Bootup problems

[Guest]

Recently, 6 PC's on our network won't boot past the "Applying computer
settings" stage in the boot up process. The only way we can get by this is to
unplug the network cable and reboot the machine. Any ideas as to what is
causing this? Virus scanners find nothing.

 

[Steve Parry [MVP]]

In

Recently, 6 PC's on our network won't boot past the "Applying computer
settings" stage in the boot up process. The only way we can get by
this is to unplug the network cable and reboot the machine. Any ideas
as to what is causing this? Virus scanners find nothing.

Check the settings for those PC's, in particular the DNS settings

Check the event viewer to see if any errors are reported.

Check your anti virus is up to date, and don't totally trust that your
AV is reporting nothing try a different AV to double check just in case

Check you have'nt picked up any spyware

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/default.mspx

examine your systems with

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

 

[Guest]

Thanks, performed most of those checks already. DNS settings are fine, PC's
were working perfectly up until last Friday, they all seem to become affected
at the same time, and are affected since. The virus scanner on all machines
are up to date, and there is no spyware on the machines.

 

[Steve Parry [MVP]]

In

Thanks, performed most of those checks already. DNS settings are
fine, PC's were working perfectly up until last Friday, they all seem
to become affected at the same time, and are affected since. The
virus scanner on all machines are up to date, and there is no spyware
on the machines.

Can you try attaching a "known good" pc or laptop onto one of the "bad
pc" network connections to isolate a bad network segment/hub/switch etc

 

[Guest]

Hi again, thanks, Just tried that now, but the other PC in the same location
booted up as normal.

 

[Steve Parry [MVP]]

In

Hi again, thanks, Just tried that now, but the other PC in the same
location booted up as normal.

Anything showing in the Event Viewer?

Try an online AV scan at

http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml

Open Task Manager and see if theres an item called

winxpinit.exe

in your process list, we had this virus recently on a PC here. Our
corporate AV failed to detect it but F-Secure (our previous corporate
solution ... and the one I wish we could return to) did detect it.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/backdoor.sdbot.aa.html

 

[Steve Parry [MVP]]

In

Hi again, thanks, Just tried that now, but the other PC in the same
location booted up as normal.

Anything showing in the Event Viewer?

Try an online AV scan at

http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml

Open Task Manager and see if theres an item called

winxpinit.exe

in your process list, we had this virus recently on a PC here. Our
corporate AV failed to detect it but F-Secure (our previous corporate
solution ... and the one I wish we could return to) did detect it.

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/backdoor.sdbot.aa.html