Malware

its usually number 1, if you only have one o.s. on the system. if you had two o.s's, then you could either press number 1 or 2 to select which one to log into.

just click the enter key to bypass the questions, that is if you were usually logging into windows automatically and without entering any password to begin with.

response #2 - in regards to installing a new o.s., there is always a possibility that you have a boot virus - but we don't really know what kind of infection you had or have.

i'm basing my suggestions for executing a manual restore on the presumption that your anti virus did zap the initial infection and you simply need to restore missing or corrupted system files.

however, if all your efforts to salvage what you have fail, you can install xp from scratch.

it looks like you are now at the disk prompt.

next press the letters followed by 2 periods and hit enter afterwards:

cd..

next you should see the c prompt below:

c>:

next type the below to execute a check disk then hit enter afterwards:

chkdsk/F

after the utility runs above and you get the c prompt again, type the below, then press enter afterwards.

exit

then remove the cd and reboot your computer and see if you can initialize your windows again. try both safe mode and normal mode.

if however, your system does not boot up like before, then retry all the steps again to boot with the cd, execute the recovery/repair console and get back to the c prompt.

then try a manual system restore.

Hello Dayen:
Well, I couldn't get as far as your site on the computer with the virus. I was here until 6:45 PM last night and that computer in safe mode was still trying to bring up the internet.
This morning I can even get it to come up in Safe Mode. I am on that screen and have chosen safe mode but no response as yet. It is working tho as after I arrowed down and chose safe mode the arrow key doesn't even work.