Help! I Accidentally Damaged My Computer—Need Assistance
Hey everyone,
I’m reaching out in hopes of finding some guidance after what feels like a digital disaster. Here’s a quick overview of the situation: I recently lent my computer to my cousin, who was excited to know if I had Minecraft installed. I had to tell him no—primarily because I can’t afford the game and my system (with a Pentium Dual-Core E5700 processor and just 4GB of RAM) wouldn’t even be able to run it effectively.
After stepping away for a bit, I noticed my cousin wasn’t using the computer anymore. This piqued my curiosity, so I attempted to open a few applications, including the calendar and calculator, but to my surprise, none of them would launch. I then took a look at the Microsoft Store and found that it was similarly unresponsive. Confused, I approached my cousin, and he fessed up to trying to install Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition by following a YouTube tutorial.
While I completely understand that he’s just a kid and likely meant no harm, I checked the video he used, and it alarmed me. The tutorial involved replacing some critical System32 files, as well as making edits to SysWOW64. When I asked if he made these changes, he confirmed that he did and mentioned deleting something else, although he couldn’t recall exactly what it was.
This is where I could use some help from the community. I spoke with a local technician who suggested that I might need to format the entire computer, which sounds drastic. Before taking such a step, I’m wondering if there’s a chance to restore the system by replacing the deleted files instead.
If anyone out there has experience with this kind of issue or can provide insights into what exactly went wrong, I would greatly appreciate it. Additionally, if someone could share the specific files I need to restore normal functionality, that would be incredibly helpful.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post, and I look forward to any suggestions you may have!
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Response to Your Computer Dilemma
Hi there,
It sounds like you’re having a tough time, and I can definitely understand your frustration. The situation with your cousin attempting to install Minecraft and messing with critical system files has likely caused some significant issues in your installation of Windows.
First, you mentioned that your cousin replaced some critical System32 files and made edits to SysWOW64. This is concerning, as both directories are crucial for the operating system’s functionality. If files were deleted or replaced improperly, it’s possible that core components of your Windows OS are now missing or corrupted.
Before considering a full format and reinstall of Windows, which, as advised by your technician, is often a last resort, you do have a few options: