Windows XP computer seems completely hopeless

Hello all!

well my sister's comp...had me pulling out all my hair. It's an Asus computer [celeron processor, 128 mb RAM] and that's really all that i can say about it. First it was overun with viruses and then what i had to do was do system restore (like 4 times by now) and run AVG virus scanner on it and Adaware se too and erase some new programs off startup. Its was ok for a while, but then the popups came back and made the computer unmanageable. Once again i had to try the virus erasing again but soon before i could try, the computer wouldn't let me get past the user login screen. They have a password on their computer and once you put it in, all you get is a blue screen, the normal wallpaper and then it stays that way. It does the same thing in safe mode too. Eventually we end up turning it off by pulling the plug. I wanted to completely reinstall but i can't find the windows XP pro installation disks which my dad lost. Anyone have a solution? or understand what's going on?


The AntiOnline Question Template
Do you have all critical Updates installed? yes
If you answered No to last question what was last update you installed?
Do you have an antivirus program? yes
If yes what program is it? adaware se and avg
Also do you keep it updated with latest definitions? yes
Do you have a firewall? yes
If yes what type? windows firewall, if that counts
Do you have any spy/adware checking programs? yes
If yes what ones? syware blaster
Have you scanned your PC with an online virus scanner no
If yes what were the reults?
How do you connect to the internet? (dial-up, adsl etc) wirelesss router connected to a cable modem
Are you on a LAN? don't think so
If yes what type is it (Home/Business – Wireless etc)
Are you receiving any error messages? ???no??
If yes what do they say?
Is there anything which is triggering error (running certain application etc)? nah
If yes please give details
Do you have any other devices connected? (usb drives/external HD’s/printers etc) usb mouse

Any other comments? yes, id just like to add that before this happened, that I tried to install ram into the computer. I hard a preety hard time, cause like i couldn't get both sides in. I guess im a weakling :(. I tried startiing it up with one of the "ram holders" out of place and it didn't start up. So, i took out the ram stick and everything seemed prefectly normal. The next day all the popups and virus stuff came up...I dont think its relaeted but it might be.

ok, since your getting a BSOD ( blue screen of death) and you dont have the XP cd's anymore the only thing I can think of is to use THIS link to get a bootable XP disk and format your HD and start over. but you need to make sure that you dont have any active viruses on your hard drive before you do the re-install so if possible run a antivirus/antispyware scan in safe mode. Goodluck to you man.

Long story short, it's fux0red, or at least not worth the time and effort to fix.

What Texan said. Reformat it and start from scratch

Hi,

DO NOT REFORMAT YOUR DRIVE WITHOUT THE OPERATING SYSTEM CDs

You will need those to either clean install or do a repair install.

See if you can borrow the CD or get a copy if you cannot find your original one. You will need your product key, which should be on a label attached to the computer.

Another approach is to make a bootable CD and load it with antivirus and anti-malware applications, then boot from that and do your scans.

As you get as far as the Windows login screen, it appears that the PC is booting OK.

:)

EDIT:

1. Check that you bought the right type of RAM for your computer make/model or motherboard:

Use the memory advisor tool here: http://www.crucial.com/

If you look into the memory slot you will see either one or two locator bridges (raised bits), make sure that the memory stick's notch or notches align with the locator bridge(s).

Insert stick vertically and press down evenly at both ends of the memory stick...........you may have to press hard and even use a slight rocking motion. It should sort of snap or click into place and the two retaining clips should automatically engage into their notches at the ends of the strip. Just press them to make sure that they are firmly engaged.

2. Sort out whoever it is who is sourcing all this marvellous "freeware" the machine seems to be collecting :cool: It is someone in your family.

Thanks alot for your help guys. let's test this out

What Give up because of a BSOD?????

What is the BSOD error?

IS there a BSOD.. or...

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They have a password on their computer and once you put it in, all you get is a blue screen, the normal wallpaper and then it stays that way. It does the same thing in safe mode too.

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A Format and Reinstall will be the easiest option...

It has been a long time since I have seen this symptom.. it is a hijacker.. problem is I dont have the link to the original cure..My Choice in this type of problem has been a customised BART-PE disk.. (see nihils comments)

winlogon i think has been the hijacked file.. ..

here is one thing to check.. You could try to boot to command prompt:

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Standard procedure when Windows won't boot:

1. Boot to the Recovery Console using a Windows XP CD.

2. Run the following commands, waiting for each one to complete.

chkdsk /r

fixmbr

fixboot c:

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I will hunt for the info.. will post back..

**** BINGO****

But YOU do Need a Windows XP CD (same SP as the machine was updated to)

Made it easier to find when I was searching for the correct file name.....

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It could be malware called "wsaupdater" so try this procedure first

Boot up with your XP installation CD and let setup run.
Select the first “R” you come to to enter the Recovery Console
You should be in C:\windows
Now follow from here:

C:\windows
type
cd system32
(If that does not work, try CHDIR SYSTEM32)
ENTER

the directory should now be
C:\windows\system32
type
copy userinit.exe wsaupdater.exe
ENTER

1 file should be copied,
REBOOT

Login might hang for a while.

Once in windows run Regedit and go to the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Look in the right pane for the Userinit value/subkey.
Double click the Userinit subkey and change it's value to C:\Windows\System32\userinit.exe,

Make sure you have the comma at the end.
Exit Regedit.


Look if you have “wsaupdater.exe” here
C:\Windows\System32\wsaupdater.exe

You can delete the WSAUPDATER.EXE file now.

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What is interesting here.. I first encountered this one better than 2 years ago.. The first google link I hit was for June of THIS year.. .. .

Very appreciated...but im sure that i said that i cannot find the windows installation disks. I've tried looking but if anyone knows where it is it would be the owners of the computer (my sister or dad). I think ill try the floppy disk recovery method although my computer (this one that im using) doesn't have a floppy disk drive. I knew this might be a pain in the ass eventually and here it is :D thanks for all your help guys, ill post when i finish.

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but im sure that i said that i cannot find the windows installation disks.

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yes you did..
And Nihil commented:

Quote:

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See if you can borrow the CD or get a copy if you cannot find your original one. You will need your product key, which should be on a label attached to the computer.

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If your going to attempt to do a repair you dont need the product key..that is only if your doing a full install..

As for getting a hold of a WinXP CD.. Friends? other PC's in the house, Relitives, Co-Workers
Oh.. be sure you get the same version as your sisters PC..ie is it Home or Pro? so the disk you get a lend of will be WinXP Home Edition or Win XP Professional...

What ever you do.. when done you will need to get Win XP patched, and provide some level of protection (Hosts File, a better firewall-filtering proxy, different Web Browser, mail-filter)..
But all of that is no good... just get on the dog and bone and start asking your friends for a loan of their WinXP cd....

Hi Undies~,

I was being a little subtle about the Product Key ;)

Sure you only need it for a full install & reactivation, but I was thinking more about if he got a friend to burn him a copy of their disk (assuming that is legal where he is) otherwise, if you have the product key Micropsoft will send you a replacement for $25~$30.

I would recommend that he tells his father or sister to get hold of a permanent copy, as I have this funny feeling that it may well be needed in the future :cool:

Hmmm... On startup, when you see the bios splash screen, there might be an option saying something like "press f11 for recovery"... Or atleast something similar. This is because a lot of vendors now put the recovery CD's on a hidden partition of the HDD... Once you enter the recovery partition, the vendors software starts up and it's easy to figure out what to do from there....

If there is such an option you may have to go into BIOS setup and deactivate "quick boot", or enable "display boot options".

Otherwise it is frequently F8 to "display advanced boot options"

Somehow I doubt that it has this feature, as AFAIK, ASUS only make laptops as a complete PC offering?

What makes me doubt that it is a branded PC is that it has XP and only 128Mb of RAM, I have only seen a very few machines with 256Mb and that was pre-SP1. I have never seen anyone offer an XP box with only 128Mb.

It may say "ASUS" on the case, but they do make cases and power supplies ;)

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Originally posted here by The Duck
Hmmm... On startup, when you see the bios splash screen, there might be an option saying something like "press f11 for recovery"... Or atleast something similar. This is because a lot of vendors now put the recovery CD's on a hidden partition of the HDD... Once you enter the recovery partition, the vendors software starts up and it's easy to figure out what to do from there....

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I know that my computer has that option , but i dont think that -that- one does.


on another note, im having a lot of truoble making a set of floppy recovery disks; im gonna have to ask my friend for help. And my entire family is completely being unappreciative of my efforts and well i feel like taking the selfish route and just ****ing them off. Its not my computer anyway. >=o

[They told me to look for the damn installation disks (in a spot i throughly searched) when i spent a full FIVE days looking for it and they did **** and they're tellling me that im ****. **** THEM. Then they could see that I was angry while i was searching and said "why dont go back to your computer. its all you care about anyway"]



you know what? I'm giving up. thanks everyone for your help. It was very appreciated, but im not gonnna care about this anymore.

OK pal, I can fully understand your feelings, but if you do want to do it, please send me a PM..........we can report how we did it after?

One thing I will say, is that with XP on a box with only 128Mb of RAM, it would not take much crap to tip the balance, and make it unusable ;)

It must have shipped with 98SE or ME.............. so they lost the CDs they spent all that money on?

Like I said, if you have a genuine version, MS will replace it for thirty bucks......................

:)