Cannot start up in safe mode

[Mick]

I have a virus (system.exe) and need to start in safe mode to try and delete
it, on booting and pressing F8 I select start in safe mode but all I get is
a list of lines filling the screen indicatig where the files are and which
ones are loading, this fills the screen and then stops for a short while
then the PC reboots itself.

However many times I try this always happens.
I cannot start up in safe mode.
Any ideas?

Thanks
Mick
Windows XP professional SP2
1.5gb RAM
SATA drive (partitioned C & D) also 2 additional 80gb drives ( G & H)

 

[Guest]

Mick, can you boot up in Normal mode? If you can then do that and run your
anti-virus program. If not do a search in Google on How to make a Windows
Boot Disk, you will need a good floppy disk to do this. Then you will use
this disk to boot into your computer then you can fix it.

good luck

 

[Mick]

Yes, I can boot up in normal mode, I have Nortons anti virus which detects
the virus but cannot remove it because the file is in use. Searching for
more info on this I belive I can delete the virus file from safe mode, but I
cannot boot into safe mode.
I am not sure that the virus is causing the problem, I belive it may be a
windows problem that I can't start in safe mode.

Thanks

 

[Wesley Vogel]

See this for using the System Configuration Tool Method for starting in Safe
Mode...
Using the System Configuration Tool Method
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=61#winxo

Situations in Which Windows May Not Start in Safe Mode
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/199175



--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

wesly, thanks unfortunately i followed intructions on link and rebooted but
because it still will not boot into safe mode it just restarts itself and is
now in a loop and will not start at all. i have told the boot.ini to start in
safe mode and it keeps trying.
is there any way i can edit the boot.ini file in dos - repair mode, all i
need to do is take of the safemode switch.

any thoughts.

many thanks
mick

 

[Wesley Vogel]

You can try bootcfg from the Recovery Console.

Bootcfg
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...proddocs/en-us/bootcons_bootcfg.mspx?mfr=true

Bootcfg
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/r_c_cmds.htm#Bootcfg

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314058

HOW TO Install and Use the Recovery Console in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654

How to install the Windows Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216417

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

is there any way i can edit the boot.ini filr while in repair mode - dos.

i configured the boot.ini to start in safe mode from msconfig because pc
wouldn't start in safe mode by using f8, but it still will not start in
safe mode and beacause i used msaconfig to make changes it will not start
at all because it keeps trying to start in safe mode
i just need to take off the safeboot;minmal switch
any ideas

many thanks

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Mick]

Many thanks
I used bootcfg to rebuild boot.ini as I couldn't edit it.
All sorted now.
Thanks again

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Glad to hear it.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In