Lost some system options after getting beagle

Ok unfortunately I'm back Chaslang over in the malware forum does not believe that this safe mode issue is a Malware problem. He said that my logs are clean and I believe him as I am not having anymore probs besides safe mode. I really need to know what is causing this as I just can't stop thinking about it well and safe mode is pretty important lol. Any ideas would be wonderful and just think you could be saving my sanity!!!!!

Mneenee

 

Search on google for 'Windows XP CD Key checker' it should give yous ome programs to check your CD key that the laptop is currently using. Or on the Casing of the laptop it should have the Key.

Or wait, was that already answered?

 

Ok well I can't boot into safe mode.

When I try to start in safe mode from the F8 key it lets me select safemode and looks like it is going to load, but then it beeps and brings me back to the page where you can select safe mode, safe with networking etc. I have tried all of them but the only 2 that will actually finish loading are normal mode and last known good configuration.

Now when trying to get into safe mode from msconfig Boot.ini, it gives me a warning "Out of memory" then either stops responding or lets me click ok then tells me that I have to restart for the changes to take effect, upon restarting it just loads me into normal mode.

So I am at a loss now have no idea what to do? Any ideas would be much appeciated. And thank you so much for your help. Oh yeah and did I mention that I even tried to do a repair through sfc /scannow that didnt work either.

Mneenee

 

mneenee,
thanks for your perserverance and postings. This has been a very interesting thread. I wait with baited breath to see if you will get your safe mode back.
abri

 

LOL thanks Abri I appreciate the support. Just hope we can figure this out.

Mneenee

 

Nope already checked for that.

Mneenee

 

It is not my CD and was used on another computer. This software came with this computer. Wont that cause problems for Windows updates? I think that is what we said before lol.

Another strange thing just happened though while I was in IBMs website I asked it to detect my computer. I was redirected to a page with the message " This tool requires a version of windows and Internet explorer 5.0 or higher? I am running windows xp with internet explorer 6? So not sure what this means.

Also Not sure if this is important but on the next page after selecting Safe mode from F8 key it says "Choose your operating system" with the option windows (default), now on my computer it says windows xp????

Mneenee

 

If it is a Thinkpad, you should have a RapidRestore option, F11 on startup.

Steve

 

I was looking at that but was scared to try it. Will I lose any files and stuff by using it?

 

Oh yeah, everything.

But, I tend to agree with TimW, you are running out of options. Too much stuff not working right.

Has she been "disabling services" on the laptop?

Steve

 

I am not sure what she might have disabled how can I check?

Mneenee

 

Just a note there is no microsoft VM on this machine?

 

Click on Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools then Services.

I'm trying to find a guide that list the default, having trouble.

Steve

 

Here is a list of disabled stuff:

Clipbook
Human interface device access
messenger
Network DDE
Network DDE DSDM

The others are Norton which is not on this PC anymore

Mneenee

 

That "Norton" is a redflag right there. Do you remember which version she had?

Steve

 

Do a search for Norton or Symantec, see if you find anything.

Steve

 

ok I think it is Norton anti virus 2002. There is a Program under C:\Windows\Tasks and a folder under C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS

 

lotsof symantec folders as well do you want all the names?

 

I have to go for a minute. I would run the Norton removal tool, we have it here at MG's in the download section.

Steve

 

k thanks i will do that.

Mneenee

 

ok did that norton is no longer in my services menu although when I so a search there is still a symantec shared folder in there with a bunch of stuff in it. Safe mode still not working

Mneenee

 

My darting thoughts:

What does the boot.ini file look like? And, what is it that identifies the computer to IBM that must be missing to make it invisible. Can MS also not identify the os and ie6.0 or just IBM.

abri

 

Delete everything Symantec or Norton.

Manual removal, http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPOR...docid=2001092114452606&nsf=nav.nsf&view=docid

It will help you identify things.

Steve

 

Im not sure of what you mean by "What does the boot.ini file look like?" Is there a way to look at it? lol sorry but we surpassed my knowledge of pc's a while ago. It is just IBM that doesn't recognize it. Also the writing on webpages seems very tiny can barely read it? Amgoing to dothe manual removalnow Steve. Thank you guys so much!!!!

Mneenee

 

lol mine too!
The boot.ini file is a small file directly under C in my computer. It shows the operating system. I open it by right clicking on the file, choosing open with and picking notepad. Since you can operate in normal mode, I don't think this will be the problem, because obviously you can boot to your operating system. It's just my brain spinning around lots of nothing. Hate to see anyone lose everything on their computer through a drastic healing measure. Such a waste.
abri

 

My boot.ini file is blank besides a little rectangle symbol? Is that normal lol doesn't look normal. If it isn't what should it looklike lol?

Mneenee

 

The reason I thought about your boot.ini file is because the "choose your operating system" which you mentioned refers to the boot.ini file, a file for computers which have more than one operating system. Since you haven't mentioned having multiple operating systesm, I wondered why you would have been directed to "choose your operating system" and that's what made me curious.

I don't know what the rectangle is, but I know what you are talking about and I'm sure someone here can explain what it is.
The boot.ini file, when opened with notepad and viewed as a .txt file, rather than a .ini file, looks something like this:

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition" /fastdetect​

I don't think my question will be relevant to your safemode bootup loop problem because you are able to get into normal operating mode, but if you want to read further, my thoughts are as follows:

As part of the "choice" of operating systems given in the boot.ini file, there's a timer set (in the above case, timeout = 30) which means in this case after 30 seconds, if you don't choose the operating system, the computer will grab the default operating system and use that one. In my own case, I have to make this choice right after I choose "safe mode". I got wondering why a computer with only one operating system would be giving you a request to choose your operating system. If you are required to make a choice, but there's no choice, so to speak, I wondered if it might keep bringing you back to this "choose your operating system" because it can't identify a default.

If anyone else thinks this is worth pursuing, there's another way to look at the boot.ini file, besides by opening it from Windows Explorer with notepad.

abri

 

Ok When I open my log with notepad in Txt format. It is blank looks nothing like the above.
This is the symbol in it.  That is all that is on the page. Is there a way to rewrite the boot.ini (orwould it even help?). I am sorry but there is to much on this pc to lose as it has all of my sisters university and work stuff on it. I hate being beat lol.

Mneenee

 

Hi Mneenee,

I reread the whole thread, wondering again if the boot.ini question is relevant or not. You shouldn't be getting a request to choose the operating system after you hit safe mode, unless you have more than one operating system on the computer. Is there a second operating system on the computer that you know of?

If you can get the computer into normal mode, then backing up all the data would be a good idea if you haven't already done this, so you don't have to worry about losing all your sister's work.

From the posts I understood that you got help from the malware forum to clean up the computer and you reached the point where you can get into normal mode, but when trying to get into safe mode, the computer goes into a loop from which you can only escape by going into normal mode or last good configuration. I also understood that in safe mode, you get a message that there's not enough memory, while in normal mode, this error message doesn't occur.

There is a way to go to the boot.ini file through start run cmd, however, the only reason to have the choice of different operating systems (which is what the boot.ini file provides), is if there are different ones to choose from. Are you still getting two different problems with safe mode, one that you need to choose which operating system to use and the other that there's not enough memory?

I also wanted to ask you while I'm thinking of it, if anyone in either thread ever asked you about running one of the registry cleaners. This is an area where I would Not help you (because I don't know anything ), but it crossed my mind earlier today.

The person who helped me with the boot.ini file and a problem I had with multiple operating systems was Shadow_Puter_Dude. He might be the one to tell you why you're asked to choose your operating system when you go into safe mode, but not when you go into normal mode.

That's all for now.
abri

 

oh.
That's alot easier. lol
now if Mneenee doesn't find anything there, ... that will be interesting
Where were you for my past dreadful 3 postings?

Okay, and for a more practical question. If there is something in Mneenee's boot.ini, how would she know if something's corrupt?

abri