Please help - Virus?

missile

My son has been using his PC with no anti-virus / anti-spyware. His "friend" deleted them to make more room on the hard drive The PC no longer works. Any advice greatly appreciated.

It is a DELL 700MHz 256KB cache 128MB RAM 40 GB HD and CDRW. It has both windows 2000 professional and windows XP installed but neither work.

Windows XP error:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt Windows\system\config\system
You can attempt to repair by starting windows setup using the original CD-ROM select r at the first screen

Start up XP from CD error:
STOP:C0000221 unknown hard error
(tried windows help, http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314474&sd=RMVP)

Windows 2000 starts but I get the following pop up error message, ditto in safe mode:
explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by windows you will need to restart the program

Any ideas please?

spakkker

Hi , you should get his "friend" to re-install either windows 2000 or xp, not both. You can spend hours and hours trying to sort out stuff like this on an old pc. A 80gb h/drive costs £28 and a 160gb costs £30+

missile

Yes, but friend has given up and son has called dad. I am no expert but I do know how to install windows, but I can't get setup to run from CD.

Are you suggesting I should replace the HD?

mateypeeps

missile wrote: »

My son has been using his PC with no anti-virus / anti-spyware. His "friend" deleted them to make more room on the hard drive The PC no longer works. Any advice greatly appreciated.

It is a DELL 700MHz 256KB cache 128MB RAM 40 GB HD and CDRW. It has both windows 2000 professional and windows XP installed but neither work.

Windows XP error:
Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt Windows\system\config\system
You can attempt to repair by starting windows setup using the original CD-ROM select r at the first screen

Start up XP from CD error:
STOP:C0000221 unknown hard error
(tried windows help, but this error code is not listed)

Windows 2000 starts but I get the following pop up error message, ditto in safe mode:
explorer.exe has generated errors and will be closed by windows you will need to restart the program

Any ideas please?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/101096

Always try Google to look for info as a first option, as a general rule.

I also find "Jeeves" useful for its natural language string parsing ability to answer questions written the way we humans talk.

I have had this message myself (Windows\system\config\system missing), and it killed 2 old IBM laptops I had, although one may have been due to me dropping it, the other I suspect was virus hit.

I assume you do not have the original XP operating system CD, but if you do, do what the message says and use it to at least run chkdsk and see if you do have a hardware failure.

Reformatting the hard disk may be the last option, although this may not be possible if the virus has done something very nasty, there is always the risk that it manages to control your system and write itself back on the reformatted drive, so I have read somewhere.

A new hard disk with a freshly loaded operating system installed should remove any virus embedded corruption, unless it has somehow reprogrammed your bootup rom (if this is flash updatable)

I am no expert by the way, if I was I could get my custom built desktop to connect to the Internet, having had that hit by the same trouble as well!

There must be a virus around, possibly one that attacks AVG Grisoft antivirus software, as I got the trouble with the desktop immediately after AVG updated itself from an auto-download, same for the kids desktop, which I rescued and still can connect to the Internet

All the machines my kids use for playing silly games on the internet have been affected.

The moral may be, do not let kids near any computer you use!!!

Thanks goodness I have this laptop that they are locked out of (by passwords) and a wirelsss router that still works.

One last thing, using Google to find out about my problems led me to sites that said that this problem is relatively common, and XP is prone to losing its operating system, "almost at a drop of the hat".

missile

The windows help does not really do it, see http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314474&sd=RMVP

I do have windows CDs but I can't get them to boot.
If I could I would try repair utility or patching in the config\system file, but .........

PS: I don't let my son play with my PC. I could install a new HD. The PC is really past it and I think he ought to get a new one, but he wants the data off the old and (of course) he has no back-ups. He is 21 and ought to know better.

bookduck

Bet you had norton on it?

My best advice is once you have it working not to put it back on again, but rather go for a free one or anther of the recommended ones found on this board.

espresso

missile wrote: »

I do have windows CDs but I can't get them to boot.
If I could I would try repair utility or patching in the config\system file, but .........

You may need to enter the BIOS see here, to change the boot order, so that the CD drive is accessed first.

Donnie

Try booting up with a 'Live CD' OS to retrieve important files.

spakkker

Can you put the h/drive into your pc and see if you can access the data? A 40gb hd is big enough to live with but you would have to backup , say to dvd-4gb a disc.

marksward

past the point of being usefull right now, but EVERYONE should look at online backup services if they have broadband (much too slow otherwise):

elephantdrive, carbonite etc etc

This means you have an automatic offsite backup should your PC break, be stolen or the kids hit ALT-A Delete !

missile

Thanks for all your advice. I got there eventually, I had to reformat the HD.

I have loaded on AVG, Adaware, Spybot and Zone alarm, hopefully he will keep them updated. He is intending buying an external hard drive to use for back ups.