virus in old operating system files

[get52shorty]

About a year ago I was able to reconfigure my boot.ini as I had two instances
of Windows XP running on my computer (one that worked, the other did not). I
removed the windows files that belonged to the old os and life carried on.
Recently i got hit with a virus and while booting up in safe mode noticed the
old windowsxp coming up along with "1" and "temp" selections in the menu as
well as my windows xp that I use. All the anti-virus scans i've done show me
where the virus is (in the old windows files) but cannot remove it. What now?

 

[nass]

About a year ago I was able to reconfigure my boot.ini as I had two instances
of Windows XP running on my computer (one that worked, the other did not). I
removed the windows files that belonged to the old os and life carried on.
Recently i got hit with a virus and while booting up in safe mode noticed the
old windowsxp coming up along with "1" and "temp" selections in the menu as
well as my windows xp that I use. All the anti-virus scans i've done show me
where the virus is (in the old windows files) but cannot remove it. What now?

Back up your data and it is time to wipe the hard drive clean and recreate
the partitions.

Note: Back up your data before performing a clean install of windows XP.

Install Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/install.mspx

Moving files and settings to a new computer running Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/winxp/migrate.mspx

How to perform an in-place upgrade (reinstallation) of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341
Step 2: Format the hard disk and install Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313348/

Get secure with up2date antivirus and antimalware software:
install the free trial of Windows Live OneCare
http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-gb/default.htm
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/safety/technologies/onecare/default.mspx
Windows Defender detects and removes spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx

http://www.avast.com
http://www.bitdefender.co.uk/site/Downloads/

HTH,
nass

 

[get52shorty]

I forgot to mention that my currently working os is on partition 2.

 

[nass]

Edit the boot.ini and leave the second line which you have the
correct/working OS on.
How to edit the Boot.ini:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289022

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP
Professioanl" /fastdetect

multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional"
/fastdetect


If the bad entry is in the first line, try to remove it which will look like
this:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Windows XP Professional"
/fastdetect

Save the file and Reboot your machine, does it help?
HTH,
nass