Endless reboots in Windows XP after Spybot S&D update and scan

H

Hardball

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 24, 2002
Messages
175
Yesterday, September 26, 2012, I updated my Spybot 1.6.2 as I do every Wednesday. I usually choose the Giganet mirror from the list of update sites, but it was not on the list yesterday so I chose SecurityWonks.net#1 (USA). There was only 1 file listed which was a 2MB file, which I downloaded and was installed. I rebooted into Safe Mode and ran my scan. It came back clean, so I rebooted. At this point, when the computer restarted it could not boot into Windows. It just goes into an endless loop of restarts once it gets to the point where Windows would normally load and take you to the desktop screen.

I cannot get into Safe Mode either as it does the same thing of the endless reboot. The first computer this happened on was a family member's which I had updated. I did not know there was a problem at that point because after I did the scan and rebooted, I left. It was a short time later when I was told that their computer was doing this continuous reboot thing and at that time I didn't know that the Spybot update was the cause.

When I got home I had to update my Spybot and do my weekly scan, so I did, and the exact same thing has happened to my computer. I updated from the same SecurityWonks.net#1 (USA) mirror and after the scan was complete and I rebooted, my computer is doing the same endless reboot that my family member's computer is doing. It appears that the 2MB Spybot update file on the SecurityWonks.net#1 mirror for September 26, 2012 is infected with a virus or malware or is corrupted in some way and now I have 2 computers that I cannot use at the moment. What do you suggest I do?
 
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Press F8 right after you start the computer and keep pressing it before windows loads to get to the boot menu. then select "Last Known good configuration" .Then you should be able to get back into windows.. and uninstall spybot and then try reinstalling it and getting the update from your usual source..but if i were you i'd wait till they fix the update issue before reinstalling it.
It seems to me that spybot removed something vital for windows to boot properly.
 
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Seithennin- I tried F8 and the "Last known good configuration" to no avail. When it comes out of the F8 menu it goes back into the reboot loop.
 
I was able to get the following blue screen error message:
Stop c000021a {Fatal System Error}
The Windows Logon Process system process terminated unexpectedly with a status of
0xc0000135 (0x00000000 0x00000000) The system has shut down.

Is this any help to getting to a solution?
 
1. Stop using Spybot S&D its garbage.
2. Do you have a windows XP CD? Your going to need to repair OS.
 
thedocta45 said:
1. Stop using Spybot S&D its garbage.
2. Do you have a windows XP CD? Your going to need to repair OS.
Click to expand...
You got that right, Spybot S&D IS Garbage.. lol if you need to use something like that use MalwareBytes instead.
And yes, it does seem like he's going to have to to a repair install.. I would actually wipe the hard drive and use a more up to date os like Windows 7 maybe???
 
Seithennin said:
You got that right, Spybot S&D IS Garbage.. lol if you need to use something like that use MalwareBytes instead.
And yes, it does seem like he's going to have to to a repair install.. I would actually wipe the hard drive and use a more up to date os like Windows 7 maybe???
Click to expand...

I would also recommend a clean format and jumping to 7 or 8 if the system if possible.
If going this route you can either repair XP and pull the data you need, or pop a linux live cd in like puppy and copy the data to an external source.

If you can't jump to a more up to date OS, just repair XP.
If you don't have a CD there are legit copies floating around on the internet.
 
Instead of Last Known Good Config, try booting to Safe mode instead, which will boot into a bare minimal Windows with no drivers or start-up programs running. Then uninstall Spybot from within Safe mode. After you uninstall it, restart your computer back to regular Windows, then go download CCleaner and use it to clean out any remaining left-over crap from the Registry.
 
thedocta45 said:
I would also recommend a clean format and jumping to 7 or 8 if the system if possible.
If going this route you can either repair XP and pull the data you need, or pop a linux live cd in like puppy and copy the data to an external source.

If you can't jump to a more up to date OS, just repair XP.
If you don't have a CD there are legit copies floating around on the internet.
Click to expand...

What exactly is involved with a repair XP? I have been in the Recovery Console and tried several things including chkdsk /r, fixmbr, fixboot, replaced winlogon.exe, and did bootcfg /rebuild. None of it has worked.

One question/possible side effect of the bootcfg deal is that it appears to have created a second "install" or at least a second entry listing when the computer tries to boot it gets to a screen where there are 2 listings for Windows XP Professiona and you have to select one. It's almost like if you had a dual boot system. How do I get rid of the second one that was apparently created with the bootcfg /rebuild action??

As far as popping in a linux live cd like puppy and copying data, is it pretty simple to do? Is it a "simple" way of getting files and data off of the messed up windows install? How simple is it to do? I haven't used linux live before.

Is there a risk with doing the repair of XP that I wouldn't be able to get my data off of there?
 
Its been a while sense I repaired XP, but if memory serves.
1. insert XP CD.
2. Boot to XP CD.
3. You should see 3 options iirc install windows, repair windows using recovery console, and quit.
(note) it sounds like recovery console did not work. So lets jump to 4.
4. Install Windows option.
5. Licence Agrement.
6. It should detect a damaged version of your OS now.
7. Hit R to repair.
8. Basically its going to install Widows, now. It should not delete any of your User Data. But you can never be sure.

As for pulling data with puppy linux.

1.Download and burn the iso to a cd.
2.Put the cd in the computer boot to the cd.
3.let puppy linux boot.
4.after it does you should see an icon for your hdd in the bottom left corner sda1. additional partitions will show as sda 2, sda 3 and so on.
5.Single click on the hdd icon.
6.Find the folders you need to pull data out of. most likely documents and settings/username/my documents or something like that.
7.put a flash drive in.
8. open up the flash drive on the computer and drag and drop the folders you need into the flash drive.
 
thedocta45 said:
Its been a while sense I repaired XP, but if memory serves.
1. insert XP CD.
2. Boot to XP CD.
3. You should see 3 options iirc install windows, repair windows using recovery console, and quit.
(note) it sounds like recovery console did not work. So lets jump to 4.
4. Install Windows option.
5. Licence Agrement.
6. It should detect a damaged version of your OS now.
7. Hit R to repair.
8. Basically its going to install Widows, now. It should not delete any of your User Data. But you can never be sure.

As for pulling data with puppy linux.

1.Download and burn the iso to a cd.
2.Put the cd in the computer boot to the cd.
3.let puppy linux boot.
4.after it does you should see an icon for your hdd in the bottom left corner sda1. additional partitions will show as sda 2, sda 3 and so on.
5.Single click on the hdd icon.
6.Find the folders you need to pull data out of. most likely documents and settings/username/my documents or something like that.
7.put a flash drive in.
8. open up the flash drive on the computer and drag and drop the folders you need into the flash drive.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info. Above and beyond the call.
 
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