Laptop won't boot

  • Thread starter Thread starter mommio2
  • Start date Start date
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mommio2

Hello, I have a Dell Latitude E5400 laptop running XP. It recently had a
virus. I did all the normal things to remove it, but I suspect that in the
process, a system file may have been deleted. Anyhow, now when I try to
boot up it gets as far as Windows starting, then I get the BSOD. I have
tried F12 and setting it to boot to a DOS prompt, but it still tries to
start Windows. I also tried booting from CD and put in the Windows XP disk,
but it seems to just skip it all together and attemps to start Windows
again. Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
mommio2 said:
I have a Dell Latitude E5400 laptop running XP. It recently
had a virus. I did all the normal things to remove it, but I
suspect that in the process, a system file may have been deleted. Anyhow,
now when I try to boot up it gets as far as Windows
starting, then I get the BSOD. I have tried F12 and setting it to
boot to a DOS prompt, but it still tries to start Windows. I also
tried booting from CD and put in the Windows XP disk, but it seems
to just skip it all together and attemps to start Windows again. Any
suggestions?
Click to expand...

Questions first....

- Windows XP ________ Edition with Service Pack __, __-bit (32 or 64)?
- What "virus" did it have?
- What are the "normal things to remove it" you did and with what tools?
- "F12"? Do you mean "F8" and if not - have you tried that and booted into
Safe Mode?
- Before you attempted to boot from the CD (last resort really -but one you
may have passed a while back just getting the "virus", dependent on what it
was) did you go into the BIOS and change the boot order so it checks the
CD/DVD drive first *and* did you see the "Press any key to boot from CD...."
notification and do so?
 
Shenan Stanley said:
Questions first....

- Windows XP ________ Edition with Service Pack __, __-bit (32 or 64)?
- What "virus" did it have?
- What are the "normal things to remove it" you did and with what tools?
- "F12"? Do you mean "F8" and if not - have you tried that and booted
into Safe Mode?
- Before you attempted to boot from the CD (last resort really -but one
you may have passed a while back just getting the "virus", dependent on
what it was) did you go into the BIOS and change the boot order so it
checks the CD/DVD drive first *and* did you see the "Press any key to boot
from CD...." notification and do so?
Click to expand...
Windows XP with most recent service pack and updates 32bit

Still don't know what virus/spyware/malware it was and don't think it is
enturely gone

I tried running Symantec - could not start it.
Tried Hijackthis - deleted the "nasty" files
Tried to run Trend Micro House Call - wouldn't let me - kept going to a
different site
deleted all temp files
Tried to restart and my problem began

On this laptop, it is F12, notF8 (check the Dell web site)
It gives me all the setup options and I choose "boot from CD" and blanked
out all the other choices. Didn't work. It never got to the "Press any key
fto boot from CD" thing.

Thanks.

I may not know the correct lingo, but I do know what I am talking about.
Just would appreciate a little advice and wonder if anyone has seen this
before.
 
mommio2 said:
I have a Dell Latitude E5400 laptop running XP. It recently
had a virus. I did all the normal things to remove it, but I
suspect that in the process, a system file may have been deleted. Anyhow,
now when I try to boot up it gets as far as Windows
starting, then I get the BSOD. I have tried F12 and setting it to
boot to a DOS prompt, but it still tries to start Windows. I also
tried booting from CD and put in the Windows XP disk, but it seems
to just skip it all together and attemps to start Windows again. Any
suggestions?
Click to expand...

Shenan said:
Questions first....

- Windows XP ________ Edition with Service Pack __, __-bit (32 or
64)? - What "virus" did it have?
- What are the "normal things to remove it" you did and with what
tools? - "F12"? Do you mean "F8" and if not - have you tried that and
booted into Safe Mode?
- Before you attempted to boot from the CD (last resort really -but
one you may have passed a while back just getting the "virus",
dependent on what it was) did you go into the BIOS and change the
boot order so it checks the CD/DVD drive first *and* did you see
the "Press any key to boot from CD...." notification and do so?
Click to expand...
Windows XP with most recent service pack and updates 32bit

Still don't know what virus/spyware/malware it was and don't think
it is enturely gone

I tried running Symantec - could not start it.
Tried Hijackthis - deleted the "nasty" files
Tried to run Trend Micro House Call - wouldn't let me - kept going
to a different site
deleted all temp files
Tried to restart and my problem began

On this laptop, it is F12, notF8 (check the Dell web site)
It gives me all the setup options and I choose "boot from CD" and
blanked out all the other choices. Didn't work. It never got to
the "Press any key fto boot from CD" thing.

Thanks.

I may not know the correct lingo, but I do know what I am talking
about. Just would appreciate a little advice and wonder if anyone
has seen this before.
Click to expand...

Let's try this again...

Windows XP _____ Edition?
(Home? Professional? Media Center? Tablet PC? Other?)

F12 may let you select what media to boot from - but it has nothing to do
with Windows XP. F12 lets you choose what media to boot from for a single
instance (as opposed to going into the BIOS and changing it for each boot.)
It is a pre-OS boot thing - great for the CD booting thing, but not for the
Safe Mode boot I mentioned in the query.

My question there still stands about "Safe Mode". You should be able to
turn on the computer and start tapping the "F8" key once per second and it
should give you a menu - with one option being "Safe Mode". What happens
when you do this? Can it boot into safe mode?

What is the CD labeled that you are attempting to boot from? (Exact
wording.)
 
mommio2 said:
I have tried F12 and setting it to boot to a DOS
prompt, but it still tries to start Windows. I also tried booting
from CD and put in the Windows XP disk, but it seems to just skip it
all together and attemps to start Windows again. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

FWIW, "DOS prompt" is not an F12 Boot Device Menu option. See this
screenshot:

http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/4396/bootdevicemenu2wz.png

I would first follow Shenan's advice (try Safe Mode). But in the event
you *do* need to boot off your Dell XP Reinstallation CD (did I presume
correctly?), after selecting "IDE CD-ROM Device" from the Boot Device
Menu, you will see this screen:

http://www.pcxmedics.com/blog/images/clean-install-xp-1.jpg

You need to press any key! Otherwise the PC will then boot from the hard
drive.
 
mommio2 said:
Hello, I have a Dell Latitude E5400 laptop running XP. It recently had a
virus. I did all the normal things to remove it, but I suspect that in the
process, a system file may have been deleted. Anyhow, now when I try to
boot up it gets as far as Windows starting, then I get the BSOD. I have
tried F12 and setting it to boot to a DOS prompt, but it still tries to
start Windows. I also tried booting from CD and put in the Windows XP disk,
but it seems to just skip it all together and attemps to start Windows
again. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Click to expand...

F12 = once only boot menu
F8 = safe mode options

use F8 to boot into safe mode, choose safe mode with networking if possible.
Then Download 'malwarebytes free version' and install, update and do a
FULL scan
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
then, when finished
Download 'Spybot search & destroy' also free and install, (DO NOT
install the teatimer gadget), update, and do a scan of all your hard drives
then, when finished
Goto http://onecare.live.com/site/en-my/default.htm?mkt=en-my
click on full service scan, follow the instructions and install when
asked to do so
then, when finished
Goto http://www.eset.com/onlinescan/
click on Eset Online Scanner, again follow the instructions

run as many as possible in safe mode, then re-boot into normal mode and
go through then again, updating first of course

if you cannot boot into normal mode or even safe mode without BSOD do a
checkdisc, boot into either safe mode or a Windows XP installation disc
and choose repair. At the command prompt type
chkdsk c: /r
<enter>
 
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