How can I enable/disable a service without use mmc?

[usalabs3]

I'm trying to recover a friends windows 2000 computer (format is not an option), I have repaired it using the win2000 repair option, I have installed all the updates and patches, and still mmc and everyother program that's installs throws an error '[program name] has generated errors and will be shut down by windows, a log has been created', but,,,, I can't even run the event viewer as the same error appears, then, about 10 second intervals, multiple 'Windows Installer' boxes open up, cancelling them only brings up more (15 in total).

I can't even do an adware/spyware scan as I get the same error, virus scanning with a clean emergency disk, shows no viruses or worms.

I did a panda scan, but the system crashed and froze, and I had to do a restart, then all hell breaks loose, after the restart, 15 or more 'Windows installer' boxes, and a sudden freeze, then I can get to the desktop, and that's all, every program thows up the "[program name] has generated errors and will be shut down by windows"

I can not format the machine as there are VERY important documents that have to be left, he does not have a cd burner, that means saving/backing up the data is out.

What can be done to stop the installer service without using mmc?.

 

[Jump1ng]

Have you tried using the commands net stop (insert servicename)
and net start (service) from a command line?

Not sure if it will work since you seem to have quite serious problems with that machine.

---
Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

 

[tuco7]

Have you tried MMC in safe mode?

There is a program called EVEREST, in the operating system section you can access Services it might work thru that program, it a real good program and its free.

http://www.lavalys.hu/products.php?lang=en

 

[FAM]

A few other suggestions to retrieve the data,

1/ Use a USB Memory stick/Hard drive and copy all relevant files off the pc

2/ Put the hard drive in as a slave onto another PC and backup relevant files

 

[Jasen]

Have you tried just doing a repair install of win2k? It doesn't delete anything.

 

[usalabs3]

Have you tried using the commands net stop (insert servicename)
and net start (service) from a command line?

'net' from the command line displays 'net.exe has generated errors and will be shut down by windows.... A log file has been created'

Put the hard drive in as a slave onto another PC and backup relevant files

I used an old pc to backup the files from the hard drive, by using the damaged windows drive as a slave, then placing the drive back into master, and putting it back into my friends computer, then using a transfer cable, transferred the backups back to the newly installed windows (xp not 2000) drive, everything works fine now, he's very happy that all his important files hadn't gone.

I've also added a small size slave drive (at a cost of course), and setup his computer so that 'My documents' actually points to 'My documents' folder on the second drive, and instructed him not to use the second drive for anything else but data files, then if his master drive fails, he's always got the files on the slave drive.

Thankx for everyone's help.