Stuck in safe mode (System Restore disabled)....

[Guest]

I run XP Home Edition.
I followed the Symantec tips to get rid of trojan.adclicker, which included
switching off System Restore and running in Safe Mode.
This worked well and got rid of the infected files.
Now I'm left with the problem that I'm stuck in Safe Mode; apparently it
needs System Restore to be ON to be able to go back to normal mode..., and to
switch System Restore back on, I need to be in normal mode...
Which way out? (Cannot do a Repair install in Safe Mode neither...)

 

[Chas]

I run XP Home Edition.
I followed the Symantec tips to get rid of trojan.adclicker, which
included
switching off System Restore and running in Safe Mode.
This worked well and got rid of the infected files.
Now I'm left with the problem that I'm stuck in Safe Mode; apparently it
needs System Restore to be ON to be able to go back to normal mode..., and
to
switch System Restore back on, I need to be in normal mode...
Which way out? (Cannot do a Repair install in Safe Mode neither...)

Hi
Look Here

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Chas

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Safe Mode and System Restore do not necessarily have anything to do with
each other.

Try this.

Start | Run | Type: msconfig | Click OK |
Boot.ini tab | UNCheck: /SAFEBOOT | Click Apply |
General tab | If Normal Startup is not selected, Select it |
Click Apply | Click OK | When you see the prompt to restart the computer |
Click Restart

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

I can't get into any menu: I started a Repair install, I get a message saying
windows XP cannot be installed in safe mode, the installation will now
re-start.
When I click OK (no other choice) it re-starts (in safe mode) and I get to
the same point.
Even if I boot holding F8 and select safe mode with command prompt, no
difference, I get still the message above...

 

[Chas]

I can't get into any menu: I started a Repair install, I get a message
saying
windows XP cannot be installed in safe mode, the installation will now
re-start.
When I click OK (no other choice) it re-starts (in safe mode) and I get to
the same point.
Even if I boot holding F8 and select safe mode with command prompt, no
difference, I get still the message above...

Hi
You can't do a repair install in safe mode
Follow the information in the link in my last post

Chas

 

[Guest]

Hi Chas,

Thanks for the advice. I would follow it, but first I want to save my files
from C: to my D: drive. Any suggestions? I can't even get a command prompt...
My PC came with Windows XP pre-installed, and hard drive partitioned in C, D
and E. E is called 'Recover', and according to the manual the recovery
program is installed here.
How can I let the system boot from E??
(If any help: the infected file was banmanpro.exe in C:\Windows, this is now
deleted.)

Hans

 

[Chas]

Hi Chas,

Thanks for the advice. I would follow it, but first I want to save my
files
from C: to my D: drive. Any suggestions? I can't even get a command
prompt...
My PC came with Windows XP pre-installed, and hard drive partitioned in C,
D
and E. E is called 'Recover', and according to the manual the recovery
program is installed here.
How can I let the system boot from E??
(If any help: the infected file was banmanpro.exe in C:\Windows, this is
now
deleted.)

Hans

Hi
Hans
There is usually a Key Combination to press at boot up to start the recovery
program
(Look in the manual or on screen before it boots)
Note most recovery partitions don't allow repairs
they just set the operating system back to the condition as when it left the
factory.
I don't know wether your manufacturer's recovery partition would allow you
to set the operating system onto D drive
if it would then you could the copy your file off C drive to D then format
C
Chas

 

[Guest]

Hi Chas,
sorry, no news for a while: I am away during the week.
Today managed to start PC after doing a clean install of XP on partition D.
Now I want to get my existing version on C working again.
Before I started to delete the virus, I backed up my settings using Ntbackup.
I printed out Charlie White's article "When Havoc strikes", via a link on
the site you suggested me, it looks as if that will do the trick. I'll let
you know...
Thanks so far!
Hans

 

[Guest]

Hi Wesley,

I've been away during the week, and now back to my XP problems.
I've made some progress; I did a complete install of XP on partition D:,
this allowed me to start again. I then copied the system, software, sam,
security and default files from C:\windows\repair to
C:\windows\system32\config, after having deleted the old files. (as explained
in Charlie White's article
http://www.digitalwebcast.com/cgi-bin/getframeletter.cgi?/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm).
I also did a Restore from a settings Back-up I did before I started my virus
scan, using the Backup utility in System Tools. This went OK.
I can now start my old XP version, I can select User Profiles as before, but
then it goes into Safe Mode again.
Followin Charlie White's steps to restore the system to the old
configuration, I see in System Volume information NO restore points dating
from before I de-activated System Restore.
Any idea where I can find these? They must have been backed-up somewhere
(hopefully).
I still cannot turn System Restore back on, as still in Safe Mode.
(I did check your tips with msconfig, but safeboot is unchecked, and normal
is checked.)
Thanks for any further help!

Hans

 

[Guest]

Hi,
After a week away I've now returned to my XP problem, and made some progress:
I did a clean install of XP on partition D. Then followed Charlie White's
suggestions found via a link on the site you gave me
(http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm ), and copied the
system, software, sam, security and default files from C:\window\repair to
C:\windows\system32\config.
I could then start my normal XP on C, but still in safe mode.
I then used the Backup uitility in System Tools to restore from a backup,
made just before I turned off "System Restore" before my virus scan. This was
fine and I now have my user profiles back.
BUT, it still won't start in normal mode, just safe mode.
When I followed Charlie White's steps further to copy the old restore
points, I saw there were no old restore point folders in the System Volume
Information folder.
I can't believe they're completely gone, any idea where they could have been
moved to?
Or any other suggestions?
Hans