System will not boot

Hello,

I was updating a friends PC , using windows update.
Seemed to go fine until after the last reboot it hung at the
windows splash screen.
I tried using safe mode but it hangs after loading aswrvrt.sys .
I realize from other posts that it must hanging on the next file that is being loaded.

The guy said he got it at a flea market.
Dell Dimension 4700
Sticker says windows XP , but when it was working it was windows 7 .
It has 4 banks of 256k mem.
I bought two 1gig mem strips from crucial to install.
I did the windows updates with the original memory.
The new memory has not yet been installed.

I read some other threads from people having the same problem.
Advice was to d/l some software to usb drive and run it. ( avast uninstall utillity, Rufus, Farbar )

I can d/l them to this laptop, and put them on a flash drive, but how do I run them on
the PC that wont boot?

Also some of the replies said they were specific to the individual users
system specs. So I thought I should start my own thread rather than
asking my question as a reply to someone elses.

Let me know what other info I can give that may help.

And thank you to essexboy for the time you invest in your replies and links

Hi OK if it is windows 7 then is it 32 or 64 bit ?

On my skydrive are all the ISO’s download the one relevant to this system

The USB you are going to create is bootable

Download the following three programmes to your desktop :

  1. Rufus

For 64bit systems
2. ISO Download http://1drv.ms/1bShoQz
3. Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64

For 32bit systems
2. ISO Download http://1drv.ms/1bShoQz
3. Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Insert the USB stick Then run Rufus

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/rufus.JPG

Select the ISO file on the desktop via the ISO icon.

Press Start Burn

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/RufusISO.JPG

Then copy FRST to the same USB

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/frstwintoboot.JPG

Insert the USB into the sick computer and start the computer. First ensuring that the system is set to boot from USB
Note: If you are not sure how to do that follow the instructions Here

When you reboot you will see this although yours will say windows 7.
Click repair my computer

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee362/Essexboy3/RepairVista_7275.jpg

Select your operating system

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee362/Essexboy3/RepairVista_7277202.jpg

Select Command prompt

http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee362/Essexboy3/RepairVista_7277.jpg

At the command prompt type the following :

notepad and press Enter.
The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
Select “Computer” and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
In the command window type e:\frst64.exe and press Enter
Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.
The tool will start to run.
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/73555776/FRST%20Start%20scan.gif

Press Scan button.
It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.

Hi ,
Thanks for the fast reply.
The system is so old that I think it has to be 32 bit, I chose the files that were for 32 bit win 7.

Upon ReBoot, I got a popup window :
System Recovery Options
A Radio dot was beside “Use recovery tools that can help fix problems startin windows.
select an operating system to repair”
only one in the list , and it started to scan for operating systems available,( I think).
Then another pop up
System Recovery Options
“Windows found problems with your computers startup options
Do you want to apply repairs and restart your computer?”

options are Repair and restart or NO

Selecting repair

getting further , this time I was able to select the win 7 32 bit from the list.
Started the repair, there is a pop up now that is working, and may take several minutes.

I will post again when I get to the " select command prompt " pop up

Thanks again

Got a pop up that says

System Repair
Startup repair cannot repair this computer automatically
Sending more information can help Microsoft creat solutions

Send or
Dont Send

selecting Don’t send

New windows says if you have recently attached a device like camera, remove it.
and restart without it.

So I am going to unplug the usb and reboot

Ah , after that popup window I got the one to select command prompt.
I selected command prompt and the PC shut down, but did not restart.
Going to restart it without removing the usb


I open notepad
browse to flash drive, :x drive for me

However the file/folder structure does not match what was originally on the flash stick.
The FRST.exe file does not exist on the usb flash stick.
I pulled it out and put it in my laptop, the file structure was the way it was when I d/l it.
FRST.exe was there in the root folder.

I reinsertd it into the PC. and the file does not exist.
The folder structure has changed and looks like a bootable CD type arrangement.

Where can I find the frst.exe file from here

typing x:\FRST.exe from the command prompt returns the not recognized as an internal or external command.
I did a CD\ to get to the root dir
then DIR FRST.exe /s
it does not show in the results

stuck atm

There is a setup.exe in the root folder of the x: drive
Should I run it instead of FRST.exe?

No there should be an FRST.exe file on the USB drive where you copied it, what drive is the USB reporting as using the notepad technique

I thought it was reported as drive x:

I removed the flash stick and x: drive is still there, so It would appear that from notepad that I cannot
find the flash drive on the PC.

Found my mistake.
I will be away for about 3 hours.
thank you

X is the RAM drive used to run the recovery console

Hello,

Thank you for your patience.
I have attached the frst.txt file

OK initially we will try a LKG type restore and see how that fares

Download the attached fixlist.txt to the same location as FRST
Run FRST as before and press FIX
On completion try a normal boot.

Also there is some adware on the computer which will need to be removed
Also are there two hardrives in this system ?

Hi Essexboy

Apologies if this hijacks this topic, I have my own thread already earlier today… however this is the exact issue in my case and also affects 3 of our work pc’s.

Are you able to give an opinion on cause and possibly a fix?

Thanks!

Magna has taken your case :slight_smile:

Essexboy,

There are two physical drives in the PC.
No Adware removal software installed yet.
Let me know what you want me to use.

Followed your instructions and got much further. :smiley:
Then I did the normal boot, the splash screen did not hang !!
Got the desktop to come up with the cursor in middle of screen.
No desktop icons,
no mouse control, (the light on the bottom of the mouse was on)
No keyboard control, (no TAB, or CNTRL-ALT-DEL)
Date was correct, Time was off and did not appear to change,

Going to try a reboot again.
That was a big step in the right direction, thank you

I had to power down the PC with the front Button.
When I powered up I got the did not shutdown properly screen.
I let it time out while typing this and it defaulted to Boot Normally

I got desktop icons this time.
A couple of installing device driver balloons appeared and
reported ready for use.
those must have been the mouse and keyboard , they area working now.

I promise not to browse around on it or launch anything
until further instruction from you.

Avast icon is on desktop.

Windows Update icon in systray reporting that an update is installing.
The PC is not connected to the internet at this time, but can be if neened.

good news … Ok let it complete the updates (fingers crossed :slight_smile: )

Then we will look at the adware using OTL

Download OTL to your Desktop
Secondary link

[*]Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/73555776/OTL_Main_Tutorial.gif

[*]Select All Users
[]Select LOP and Purity
[
]Under the Custom Scan box paste this in

netsvcs
BASESERVICES
%SYSTEMDRIVE%*.exe
c:\program files (x86)\Google\Desktop
c:\program files\Google\Desktop
dir “%systemdrive%*” /S /A:L /C
/md5start
rpcss.dll
/md5stop
CREATERESTOREPOINT

[*]Click the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
[*]When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
[*]Attach both logs

When I mouse over the icon it says Updater is Running.
It has not changed for hours.
Should I connect the PC to the internet to see if it will complete updating?

OTL should be on the problem PC desktop, correct ?

Yes connect to the net to continue the updates and OTL should be on the desktop

147 updates
they downloaded and installed,
on the next re boot it got past splash screen, A Dell screen with % update displayed,
it got to 30% and blue screen of death.
Black screen, then it reboots to the screen that gives option for
safe mode , normal, etc,
times out in normal boot

got past splash screen, A Dell screen with % update displayed,
got 67% at dell screen and blue screen of death.
Black screen, then it reboots to the screen that gives option for
safe mode , normal, etc.,
times out in normal boot

got past splash screen, A Dell screen with % update displayed,
got 67% again at dell screen and blue screen of death.
Black screen, then it reboots
I stopped it manually by holding the front button in.

:frowning:

trying to reboot into safe mode
Dell screen say “Failure to install updates, reverting back,”
drivers load
black screen w/ cursor
dell screen
failure confing windows updates , reverting changes , do not turn off computer
cursor seems stuck in the spinning circle mode, mouse wont move it around the screen.

It finally booted into safemode.
will wait for further instructions
Prehaps the low amount of memory
is causing a problem?

OK you are currently in safe mode, well you can run OTL from there, it will still give me good data

147 updates… Hmm a while without updating by the looks of it :slight_smile:

here is the OTL file.
There was no Extras file generated

going to be AFK for about 3 hours, I check back here then.

OK there is a shedload of stuff

Download the attached fix.txt to the desktop
Run OTL and press RUN FIX
A dialogue will ask for the location of fix.txt
Locate and select fix.txt on the desktop
Press Run Fix again

After it has rebooted then :

Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode onto your desktop.

[*]Close all open programs and internet browsers.
[*]Double click on AdwCleaner.exe to run the tool.
[*]Click on Scan.
[*]After the scan is complete click on “Clean”
[*]Confirm each time with Ok.
[*]Your computer will be rebooted automatically. A text file will open after the restart.
[*]Please post the content of that logfile with your next answer.
[*]You can find the logfile at C:\AdwCleaner[S1].txt as well.

OTL > ran fix > browse to file > Ran Fix again
PC automatically tried a normal reboot and blue screen of death.
then next reboot I got option for safe mode and used it.
No log file opened , I guess due to 2 reboots.
I don’t see one named AdwCleaner[S1].txt on the system.
But I see 2 files named AdwCleaner[R0].txt and AdwCleaner[S0].txt

I can attach those.
If a AdwCleaner[S1].txt was supposed to be generated, I must have lost it in the reboots.
Can I force a reboot to safe mode?