Cannot stop booting in safe mode

Hello -
I have a terrible problem that began today on my other laptop. It involves svchost.exe and an error that it cannot "read".

I was attempting to follow the steps posted for cleaning and checking, and got as far as starting in safe mode. I used the instructions suggested at http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT..._nam#_Section3 per the suggestions, and it worked like a charm. EXCEPT - due to a long story, the computer has XP professional and I am not an admin (involves a laptop given to my husband by his company and then forgotten - hence I got it). Anyhow, now I can't stop it from booting in safe mode, and I cannot log in in safe mode - leaving me STUCK.

I tried various ways of using f8 - which did work, but when I say start windows normally, I guess it is looking at the /bootsafe option, and there it is.

Is there anything that I can do at a command line to turn off the option - and I guess will have to run the other stuff in normal mode. Still, for now, I'd like to be able to get in, maybe save some files because I suspect a complete reinstall of my own copy of windows is in order.

Any help will be gratefully appreciated!

Alisen

 

Chas - You rock! Really.

Thanks so much! Sending you a virtual beer or a hug - whichever!

Thanks,
Alisen

 

Chas -

Not exactly sure what you mean by which direction - unless you mean which of your choices. I used the boot CD - the directions were a little hard to follow, but with perserverence, I made it work.

As a side note, I was able to download a windows update to fix the original problem (the svchost.exe popup), which wasn't spyware after all (unless you consider XP to be spyware). I finally allowed windows to report the error, and it gave me back a message of what to download.

So again, thank you! Sending you some sunshine from Santiago where it's summertime - I am sure in Jersey you can use that!

Alisen

 

Chas -

No other malware problems. I have found since I stopped using IE, started with Avast (jettisoning NAV) and the other suggestions you have put in the sticky thread, I've been virus/malware free for quite awhile!

This frees me up to cause other, more interesting problems!

Have a good weekend,
Alisen