Windows XP won't start after running Anti Spyware tools

good day to all,

i have gotten myself into a like, the biggest problem so far. had a normally working comp. went into safe mode to run the anti spyware and the adware programs and all. they all ran fine. then after rebooting when i tried to start windows, it just wont start.
the comp did the start up checks and when it get into the logon screen, it just kept on loading. then after a couple of starts the safe mode stopped working . and a message came up saying-

"STOP: C0000218 (Registry file failure)
The registry cannot load the hive (file):
\SystemRoot\System32\config\SECURITY
or its log or alternate.
It is corrupt, absent, or not writable."


My question:
what happened here?
what happened to all my saved files and data?
can the files be recovered?
is windows like f****ed?


the things that i tried:-
system restore: i tried this before the safe mode went away. didnt work.
system recovery: doesnt do it at all. no matter what i try.
tried to get into command promt at the startup. was trying to get into MBR (Master Boot Repair). doesnt do it, as it doesnt read the cd drive any more. have tried changing it from bios. but doesnt do it.
recovery disks dont work. have tried it.
the system wont restart while connected to the other comp in the network. error came up saying that "operating system not found"

the only option that i have been left with, is sending it away to be "serviced by a technician"

but why?

any suggestions will be helpful.

how do i recover my files back? (the main question) thats the only thing that i want to do before i format it and reload it all over again.

tried partition magic doctor. didnt work also. infact it spoilt it more

(adware and antispyware found some files and deleted them) just incase you are wondering.

if there is nothing that i can do. please say so.
will just give up and sent it away

If I read this right, you can get into safe mode.
Since you can get into safe mode, getting your files is easy enough -

Go into safe mode, and copy the files you want to save to disk.

And did you run your virii scanner as well?

If you can't get into safe mode read on...

Have you tried a repair install?

Repair install is less intrusive - it'll wipe out any updates you've done to windows but it will save your personal files and the software already on the machine.

Just insert your XP cd and follow the instructions - you'll see repair install just after the 'repair console' option.

Luck to you!

Sorry for the double post - but...

Just saw where you'd tried partition magic. I hope you didn't completely frag it when you tried. If so, your files are gone and you'll have to format/reinstall.

go ahead and try the Repair install like I suggested. If for whatever reason the partitions/formatting is irrecoverable, XP install will tell you it can't do the repair - and in that case you're at worst case.

safe mode not working any more. if it were, nothing like it.
repair install not working.(not reading from drive. have changed and tried it from the bios)

Hi,

You might try attaching the HDD as a slave to your other computer and see if you can recover your files that way.

If you can recover your files then just reformat and reinstall Windows.

It might be an idea to get the HDD diagnostic tool from the manufacturers website and run that to check its physical condition. I am wondering if this might not be an unfortunate coincidence, as most anti malware programs are aware of what they can safely delete or not.

:)

Is it at least attempting to boot from CD when you change to that option in bios?

the windows were upto date till today.

the hard drive is on a laptop. dont have another one like it or know any one to own like it. the other one is the desktop.

the cd drive triee to run then stops. then the error message that i worte on the top comes up and then every thing stops.
have switched it off and kept it aside till we come to a conclusion as to what to do about it.
had read somewhere that more you try, more the data recovery becomes hard.

Since you're unable to boot from CD with your WinXP disk, this leaves only a couple of things that could be wrong -

1. It's a bios or firmware issue. For whatever reason bios is unable to boot from CD. This is bad. Take it to the shop.

2. Your CD Rom is toast. This one isn't as tough a fix as bios, but it's a pain doing it in a laptop - it's a replacement job.


I'd suggest a couple of things from here -

Take it to the shop. Have the tech attempt to slave your hdd and backup your files for you before effecting any further repairs. Then, since you've got it there anyway, have him go ahead and fix your machine - might cost you a pretty penny, but he's got the equipment you're lacking (a way to MAYBE save your files, the ability to reflash your bios if it's needed, a spare working (known good) cd rom...), a replacement HDD if it's needed, etc.

Be sure and talk about what it's doing, show him the logs of what you've tried so far and what errors you're getting. Get a firm price on everything and have him call you to confirm before he installs anything new - checking price the whole way.

[edit]From a Techie's point of view to your ears...

I HATE troubleshooting and repairing laptops unless it's an easy fix like broken monitor or mem replacement. They're a royal pain in the butt. I used to charge extra for fixing them. Be prepared for this. [/edit]

have(had) a prog called the "versiontracker" installed. as per that the bios and the cdrom drivers were upto date. a couple of hours before this happened.
there are no upadtes for the bios on the mfg site.
still.....
can the files be recovered?
can change the hhd and the cd drive afterwards. hell.. might get an external one in the process

Quote:

---

I HATE troubleshooting and repairing laptops unless it's an easy fix like broken monitor or mem replacement. They're a royal pain in the butt. I used to charge extra for fixing them. Be prepared for this. [/edit]

---

AMEN! AMEN! AMEN!

I cannot remember where I got mine from, but you can get an adapter for a laptop HDD that will let you run it in a desktop. I don't know how much they cost these days, but if you can slave the drive, that could work out seriously cheaper than taking your machine to the shop.

However, it seems like you have more problems than just that. If your BIOS is scrambled or the CD has died. In any case, if you can do your own data recovery that has got to save you thirty quid?

As a general rule, I always try to do data recovery in slave mode, as you are quite correct, doing it in situ writes to the drive at the same time (you don't have the CD option) :eek:

so we have an option.....

HHD slave adapter or thirty quid for data recovery(for which they use the same adapter which i purchase)

Hi there bagggi gives this link a try [1] ....

[1] How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

Hope that helps ...

the system is not starting in msdos or the safe mode. cant get into automatic system recovery.

Hmmm,

Will it boot from a 3.5" floppy?......................I would try a Win 98SE boot disk with Winfile.exe on it

Just see if you can get into the HDD...................it sounds to me as if that is knackered?

Also, check prices of adapters?



:)

it doesnt have a floppy drive. still looking for the adapters. checked out two places, they didnt have. gateways HHD has to be screwed out, not like the others where it just slides out. therefore not fitting most of the adapters.

bagggi

You said it won't boot from the windows cd, but if it will boot a cd, you could use a live distro like knoppix to at least email most of your files to an account or work some other magic.

Good idea Relyt I can certainly sling loads of Gmail 2 gigabyte accounts at him............

We just need to get into the damn thing?

:)

one more thing came up.

am going to try to install windows on an external harddisk and connect it using the usb. then try to start. let me try and see if it works. hopefully.

once, is all that i need.

nope. not working.

See if you can borrow/buy an external floppy, if you can go here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
Make a bootable floppy for yourself and see if it works, hopefully after it has loaded the drivers for you cd-rom it may boot from it!

Worth a go IMO!

//Obviously if you have XP home download the home version of it.

will try it now. and let you know what happened

am having a registry security error. its stopped booting from usb connected drives or from connected dvdrw drive. its not picking up the cd drive on the boot up. have tried everything. got the hhd adapter. managed to recover most of the files. couldnt recover files from my documents. they are still lost.
tried putting the hhd into another laptop and installing the windows into it. then when i put it back into the original laptop(gateway) everything goes blue.

laptop's gone for so called service. and say what, they might install the 64 bit version too while they are at it.

Well at least you were able to salvage some data from the hdd.
I'm sure the files that you weren't able to salvage are replaceble.?