Windows will not start up

I know it's an old machine, but has been a great workhorse...just hope it's not had it's day! used daily by the entire family! normally I can fix problems but this one has me beat!

Dell Dimension 4500
Windows XP home edition version 2002
Service pack 2
Pentium 4 CPU 2.53Ghz 256MB of RAM
40GB HARDDRIVE 50%FULL

Can start in safe mode otherwise stops at XP blue screen

Can only turn off by pressing on power button

in safe mode:
Ran ewido scan - found 16 infections which were all removed.

Ran adaware - nothing found

Ran AVG virus scan - nothing found

Ran spycatcher - nothing found

did system restore, but made no difference

any ideas? Kids have all their itunes on it!

 

Run defrag in safe mode. Sometimes the inability to boot clean means that XP is not finding a dll or other file needed to finish booting. Then, while in safe mode, open a command window and run system file check. Go to Start-Run-cmd, then type sfc in the dialog box. The dialog will show you your options. I suggest sfc /SCANNOW .

 

Thanks for the suggestions, as instructed I ran a defrag (although it wasn't needed as I had only done last week)
restarted again in safe mode and tried to run the sfc /SCANNOW but got the following error message

"file protection could not initiate a scan of protected system files. The specific error code is 0x000006ba (The RPC Server is unavailable)"

Any ideas what to try next...I hope I don't need to re-format the hard drive!

 

If your PC will not boot normally into Windows XP but will boot in safe mode, you have a software problem. The cause could be either a driver used by one of your hardware devices or a program or service you have installed (or one that has been installed unbeknownst to you) that is running on Windows startup.
To determine which it is, examine the way your system fails to boot. If it crashes during the loading process before the Windows interface appears, or gives you a BSOD (Blue Screen Of Death), it's likely you have a driver issue.
If the Windows interface appears and then XP crashes or slows to an unusable crawl, it's likely that your problem is with software that Windows is attempting to load on startup.

See this to help diagnose and rectify:
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=1643&page=4

Regards.....

 

boot into safe mode WITH networking and download: spybot search and destroy (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2471), spywareblaster: (http://www.majorgeeks.com/SpywareBlaster_d2859.html), cool web search shredder (http://www.majorgeeks.com/Trend_Micro_CWShredder_d3019.html). might want to run hijackthis (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155) too and post log here as an attachment or in malware forums so someone can analyze it. These are just some necessary programs when running Windows IMO.

I'm sure you'll have your pc back in a few,
regards,
phil

 

Thanks for the suggestions...I ran safe mode with networking, but it would not connect to the internet, so I loaded them on a disc using my laptop and ran all the scans. They all found nothing! So I think that although I may have had some malware they are now removed, but the damage is done?
I have copied a Hijack his report onto a disc, but is it worth posting it, if i don't have any malware?

I also went to the pcstats website (great website! for info) and followed the instructions for drivers etc, but again with no improvement. If it was stuck from the log-in screen I could understand a driver problem but it's getting stuck at the windows XP loading screen before the log-in screen and I still have to turn off by pressing the power button - which also can't be doing it any good!

I will persivere if you come up with anything I've not tried...I might go back to the beginning and start again!

....and to top it all, my laptop is now playing silly games and decides to stop working in the afternoon - think it's overheating (bit like me!)