[chriscmatthews]

First I would like to thank Rorschach112 for all your help last time I tried to conquer this crazy virus. I, unfortunately, got discouraged once the last step suggested to me required the use of the internet (my computer is unable to connect VIA wireless or LAN). Please see below for my previous attempt.

http://www.geekstogo...85#entry1784185

With that said, I was hoping to simply wipe my computer clean and reinstall windows and my office programs -- all important files had previously been backed-up on en external drive. My laptop is a Lenovo T60p running windows XP. Is this something that can be done easily with a thumb drive or disc? All of the pre-installed Lenovo recovery options do nothing at this point. I no longer have my original discs for this laptop but was hoping I could somehow download windows xp an re-install it -- legally of course. Hope this is possible!

Thanks for any help and I apologize for going silent before, but got a little too frustrated with trying to clean the virus.

Chris

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Don't think you can legally download XP anywhere. Might be able to fix your computer tho.

First tho, download Autorun Eater v2.4.
http://oldmcdonald.w...orun-eater-v24/
to your good computer and install it. It will protect the good one if you move a USB drive from it to the sick puppy and back again.

On the sick computer

Uninstall
ThinkVantage Access Connections
(It's broken and might be part of the problem.)

* Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
* Double-click on the My Computer icon.
* Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
* After the new window appears select the View tab.
* Put a checkmark in the checkbox labeled Display the contents of system folders.
* Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
* Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide file extensions for known file types.
* Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
* Press the Apply button and then the OK button and exit My Computer.
* Now your computer is configured to show all hidden files.

Now do Start, Run, cmd, OK to bring up a new Command window (or you can do Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt). Type with an Enter after each line in the code box. I use two spaces so you will be sure to see where one space goes:

cd  \windows\system32

attrib  -r  -h  -s  helper32.dll

(if it says it can't find it then skip the next step)

del  helper32.dll

sfc  /scannow

(It will scan your critical system files and try to replace any it finds that are bad.  IF it asks for a CD just tell it to skip.)

netsh  winsock  reset  catalog

netsh  int  ip  reset  reset.log

Reboot and see if things are better now. If not don't give up. We can run some other test to see what went wrong.

Ron

[RKinner]

Don't think you can legally download XP anywhere. Might be able to fix your computer tho.

First tho, download Autorun Eater v2.4.
http://oldmcdonald.w...orun-eater-v24/
to your good computer and install it. It will protect the good one if you move a USB drive from it to the sick puppy and back again.

On the sick computer

Uninstall
ThinkVantage Access Connections
(It's broken and might be part of the problem.)

* Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
* Double-click on the My Computer icon.
* Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
* After the new window appears select the View tab.
* Put a checkmark in the checkbox labeled Display the contents of system folders.
* Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.
* Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide file extensions for known file types.
* Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.
* Press the Apply button and then the OK button and exit My Computer.
* Now your computer is configured to show all hidden files.

Now do Start, Run, cmd, OK to bring up a new Command window (or you can do Start, All Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt). Type with an Enter after each line in the code box. I use two spaces so you will be sure to see where one space goes:

cd  \windows\system32

attrib  -r  -h  -s  helper32.dll

(if it says it can't find it then skip the next step)

del  helper32.dll

sfc  /scannow

(It will scan your critical system files and try to replace any it finds that are bad.  IF it asks for a CD just tell it to skip.)

netsh  winsock  reset  catalog

netsh  int  ip  reset  reset.log

Reboot and see if things are better now. If not don't give up. We can run some other test to see what went wrong.

Ron

[chriscmatthews]

Ha, thanks for the vote of confidence Ron. I will try this as soon as I get home tonight.

[chriscmatthews]

Ron,

Sorry for the delayed response, I was out of the country. I tried what you have suggested, however, got caught up when trying to enter the Code into the Command Window. When trying to type the first code, I get "The system cannot find the path specified"

My Command Window looks like the following:

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
<C> Copywright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

I:\cd\windows\system32
The system cannot find the path specified.


Am I typing in something wrong here?

Thanks!

Chris

[chriscmatthews]

Any more suggestions?