Computer crashed after trying to fix Malwarbytes' "Protection diabled" problem

A week ago when I tried to bookmark a youtube video into my favorite folder, a small slit of window appeared on the top left corner instead of the drop down list from the favorite tab. It stayed there frozen in time and all the browser functions of the toolbar and taskbar became inoperable, but the video continued to run as normally. I couldn't close the browser or minimize it or did anything. So I use the task manager to stop the program from running.

Everything seemed to return to normal. But, when I re-opened the IE browser, it then appeared different.

The title bar now contained no title. The top horizontal bar now had lost the tabs containing the "File Edit View Favorite Tool Help" on the toolbar and at the bottom, the program buttons in the midsection of the taskbar now displayed only the IE logo icon without the names of the program items.

Also, without the edit tab at the toolbar in conjunction with the lost of the right-click function of my notebook laptop, I became unable to copy or cut and paste from the browser. Everything else was working fine in terms of navigating the internet.

I had tried to recover my IE browser and update it with reboot a few times. Even though it didn't solve anything or bring back my toolbar but there was no problem with reboot either.

I ran the antivir anti-virus scan without any detection. I also ran some anti-malware programs such as the Malwarebytes, Spyware Terminator, Spybot-S&D, etc. They all came up negative.

When I checked the protection tab of the Malwarebytes which is a paid version, I noticed the red button said, "Protection disable". Normally it was enabled but somehow it was disabled.

I tried to check the two boxes that said, "Enable filesystem protection" and "Enable malicious website blocking". But, to no avail.

So I contacted the tech support who instructed me to copy and past the following: "config termservice start= demand" at the Start > Run dialog box and then reboot.

Upon reboot my computer crashed. Now it only shows a black and white text screen that says, " We apologize for the inconvenience, but Windows did not start successfully. A recent hardware or software change might have caused this....."

And it provided the following options to choose to re-start the computer:

Safe Mode
Safe mode with networking
Safe mode with Command Prompt
Last known configuration (your most recent settings that worked)
Start Windows Normally

However, none of the above options worked when chosen. I repeatedly tried all the above options for hours but to no avail.

Is there a way to get my computer started back up?

 

Hi chaslang, thanks for taking my case. Having my computer now out of commission I couldn't make a timely reply until I can get to a public computer.

My computer is a laptop HP mini-notebook with Windows XP 3. It didn't come with an installation CD/DVD but when I first used it I did backup some system files into several DVDs per instruction. Would that be the Windows bootable CD/DVD you referred to?

The reason I posted this problem here because some told me it could be malware related.

 

Thanks chaslang for your all your help for all the years I have been on this site. But nothing like this had happened before in my past with my other computers that I had over the past two decades.

With this notebook computer that I purchased in 2010 I had never had any malware problems given that I had good antivirus and many antimalware programs and firewall for protection. Unfortunately, after going with the paid version now I'm stuck with a complete crash immediately after typing a simple command instructed by a Malwarebytes tech support that turned out to sobatage instead of helping to fix a simple non-threatening issue.

I should have just leave the "Protection disabled" red button warning in the "Protection" tab alone and not try to solve it, then everything would be just running fine since my computer wasn't having any other operating problem at that time. It would simply be like having a free version of Malwarebytes instead of the paid version that I had. Afterall, my Spyware Terminator was doing the same thing in real time as my paid version of Malwarebytes was doing.

I have never had a severe problem in the past that led to a complete computer crash with free versions of any anti-malware programs until I decided to do my part in contributing in the paid versions such as this Malwarebytes and others like IObit Advance SystemCare, Spybot Search & Destroy and Spywareblaster.

After my computer crashed I don't have computer access whatsoever to check on my emails due to Malwarebytes' inaptitude which contributed to what happened. I don't have a car to go to the library and have to walk about 3 miles on the days which I can make the trip.

The recovery process is so technical, it's beyond me. Now, I have to save up some cash to get a local computer repair shop to look into the problem. They told me it will cost me $39.99 just to take a look to find out what is the problem and the actual cost would not be known until they get it fixed, minus the initial fee.

So, there's nothing else I can do but to save up for the repair. Being homeless at one time previously, things like this is hard on my financial situation. So much for a paid version of Malwarebytes protection that sabotage instead of protecting. I had never had my previous computers completely crashed with a stroke like this in the two decades I had in my past ownership of computer. But, I learnt my lession.

Thanks again for your effort and as always you're always ready to help.

 

You're right, it was "sc config termservice start= demand". Somehow during the highlight to copy and paste the front part got truncated.

The link you gave me to microsoft support page said, "Warning Do not use the procedure that is described in this article if your computer has an OEM-installed operating system."

I googled for the meaning of "OEM-installed operating system" and found out that it refers to factory pre-installed Windows installation program which I believe mine is.

I also come across a site that advocated to first buy an "external USB connected HDD enclosure" to prevent files being accidentally wiped out. What do you think?:

Most of the instructions and discussions are Greek to me. Right now I don't have a friend who knows how to fix computer except one I had met at the homeless shelter a few years ago. I may have to go there to see if I can still find him.