No exe files...need to start all over..

Some questions & suggestions . . .

What Anti-Virus software are you using, if any?
Did you create any Emergency Repair/Boot Disks with it?

Can you get online on this pc?
If yes, then try an online scan at one or more of these places:

http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/
http://www.scan.ro/
http://housecall.antivirus.com/
http://www.commandondemand.com/
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/
http://www.freedom.net/onlineviruscheck/

If you can't open Internet Explorer directly, try using the Run command and just type in the url.

If this isn't an option, then you really need to reformat and reinstall Windows.

You can create a bootup disk in WinXP via:
My Computer -> rt click A: Drive (with blank floppy in) -> format
Checkmark: Create an MS-DOS Startup Disk

To create a WinXP boot disk
Copy the following files from your root dir C: on to a blank floppy:
boot.ini
ntldr
ntdetect.com

I've actually made 3 disks, one MS-DOS Boot Disk, one WinXP boot disk, and one with both sets of files on . . . just in case

Now, if you go into your BIOS / Setup at bootup,
try changing the Boot Sequence to A / E / C
(assuming E: is your CD-ROM drive)

Remember to change this back again afterwards.

Make sure both the boot disk & WinXP CD are in the drives.

Hope this helps ?!?!
Good luck

Well, you can be safely assured that the online scan at Trend Micro, makers of PC-Cillin Anti-Virus, will have definitely cleaned up all traces of any viruses on your hard drive.

You can use their online service regularly, though I strongly recommend you invest in some permanent A-V for your system. There is non better than PC-Cillin, and it's cheaper at half the price than the more popular (but badly inefficient) Norton A-V and McAffee software.

It depends on what viruses were cleaned and how much damage they've done. Reformatting isn't essential, but if some programs start to come up with errors or stop responding, then you'll need to reinstall them.

You can also use the System File Checker to check for any corrupted system-protected files. In WinXP, this needs to be run from the command line ("start -> run" -or- "All Programs -> Accessories -> command prompt") with a relevant switch which tells sfc what action to perform

eg.
sfc /scannow

Go to: Start -> Help and Support
Type in: system file checker
Click the green arrow to start the search.
In the results, click "related topics",
then select: system file checker.

Here you will find a full description, further instructions and options.

sfc /scannow
This will detect any damaged system files and restore them.
If the restore points are damaged, then you will be prompted for your WinXP CD.

Talking of "Restore", one problem all Anti-Virus scanners have is that they cannot clean System Restore files, as these all have the "hidden, system, read-only" attributes.

It's advisable to temporarily switch off System Restore, then turn it on again after rebooting. This will delete all restore points, but at the same time will get rid of any potentially corrupted restore files.
The A-V scan should've told you if there was any files it couldn't clean.

System Restore can be enabled/disabled via:
Start -> Control Panel -> System -> System Restore

If any other WinXP files are corrupt, then you will need to reinstall WinXP to repair them. As long as you've got a fast internet connection, then this won't be too bad, seeing you'll be able to re-install all the critical updates etc at top speed afterwards.

Reformatting is the very last resort.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

Greetings Egg

I was interested in your extreme enthusiasm for the PC-Cillin product. I am currently one of the masses running Norton and BlackIce on my XP Pro at home.

Why do you think PC-Cillin is that much better?

Do you have stats on their speed of offering new virus definitions compared to the others?

I have no problem switching if there's more than emotion involved. I spent some time on the Trend Micro web site and I must say their financials are impressive for their market space.

Any other ammunition for their side?

Thanks for the feedback.

Gary

Hi

PC-Cillin came as one of the free utilities with my MSI-6380E mobo
(well, the first 6 months was free anyway, then $8 to renew licence).
It monitors hard drive activity in real-time if you choose, likewise with internet & e-mail.
I've never had any problems with it. It's not intrusive and always in your face, and never interferes with other programs or causes errors/crashes like Norton & McAfee.

Virus definitions are updated on a daily basis, or as and when a new virus/trojan/worm is discovered.

I'd recommend many other A-V software above Norton and McAfee.
All of these are better, imho:
AVG, cai/e-trust (ex: Inoculan / InoculateIt), Command, Kaspersky.
Oh, and there's more . . .

I've seen so many errors on other peoples' comps over the years caused by bugs in Norton & McAfee, not to mention how many viruses they've failed to detect . . .

Most popular, doesn't always mean best quality.
Microsoft and Creative Labs could also tell you a thing or two about this, heyhey

c-ya

ps. I've never used BlackIce Defender firewall before, though I've not heard too many bad reports about it. I've tried TinyPersonal Firewall and Sygate Firewall, both seemed pretty cool, but at the mo I'm using ZoneAlarm

Most of the time when I have problems with someone not getting email, it's Norton. And I've had problems with people that can't surf and it's Norton Internet Security.
I've used My E-Trust for almost a year. I get an email every time they have a signature update, right click on the icon and download it. I know it is updated and that it updated correctly.
It makes no difference with speed at all. I usually get 5 or more emails from them a week, I've gotten as many as 2 in one day.
It has caught a network virus, a few veriaties of klez and sircam and stopped them all. I've had people send me viruses and it's caught them all. You get a one month free trial and it's 29$ us for the first year and $9 per year after. It doesn't change your email setting either, so never have problems with email.
I've tried PC-Cillan, it's ok but my speed dropped 200k when running it, as did my brother in laws and 2 customers that said they had slow speed.
Just my humble opion.
And yes, probably mis-spelled opion!!

I used to be an InoculateIt PE user, but cai.com discontinued the product, and then it became known as My E-Trust.
I was all set to upgrade, but then I got a new mobo/cpu and pc-cillin was included in the package, and I've never looked back since.

Hey, I included My E-Trust in my recommendations above.
I know for sure from past experience that anything to do with Computer Associates Inc is guaranteed to be top quality software.

I don't quite understand what you mean by losing 200k speed ?!
You mean it eats 200k of your broadband/adsl/cable connection? Or are you talking about something else? (cpu cycles / memory).
It's not something I've noticed, that's for sure.
Maybe it was a problem with an older version, but not with PC-Cillin 2003

Updates aren't sent by e-mail, it's all automated.
Sometimes 2 or 3 times a day you'll get program & definition updates, other times maybe once every two days . . . it all depends on the current state of virus activity.

Hey, I'm not trying to sound like a Trend Micro salesman or anything, lol, but I know for sure that it's damn good.

c-ya