16 BIT ERROR - CAN NO-ONE HELP???

[Guest]

Sent this message 31.10 no response at all, surely there must be someone who
can help - I realise I can run the fix each time I boot up but there is
obviously a problem!! Help???
I have had this problem for a little while and have tried various fixes,
however each time I boot up I have to run the fix. I've searched for
windupdate but thats not the problem. Dont have XP CD as it is preloaded.
Does anyone have any other ideas please.

 

[Guest]

you should try and order satrup cd- dont know what i would have done without
it!!!!!

 

[Sharon F]

Sent this message 31.10 no response at all, surely there must be someone who
can help - I realise I can run the fix each time I boot up but there is
obviously a problem!! Help???
I have had this problem for a little while and have tried various fixes,
however each time I boot up I have to run the fix. I've searched for
windupdate but thats not the problem. Dont have XP CD as it is preloaded.
Does anyone have any other ideas please.
--

Windupdate is not a valid Windows file. Apparently it is a trojan and it is
responsible for the repeated deletion of the autoexec.nt file.

QUOTE from MVP Kelly Theriot's site:

MS-DOS or 16-bit Windows-based program Error Message

From Ron:
Running Audit on my computer showed that a program called
WINDUPDATE.EXE (not WINUPDATE.EXE) was deleting my Autoexec.nt file on boot
up. If I replaced the file it would delete it again. Go to \Program
Files\WINDUPDATE folder and delete it!

Go to your registry and delete anything named WINDUPDATE. Put the
Autoexec.nt file back into your \system32 folder and all is well! This was
definately the problem here and I bet most everyone has the same nasty
bugger, WINDUPDATE.EXE
on their infected computer.

AND another QUOTE:

This installation program will reinstall the missing or corrupt Windows XP
system files command.com, autoexec.nt and config.nt. The absence or
corruption of one or more of these files causes a "16 Bit Subsystem" error.

XP_Fix.EXE by TRF Systems, Inc.
http://www.visualtour.com/downloads/xp_fix.exe

More discussion of this error and windupdate:
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=windupdate&hl=en&lr=&start=10&sa=N

 

[Guest]

SuzyQ - what is satrup cd??? and what will this do for me???
Sharon - thanks but as you can see I have searched for Windupdate.... and it
is definitely not on my computer. Have got the fixes - they work but I have
to run them each and every time I boot up! Help please

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

Without an XP CD, you are virtually powerless to resolve this issue. Your
system manufacturer was required to supply you with a recovery procedure
even if it is only from a recovery partition on your hard drive, check your
documentation or contact your system manufacturer. Failing that, you can
purchase an XP CD at retail, it comes in handy for resolving a multitude of
issues and it's possible we can help you resolve this issue as well.

No, you didn't already pay for XP, you paid for a license that added
negligibly to the cost of your system; this is no time to stand on
principle, especially when the CD will come in handy for other issues as
well.

This is the Knowledge Base Article that deals with this issue; note, it
requires the XP CD:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;324767

 

[Guest]

I AM SOOO SORRY- I meant" startup" cd for xp- not satrup. When you have
problems like this, you can call microsoft help line and they will walk you
thru wiping your computer clean of all crap- BUT it comes at a price of
losing everything else like other programs- it was worth it to me . It's
called "re-formatting " your harddrive. And will be like a new computer with
only the windows xp program on it
But you need the cd- you can go to the manufacturer website and sometimes
order it for 20 dollars Good luck!.

 

[Sharon F]

SuzyQ - what is satrup cd??? and what will this do for me???
Sharon - thanks but as you can see I have searched for Windupdate.... and it
is definitely not on my computer. Have got the fixes - they work but I have
to run them each and every time I boot up! Help please

Mary, it sounds like you're getting reinfected at every startup OR there is
a remnant from Windupdate left behind that is causing the damage to
autoexec.nt.

You say that you've already checked for the file and that it does not
exist. Did you check the registry for any mention of Windupdate as the
previous advice recommends? Since Windupdate is known to be unnecessary and
unwanted, you can confidently delete any registry references to it.

After that's done, replace autoexec.nt once again. Hopefully for the last
time. Copy the spare from the \repair folder or use the fix linked in the
quote found in my previous reply.

If you're still losing autoexec.nt at startup, perhaps the reference to
"windupdate" is a red herring and there's more going on. Time to dig a
little deeper - scanning the system thoroughly (all files scan) with an up
to date antivirus program. Also recommend running AdAware with the recent
definitions downloaded and installed as well as the most recent version of
the program(www.lavasoftusa.com). Let it remove any malware it finds.

 

[Guest]

Thanks - previously checked registry no mention of windupdate ever! Have up
to date Norton, have scanned all files - nothing found. I'm still stuck!

 

[Sharon F]

Thanks - previously checked registry no mention of windupdate ever! Have up
to date Norton, have scanned all files - nothing found. I'm still stuck!

Try other scanners. No one scanner can find everything and Norton
specializes in viruses, not adware/malware such as Windupdate. Since
Windupdate is mentioned in the messages that you're seeing, there is
something somewhere - either a file (does not have to be named windupdate)
or a reference.

Suggest trying AdAware (www.lavasoftusa.com) or Spybot Search and Destroy.