System Security - XP Won't Boot to Safe Mode (or Normally)

Hi,

I came across your forum as I search for answers to a problem that got worse this morning. (Note: I am entering this message on another systems because my original system will not boot.)

Just in case it makes a difference, I would like to make mention of a few things that happened over the weekend. On Saturday morning I found a message on the system that is now unbootable which said that Norton Internet Security had installed updates and it asked me to reboot. I needed to correct another hardware matter which involved shutting down the system (rather than restarting). When I did this, Windows XP began installing updates which had previously been downloaded. When I powered the system up again, the normal start only got as far as the XP splash screen with the scroll bar which scrolled until the I did a hard reset of the computer.

After a num of attemps to start Windows normally, I finally tried Safe Mode with Networking, and I was able to start XP and access the Internet. My intention was to troubleshoot that problem later this week.

Before I could troubleshoot the problem, however, and when on the Internet this morning, I received a message that System Security detected a problem and I should install it. I immediately tried to close out of it; but, no matter what keys I tried, it appears that System Security was installing itself. I took the drastic measure of just powering down the computer.

Now the computer will not boot into Safe Mode. It goes into a loop. (I haven't tried to let it boot normally; but, as of Saturday that wasn't possible.)

I have tried booting from a Norton Internet Security 2008 system disk; but, when I run NAVDX from the CD, it completes a scan on the memory and the master boot record. The screen shows that no boot records or files have been scanned (although the scan shows that it completed). If I attempt to examine the hard drive volumes from the DOS prompt, I am told that I have entered and invalid drive specification. The system is a RAID 0 configuration. At start-up the RAID controller loads. The only two drive specifications which are valid are A: (the location of the Norton CD) and B: (the second CD drive).

I am more than a little confused.

I have viewed other threads looking for an answer. I imagine it's there; but, I just want to make sure I do the right thing. I read one thread that discussed using RescueCD. I don't know that I should be trying it without advice regarding my specific situation.

Can you help?

Thanks

Jeff

Hello.
If the machine wont boot, then a boot disc may be needed here since it wont normal/safe mode boot properly.

Hi,

Could you expand on your recommendation a little more.

I have tried booting to the Windows XP product disk. I even attempted to repair the XP installation from the disk. When I am given the option of Installing XP, Repairing, or Exiting, I chose Repair.

When repair starts I receive a message that states:

Microsoft Windows XP Recovery Console
The Recovery Console provides system repair and recovery functionality.
Type Exit to quit the Recovery Console and start the computer

There is a monetary hesitation and then the DOS prompt (C:\>) appears.

It really acts like there is no hard drive in the system. (If I change the drive letters, from one end of the alphabet to the other, the only drives that are present are the two CD drives on the computer. The hard drives on the system are two SATA drives in a RAID0 configuration. The RAID utility accessible at boot-up shows the two drives in the array, shows the volume status as normal, and indicates that it is bootable. (This is similar to what happened when I tried to use the Norton Internet Security Recovery Tool from a bootable CD... it isn't recognizing a hard drive/array.)

Any ideas?

Thanks

Jeff

Hello.
Lets give the Avira rescue disc a go, see what good comes out of it, if any.

Please download this file: Avira Rescue Disc

1. Insert a black CD into your CD draw.
   
2. Double click the rescuecd.exe file on your Desktop.
   
3. Hit the "Burn CD" button and allow it to burn, it shouldn't take too long.
   
4. Next, reboot your computer, keep the CD inside the draw.
   
5. Your computer should boot from the CD and boot to the Avira rescue disc.
   
6. Next, see this guide here: How to use the boot disc
   

Let me know how it goes.

Hi Belahzur,

Thanks for your quick reply.

I booted from the CD created with the method you described above. (In case I didn't mention it before, I prepared the boot CD from another computer that is running. The other computer will not boot to Windows.)

It appears that Avira has stopped after only running for a short time after boot-up.

The screen status shows: Scanner ist nicht gestartet

Kopiere VDF Dateien
antivir0.vdf from /media/Devices/hdc/antivir/antivir/antivir0.vdf

I'm sorry that I do not speak your language. (Dutch or German?)

Can you recommend something more?

Thanks

Jeff

Nah, I'm English. Just when a machine won't boot, there is limited options left. A boot disc is usuallt the final try, because a virus can cause damage so severe, even a boot disc can't help any.

Do you have your XP disc? we can try a format if we need to.

Hi Again,

My biggest concern is what caused the problem. At the moment, I am not sure if there is a hardware failure, or if this problem is caused by malware such as System Security. The RAID controller messages lead me to believe the hardware is good, so I am really confused.

Based upon what I have told you, do you have an opinion?

I have two new drives that I will install into the system and perform a restore from the latest backup. I will keep the current hard drives from the system in case there is a problem with the restore and I need to try to recover date from them in a different way. (Although, at this time, I don't have any idea if anything further is possible with the drives or not. Again, you opinion would be helpful.)

Thanks for your help.

Jeff

Hi Belahzur,

This may be outside the intended scope of this forum; but, I am hoping you might provide some additional advice. (Regardless of the outcome, I will be making a donation to your site today.)

I replaced the two (2) hard drives in the system with new drives.

I restarted the system and configured them as a RAID0 volume, bootable. That appeared to work without problems.

With the Windows XP bootable CD in the CD drive, the system restarted. A message was displayed stating that the system was being inspected and files were being loaded.

The next screen that appeared was the Windows XP Professional Setup screen. I clicked enter to continue Windows XP setup. I then clicked F8 to agree to the license requirements.

On the Windows XP Professional Setup screen there were four (4) instances of "Unknown Disk - There is no disk in this drive" in the list of available volumes in which Windows XP can be installed.

When I click on F3 to escape, I immediately go to the BSOD. The last set of technical information was:

"Stop: 0x0000008E (0xc0000005, 0xF7418CAD, 0xF6FEA7E4, 0x00000000)"
"setupdd.sys Address F7418CAD base at F73EC000, Date Stamp 41107c8f"

I have never run into a similar problem. I suppose this points to a hardware problem, although I could be wrong. If it is a hardward problem, how can I identify it? (I would suspect the RAID controller; but, I am not sure how to troubleshoot it. (I believe it it built onto the motherboard.)

Thanks for your help.

Jeff

Hello.
Thanks for that info. Please note this is the malware removal forum and the hardware related problems forum is lower down the forum, but I will try my best. The hardware techs here will probs have a better idea than me if we need them.

On the bootable XP disc, do you get a command prompt like that lets you type something in? we can try a repair scan and fix any bad sectors.

Hi Belahzur,

With the new hard drives installed, when I boot to the XP CD, the installation starts. When it gets to the "Windows Professional XP Setup" screen (after the license agreement) there are four instances of "Unknown Disk - (There is no disk in this drive.)

When I close out of this screen I immediately go into a BSOD.

I know this doesn't directly answer your question; but, I went a little different direction. I hope the information helps, and that you don't think I'm getting off-topic.

The system is a Compaq X09 with an ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe motherboard.

I created a Promise FastTrak 378 driver floppy from the instructions obtained at ASUS in hopes that this was a problem with XP not recogizing the SATA RAID0 configuration.

I restarted the system and pressed F6 at the appropriate time to indicate that I had a driver disk. When I was asked to insert the floppy into the drive, I did so and driver installation began, and the Win XP Professional Setup screen appeared, with only four instances of Unknown disk.

Being discouraged, I decided to try something different.

I decided to delete the RAID0 volume at POST that I had previously created from the two new hard drives. I then went into BIOS setup and changed the SATA setting for RAID from Yes to No.

This time when I got to the "Windows XP Professional Setup" screen, the two hard drives were displayed. (152626 MB Disk 0 at ID 0 on bus 0 on atapi [MBR])

I'm not sure; but, I think this is telling me that either there is a hardware problem with the RAID controller on the motherboard, or the driver floppy that I created might not have the right drivers. (I am reasonably certain that the drivers are correct.)

If it is a hardware problem, I would need to replace the motherboard in order to replace the RAID controller... which isn't practical. I should probably search for this question before asking you... but, are there aftermarket cards that could provide the same capability, or do they need to be part of the motherboard?

Worst case... I can leave the configuration the way I now have it, reload Windows XP, and then restore my backup image. I guess the only downside is data read/write... and the fear that another component on the motherboard could go bad.

Any thoughts?

(Would you like for me to post this in a different forum?)

Thanks again for your help.

Jeff

Hello.
I have asked a hardware tech to drop by, I'm not too good with hardware problems.

Hi Belahzur,

I know my donation isn't huge... but, I hope it helps you guys keep doing what you are doing. (I intended to make the donation yesterday... sorry it took me a day longer.)

(I haven't heard anything from a tech guy yet... but, if I do, it will be appreciated.)

Thanks

Jeff

Sent him another PM, I'll keep bugging him till he drops by.

Hi Belahzur,

Thanks... I am continuing to work on the problem... I believe it is hardware; but, I would like to confirm it.

Thanks

Jeff

Hello,

The blue screen error code [0x0000008E] is one of the most common error code pointing to faulty RAM. But you are unable to boot into Safe Mode or normal mode which makes us unable to conduct RAM tests.

Have you tried booting into your BIOS and changing the configuration to disable SATA Performance? I don't remember what is the exact term used, but it's something like you have to disable a SATA fature.