Can't boot into Safe Mode

[thomas]

I have Window XP Home Edition SP2 installed on a Dell Inspiron 1300
notebook. While I was online, AVG popped up to inform me that it had
detected a virus located in C:WINDOWS/system32/DRIVERS. (I regret not paying
attention to its name.) I selected sending the infected file to AVG's VAULT.
A second message informed me that removing a system file might cause my
computer to not operate properly. I confirmed that I wanted the infected
file sent to the vault. Then another message appeared (that I have never
seen before) telling me that the vault was full. (It had not had much in it,
the last time I looked.) The computer locked up at that point. (The cursor
moved, but nothing could be clicked on.) Ctrl+ALT+Delete did not work, so I
attempted a hard reboot. Upon turning the computer back on, a blue screen
appeared saying, " A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut
down to prevent damage to your computer..." The message ends with:

STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF8960528, 0xC000000E,0x00000000, 0x00000000)


I booted into the Windows Advanced Options Menu and selected Safe Mode. I
selected Windows XP Home Edition (the only option) and pressed Enter. A
black screen scrolled a list of files in C:WINDOWS/system32/DRIVERS and
returned to the original blue screen described above. I tried other options
in the Windows Advanced Options Menu (including Safe Mode with Command
Prompt) with the same result.

I am guessing that there might be something that I can download that can be
used on a CD to boot the computer at least into DOS. (No such CD came with
my computer.)

Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I am guessing that there might be something that I can download that can be
used on a CD to boot the computer at least into DOS. (No such CD came with
my computer.)

What good would booting to DOS be?

You have to either reinstall XP or run a repair install (best option
to try first).

Can't do either without an XP disc, and running a repair install
requires that you have the Dell disc that is appropriate for your
system.

If Dell is one of those that includes a hidden partition on your drive
that contains what is needed to restore your system, they you will be
able to do that without a disc.

Read your manual, or call Dell.

 

[Guest]

I have Window XP Home Edition SP2 installed on a Dell Inspiron 1300
notebook. While I was online, AVG popped up to inform me that it had
detected a virus located in C:WINDOWS/system32/DRIVERS. (I regret not paying
attention to its name.) I selected sending the infected file to AVG's VAULT.
A second message informed me that removing a system file might cause my
computer to not operate properly. I confirmed that I wanted the infected
file sent to the vault. Then another message appeared (that I have never
seen before) telling me that the vault was full. (It had not had much in it,
the last time I looked.) The computer locked up at that point. (The cursor
moved, but nothing could be clicked on.) Ctrl+ALT+Delete did not work, so I
attempted a hard reboot. Upon turning the computer back on, a blue screen
appeared saying, " A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut
down to prevent damage to your computer..." The message ends with:

STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF8960528, 0xC000000E,0x00000000, 0x00000000)


I booted into the Windows Advanced Options Menu and selected Safe Mode. I
selected Windows XP Home Edition (the only option) and pressed Enter. A
black screen scrolled a list of files in C:WINDOWS/system32/DRIVERS and
returned to the original blue screen described above. I tried other options
in the Windows Advanced Options Menu (including Safe Mode with Command
Prompt) with the same result.

I am guessing that there might be something that I can download that can be
used on a CD to boot the computer at least into DOS. (No such CD came with
my computer.)

Thanks for any thoughts.

All of these nagging message and you didn't stop surfing to see what the
heck this virus is or just scan, even if AVG told you in the Temp you need to
disconnect and Disinfect the machine by scanning for both Malware and
viruses!.

Try the Advanced Boot options again and this time select last good
configuration and see if you are able to login and perform a full scan for
both and also from other Vendors to be sure the system is clean.

Run a scan from here on-line:
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?productid=symhome&langid=ie&venid=sym
Download Avast Cleaner from here:
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast-virus-cleaner.html
Lots of tools to download and disinfect your machine:
http://www.bitdefender.co.uk/site/Downloads/browseFreeRemovalTool/
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5
HTH.
nass

 

[thomas]

I had thought that from DOS, I might be able to locate the virus and delete
it.
(But other than playing around some in DOS in pre-Windows days, I don't
really know anything about it.)

I have a CD that Dell sent to me. However, it is called a "Reinstallation
CD" (not a repair CD). I can ask Dell if this would be useful for simple
repair without reinstalling the entire operating system. I also note on the
CD that it says, "CD is not for reinstallation of ... drivers." And it is
apparently a driver (or some file masquerading as a driver) that has the
virus in it.

Thanks.

 

[thomas]

I am properly chastised for not writing down the name of the virus before
trying to send it to the AVG virus vault.

As you suggest, I did attempt the Last Know Good Configuration option, but
the next screen I saw was the same blue one described below when I selected
the Safe Mode option. Is there any action that can be taken from this blue
screen except to turn off the computer?

Thanks for the list of recommended downloads. Can any of them be used if I
can't get into Safe Mode much less online? Could they be run from a CD or an
external hard drive? Is there such a thing as a "boot CD" (such as the Boot
Floppy that I have for my Windows 98SE)?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

Hi Thomas,
You can perform a repair/install from the Recovery CD supplied by the Vendor.
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Or you can use this PartPE to gain access and rescue your data and perform a
scan for the virus:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/changes/
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
HTH.
nass

 

[Guest]

Hi Thomas you can try using these if you can get into windows

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

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

also ad-aware might be of use if you dont have it installed already

On the more direct side seeing as you cannot get into windows Try to borrow
a copy or buy a copy of windows xp from sombody and then get into the
recovery console. From there you'll be able to get a command prompt which
will give you more options. Do you have important data on your laptop? You
could also buy a 2.5" laptop hd to USB connector. The laptop hard drives are
quite simple to remove and then retrieve your data from any pc with usb. Good
luck

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

I had thought that from DOS, I might be able to locate the virus and delete
it.

Nope. Wishful thinking at best.

I have a CD that Dell sent to me. However, it is called a "Reinstallation
CD" (not a repair CD). I can ask Dell if this would be useful for simple
repair without reinstalling the entire operating system. I also note on the
CD that it says, "CD is not for reinstallation of ... drivers." And it is
apparently a driver (or some file masquerading as a driver) that has the
virus in it.

Have you loaded that CD and taken a look at the options????????

Sometimes there are TWO options:

ONE: restore the entire system to Day One Condition
TWO: restore only the operating system.

Since you can't boot, and you have NO backups, you might just have to
be satisfied with ONE if you have no other options.

 

[Guest]

Hi Thomas you can try using these if you can get into windows

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

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E0-E72D-4F54-9AB3-75B8EB148356&displaylang=en

also ad-aware might be of use if you dont have it installed already

On the more direct side seeing as you cannot get into windows Try to borrow
a copy or buy a copy of windows xp from sombody and then get into the
recovery console. From there you'll be able to get a command prompt which
will give you more options. Do you have important data on your laptop? You
could also buy a 2.5" laptop hd to USB connector. The laptop hard drives are
quite simple to remove and then retrieve your data from any pc with usb. Good
luck

Just to let you know avg found a virus on my centrino acer which then died
and that was 6 months and the laptop still wont work. I wouldn't recommend
avg at all although some people beg to differ.

 

[thomas]

If I am reading correctly,
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm requires that I am
able to boot into DOS (which I am yet unable to do from the Windows Advanced
Options Menu).

The http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ might prove helpful, but I need to download
with XP and create a CD to boot with. I will try to get a friend to do that
for me. (My other computer has 98SE.)

Thanks again.

 

[Uncle Grumpy]

If I am reading correctly,
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm requires that I am
able to boot into DOS

You're not reading correctly

 

[Guest]

Hi Tom,
With the XP Repair, you will need to access the BIOS and set your CD as the
first boot device then your HDD, then insert the Recovery CD from the vendor
and select repair.
Or if your Friend has the same XP CD (OEM Vs Full Retail) borrow it and
perform the repair and when you asked to Enter the product key get the Key
from your Notebook (usually on the Bottom of the notebook).
Note: make sure you don't use the Driver CD, som vendor give two CDs one of
them the drivers for the Mobo, Video, DVD..etc.
HTH.
nass

 

[thomas]

The Dell Reinstallation CD spins up, but nothing happens - just that same
blue screens appears on the screen.

Thanks for the thought.

 

[thomas]

I already have the Dell Reinstallation CD. It spins in the CD drive, but
nothing happens. I wasn't aware that there might be a "Recovery Console" on
it. But I can't get to it. Just the same blue screen appears.

Good idea on removing the hard drive and recovering my data elsewhere. I
already have a USB to IDE/SATA adapter kit, which would probably work.

Thanks.

 

[Rock]

I already have the Dell Reinstallation CD. It spins in the CD drive, but
nothing happens. I wasn't aware that there might be a "Recovery Console"
on
it. But I can't get to it. Just the same blue screen appears.

You need to change the boot order in the BIOS so the CD is the first boot
device. Currently it's not set to boot from the CD. Restart the computer
and watch for a message on the screen for the keystrokes to press to enter
the BIOS (setup) or check the computer's documentation for what keys to
press. Once in the BIOS change the boot order so the CD is the first in the
list. Then exit the BIOS and reboot.

I do suggest that you first contact Dell tech support to find out what
recovery options are available with the CD you have and how to do a
recovery.

Good idea on removing the hard drive and recovering my data elsewhere. I
already have a USB to IDE/SATA adapter kit, which would probably work.

You shouldn't have to do this if you always have a full and complete backup
of important data. This should be the case at all times. After you get
this issue resolved make sure you setup some sort of regular backup.

I recommend using a drive imaging program for this, such as Acronis True
Image. This will create a compressed image of a drive or individual
partitions. Save these images on an external hard drive. This is a low
cost backup and recovery solution. After a full image subsequent images can
be incremental or differential saving time and space. Restores can be done
on a drive, partition, folder or file basis. It also does file backup, and
disk cloning.

<snip>

 

[thomas]

F2 gets me to Setup and the Dell "Reinstallation CD" does give me the option
to Repair as well as Reinstall. Choosing Repair gives me a C prompt. Hooray!
I guess I'm in DOS now. Haven't used DOS in 10 years, but at least I'm
seeing something other than that blue screen.

And yes, I do know better than not to back up. I always backed up my old
desktop onto CDs, but with this relatively new notebook, I hadn't quite
gotten a "round toit" :-(

I may yet pay the price, if I can't recover my data from this drive.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[thomas]

Thanks, nass. Yes, I needed to "access the BIOS and set ... CD as the first
boot device then ... HDD" My Dell "Reinstallation CD" now works. (I got
stumped for a while when it asked me for the Administrator's password, and
the Product Key wasn't recognized. When asked once again to enter my
password, out of frustration I just pressed Enter. That did work, apparently
because I had never set up my computer with an Administrator's password, so
I guess the Enter key is my default password. Whew Selecting the Repair
option loaded the Repair Console (really don't know what that is) and
eventually got me to a DOS C prompt.

I did a dir just for the heck of it and got the WINDOWS directory. I haven't
used DOS in 10 years, so before I got myself into trouble, I shut down.

I rebooted using my new BART PE CD, which I have downloaded, installed and
burned with a friend's XP computer. BART PE appears to be working fine on my
computer. (No more blue screens with the STOP message.) Now I will have to
do some study at http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/changes/ as to how to use BART
PE, hopefully to remove the virus and/or repair my existing Windows XP.

Thanks for the links and tips.

Tom