Computer help - booting with no internet, old-style taskbar

[InfernoTowel]

Before anyone asks, I'm posting this on someone else's computer.

I have Windows XP. Lately, my computer has been starting up with the old-style taskbar (it's grey and has that "old" look to it) and the internet hasn't been working. I've gotten it to boot correctly a couple of times and the internet connection is indeed there, but my computer doesn't seem to boot correctly or something. I've tried hitting F8 or F10 during startup and choosing "start Windows normally," but that usually doesn't work. I scanned my computer for malware, and I'm not infected.

Help? D:

 

[TheBB]

Have you tried actually changing the taskbar to XP-style? You can do that under Appearance in the Control Panel if I'm not mistaken.

I need to know more about your internet connection to help with that.

 

[rcbeyer]

Before anyone asks, I'm posting this on someone else's computer.

I have Windows XP. Lately, my computer has been starting up with the old-style taskbar (it's grey and has that "old" look to it) and the internet hasn't been working. I've gotten it to boot correctly a couple of times and the internet connection is indeed there, but my computer doesn't seem to boot correctly or something. I've tried hitting F8 or F10 during startup and choosing "start Windows normally," but that usually doesn't work. I scanned my computer for malware, and I'm not infected.

Help? D:

another thought in addition to the post above mine

maybe it's booting in safe mode?

Safe mode only load necessary drivers, so it having that 'old' look and not being able to get online could be because the video and network drivers aren't being loaded.

just a thought, i dunno

 

[Ethan Rosen]

the internet could be a hardware issue. I've had a similar issue with the internet before. What I did was create an ubuntu live disk and boot from that. Turned out the internet was a software issue because it worked in ubuntu but not windows. It definitely doesn't hurt to check this.