[momma13]

My girlfriends computer had some type of error box that kept popping up. She figured it was simply a virus or spy ware, of which i can usually remove (by reading your forums). However when she dropped the computer off and i booted the pc up.
Upon rebooting the screen is simply black with the error message "userint.exe failed to initialize". She said she ran Maleware, which found nothing and that AVG would not run or open.

She has no operating disk - i do have a dell operating system disk Win XP home edition - the machine with the issue is running XP media edition also a dell (dimension) machine.
At this point I'm not sure how to back up the data from the pc. She cannot afford to take the machine somewhere for repair. She lost her husband about 2 years ago and has photos and some voice recordings from chat sessions on her computer (some pics located in emails from others) that were never backed up or moved to disk. So if I can't continue to repair without loosing data please let me know and I'll pay (which i can't really afford either) best buy to look at it and hopefully they would be able to save the documents and photos. So please let me know how to proceed.

I tried to do a repair using my disk following your guides on your xp forum. When i get to the setup screen as shown here: http://www.geekstogo...air-windows-xp/ where the Repair option should be - that option does not show on my screen. Instead this is what I see:
Windows XP Home Edition Setup
The following lists show the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on this computer
Use the up and down arrow keys to select an item in the list.
*To set up a Windows XP on the selected item, press Enter
*To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
*To delete the selected partition, press D.
Then inside the box below that it reads:
76294 MD Disk at Id 0 on bus 0 at atapi (MBR)
-: partition1 (fat) 39 MB ( 31 MB free)
C: Partition2 (NTFS) 71492 MB ( 50184 MB free)
E: partition (Fat32) 4754MB ( 1364 MB free)
Unpartitioned space 8MB


So I stop right there - exit and reboot.
Instead of boot up options or xp screen I get a screen reading Microsoft windows xp ™ recovery console.
The recovery console provides system repair and recovery functionality.
Type exit to quit the recovery console and restart the computer.
1: C:\windows
Which windows installation would you like to log onto
(to cancel, press enter)?
I type 1, then this shows up ...C:\windows>
So i exit, same screen keeps showing up.

Very quickly another screen shows reading something along the lines of choosing which operating system you'd like to boot. Now it flashes on so fast i wasn't sure exactly what it read. . pretty sure the first option is "recovery console".. But the second option down read XP media edition. Then normal, safe mode etc is on that screen.
I left it in normal mode. . . The black screen with the error box reading services.exe - bad image shows up "The application or DLL C:\WINDOWS\system32pufewpu.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this against your installation diskette. Next time I rebooted the error was something along lines of lass.exe - bad image.
I can't click okay, mouse and keyboard do not respond either.
I tried again in safe mode. . same services.exe - bad image I tried all of the safe mode options, and the last known good config. all with same results. Black Screen and Error.

Is it too late to save the data? I have a laptop available that i could connect to it. . is that a possibility??. . in order to save her memories, or can I fix it with your help???

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I have somehow managed to post part of my question 3 times. NOT SURE howthis happend. Can the first two be removed please. I could not find a remove option on the thread itself. MY APOLOGIES, My screen went backwards twice - i'm guessing that's when they posted. So Sorry. (what did i hit on my keyboard that made it submit?)

[momma13]

I have somehow managed to post part of my question 3 times. NOT SURE howthis happend. Can the first two be removed please. I could not find a remove option on the thread itself. MY APOLOGIES, My screen went backwards twice - i'm guessing that's when they posted. So Sorry. (what did i hit on my keyboard that made it submit?)

[rshaffer61]

Hello user,

We will have to create a small 'fix CD' to solve this problem.
Please download ARCDC from Artellos.com.

• Double click ARCDC.exe (You might have to confirm admin rights if you're running this on Vista or above.)
• Follow the dialog until you see 6 options. Please pick: Windows Professional SP2
• You will be prompted with a Terms of Use by Microsoft, please accept.
• You will see a few dos screens flash by, this is normal.
• Next you will be able to add extra files. Please add:
  [code-x]C:\Windows\System32\userinit.exe[/code-x]
• The last window will allow you to burn the disk using BurnCDCC, Please do so.
  Note; Click on the Burn button before inserting a disk.

Once the disk is burned, put it in the machine you want to fix and restart it.
Boot to the CD just as you would with a Windows XP disk.
At the Welcome to Setup screen, press R to enter the Recovery Console.
Choose the installation to be repaired by number (usually 1) and press Enter.
When you are asked for the Administrator password, enter the password or leave it blank (default) and press Enter.

At the C:\Windows> prompt, type the following commands pressing Enter after each one. Note: Watch the spaces.

D:
cd ExtraFiles
copy userinit.exe c:\windows\system32
exit

After putting in the third command, you should receive the message 1 file copied which will indicate that the operation succeeded.
Now take out the CD and reboot your computer to normal mode. Try to log in and it should let you back in.

[momma13]

Thank you so much for your assistance and knowledge.

It did not ask me for administrator password.
following your instructions, I'm on - copy userinit.exe c:\windows\system32 - Enter
It is asking if If I'd like to overwrite userinit.exe? (yes/no/all):
should enter Y ??

[rshaffer61]

Enter Yes

[momma13]

Okay file copied. screen showed up asking which operating system to start.
Microsoft Windows Recovery Console or Windows xp media center edition.
I choose XP - bar on bottom of screen showed recovery console (despite my selected choice)
1. C:\windows - entered 1 then Exit

Second attempt this time it gave me the options and i selected start normally.
Black Screen services.exe - bad image
the application or DLL C:\windows\system32\puf???pu.dll is not a valid windows image. . please check etc. . .
(I'm not sure what it reads where i've inserted the Question Marks, the mouse pointer is stuck on top of the letters)

Is this bad?
Thank you again for your assistance, it is greatly appreciated.

[rshaffer61]

Did you take out the disk from the previous post?
If not it may be trying to boot to that disk.

[momma13]

yes i took the disk out.

[rshaffer61]

Hmm bad image is never a good thing. You have a XP installation disk I take it then?
If it is a Genuine Microsoft Installation disk then lets try a Repair Installation.


Repair Installation Instructions

· Insert your Windows XP CD in your CD-ROM and then Restart your computer.

· At the first post screen start tapping the Del key to enter System Bios
· Find the Advance Options or Boot Sequence screen.
· You will need to change the boot sequence so that the CDrom is first and the HD is second.
· Press F10 to Save and Exit and then press Enter to accept.
· The system will now reboot
· When the "Press any key to boot from CD" message is displayed on your screen, press a key to start your computer from the Windows XP CD.
· When you see the following message displayed on the Welcome to Setup screen, press ENTER
· To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER.
· At this point an option to press R to enter the Recovery Console is displayed. DO NOT SELECT THIS OPTION.

· On the Windows XP Licensing Agreement screen, press F8 to agree to the license agreement.
· Make sure that your current installation of Windows XP is selected and highlighted in the box, and then press the R key to repair Windows XP.
· Follow the instructions on the screen to complete Setup.

You can also go HERE
to read a step by step tutorial with screenshots.

[momma13]

The disk i have is from another Dell computer (it is a windows xp home edition service pack2). The desktop with issues is a Media Edition. Okay to use it?

from my first post: (R or Repair does not show as an option)

"Repair option should be - that option does not show on my screen. Instead this is what I see:
Windows XP Home Edition Setup
The following lists show the existing partitions and unpartitioned space on this computer
Use the up and down arrow keys to select an item in the list.
*To set up a Windows XP on the selected item, press Enter
*To create a partition in the unpartitioned space, press C.
*To delete the selected partition, press D.
Then inside the box below that it reads:
76294 MD Disk at Id 0 on bus 0 at atapi (MBR)
-: partition1 (fat) 39 MB ( 31 MB free)
C: Partition2 (NTFS) 71492 MB ( 50184 MB free)
E: partition (Fat32) 4754MB ( 1364 MB free)
Unpartitioned space 8MB"

Edited by momma13, 28 February 2011 - 12:13 PM.

[rshaffer61]

The disk i have is from another Dell computer (it is a windows xp home edition service pack2). The desktop with issues is a Media Edition. Okay to use it?

This is why it doesn't show the repair option as a Manufacturers Recovery disk is not the same as a Full Microsoft Installation Disk.
You need to borrow a Genuine Microsoft XP Media Edition OS disk and then we can do the repair.

The other problem I see is this.

The disk i have is from another Dell computer (it is a windows xp home edition service pack2). The desktop with issues is a Media Edition. Okay to use it?

• Wrong Version
• Different System
• If the systems are not exactly the same make and model this is going to cause a major problem if it did work.

Now with all this being said is there data you need to save from the system?

[momma13]

Yes the data needs saved. She has very few photos of her husband with their children. Most of them are located on the computer with issues. I'm so afraid of wiping out the cherished info that she stated is on her computer. If this gets fixed, i'll be making her multiple copies of the photos, vids, etc.

There is no disk with that system, just what was on it when she purchased it. I have the OEM number from the computer itself.

Next Step - do i need to go purchase a XP media edition disk???

Thank you again.

[rshaffer61]

First lets save the data.


Use Puppy Linux Live CD to Recover Your Data:

===================
***Required Hardware***
CD Burner (CDRW) Drive,
Blank CD,
Extra Storage Device (USB Flash Drive, External Hard Drive)
===================

1. Save these files to your Desktop/Burn Your Live CD:

• Download Latest Puppy Linux ISO (i.e.: lupu-520.iso)
  Download BurnCDCC ISO Burning Software
  
  
• Open BurnCDCC with Windows Explorer
• Extract All files to a location you can remember
• Double Click BurnCDCC
• Click Browse and navigate to the Puppy Linux ISO file you just downloaded
• Open/Double Click that file
  IMPORTANT: Adjust the speed bar to CD: 4x DVD: 1x
• Click Start
• Your CD Burner Tray will open automatically
• Insert a blank CD and close the tray
• Click OK

Puppy Linux Live CD will now be created
2. Set your boot priority in the BIOS to CD-ROM first, Hard Drive Second

• Start the computer/press the power button
• Immediately start tapping the appropriate key to enter the BIOS, aka "Setup"
  (Usually shown during the "Dell" screen, or "Gateway" Screen)
• Once in the BIOS, under Advanced BIOS Options change boot priority to:
  CD-ROM 1st, Hard Drive 2nd
• Open your ROM drive and insert the disk
• Press F10 to save and exit
• Agree with "Y" to continue
• Your computer will restart and boot from the Puppy Linux Live CD
  
  

3. Recover Your Data

• Once Puppy Linux has loaded, it is actually running in your computer's Memory (RAM). You will see a fully functioning Graphical User Interface similar to what you normally call "your computer". Internet access may or may not be available depending on your machine, so it is recommended you print these instructions before beginning. Also, double clicking is not needed in Puppy. To expand, or open folders/icons, just click once. Puppy is very light on resources, so you will quickly notice it is much speedier than you are used to. This is normal. Ready? Let's get started.
  
  3a. Mount Drives
• Click the Mount Icon located at the top left of your desktop.
• A Window will open. By default, the "drive" tab will be forward/highlighted. Click on Mount for your hard drive.
• Assuming you only have one hard drive and/or partition, there may be only one selection to mount.
• USB Flash Drives usually automatically mount upon boot, but click the "usbdrv" tab and make sure it is mounted.
• If using an external hard drive for the data recovery, do this under the "drive" tab. Mount it now.

3b. Transfer Files.

• At the bottom left of your desktop a list of all hard drives/partitions, USB Drives, and Optical Drives are listed with a familiar looking hard drive icon.
• Open your old hard drive i.e. sda1
• Next, open your USB Flash Drive or External Drive. i.e. sdc or sdb1
• If you open the wrong drive, simply X out at the top right corner of the window that opens. (Just like in Windows)
• From your old hard drive, drag and drop whatever files/folders you wish to transfer to your USB Drive's Window.

For The Novice: The common path to your pictures, music, video, and documents folders is: Documents and Settings >> All Users (or each idividual name of each user. CHECK All Names!) >> Documents >> You will now see My Music, My Pictures, and My Videos.

Remember to only click once! No double clicking! Once you drag and drop your first folder, you will notice a small menu will appear giving you the option to move or copy. Choose COPY each time you drag and drop.

YOU ARE DONE!!! Simply click Menu >> Mouse Over Shutdown >> Reboot/Turn Off Computer. Be sure to plug your USB Drive into another working windows machine to verify all data is there and transferred without corruption. Congratulations!





If you're doing this to recovery from a virus or malware infection, (or even if you're not), DO NOT copy executable files (.exe, .scr. etc...) if any of these files are infected you could be copying the corruption over to any new device/computer. just copy documents, pictures, music, or videos.

[momma13]

in order to save the email files. . Do i just copy the microsoft office folder ? or where would i find those at?

[rshaffer61]

If you want to save your Outlook's address's and Messages then go HERE and follow the steps.





If Email does not open or says not default mail handler then go HERE




If none of the above will work then try going to HERE