes up with an eror message.

[DennisD]

So you found the dllcahe, copied and pasted the backup jscript.dll to system32 with no problems?

 

And then Dial-A-Fix wouldn't register it?

 

I tried all this myself first, and it all went fine. Can you delete the one in system32, and then copy the backup from the dllcache?

 

If you can do that, check to see if your problem is fixed without running D-A-F.

[Canary]

So you found the dllcahe, copied and pasted the backup jscript.dll to system32 with no problems?

 

And then Dial-A-Fix wouldn't register it?

 

I tried all this myself first, and it all went fine. Can you delete the one in system32, and then copy the backup from the dllcache?

 

If you can do that, check to see if your problem is fixed without running D-A-F.

 

Still no joy, I'm afraid. When I now run D-A-F, it suggests I e-mail djlizard.net for more assistance.

[DennisD]

That's a puzzler, because as I say I tested all this before suggesting it, and it went through Dial-A-Fix OK.

 

Try doing it manually. Go to "Start\Run" and copy and paste this into the window ...

 

Regsvr32 "C:\Windows\System32\jscript.dll

 

... and press OK.

 

I'll wait and see how you get on.

[DennisD]

Just found this after finding a lot of examples of folk having a problem registering that jscript.dll file.

 

You might try renaming the one in System32 and copying over the one that resides in "dllcache". You may need to do it while in Safe Mode..

 

http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6142_102-0.html?threadID=321670 (Post#3)

 

How to get into safe mode is in my signature.

 

It's late here in the UK. Have to go I'm afraid, but if it hasn't worked, read that thread carefully in the link, and try "safe mode".

[Andavari]

Still no joy, I'm afraid. When I now run D-A-F, it suggests I e-mail djlizard.net for more assistance.

 

That error which is shown immediately when DAF opens is there simply because it can't detect Internet Explorer 8, it only supports up to IE7. Please ignore that error screen by clicking OK.

[Canary]

That's a puzzler, because as I say I tested all this before suggesting it, and it went through Dial-A-Fix OK.

 

Try doing it manually. Go to "Start\Run" and copy and paste this into the window ...

 

Regsvr32 "C:\Windows\System32\jscript.dll

 

... and press OK.

 

I'll wait and see how you get on.

 

Thanks for your help so far.

 

I tried that manual way, but I still got an error message - "DllRegisterServer in C:\Windows\System32\jscript.dll failed. Return code was: 0x80004005"

 

I've got to go to work now, but I'll try it in safe mode later.

 

Thanks.

[Canary]

That error which is shown immediately when DAF opens is there simply because it can't detect Internet Explorer 8, it only supports up to IE7. Please ignore that error screen by clicking OK.

 

The error code only comes up when I run I run DAF as Dennis suggested. It's not when DAF opens.

 

The full error message when I run DAF reads as follows:

 

"There was an error while registering the object C:\Windows\system32\scrrun.dll (with flag(s): "/s"). This is most likely caused by a corrupt object or missing/corrupt dependency. If you received an error about a missing file/module, it means that the file cannot be registered (missing dependency, or should not be registered).

 

The genetic Win32 error returned (which is not the same as the RegSvr32 error code is: Access is denied.

Win32 error code: 5

 

Visit the Dial-a-Fix tips page for additional information."

[hazelnut]

If all else fails, and you have an xp disk, just run the system file checker. Info here

 

http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

[Canary]

If all else fails, and you have an xp disk, just run the system file checker. Info here

 

http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

 

Hi - thanks for that. I've followed that link, and done everything it said. The good news is that it worked in that what it said would happen DID happen.

I installed my XP disc and copied the I386 folder across. The SFC Scannow then completed without further problem.

 

However, I have now rebooted the computer and my initial problems remain. I've yet to do what DennisD suggested and do it in safe mode, but the fact remains that DAF is unable to complete the process - and I keep getting the same error message.

 

And I still can't access Search Companion, Help and Support, System Restore or a number of web pages!