[ratmoman]

My wife's computer, after presumably being infected after opening an email attachment, has now gone into a boot loop, where it boots, attempts to load windows, something fails, and it restarts, each time giving the option to boot into Safe Mode, etc. What can I do here?

I was directed here by Rorschach112 from That Computer Guy forums:

http://forums.thatco...showtopic=22104

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You should boot into safe mode and then follow the steps given in the malware section and post a log and someone can help you clean the infection there.

[Big Ant]

You should boot into safe mode and then follow the steps given in the malware section and post a log and someone can help you clean the infection there.

[Rorschach112]

He can't boot into Normal or Safe Mode, and Last Known Good Configuration didn't work. Need you Tech Guys to work your magic

[Ztruker]

Can you get to the Safe Mode selection menu? If so, choose "Disable Automatic Restart On System Failure". See if on the next boot you get a blue screen error (BSOD). If so, please post the information from that screen here.

Note that this selection is only available if you have SP2 installed.

Also, do you have a XP Install CD?

[The Skeptic]

In addition to ztrucker's question about the availability of xp installation disk, please write down the make and model of your computer.

[ratmoman]

Is the selection menu the one where you tap F8 on when you first boot? Or is that another menu? I didn't see that option on the menu I get. Give me a step by step if its another method to get there.

Plus, it being an older comp, I'm not sure if SP2 is installed, so the option wouldn't be there anyways.

I seem to get a BSOD but it flashes too quckly to read, then it restarts again.

The comp is an eMachines W2247, with 768 MB of memory and a bigger Power Supply and Vid Card, added by me, but nothing recently, the comp has had this configuration and been working flawlessly for years.

Would the comp come with an xp install disk? I've been looking... would any xp disk work? I have another comp that may have had one. If thats my only answer I will have to find it then.

[dsenette]

were you able to find your XP disk anywhere? at the moment any XP disk would be better than none...what's the make and model of the machine?

[Ztruker]

OP said it's a "eMachines W2247".

[dsenette]

in fact it was said imediately above my post weren't it?....

[Ztruker]

Um ... er .. ahem ... yeah sorta like.

[HelpMeInstallxP]

I had this problem when i switched my computer on and off, like hold the button, it shuts down, and turn it on real quickly again, all i did was system restore to fix it, nothing i did brought it up, so i system restored =/

[HelpMeInstallxP]

i know how you feel, the first time it happened to me i was like What the... this is hopeless, and dont even try, none of the modes get you in, just system restore it, its happened to me twice =[

(if you didint set a restore point, OUCH!,............. you're gona have to reformat[install your OS again] )

[Ztruker]

Can't do a normal System Restore if you can't boot

First thing I would do is run chkdsk from Recovery Console:
Boot your XP CD. If you don't have one download either of these and create a bootable CD from the .iso file.

XP Recovery Console
Another XP Recovery Console

At the first opportunity, enter R to start the Recovery Console. From the command prompt, enter:

chkdsk c: /p (or chkdsk c: /r for a more thorough scan and recovery).

If that doesn't help, you can try following these steps to do a manual system restore. Looks complicated but if you print it out and take it step by step it's pretty straight forward. Read through it a couple times so you understand what you will be doing.

Manual System Restore (sort of)

[kadlf]

I have the same problem. I think it might be hardware related but don't know for sure. How do you get the install disk to boot? I went into bios and thought I could change boot sequence but it did not let me. I might get a new power supply to see if that makes a difference. Any suggestions????
Dave.

Oh, the last thing I did before I shut off computer before this happened was allow Itunes to update. It then asked to reboot and I clicked no and shut it down for the night. In the morning, I got this loop which suggests safe mode and last known good configuration but doesn't allow you to use those choices.

[Ztruker]

Hi kadlf, welcome.

It would be best if you started a new thread for your problem. It will get more visibility that way.

When you do, please provide the make/model of your computer along with a detailed description of your problem.

Thanks,