OK, back to topic. This is really giving me the shits now. [img]graemlins/madhell.gif[/img]

I went and changed ALL folders to unset the read-only attribute (ie to switch it off). It was very time consuming as I had to go to each root folder (I couldn't do it at the drive level) and click Properties and then untick the little box for Read Only. I thought that would fix the problem. Except that after rebooting my computer it's all changed back to Read-Only again!!! :mad:

Anyone know of a way to fix this? I'd really not want to have to do a reinstall - I have so many applications on this PC and can't really afford to frig around with this.

Felix, I'm using SpyBot and AdAware.

One more thing - my laptop didn't have that many issues until I (foolishly) decided to "optimise" (using the word very loosely) it with first Iolo System Mechanic 6 (the WORST optimiser ever - it totally buggered up my system) and then with Norton System Works. Since then I've been having RPC failures when I shut off/restart, plus my boot times take so much longer now, and then this problem with the read-only folders...

I can say SpyBot and AdAware haven't caused any problems at all for me. Though, looking at it, all my folders ARE read-only, it just doesn't encumber me since all it does is present me with an: "are you sure?" when I want to delete something and doesn't seem to interfere with any programs of mine.

I'm capable of downloading things, even of having programs download stuff for me, without any issues.

Perhaps your troubles originate from something other than the read-only folders?

<font color=8fbc8f>Your answer then lies within your post. The optimizer has taken 'control' of the system, irregardless of your setting, upon reboot, it takes the commands from the 'optimizer' control and sets the system 'back' to that programs default.

I have zero experience with this. But it almost surely sounds like a complete format, install situation. You may get the program off, but it sounds like the registry is afflicted as well, and as we all know, that is the tricky party to work with.</font>

It might be an idea to just wipe the program before we go as far as to start formatting and reinstalling.

Mind you, I'd say it might be something other than the System Mechanic being the problem, I dug up a few reviews of it, just googled in case someone had similar issues and there was an easy solution, and it generally scored high. For the most part the only complaints anyone had were about the interface and documentation.

Considered downloading some new AV software and giving it a spin? Might be there's something your old stuff isn't catching. Have you tried a HijackThis check?

What do you mean, the optimiser has taken control of my system?

Felix means it smells like the optimiser has, in some way or another, inserted itself deeply into your system, and even now, it continues to try to optimise for you.

You might try going back to a restore point prior to installing the optimizer... and then stay away from such things. Rarely have I seen such a tool be worth the money it costs... or the bits used to store it...

And seconds on Purple's thoughts of a HJT run. www.merijn.org, if you need it... not quite user-friendly, but effective.

<font color=8fbc8f>He mentioned earlier that he tried a restore point, and it did not help.

I keep forgetting how hard and time consuming it is to re-install that OS. Maybe he could patch it and crutch it until he upgrades to the new one.

But whats a couple hours of downtime, for a few more months of uptime really worth?</font>

If it's something that a good HJT scan could purge, that'll save him a lot of program reinstallations. It's not that hard to install the OS, it just takes time, the major annoyance is in having to reinstall everything else afterwards.

Mem: If you're not a supremo tech wiz, then just throw the HijackThis log on here and I'd be willing to go through it for anything obviously malignant.

What is HJT?

HijackThis