Stuck in Safemode with only accessible restore point in Safemode

Hi folks,

First, I have to say I`m grateful for your help. I was helped before when I had a nasty virus, and was able to save my hotmail account.

Now I have a simple problem but no method I`ve tried seems to work.

I was doing a simple clean in safe mode, with the pc not connected to the internet. I usually turn off System Restore Point before going into safe mode, but this time, I did it while in safe mode. I think that was my mistake. The only restore point which exists for my pc is in safe mode, so I can`t get out of safe mode.

The first sign of trouble was when I attempted to run the Avast! anti- spyware cleanup while in Safe mode. It was unresponsive. So I hooked up the pc, only to find that I was unable to connect with the internet. I had 2 restore points at that point, one from inside Safe mode, and one from this point, where I was in XP but the display looked odd (for example, the start button was smaller than usual, rather than being normal-sized or large as it would be in safe mode). I decided to go to the earlier restore point, which turned out to be in safe mode. Now, I can`t access XP at all, except the install/repair modes from the OS CD.

I`m using a HP presario laptop, maybe about 6 years old but still working well
OS is Microsoft XP Home edition.
32-bit system.
60 gb memory, about 18 gb are available.

When I boot up using F8, and try Normal Boot, after the start-up page (with a YELLOW bar going across the bottom), I wind up in XP in safe mode, a Windows XP blue screen (with logo at top) appears and the message "Setup is starting...".
Next, I get a message from Windows XP Setup: Windows XP Setup cannot run under Safe mode. Setup will restart now.

Using F8, I`ve tried to boot up in
safe mode
safe mode with networking
safe mode with command prompt

enable boot logging
last known good configuration
debugging mode
(I skipped enable vga mode and directory services restore mode, as I don`t know what I`m doing and don`t want to damage the system more by accident)

start windows normally
reboot
return to os choices menu

I`ve tried to start up from the XP OS CD, tried to run "repair" or "restore" and wind up going in circles. I hesitate to attempt to reformat and reinstall XP Home Edition from the CD as I will lose my only copy of Office Suite (with Excel and Windows), the disks are not available to me now.

I`ve backed up all important folders and documents onto an external hard drive. I have copies of the individual parts of Office Suite (an Excel folder, a Word folder etc) but I`m not sure if these backups will work and hesitate to reply on the backups if any other options are available. A format and reinstall of the OS CD is possible but not optimal.

I`ve looked at the other posts on "stuck in safemode" but nothing in those posts seems to work.

I`ve tried hacking about, in and "out" of safemode after hitting F8, F10, and F12. I`ve also tried everything I could think of using the XP Home Edition CD OS, aside from reinstalling.

I could go into a lot more detail, but I hope it`s not necessary at this point.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance for once again saving my sanity and an old but well-loved machine!

pc

 

When you are infected turning off system restore (SR)is a mistake.SR must be turn off ONLY after you are clean from viruses.Turning it off will delete all the restoring points.While you are infected all viruses copy themselves in SR.

 

Greetings, PhilosophicalCat.

Have you tried a non-destructive reinstall?

 

this is a great post and a good idea.

I mean, what's he got to lose? I would suggest to the OP that you try and backup in some way your files before you start, just as an added measure. you will likely have to pull the HD from your computer since USB ports are disabled in Safe Mode typically and hook it up to a USB drive adapter and then offload the files elsewhere.

Good luck!

 

Hi Caliban,

Thanks for the link.

I`d already got to screen 10 in my earlier hacking attempts, but I hadn`t removed the OS CD from the drive. That is where I got derailed before. I`m still reading through the instructions before trying it out.

Btw, where can I find the product key?

I hope to try this method asap!

pc

 

Thanks for posting this Caliban. I'm surprised that this is the first time I had ever heard of this method. DEFINITELY a great tool for the tool box. Thanks again!!!

 

I found the product key.

 

Caliban,

I got to screen 7, just as I had before.

Before, I had also got to screens 8, 9 and 10. But I did not take the XP OS CD out.

This time, after screen 7 (all screens were identical to the instructions in the link), I got a new message:

Windows XP Home Edition Setup

Setup has already attempted to upgrade the following Windows installation.

C:/WINDOWS "Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition"

<the slash is a backslash but my Japanese keyboard on my MacBook Pro doesn`t appear to have a backslash>

Setup will try to complete the upgrade again.

• To retry upgrading to Windows XP, press ENTER.
• To continue installing a fresh copy of Windows XP without repairing, press ESC.
• To quit Setup, press F3.

I`m guessing that I should press ENTER, to retry upgrading to Windows XP, because the instructions say that "Setup has already attempted to upgrade the following Windows installation."

Does this sound right to you?

I will try again in the morning (it is 1 am JST here, about 11 or 12 am EST yesterday, and I don`t want to make a mistake due to fatigue).

Thanks!

pc