Windows XP malfunction and error messages

I have a Dell 630i with windows xp installed that was recently infected with a moneypak virus. System restore was turned off (not sure why) but I was able to access the safe mode and install and run anti malware programs which seemed to work, but in my attempts to clear out the virus/malware my desktop went blank (background but no icons or taskbar) to which I did get the icon to show up again. But then when I tried to use the internet every site was forbidden, no amount of resets worked, I ran my service pack 3 disk to recover files but I keep getting messages that state file "hal.dll corrupt or missing" "system32/nvrd.sys missing or corrupt" and now I'm also getting a message that says "dfsvc.exe error occurred and the program had to close". When I turn on my computer it also shows 2 options to start in "windows xp professional setup and windows xp professional" if I use the first it leads to the "hal.dll error" and the second takes me to the desktop and the "dfsvc.exe error" and now I can't even get internet explorer to open.
I was running AVG antivirus at the time and I scanned several times with it and other anti malware programs, but I've also found my firewall in windows is not working correctly and the download from Microsoft site didn't fix it.
Any help, suggestions, advice would be very appreciated.
Sarah

 

Greetings, binky26205, and welcome to MajorGeeks.

Couple of quick questions:

1. Are you now using a computer other than the machine in question, or have you restored the problem machine to a state where you can access the internet?

2. You mentioned a "service pack 3 disk" - is this a hologrammed Microsoft Windows XP disk or is it a Dell recovery disk?

 

What XP version are you using?
Do you have a XP disc?

 

In answer to your question Caliban, I am using a different computer as the affected one is not cooperative and the disk that I have came with the computer and says "Reinstallation CD Microsoft Windows XP Professional service pack 3", it has the Dell logo on it and says "Operating system, Already installed on your computer" on it.
As far as the question b1jqxk44 asked, I'm not sure what version it is considered, it just says Windows XP Professional service pack 3 and the copyright on the disc says 2008, hope that helps.
Thank you both for your time and consideration.

 

If you have any important data on the computer, boot into safe mode again and move the data to alternate storage — CDRWs, DVDRWs, Flash drive(s), a second hard drive — whatever you have available.

Your Dell Reinstallation CD will help in the next step.

While still in Safe Mode, insert the Windows CD, then go to Start -> Run and type "sfc /scannow" without the quotation marks (note the space between sfc and the forward slash) and press Enter. Windows File Protection will repair/replace the files it needs. You'll need to restart the computer afterward and hopefully, those issues will be solved.

If this step proves unsuccessful, you're faced with starting over with a clean slate. I can explain how to do that if you need me to.

 

Sorry for the slow response time, I've been working and haven't had time to sit down and work through this.
I can't get the start menu to come up to get to "run". Can I use task manager and do it as a new task or use the command prompt?

 

binky26205...

In Task Manager is Explorer.exe running? Whether it is or not, you can select "File"->"New Process" and type Explorer.exe in the window and select OK. That will start/restart Explorer.exe and might give you back your start menu...

Not sure, but sfc /scannow might actually run from that same Task Manager dialog...

 

I tried the explorer.exe in the task manager and nothing changed on the desk top and it is running in the task manager. I also tried the sfc /scannow but I had to run it in regular windows mode as it wouldn't start up in safe mode. It indicated that it was checking the files then after it was finished I restarted the computer and the same problems were still there. Any more ideas or instructions are appreciated.

 

Unfortunately, as I stated in my previous post, it looks like you're facing starting over from scratch because sfc /scannow didn't help.

You have the XP reinstallation CD. Do you also have the Drivers and Utilities CD from Dell?

If you don't, the drivers, utilities and manuals can be downloaded from the Dell Support Site and installed in the order specified on this page. When you go to the Dell Support Site, enter your Service Tag number and go to the Drivers and Downloads tab.

As far as your apps, if those installation CDs were also included when you bought the computer (like mine were) you can re-install from those.

 

I seem to recall a program used by some malware fighters that can repair elements of the Windows file structure. Anyone know of such a thing or what I might be thinking of? Might be worth a try here. Also, I don't think anyone suggested running a chkdsk /r. If you can run it the same way you ran the sfc /scannow, it wouldn't cost anything to do so. I've seen chkdsk /r heal similar problems...

 

binky26205, AtlBos' chkdsk may help, but I'm afraid mdonah maybe right and you do need to start from scratch. If scannow never replaced or repaired what is missing, the only way is to reinstall .

 

Good news! It appears that the computer is finally fixed (until hubby does something else to it, at least he'll leave my laptop alone for now.) I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read and post info to help me and I'll leave this info that I found that finally got the computer back on track. I know it could turn out that something is still wrong but all programs and internet are working fine now so:

Installed several different spyware/malware detection programs and registry cleaners and ran them all first.
Super antispyware
Malware bits
Spybot search and destroy (from this site)
Auslogics (from this site)

Then I followed the instructions I found on http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

I booted from the CD drive with the XP CD I have and followed the instructions on the site above, I had to reinstall windows updates (was prompted by computer as usual and reinstall internet exp 7 and then updated to ie 8 and restarted. I did not lose any current files that were on the computer (saved games, documents).

I did delete Spybot once I was done since one of the programs running with it, teatimer I think, kept giving me error messages when I shut down. (Those stopped after I uninstalled Spybot).

Sorry this post ran so long, thanks again to everyone.