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Can't bootup PC

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16 replies

by mak15

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Hi,
I had download & executed a unknown file. Then my OS asked me to restore WIN2000Pro, so I did. And now my PC can't bootup, not even in Safe mode. Blue screen appeared and indicated that inaccessiable devices. I tried scan the virus by other PC(Fixed & repaired), restored the OS again, and everything that I know. Is reinstalling(format) a new OS the right way to do? Is there anything else I can do to back to normal? I'll appreciate any advices. Thank you!

16 replies

by thechas

If you cannot boot up at all, you have very limited options.

Do you have a recent restore point?

You can place the drive in another PC, and delete corrupted files. You can also back up any files that you wish to save.

There is a TR articleon rebuilding the registry from DOS that might help.

I myself, would place the drive in another PC, back up my files, wipe the drive, and start over.

Chas

by dmiles

The system seems to have not gotten all the corupt files which may include the boot sector files,then it would be safe to say that you would be better off wiping the drive clean reformatting and installing the operating system clean

by popeye_doyle

You may not need to format, try a parallel install, that way you'd be able to access the new OS without deleting your data.

by stevek1

The WIN2K CD has a MBR anti-virus software called AVBoot. It's on thw WIN2K CD in the \valueadd\3rdparty\CA-antiv directory. Haven't used it myself.... Good Luck

by otl

I would not want to put a suspected virus infected HD in an opearational system, this could infect the operational system. Verifying there is not a virus in the computer is the first priority, you did not indicate what anti-virus software you triedand if it was the latest .dat file.

Check the BIOS information and see if it matches your computer configuration, or set to auto-detect.

I would verify the the HD partioning information (NTFS) using FDisk on from a bootable write protected floppy or CD. Try the anti-virus software suggested above.

If your system is on one partition of the HD and programs on another, restoring the system would have no effect on the programs other than having to create short-cuts to get to them. (I havebeen doing this since I had a 10 Meg HD and thought it was big).

by gcheels

Before you try any of the other drastic options, there is one other option available and that's the Recovery Console. If you don't have it installed already, you can insert your W2K CD, boot the machine from the CD drive and select the options fromthe install procedure that will allow you to start the Recovery Console. Don't worry if it looks like it's going to install, if you choose the recovery option, you can at least see your hard drive and may be able to tell what's going on from there. If you have no luck with that, I would do like one of the others suggested, fdisk and reload. What you have does sound like a virus and even if you format the drive, it may not get rid of the virus. If you do format the drive use the fdisk/mbr command to reinit the master boot record. That will normally get rid of any virus that infects the mbr.

by gcheels

If you format the drive NTLDR will be gone anyway. Besides, at this point it doesn't matter what file system is used. You can use NTFS once you re-install W2K Pro.

by zcuteone

If you decide to go with the recovery procedure(I would try that first myself). As far as using the Fdisk /mbr, if you have a Win2K with NTFS that will ruin your NTLDR. Fdisk /mbr is only good for fat file systems, but will reek havoc on a NTFS. Good luck!!

You can use the Recovery console and repair the MBR.

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