your lunchtime win2k question

rymus

I've got a problem with windows (join the queue, I know). Running windows 2000 pro here and whenever I start in normal mode I cant open anything. for example, if I go to open my computer, it appears for a microsecond before vanishing again. Same with any other app I've tried. svchost.exe seems to have died a death, at least that's what it tells me when I restart in safe mode. About the only thing I can get to stay on the screen is the likes of my computer properties dialog.

When I restart in safe mode i can actually start things. Presuming it to be a virus I went into safe mode, updated norton av and scanned. Nothing detected. I searched around on google for answers, it just pointed me in the direction of various virus patches, at least 5 or 6 of which I have tried.

Before I start tearing out my long gorgeous locks of hair, can anyone suggest a potential fix?

Winters

Have you done a virus and spyware scans?

Get AVG or a proper virus scanner and give it a shot.

rymus

still working on the virus/spyware side of things alright.. Cant get AVG to run, only norton for some reason. Dont really want to remove norton to get AVG running 'cos it's not my pc and norton came with it originally. I'll see if I can get ad aware or spybot running.

rymus

ran ad aware after it finally decided to start working, it removed 9 "critical" items. restarted, ran virus scan -nothing found. ran ad aware -nothing found. AVG wont run no matter what mode I start windows in.

same problem remains when I start in normal mode. tis almost time to formulate a plan of hair rip outage.

egan007

format c:
d:\i386\winnt.exe

it's your best bet with windows

LoLth

start the PC in safe mode (F8 while starting up, choose safemode from teh boot menu).

Run your virus scan in there.

Download stinger from
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger , run it in safemode.

Download scanspyware and install. run in safemode.

some spyware and viruses stop you from opening critical sections of the PC liek control panel, registry, command prompt in an effort to defend themselves.

Logging in as admin in safemode should sort that out.

rymus

already ran several virus scans in safe mode. ran ad aware and scan spyware in safe mode, ran latest stinger release in safe mode. I'm pretty much flummoxed...

time for a swift format.

LoLth

hmmm,

you could try regedit and check the Software>microsoft>windows>currentversion>run and runonce entries.

sometimes weird stuff slips in there and goes un-noticed. Just be sure to EXPORT the reg entry before deleting, just in case.

rymus

had a looky at the reg today, no dice

Reinstalled and everythings running smoothly again now. Cheers for the help lads.

Capt'n Midnight

In safe mode - login as a different user, if this works then delete the profile of the first user, if junk got into AllUsers or DefaultUser then this won't work.

Autoruns from sysinternals can be good too.

In safe mode - simply use Ntbackup to restore from the last known good full backup you made of the system, choosing the option to always overwrite files.

1stmonkeyonline

Maybe a stupid Q, but do you have all your windows updates installed regularly? A lot of the PC's with 'problems' that people ask me to fix usually have no updates whatsoever...

ColmOT [MSFT]

It's recommended that people check the Windows Update website on the 2nd Wednesday of each month. This is when the monthly security updates are published.

osmethod

Might be worth alook in the processes tab of task manager if it runs. If you feel something doesn't look right use goole to check it out.

Also, you might try starting services (or see if svchost is started) and see if it is of any help.

osmethod