Windows XP Home won't reboot into safe mode.

[diogenes10]

Have a spyware infected computer.

Have done as much removal in normal mode as I know how to do. Inability to reboot to safe mode remains.

Need to boot to safe mode to run av tools such as Kaspersky and Ewido.

Selecting safe mode or safe mode with command prompt causes black screen with scrolling white text lines beginning with
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\windows\system32 .
There are then a few lines with file names. I cant tell how many because the screen won't stop (I had to reboot 6-8 times to get this much info).

The lines then add the \drivers\folder . There are over a screen page of lines with file names from that location. The screen then stops with an error message relating to d347bus.sys. (In the list of files, this file is near the top of the page there are many files listed below it.) When that is answered I think there is a brief blue screen flash and then the system loops back to startup menu again.

Studying msconfig, we found a file named boot.ini. We checked a boot.ini line related to safe mode. The system now just loops on startup. Once we can figure out a way to get to the boot.ini and remove the change which we made and get a normal start back, the question of how to get a safe mode restart remains.

(I didn't write this down at the time and now I can't get back into boot.ini to see exact information but the boot.ini file did contain a line under a square bracket heading that began with part of the info on the lines that scroll through the black screen. The boot.ini line ended in fast something or another.)

Debug mode on the startup menu did not appear to give me any kind of response.

How do I troubleshoot for safe mode reboots on XP?

Thanks.



-------------------------------------
It's 10 O'Clock ( somewhere! ).
Are your registry and data backed up?

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Try booting from the XP CD and try a repair..





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[tiver43809]

I am having the same problem. I do not have the normal xp cd. I have restored a few times with the compac restore. Last time was not to bad as it did not format the hard drive. All was well until I did the service pack2 download. Was the same last time. As soon as it reboots from the service pack install my pc will not boot back into XP. It goes from a screen that says it is sorry, then it does not matter what I choose. Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Network, Command Prompt, I get what was described. I did create a restore point prior to the download this time. Any Ideas?

 

[linney]

You could load Recovery Console and remove/replace the Boot.ini file with a new one. You may need to use the Attrib command as well, as the file may be a hidden and system one with read attributes.

While in the Recovery Console you have the listsvc and disable command to experiment with on d347bus.sys to see if you can get into Safe Mode.

HOW TO: Install and Use the Recovery Console for Windows XP (Q307654)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q307/6/54.asp

HOW TO: Edit the Boot.ini File in Windows XP (Q289022)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q289/0/22.asp

How to Use System Files to Create a Boot Disk to Guard Against Being Unable to Start Windows XP (Q314079)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q314/0/79.asp

Q305595 - HOW TO: Create a Boot Disk for an NTFS or FAT Partition in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q305/5/95.asp

tiver43809,

A new thread would have been a better approach and less complicated than mixing two different problems.

XP Reboots
thread779-963265

875350 - How to remove Windows XP Service Pack 2 from your computer

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;875350&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

875355 - How to use the Automatic Recovery feature to recover your computer if the Windows XP Service Pack 2 Setup program is not completed successfully

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;875355&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

 

[tiver43809]

Our IT guy said to upgrade my bios. I did all is well. Was able to load all the service packs and everything.