Can't boot into safe mode - now can't boot at all!

Scam · 20 Jan 2010 at 15:48

Hey guys. I'm having a bit of an issue here. One of our machines has got some sort of (or lots of) viruses, including one that seems to be stopping me from booting into Safe Mode. I get a blue screen and a 'STOP' error much like as described here:

http://en.kioskea.net/forum/affich-138619-unable-to-boot-windows-blue-screen-error

Also like that link I modified the BOOT.ini file to always try to start up in Safe Mode, which means every time i boot up it goes straight to the blue screen with the 'STOP' error. So I'm stuck.

On reading that link it seems I can use the MS Recovery Console to change BOOT.ini back, but as we have all Dells in the office I dont have an XP CD. Is there any other way of either getting into the Recovery Console or changing the BOOT.ini back?

Thanks!

subbass · 20 Jan 2010 at 20:07

Guess youcan try Ultimate Boot CD or boot with a Linux livecd like Slax so that you can make changes to your boot.ini file

Scam · 21 Jan 2010 at 09:48

Thanks. I managed to make a Boot CD out of MS's floppy disk files using some utility, so I got into the Recovery Console to change boot.ini. However I still can't get into the registry to let me add the keys for safe mode. The virus seems to be stopping me opening regedit, or even merging the regkeys I have downloaded (which should fix it for me).

How can I kill this virus if i cant get into safe mode :confused:

FoxEye · 21 Jan 2010 at 11:21

There aren't as many virus scanners for Linux as for Windows, but there are some.

Perhaps you could try booting into Linux, downloading a Linux-compatible AV product, and using it to scan your Windows disk. Linux with NTFS-3g installed will allow you to safely make changes to an NTFS file system; this includes deleting or quarantine infected files.

Alternatively, boot to Linux and run an online (java-based) virus scanner.

bledd · 21 Jan 2010 at 11:57

Avira boot cd, it's worth a shot..

http://www.avira.com/en/support/support_downloads.html

Scam · 21 Jan 2010 at 13:49

Tried that, didnt find anything

Mercutio · 21 Jan 2010 at 21:22

Hmmm, a re-install probably wouldn't kill you? Is it win 7/vista or XP? If it's XP your laughing as the installer will only trash the windows folder, everything else stays.

As you said it's multiple machines in an office can you not just plug the drive into another box to edit the file? Get a virus checker you know can effectively kill the virus on a doner machine. Plug the drive in, edit boot.ini and reg, give the drive a once over to ensure you cleared it all up and you should be good

Scam · 22 Jan 2010 at 17:43

It's a Dell running XP Pro. Because we have all Dell's we havent got an XP CD to reinstall. I can now freely boot into Windows normally or safe mode, the latter of which still sends me to a blue screen and 'STOP' error. I really can't do anything in Windows so I need to get into safemode. How can I edit the registry over the network?

Failing that I've found ubcd4win which needs a copy of XP. But with that it looks like I could run AVs and anti-spyware without going into Windows 'normally'? :confused: