Go to Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options > Advanced > Restore Advanced Settings

Control Panel > Network and Internet > Internet Options > Advanced > Reset Internet Explorer

 

Or open up internet explorer and go to Tools > Internet Options

Unfortunately that did not work.

 

Additionally, minimized programs no longer show up in my task bar, and the Windows Start key no longer works.

 

Thanks!

 

Mike

See if its turned to Automatic in "Services"

 

1.  Start

 

2.  In Run box enter " Services " without quotes

 

3.  On list scroll down to Print Spooler and see if its on Automatic.  If not, do so by clicking on Print Spooler, click on Properties and turn it on.

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If that fails you may wish to use System Restore to go back to when you last had it on

Help isn't working. How do I do a system restore?

Error 1068 "The dependency service or group failed to start" when starting the Spooler Service:
http://www.winhelponline.com/articles/9/1/Error-1068-The-dependency-service-or-group-failed-to-start-when-starting-the-Spooler-Service.html

System restore....

 

1.  Click on the Start ( Orb ) button

 

2.  In the Start Search Box just above the Start (orb), type in System Restore

 

3.  You will see now System Restore listed, click on it and go back to a date when all was well.

 

See if this helps

 

 

Unfortunately that did not help. The windows/system directory opened. Search is now not working.

 

I have Vista that I haven't got around to installing. Since dragging and copy/paste don't work anymore, would upgrading to Vista fix these problems?

Would recommend doing a clean reinstall whether it be XP or Vista.

If your restore utility to take you back to the date the system was shipped is still intact for XP you can follow the procedures way below

 

How to reformat and reinstall windows xp if you do not have the Restore Utility from Symantec

http://helpdesk.its.uiowa.edu/windows/instructions/reformat.htm  ( My Favorite ) When you get to the part where it says you need to put in the Product Key, just disregard this part. Your system has been pre-activaited by Dell

http://www.cyberwalker.com/topic.php?id=45

http://faq.oit.gatech.edu/0305.html

http://www.djdenham.com/Install%20Procedures.htm#Install

Windows XP Restore Utility

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/document?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&docid =3E48AE3870775D64E040A68F5B2877D4&journalid =484349BC691F4E3BE040A68F5A28181A&Query=&SystemID=&ServiceTag =&contenttype=&os=&component=&lang=&doclang=&toggle=&dl=




Clean Install of Vista presentation link if you have that one now

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=370

I have files I cannot lose. I cannot copy the files to removeable media at all. Copy/paste and drag-drop do not work.

Tried Control and C or Control and V, or burning to a cd or dvd.

Both failed, as did drag and drop and the "send To" menu.

Have you uninstalled the printer, disconnect it then try the procedures we have suggested by chance infael ?