cannot log in to windows, even in safe mode or last known configuration

Hi all,

I have a laptop (Dell Inspiron) with a Windows XP (32-bit).

It got infected by trojans (Privacy Protector and mahmud.exe), as avast stopped working and I did not notice it. I was able to remove the exe-s and some registry entries via logging in using the last known good configuration (could not log in via safe mode or normal mode).

I did system restore, but I was still only able to log in via last known good configuration (in normal or safe mode: keyboard and mouse stopped working after booting, when the login screen came up).

I reinstalled avast in the meantime.

Then I found your forum and started to go through the Run&Read first message. After doing "MSconfig must be set for Normal Startup mode" I restarted and since then, I am not able to log in even in "last known good configuration" startup mode. Keyboard and mouse gets locked after booting.

As I moved to another country, I have no Windows Install CD with me.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your help in advance:
Kriszta

 

OK, thanks

 

Have you tried just safe mode?

 

yes, i have tried

 

Hi,

I saw a thread a few days ago that recommended trying a USB keyboard to login. It seemed to work. Am I correct that you see the login screen but you can't select your username or enter password because the keyboard and mouse won't move?

 

yes, this is correct. I was able to log in via Hirens Boot CD, I am currently saving my personal stuff. What do I do now?

 

Well, let me ask you this"

1. Have you been having system instability issues for any length of time?
2. How long have you been working on this problem right now?

Get back to me on this, and I might have a direction for you to go.

 

I had no problems for years until I got this trojan infection I mentioned in the first message. I was working on it for a few hours for a few days, and I could log in until I changed the msconfig to Normal (which is in the Read&Run first post in the malware forum I originally posted the thread into).

Is my first message visible to you too? (I am just asking because the post was moved).

 

Well, honestly at this point you are saving your stuff, so that's job number 1 done.

Probably could do a reinstall of Windows with the Windows disc, or use the recovery partition.

 

I am appreciating your help, but please read my original post, which was this:
"Hi all,

I have a laptop (Dell Inspiron) with a Windows XP (32-bit).

It got infected by trojans (Privacy Protector and mahmud.exe), as avast stopped working and I did not notice it. I was able to remove the exe-s and some registry entries via logging in using the last known good configuration (could not log in via safe mode or normal mode).

I did system restore, but I was still only able to log in via last known good configuration (in normal or safe mode: keyboard and mouse stopped working after booting, when the login screen came up).

I reinstalled avast in the meantime.

Then I found your forum and started to go through the Run&Read first message. After doing "MSconfig must be set for Normal Startup mode" I restarted and since then, I am not able to log in even in "last known good configuration" startup mode. Keyboard and mouse gets locked after booting.

As I moved to another country, I have no Windows Install CD with me.

Any ideas?

Thanks for your help in advance:
Kriszta"

Saving was finished 2 days ago

 

Right sorry i missed that.

honestly at this point, you are using Windows XP, so is a new computer out of the question financially speaking? If not, better to just get a newer machine than to try and find a copy of windows XP, which you are going to have difficultly finding since it's not sold anymore in the stores, and honestly, buying a copy online is risky at best.

 

If your MBR hasn't been modified, you may be able to do a factory restore if the Dell recovery partition is intact as stated by motc7 in post #10. Have you tried that?

When the Dell screen appears press and hold the CTRL and F11 key simultaneously on the keyboard, then release them both at the same time. Is your keyboard disabled at this point?

 

try this page and see if it will help. lets you reset the boot.ini file to default.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291980