Loads to desktop - no icons displayed

[SamJK]

On behalf of my son, but I have the laptop here with me.

 

Packard Bell Laptop Easynote GN45

WinXP Service Pack 3 (Media Center Edition)

 

Ran an outdated Spybot - detected Errorsmart, AdRevolver, Adviva, Clickbank, Hitbox, Mediaplex amongst many others. There was also an error during the check - VirtuMonde.windowsupd(1) failed to get.

 

Ran an outdated AdAware - Files required for Windows to run properly have been replaced by unrecognised versions. Need original versions. Insert SP3 CD now. No CD supplied with laptop and don't have a rescue disc.

 

On restarting Windows loads to the desktop, but there are no icons displayed. In safemode everything is displayed correctly.

 

Son accepts the harddrive may ultimately need wiping if the software mess can't be solved, but needs files saved from there first (he has backed nothing up).

 

The problem is that the USB pendrive is not recognised in My Computer in safemode, so I'm unable to transfer any files. Similarly I can get the most recent drivers from the Packard Bell site onto a pendrive, but then won't be able to transfer them to the laptop.

 

That was yesterday evening.

 

Today I can't access safemode - this is the message.

STOP: c000021a (Fatal System Error)

Logon process system process terminated .... status of 0xc0000005

The system has been shut down.

 

Is this the end of the road?

 

 

I'd be grateful for any advice.

 

Helen K

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Hello Sam

 

Welcome to FPCH

 

Are you not able to boot up properly at all now then?

[SamJK]

Thanks for the welcome.

 

That's right - I can't boot up at all.

 

I did try from the last known good configuration and the following file is missing or corrupt.

 

WindowsRoot\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

 

HelenK

[Guest Wolfeymole]

Your going to have to get a copy of XP from Packard Bell but I find it surprising that they didn't provide the OEM, to rebuild this system.

[SamJK]

Well it's likely there was a disc supplied originally and son didn't deem it important enough to look after it.

 

I'll contact Packard Bell for a replacement.

 

Many thanks

 

HelenK

[Tootech]

Some Packard Bell PC's have a built in Recovery Partition.

 

As soon as you start the PC press F11- do it a few times as it may not catch on the first press.

 

If it works, follow the instructions to reinstall Windows.

[SamJK]

Tootech

 

Thanks for that - I have the Recovery Program screen open now.

 

The only option is to try XP System Restore first - can you confirm that this will only be trying to sort the Windows mess out and other files on the hard drive will be left as they were?

 

Thanks

 

HelenK

[Tootech]

WindowsRoot\system32\ntoskrnl.exe

If it is System Restore, I'd be surprised if it fixes the above problem, but you can give it a go.

 

System Restore will not delete documents. I'm not too familiar with using it from the recovery partition, I'll have a look on the Packard Bell website today to check.

[SamJK]

Tootech

 

I'm grateful for your info re the built in Recovery option.

 

You're right - system restore only resulted in a blue screen and the original error.

 

However, I went on to perform a partial recovery which seems to have worked fine up to now. All original data files have been saved and I've copied the important ones onto an external drive - something son should have done in the first place.

 

I'm now going to browse the rest of the site for advice about protecting this laptop and won't be letting him have it back until that protection is installed, updated and running.

 

Many thanks once again.

 

Helen K

[Goku]

Hello Helen. From your first post, it is quite apparent that the computer in question is very heavily infected. So even if things appear to be working fine now, the best course of action would be to backup all your important documents, that you have already done and format and reinstall the operating system from a scratch. I will not be surprised if you get infected again as such infestations often leave "holes" in the operating system's security to rejuvenate at an opportunity. Of course, this option might not be convenient to you. In that case, run through the disinfection procedure at the very least to ensure a clean computer.

 

Just my two cents worth. :)

 

-- Goku

[Tootech]

Thats good news - you are ahead of us there!!

 

I think there is a program on your PC that will make a Recovery Disk for you, should the worst happen. Its worth doing, then if your recovery partition fails you can rebuild using the recovery disk.

[SamJK]

Goku - thanks for that, I'm running through the disinfection procedure now.

 

 

Tootech - thanks, that's good advice, I'll be doing that ASAP.

 

 

I really hope I don't have to bother you again.

 

 

Helen K