Can't log on and can't format...Please help a newbie.

[gtarrant]

My computer for the last month has been giving me errors but I've always been able to log on to my desktop. I know I must have received a virus, but I always thought that I would just format my drive when it became too much of a nusance.

Now I can't even log in. I receive the error message:
A problem is preventing Windows from accurately checking the license for this computer. Error Message: 0x80070002

So I tried to format. I first used the Windows XP Pro disk and by a stroke of luck the setup menu displayed, so I pressed "New Installation" and put in my Reg Key. Once the installation launched, it stopped and gave me an error message: Bad CD Image. I tried this with two seperate copies of Windows XP Pro - but no luck. I know these disks work since I formatted my other computer less then a week ago.

So then I tried to boot up from a windows 98 disk in an attempt to format, but again my computer gave me an error: Non system disk.

Does anyone know of a slick way in which to format my computer and get around this problem? Is this a virus? What is it's name?

 

[jfp23]

It sounds like you didn't register your copy of windows with M$. You will need to Remove the partition and recreate it in order to reinstall. If you go to

http://www.bootdisk.com

you should be able to get yourself the appropriate boot disk that will let you boot your pc so you can do a clean install.

 

[gpalmer711]

There have been several cases of this recently

thread779-873890 is a good example

Greg Palmer
Free Software for Adminstrators

http://www.palmersoft.co.uk

 

[linney]

Your hard drive manufacturer will have free diagnostic programs to check out the condition of your drive.

These links will provide you with software to check your RAM.

http://www.memtest86.com/

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

326246 - How to Replace Lost, Broken, or Missing Microsoft Software or Hardware

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;326246&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

310064 - HOW TO: Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310064&FR=1&PA=1&SD=HSCH

http://www.5starsupport.com/faq/floppy.htm#2-8

HOW TO: Partition and Format a Hard Disk in Windows XP (Q313348)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q313/3/48.asp

Read the paragraph,
"How to Partition and Format Your Hard Disk by Using Windows XP Setup."

 

[bcastner]

Member gpalmer711 cites my earlier concern that this is virus related.

I suspect a new virus conveniently timed around the final release of Service Pack 2 for XP. Please see the workaround I suggested in gpalmer711's cite. I would love it if you then installed the full Microsoft Reporting tool:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...7c-7ca5-408f-88b7-f9c79b7306c0&DisplayLang=en

 

[gtarrant]

Thanks for all your help. After my post, I started receiving parser errors and I was just about to toss the whole computer out the window.

I was finally able to reinstall windows. For future reference if someone else ever runs across this nasty virus (or whatever it was), I had to go into my bios and force my computer to start from my cd rom (windows xp) and it worked.

Don't forget to change your bios back. I laugh about it now, but I kept formatting my partition and my computer would restart and my partition was back! I finally figured out that I had to change my bios setting back so it could install xp.

Thanks again for all your help.