WIN.INI File wiped out

[Guest]

All: I think I got malware and need some help. My XP now starts up with a
"Password" dialogue box that I never had before, it doesn't accept any
pasword but allows access if I hit "enter". Once in I have no icons and can
only access "task manager". I looked in "sysedit" and the Windows\win.ini
file is blank (no script at all), also the Config.sys and the autoexec.bat
are blank. Does anyone have a script or some insights on how I might correct
this?

Thanks

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "Steve D" <[email protected]>

| All: I think I got malware and need some help. My XP now starts up with a
| "Password" dialogue box that I never had before, it doesn't accept any
| pasword but allows access if I hit "enter". Once in I have no icons and can
| only access "task manager". I looked in "sysedit" and the Windows\win.ini
| file is blank (no script at all), also the Config.sys and the autoexec.bat
| are blank. Does anyone have a script or some insights on how I might correct
| this?
|
| Thanks

You are thinking Win9x when you are on a WinXP PC.

You are asked to logon but have no password so hitting "enter" will allow access with a NULL
password.

WIN.INI is only provided by WinXP for backward compatibility with old software. WinXP
doesn't use nor interpret it.

AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS are not used by WinXP and it doesn't use them except WinXP will
parse them for environmental variables.

 

[Malke]

All: I think I got malware and need some help. My XP now starts up
with a "Password" dialogue box that I never had before, it doesn't
accept any pasword but allows access if I hit "enter". Once in I have
no icons and can
only access "task manager". I looked in "sysedit" and the
Windows\win.ini file is blank (no script at all), also the Config.sys
and the autoexec.bat
are blank. Does anyone have a script or some insights on how I might
correct this?

Thanks

Since you are posting in a Windows XP group, I assume you have that
operating system. Autoexec.bat, config.sys, etc. are older files not
generally used in Windows XP so the fact that they are blank is
meaningless.

Your first step is to determine the virus/malware status of the
computer. Here are some instructions on how to do this:
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware

Then, if you are really using XP, come back and post the results if you
need more help. If you are using Win9x/ME, then post in a newsgroup for
that older operating system. Here is a list of all the MS newsgroups:
http://aumha.org/nntp.htm

Malke