Help me please.....

Post by **UBT - bobuk** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:19 am

Any help with this please. . . . .
I got a virus (nothing to to with my age)

Well it might have, but Pc got reverted back to Windows SP1 while trying to clear said virus.
And runs fine on SP1 but of course is not safe and needs updating.
Now when I try to update to SP2 it goes through all the right motions
uploading / downloading / saving files ect ect..

NOW when it comes to boot up for Windows XP..SP2
it just moves the BLUE loading bar about three passes then hangs.
Blue bar is for SP2 / Green bar is for SP1 if I understand right.
I have been into safe mode and taken out SP2 from add / remove
and restarted all the updates again a number of times (lost count of how many) but
still freezes at the final boot stage.

So how do I get my Pc to boot Windows XP with SP2 ?

Cheers from an elderly gent nothing to technical please.

b.

UBT - Terry · Post by **UBT - Terry** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:54 am

Hey B
What did you use/do to remove said virus?
And do you have the recovery disc for windows or the original win xp installation disc?

Terry

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:19 pm

If you have the recovery disc or the installation disc, as Terry suggests, I'd recommend a full uninstall/reinstall of XP. But you must be sure you have got rid of the original virus before that, also as Terry said!

Post by **UBT - Mikee** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:26 pm

I think I had a similar problem a few months ago. Master Boot Record was corrupted. If you've had a virus that has infected the MBR then this may be the problem. You've got nothing to lose if you try this...

Insert Windows disc (assuming you have one)
When loading go to 'recovery console'
then (somehow - I can't remember)

fixmbr

exit and reboot as normal.

That should overwrite the Master Boot Record on the disc.

It might work - it might not but it's a suggestion and a lot easier than a full install!

melter65 · Post by **melter65** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:48 pm

ME worked in a similar way, but you altered the bios to boot with the disk drive and booted the ME disk in safe mode, then it would ask you if you wanted to do a full install or a recovery/repair. Clicked on 'yes' for that and it would repair the knackered bits (v. technical!) and then reboot in normal mode! Then you had to remember to go back and alter the bios again!

Sorry that doesn't help you, Bob, but it's about as teccie as I ever got!

Sir Cracked of the Mind · Sat Jul 05, 2008 9:56 am

I had a similar problem with windows refusing to update, it turned out to be a corrupted file in the updatefolder, I think the cure went something like rename the folder "old" create new update folder, run update again.

I just can't remember where the folder was.

UBT - Nogbo · Post by **UBT - Nogbo** » Sat Jul 05, 2008 10:14 pm

I had a similar problem with windows refusing to update, it turned out to be a corrupted file in the updatefolder, I think the cure went something like rename the folder "old" create new update folder, run update again.

I just can't remember where the folder was.

There is an update folder in:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\WindowsUpdate

This is a hidden folder so will not be visible unless you allow hidden folders to be shown.

This is altered in Control Panel --> Folder Options

sigma-7 · Post by **sigma-7** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 10:42 am

UBT - Nogbo wrote:
I had a similar problem with windows refusing to update, it turned out to be a corrupted file in the updatefolder, I think the cure went something like rename the folder "old" create new update folder, run update again.

I just can't remember where the folder was.

The location of the folder you need to rename is:

c:\windows\softwaredistribution

rename to softwaredistribution.old and your good to go

Post by **UBT - bobuk** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 5:00 pm

thanks for all your help :D
i have now got rid of all viruses that were in my system,
with the help from 'avast' and 'eset'
these two seemed to have cleared things up ..

i have not how ever managed to get back into sp2 still keeps hanging at the 'blue' loading bar.
not been able to find how to get into and change 'mbr' as yet..

i do have windows 'xp home edition' disk

well we shall have to look again tomorrow and hope i can get some where with this problem...

well at least i have not been slacking ....still crunching away through all my troubles :lol:

b.

UBT - Terry · Post by **UBT - Terry** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:09 am

If it keeps hanging and you can't get in to change ya update folder or mbr then sounds like a format and reinstall to me hope you haven't lost anything important.
Personally I stopped using Avast and use AVG 2008 along with Adaware 2008 as found Avast missed things that AVG doesn't quite so much

Terry

UBT - Terry · Post by **UBT - Terry** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 10:14 am

If it keeps hanging and you can't get in to change ya update folder or mbr then sounds like a format and reinstall to me hope you haven't lost anything important.
Personally I stopped using Avast and use AVG 2008 along with Adaware 2008 as found Avast missed things that AVG doesn't quite so much

Terry

Post by **UBT - Mikee** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:32 pm

Before you do anything drastic...

try...

chkdsk /p /r

(Microsoft Checkdisk utility from repair console - checks the disk and attempts repairs without damaging the disk)