Windows XP XP Recovery Msconfig unable to boot at all

[rrosenbe]

Hello. Running HP win xp home media edition sp3, 2g ram. Infected with odb.exe and svc.exe yesterday and unable to boot into safe mode. Ran hijack this, malwarebytes and spybot with system restore off, removed all bad guys, still unable to boot into safe mode to really remove malware, drivers stop at Mup.dll. Went to msconfig after regular boot and changed boot.ini to safemode and restarted (big mistake) now cannot boot from hd. The boot up freezes at a point where the monitor is on but very dim. So booted from xp install disk used recovery to boot to windows. Tried chkdsk, fixboot. No joy. I think my msconfig needs to be returned to regular boot, but I don't know how to do this with dos commands in recovery. And not sure how to get to safe mode so that I can use malware removal tools. Don't need help with the malware tools, just need to get booted up. I appreciate any help.
Thanks.

 

[Madxgraphics]

Welcome to the forum...
In my opinion with finding any .exe nasties, don't boother trying to recover, just reformat. stick your HDD into a caddy or anoothr machine and recue your data, then back to your machine and do a fresh install...

 

[TriplexDread]

MadX is right sometimes it is easier to just backup and reinstall however if you want to try safemode to run your malware checkers as your system is booting press the F8 key continuelly untill you are given several options

Just choose the safe mode option nothing else and let it boot.

Let us know how you get on

 

[rrosenbe]

Tkanks for your advice. Couldn't get in so did repair install and got to xp pro logon screen but comp thinks my standalone machine is on a domain and no passwords work.tried shift f10 but still no joy. Can't log in to windows. Booted from knoppix but my version won't recognize my usb external drive to save files.so now do you think I should try changing xp password using knoppix? I think my sam is messed up with this domain error. I could sure use help on this. Thanks

 

[TriplexDread]

Do you have a spare machine to put the drive into and back all the appropriate data on that bit by bit?

I actually said F8 not F10

 

[rrosenbe]

Gave up. Going for anew HD can you tell me how to slave old drive?

 

[TriplexDread]

Is it SATA or IDE?

 

[rrosenbe]

Gave up. Going for anew HD can you tell me how to slave old drive? Its sata.thanks

 

[TriplexDread]

Just plug it in windows will configure the drive automatically

I take it you have a SATA lead and spare sata plug within tower?

 

[rrosenbe]

Installing xp pro now. Can I hook up bad drive to usb sata adapter with power and just let comp recognized it and pull off files?odb and svc.exe tgrojans killed the old drive . Thanks.

 

[TriplexDread]

Yes usually, HOWEVER TAKE NOTE!!

You have to be careful the trojans or what ever you had dont infect your newly installed drive

 

[rrosenbe]

Got it. Most of my files are backed up (I did do something right) on an external hd and I can drag/drop these onto my new hd. Can you recommend a malware scanner for any files I might need from the bad drive other than malwarebytes? I've use SD Search/Destroy but like MBAM better. Is there any use for sdfix and smitfraudfix on the old drive? I can't run windows on it. I appreciate any advice to make moving files from the old drive safe. Thanks.