PC won't boot up [Archive] - Icrontic Forums

mreese

19 Jun 2006, 08:37pm

Hi--

This is my first time posting here...hoping someone may be able to help.

I have an HP laptop w/Windows XP (Home). Was using it yesterday, and everything was fine. Went to boot up this morning, and it won't go past the blue Windows XP screen (using my work PC now). This same thing has happend twice in the past, and I've paid someone to come out and take a look. Each time he has told me it is spyware. He takes it home w/him, fixes it, charges me $100 a pop, and it works great...for a few months.

First and foremost, I want to find out the root cause and figure out a permanent fix (he added spyware detection, etc., and I run Norton updates regularly to catch viruses). Secondly, the guy seems nice enough, but I have this nagging feeling that he's purposely not fixing the root problem so I have to keep going back to him.

Can anyone shed any light? Thanks in advance

ftballtw

19 Jun 2006, 09:49pm

Probably you have a corrupt version of Windows which can be fixed. Go to this site to tell you how to go to the recovery console. If you do not have the original XP disk , you can get there from the setup floppies you can download from microsoft for free: http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/howto-12.html

Then you can repair windows in 8 commands following instructions from this site we are on now. short-media.com
You do have to fight spyware, viruses, etc. all the time, but when you get the right combo of programs, you should have no trouble. You can get regclean free from microsoft for keeping the registry clean. I use a program called "fix-it" which is great. I hope this helps you. There is always a solution, sometimes it just takes a while to figure it out.

profdlp

19 Jun 2006, 10:48pm

ftballtw gave you some good advice - that's a great place to start. :thumbsup:

You might also want to see if you can get into Safe Mode (press F8 before Windows starts to load, then pick it from the list), then see if you can run HijackThis (http://www.short-media.com/download.php?dc=69&p=3). If so, post a copy of the log here.

As for paying $100 to fix spyware, browse through our Spyware/Virus/Trojan Discussion Forum (http://www.short-media.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=57) and you'll probably be able to learn as much about the subject as your pricey repairman knows. :)

mreese

21 Jun 2006, 04:09pm

I was able to get to the recovery console. Thanks! Where can I find the 8 commands you referenced? I found some info on the commands but do not know which ones to use (not very technical and don't want to screw it up even more!).

ftballtw

23 Jun 2006, 01:04pm

mreese

23 Jun 2006, 02:23pm

Thanks ftballtw...I will give it a try :)