Hi

my main PC wont boot up all that happens is I get the following message:

(in the blue bar) services.exe-bad image

(in the main body) The application or DLL C:\windows\system32\msvcp60 is not a valid windows image. Please check this against your installation diskette.

then when I press the OK button( in the message box) All I have on my desktop is a black screen and my pointer which I can move around on a blank field. (nothing is clickable) I am trying to get my PC to "revert" back to time when it was working correctly.

First: I do not have a "system diskette". I do have my original windows XP "discs" and registration code.

Second: I tried to boot up in safe mode (f8) but the computer just got hung up until I releassed f8 and then it went to the error box.

Third: I knew this wouldnt work because my system isn't set up to read from my disc drive before the hard drive but I put in my XP disc any way to try and boot from disc but like I said no go.

Fourth: it wont let me into the bios using "del" while starting up the PC. therefore I cant set it to read from the disc drive before the hard drive.

I will be braving the masses today and I'm gonna pick up a new SATA cable and try that. After which I will be totaly stumped.

Yes, I know I can get another hard drive but I have SO MUCH info on this one it would be so much easier if I can get this one working.

I wanna rule out a virus because It just got done finishing a virus scan about 30 minutes proir to this. The activivty I was doing was burning some videos of the family to give out at Christmas. My PC froze during the 3rd burn and nothing would close out so I hit reset on my tower and thats when I got the error.

I am totaly stumped, please help me before this dam laptop gets thrown through the fargin window.

e-mail address removed for safety

Are you sure the DEL key is the one needed to enter the BIOS? It could be another key. Please look at the first screen after reboot what key you have to press to enter setup or boot menu.

After you get to Recovery Console please use the following procedure (copied from canned speeches on G2G):

System Restore

* When you get to the recovery console Type

CD \

* Press Enter
* Type

cd system~1\_resto~1

* Press Enter
* Type

dir

* Press Enter

After you press enter you will see a list of folders (like rp1, rp2) If the list of restore points has more than one page then press the Enter key untill you reach the end of the list

* Type

cd rp {number of the second to last folder in the list}


Note: Example: cd rp9, if rp9 is the second to the last restore point where the last restore point no. is 10
* Press Enter
* Type

cd snapshot

* Press Enter
* Type

copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system

* Press Enter
* Type

copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software

* Press Enter
* Type

Exit

* Press Enter

Your PC will reboot.

If you get an access denied error when doing the above, then do the following at the recovery console:

* Type

CD \

* Press Enter
* Type

cd windows\system32\config

* Press Enter
* Type

ren system system.bak

* Press Enter
* Type

Exit

* Press Enter

Your PC will reboot, go back into the Recovery Console and start from the beginning

If you still cannot get access in anyway to your installation in the recovery console then your SAM database files are corrupt. There is no way you can restore these with the recovery console. You may need to do a fresh install.