Need help with a computer problem......

[The Noggin]

So the current installation on the disk is displayed but after you select it there is no "Repair" option?

You might have a Setup CD that is modified by the PC manufacturer which removed this option. Perhaps you could ask a friend for a original Microsoft Setup CD.

Have you tried to reset the system with the System Restore utility? There is a way to do this without logging into the desktop but only if you can get the "Safe Mode With Command Prompt" to work. See http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/systemrestorecp.htm

[tomgallagher]

I tried last known good config earlier with no success.

Well that was my only idea. Going back to the last AOK Restore Point. Sorry Mike.

[DavidTX]

See if any of this helps
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

[Mikekoz13]

See if any of this helps
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

Thanks for the link Dave. I'm worried about losing what's on my hard drive. I read this over and I may be in a bit over my head with all that. I'll PM you in the next day or so.

[DavidTX]

If you think it's a virus, since you have another computer

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

Start with the BitDefender, have had the best results with it.

[Mikekoz13]

If you think it's a virus, since you have another computer

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

Start with the BitDefender, have had the best results with it.

I managed to cleanse the virus from all files using MalWareBytes before this problem started. The problem started when I rebooted after running MWB and cleansing the files. The reboot was required by MWB to finish the cleanse. After rebooting I couldn't, and can't, get past that welcome screen because the virus bastardized the userinit file. I tried reloading that file but it didin't work.... and that solution seems to work for some but not others according to all I read.

[Alexander215]

I've fixed this at least a hundred times.

Insert the original Windows XP CD (Windows XP with Service Pack 2 is preferred, but not required) and reboot the computer. You may need to configure your computer to boot from the CD-ROM drive.
When the Windows XP Setup has started, press "R" to "repair the Windows XP installation using Recovery Console".
Select the Windows installation to repair (generally this is C:\Windows) by typing its number and then pressing ENTER.
Type the Administrator password and press ENTER.
Type the following commands:

D:                [ENTER]
CD I386               [ENTER]
EXPAND USERINIT.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32   [ENTER]

NOTE: If your CD-ROM drive has a different letter assigned to it, enter "X:" instead, where X is the appropriate drive letter.

After entering "EXPAND USERINIT.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32" you should see the text "1 file(s) copied", in which case all went well.

Remove the Windows XP CD, type "EXIT" and press ENTER to restart your computer. You should now be able to log on as normally.
# Update your virus signature files using the Updater component.
# Replace the original USERINIT.EXE (acquired from the Windows XP CD) with the latest version included in Service Pack 2.

If this does not fix it, let me know there are other ways to fix it. As well there is a way to create a temporary partition to protect your data while you move it to something else.

[Mikekoz13]

I've fixed this at least a hundred times.

Insert the original Windows XP CD (Windows XP with Service Pack 2 is preferred, but not required) and reboot the computer. You may need to configure your computer to boot from the CD-ROM drive.
When the Windows XP Setup has started, press "R" to "repair the Windows XP installation using Recovery Console".
Select the Windows installation to repair (generally this is C:\Windows) by typing its number and then pressing ENTER.
Type the Administrator password and press ENTER.
Type the following commands:

D:                [ENTER]
CD I386               [ENTER]
EXPAND USERINIT.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32   [ENTER]

NOTE: If your CD-ROM drive has a different letter assigned to it, enter "X:" instead, where X is the appropriate drive letter.

After entering "EXPAND USERINIT.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32" you should see the text "1 file(s) copied", in which case all went well.

Remove the Windows XP CD, type "EXIT" and press ENTER to restart your computer. You should now be able to log on as normally.
# Update your virus signature files using the Updater component.
# Replace the original USERINIT.EXE (acquired from the Windows XP CD) with the latest version included in Service Pack 2.

If this does not fix it, let me know there are other ways to fix it. As well there is a way to create a temporary partition to protect your data while you move it to something else.

Shdwlk-

This is the same solution that I had found on line but I went ahead and tried it again anyway per your exact instructions. The only thing I saw slightly different when I did this was that when I used the "EXPAND" command the text came back "One filr Expanded"instead of one file copied.

However.... is still didn;t work. When I rebooted and then selected my user at the welcome screen, I actually saw my wallpaper for about ten seconds or so and then it logged me right back out.

Thanks for you r help though and any additional help to fix it is greatly appreciated!

[rick68]

We can take a different approach if you want to save your data, then reinstall the operating system. download a copy of PClinuxos and burn the .iso file to disk (google how to do that) then boot the disk log in and then you can go into a folder I think is called places and then copy all the data to an external drive. Sorry for not having exact instructions but it has been a while since I've used that distro.

[Alexander215]

I've fixed this at least a hundred times.

Insert the original Windows XP CD (Windows XP with Service Pack 2 is preferred, but not required) and reboot the computer. You may need to configure your computer to boot from the CD-ROM drive.
When the Windows XP Setup has started, press "R" to "repair the Windows XP installation using Recovery Console".
Select the Windows installation to repair (generally this is C:\Windows) by typing its number and then pressing ENTER.
Type the Administrator password and press ENTER.
Type the following commands:

D:                [ENTER]
CD I386               [ENTER]
EXPAND USERINIT.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32   [ENTER]

NOTE: If your CD-ROM drive has a different letter assigned to it, enter "X:" instead, where X is the appropriate drive letter.

After entering "EXPAND USERINIT.EX_ C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32" you should see the text "1 file(s) copied", in which case all went well.

Remove the Windows XP CD, type "EXIT" and press ENTER to restart your computer. You should now be able to log on as normally.
# Update your virus signature files using the Updater component.
# Replace the original USERINIT.EXE (acquired from the Windows XP CD) with the latest version included in Service Pack 2.

If this does not fix it, let me know there are other ways to fix it. As well there is a way to create a temporary partition to protect your data while you move it to something else.

Shdwlk-

This is the same solution that I had found on line but I went ahead and tried it again anyway per your exact instructions. The only thing I saw slightly different when I did this was that when I used the "EXPAND" command the text came back "One filr Expanded"instead of one file copied.

However.... is still didn;t work. When I rebooted and then selected my user at the welcome screen, I actually saw my wallpaper for about ten seconds or so and then it logged me right back out.

Thanks for you r help though and any additional help to fix it is greatly appreciated!

I figured cutting and pasting a common solution would be easier to read than my shorthand 

[Tyler]

You can use Ultimate Boot CD to access your registry and update it.  Here's a link to UBCD -http://www.ubcd4win.com/  and here's a link to instructions on how to do it - http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2008/07/02/how-to-edit-windows-registry-key-values-without-booting-in-windows/

If that doesn't work, you can use Knoppix to boot a linux distribution and copy all of your files to an external hard drive or network drive.

[IRONHORSE]

Tyler beat me to the punch, by suggesting D/Ling a linux distro and moving the desired files manually to a removable media (CD, USB or whatever.) BTW, Puppy Linux is small enough to run resident in RAM, thereby freeing up your CD drive, if you only have one CD drive.

[Mikekoz13]

I want to thank every one of you guys for your suggestions and help. I'm not a computer guru by any stretch and some of the suggestions may be outside of what I fell comfortable doing myself.
I am going, however, to try Tyler's suggestion one eveving later this week.

[bubbadave3]

I got a Sony Vaio with Win 7 about two weeks ago.  I went to log on, and I was hearing this "clicking" sound.  Then, I got this message, "Operating System Not Found".  Drat!  Of course, I didn't make backup disks, but my personal files have been backed up.  So, it'll be going into the shop in the morning.  What a drag!  (And I do run AVG, Adaware (Malware bytes), and use ccleaner every day, so I don't know what happened.  :-(

[Tyler]

I got a Sony Vaio with Win 7 about two weeks ago.  I went to log on, and I was hearing this "clicking" sound.  Then, I got this message, "Operating System Not Found".  Drat!  Of course, I didn't make backup disks, but my personal files have been backed up.  So, it'll be going into the shop in the morning.  What a drag!  (And I do run AVG, Adaware (Malware bytes), and use ccleaner every day, so I don't know what happened.  :-(

Sounds like a lemon hard drive.  My buddy bought a Toshiba from Best Buy and 3 months later the motherboard went out.  I diagnosed it over the phone and had to argue with the Dumb Squad for 30 minutes before they'd believe it was the motherboard.  Though, once they did see I was right they gave him a new computer and backed up his files off of the old one.