Windows XP Home Edition desktop won't load

[broant]

i have a WinXP Home Edition Compaq pc that's been cluttered with adware/spyware installations. now, when the user clicks the only user account that's on the pc, the msg flashes "loading personal settings", then to "saving personal settings", then back to the welcome screen. this occured in safe mode and safe mode with networking. does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[pintail]

May not be what you want to hear but you may have to do a reinstall of XP. I have spent more time trying to fix Win operating systems than I care to think about.

 

[broant]

Thanks for the response...

If anyone has any idea as to any other options I could take, that would be great!

I'm thinking about taking the hard drive out and cleaning it from any virus's, adware/spyware, etc.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks.

 

[dlblack]

You may want to look at this thread760-860551 in the Virus/Spyware discussion forum. I worked on a PC this weekend that was the same way and had to re-install. Good luck.

David L. Black Consulting

 

[blckknight]

Try popping in the Windows XP CD and doing a windows repair installation?

 

[linney]

Try Safe Mode and the "Last known good configuration" option.

An easy to follow recovery console description when unable to start computer due to corrupt registry.

http://www.digitalwebcast.com/2002/03_mar/tutorials/cw_boot_toot.htm

If they don't work you could try repairing windows by running it over itself. You will lose all your windows updates but your files will be untouched.

How to Perform an In-Place Upgrade (Reinstallation) of Windows XP (Q315341)

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q315/3/41.asp

Running ChkDsk /r from the Recovery Console is an option too.


Removing adware & spyware
faq608-4650

 

[broant]

thanks to all that have helped. i won't have the computer in my possession for a couple of days, so i'll try some of the suggestions and will post the results.

 

[broant]

well, i got the pc in my possession and this is all i tried:

safe mode, safe mode w/networking, last known configuration.

all of these didn't work.

im going to try some of the stuff from the last post from linney angd go with that. i should have an update tonight or tomorrow.