Where can I download Media Center Edition from?

Marty999

I am trying to help my boss's son, whose laptop is poorly. It starts up but then refuses to do anything else. I can't access the control panel or run any programs, nor install Ccleaner for a scan. I thought the easiest and best way out would be to format the hard disk and reinstall Windows as he has no important data on there, but the lad has lost his disk and it's XP Media Center Edition which I don't have. Is there a site I can download it from as an ISO file? Or alternatively, can I install the regular home edition of XP under the MCE installation key?

debitcardmayhem

Can you not copy Malrwarebytes/CCleaner/Hijack from your pc onto a usb stick and try running them from that

closed

If it's infected, you might need this

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/xp_exe_fix.reg

John_Gray

Windows XP Media Centre Edition is quite rare - I could only get my hands on a Dell OEM version of this (with some difficulty) if you wanted it. I'd be Very Suspicious of any ISO out on the internet unless you were certain of the provenance - what better way to get viruses and trojans onto a system!

I'd see what (if anything) you could do in Safe Mode first, using debitcardmayhem's suggestion of a USB Flash Drive with the portable versions of those programs on it.

A newsletter I got this very morning [might also be of help. here's the relevant bit...

Sunbelt and Malwarebytes Partner to Improve Internet Security

Sunbelt announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Malwarebytes, the makers of malware cleaning tools to increase the security of the Internet.

Together, as an initial joint offering, Sunbelt Software and Malwarebytes have created a dedicated Website portal to offer consumers free tools to clean systems which have become so infested with malware that normal PC functions and performance are significantly hindered. The portal is at:
http://vipre.malwarebytes.org.

In addition to this initial first offering, the companies are also working together on a broad range of initiatives for sharing information on emerging threats, methods to mitigate risk, and other joint efforts.

For users dealing with infected PCs, the companies recommend visiting http://vipre.malwarebytes.org for immediate remediation. The site will allow users to run Sunbelt's VIPRE Rescue computer recovery solution, alongside Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware solution. VIPRE Rescue is updated daily and designed specifically to disinfect computers where the installation of any security software for malware remediation is not possible. Visitors to the site are also urged to run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, a leading anti-malware tool, aimed at cleaning up a variety of current and emerging malware threats facing home PCs. Running both tools provides a comprehensive dual-action system cleaning to repair PCs that are inoperable due to entrenched malware infestations.

"Malwarebytes is proud to be working with Sunbelt Software, a known leader in the fight against the growing challenges facing home PC users," said Marcin Kleczynski, CEO of Malwarebytes Corporation. "Our first collaboration provides an effective method for consumers to remediate malware infestation, and we look forward to future efforts together that will protect and educate home users on best practices for keeping PCs safe from current and future threats."
http://vipre.malwarebytes.org

cybergibbons

I've been in the same situation before.

Download the ISO from bittorrent or wherever you want. Try to use one of the more popular trackers.

You do want to make sure it's genuine though.

The easiest way to do this is to:
* Download FCIV from Microsoft (I can't post links!)
* Google for XP Media Center Edition SHA1 hash to find the hash for the ISO (it's two CDs, so two hashes).
* Google the hash - if you see that it is mentioned on a large number of sites, it is likely genuine.
* Check the iso you donwloaded hashes with FCIV to the same value.

Microsoft provide the hashes for Windows 7 but not older ones, so unfortunately you need to do it this way.

Marty999

debitcardmayhem wrote: »

Can you not copy Malrwarebytes/CCleaner/Hijack from your pc onto a usb stick and try running them from that

Thanks for your reply, I did try this but the PC is unresponsive, Windows Explorer is not working and it will not allow me to browse to the USB flash drive.

Donnie

Marty999 wrote: »

Thanks for your reply, I did try this but the PC is unresponsive, Windows Explorer is not working and it will not allow me to browse to the USB flash drive.

If you haven't checked your PMs, have you tried any of the Rescue Discs, such as the Avira Rescue System?
Use ImgBurn or the like to burn the image to disc. Boot up with the disc in the affected PC's optical drive and choose 'Boot from CD'.

closed

Post more info, what is explorer doing, does cmd work, do exe's work, can you start things from task manager

Marty999

John_Gray wrote: »

http://vipre.malwarebytes.org

Thanks John, I tried this but it requires me to download a file which is then blocked by Windows as unsafe to open.

Marty999

Donnie wrote: »

If you haven't checked your PMs, have you tried any of the Rescue Discs, such as the Avira Rescue System?
Use ImgBurn or the like to burn the image to disc. Boot up with the disc in the affected PC's optical drive and choose 'Boot from CD'.

Hi Donnie

I have managed to create an Avira Rescue disc and booted up the laptop from that. It ran the AntiVir scan OK. There were 5 alerts and 15 warnings but it did not find any suspicious files, repair, delete or quarantine anything.

Marty.

Marty999

closed wrote: »

Post more info, what is explorer doing, does cmd work, do exe's work, can you start things from task manager

Hi Closed

Windows Explorer just crashes when I try to navigate to My Computer etc.
Yes I can get to the DOS prompt.
Can't run any exe's as I can't browse to anything.
I can access Task Manager and started to install CCleaner from my USB flash drive, but then that fell over and failed during installation.

Marty.