Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

[i386]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

It downloaded successfully. No bugs either. I take it that I need to unzip it before I can do anything? Do you use the 'trial' of Winzip, or did you buy it?

btw i, your pm box is full up.

Yea, I need to clean it out.

Neither, Instead of WinZip I use IzArc. http://www.izarc.org/

Does way more than WinZip does (last time I checked anyway) and free. Looks and works almost like WinZip.

*** In XP, you want to unzip a zip file you can just right-click and Extract...

I do prefer to use an archive utility like IzArc over the unzipper included with Windows.

7zip is another good free one but IzArc looks more polished.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Went Through the same thing with a Dell fix was a free fan program to run the fans full time common DELL PROBLEM running to hot with intel's

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Went Through the same thing with a Dell fix was a free fan program to run the fans full time common DELL PROBLEM running to hot with intel's

Interesting that you say that dolluper. I have not had the case cover off this computer but I did notice that a CD, having been in the drive for a while was very warm when I popped it out.

When you say you 'went thru the same thing', do you mean with a refusal to boot to windows? and could you explain this free fan program? (how and where to get)

This desktop computer was purchaced in 2005, it is a P4 2.8 ghz.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Had to use a big room fan to keep the computer cool just to get into windows as soon as i got in I disabled AV program and shut the computer down the proppper way....then restarted and got the fan program installed set fan to run altime then shutdown proper way restart all has been fine for weeks...!*Kfan gui is one and speed fan is another both free I find 18 K better

Download 18kfan here

http://www.diefer.de/i8kfan/ and speed fan below here
speedfan...http://download.cnet.com/SpeedFan/3000-2094_4-10067444.html

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Bro you need to stick with boat's...Geesh no pic's even..

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Bro you need to stick with boat's...Geesh no pic's even..

Just trying to stretch my mind in my later years!

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Regarding Boot Discs? I made one for this project and want to check it out on my own computer first.

By booting up with the CD on a good computer, I don't commit to anything, do I? I just want to see what I should expect before I try to boot the windowless computer with it.

 

[i386]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

By booting up with the CD on a good computer, I don't commit to anything, do I?

Nope, but if it makes you feel any safer you can disconnect your hard drive. Unnecessary imho though.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Me telling you get big room fan and put it on high with case open ...on your choose screen CHoose start normally......disable any AV program ...shut down the proper way .....download fan program on another comp burn to disc ....keep big fan on bad computer and try to install fan program on main fanpro screem set fan to run altime since termal sensers are bad in DeLLs....got to do it fast with AV disabled it runs way cooler ...then shutdown normally
ADDED LINK TO SPEEDFAN IN EARLIER POST with other fan program

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Dolluper, I assume by AV you mean Anti-Virus program? As the computer will not boot to Windows, I'll find out from the lady if she even had one. Also, do you know this is a desktop not a laptop? I did mention before that a CD disc came out of the drive (at the top of the case) what I thought was unusually warm.

I do also plan on pulling the side panel access and seeing what is going on with the fan(s).

Today, I picked up at Fry's Electronics, one of the USB to Harddrive converters that i386 recommended. This will let me pull the SATA drive out of the Dell and look at the contents via my computer.

 

[i386]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Today, I picked up at Fry's Electronics, one of the USB to Harddrive converters that i386 recommended. This will let me pull the SATA drive out of the Dell and look at the contents via my computer.

Cool. You'll wonder how you ever got along without that thing. I do at least.

In my experience, unless it's one of those slim desktop cases (very little air inside those cases) or a laptop, you can get windows to boot with a bad fan provided there's a heatsink on it. Now, it'll probably lock up if you do anything CPU intensive though. YMMV. I do agree it's worthwhile to check the fan(s) though. If nothing else it'll be good to blow the dust out of the heatsink while you're in there.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

I checked the fan and it is running. The operative word here is FAN. Boy, are these Dells cheap, it doesn't even have a cpu fan. Other than the powersupply fan, it has one fan that is ducted over the top of a fairly effective looking heatsink. The exhaust from that duct is then allowed out into the outer case. That accounts for why the CD disc was so warm.

None the less, I removed the duct and tried as dolluper suggested. I stuck a huge fan into the side of the case and tried to boot it. No go.

I then pulled the SATA HD, and hooked it to my neat new little gizmo. It popped right up on my computer. WOW, this is slick.

I proceeded to copy and paste My Documents to my external USB hard drive and WHOA, Avast started screaming Virus, Malware, Trojan, etc. I then quit the transfer of data and ran the Avast anti virus program. It came up with oodles of issues. I quarranteened them.

Then I started Microsoft ONECARE on all the drives, theirs and mine. At this time it is 54% complete and has found 451 items with 33 issues. Not sure yet how many of these things are on my drives vs theirs. I might have infected my computer from their harddrive but my computer has continued to work.

It has now been running a couple of hours. I suspect that when it is done, I may be able to reinstall their harddrive and reboot it. If not, I will go back and transfer the data, then run the Dell restore partition.

 

[i386]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Looks like you're making progress. Great! If possible, have the "customer" verify that you got all the data before you overwrite/wipe/reimage the drive.

Another thing I will sometimes do if I have the space. Backup the "customer's" entire drive. Once I'm done reloading everything I'll put a folder on their desktop named "old hard drive" or something like that and then put the backup of their drive in that folder. That way, if they discover after the fact there were some other files that needed restoring I could still get to them. And finally I would just tell them at whatever point in time they were 100% sure they had everything they could delete that folder off the desktop.

This is all CYA stuff.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Progress has been made. After running several virus scans, with the hard drive hooked to my computer, and then having to copy a couple of missing .dll's from my computer, the Dell is finally booting to a 'log on to windows' screen. It is a bit strange (I never set my own up for password requirements) that it is requesting a password for only one of the users. That happens to be a daughter that is not available to give me that password.

I do have the password for the primary user, but it is not booting to an area that gives me a selection of users to choose from.

Is there anyway I can get by this password requirement or get to the area that gives me the opportunity to select the user? I have not been able to get to the desktop yet.

If any information to be given is not such to be widely advertized, please PM me.

 

[i386]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

Wow good for you.

If they didn't bother to set an administrator password you're in luck. Use "Administrator" as the username and leave the password blank. If you don't see a place to type in a username, hit CTRL-ALT-DEL and you will.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

The 'log onto window' screen that comes up on boot is pre-populated with the daughter's name as the 'User Name'. If I put nothing in the Password box and just hit OK, It comes up with a full screen Dell Marquis and three successive boxes that say 'loading your personal settings' then 'closing network conections' then ' saving your settings' then back to the black screen with the 'Log on to Windows' box.

If I change user name to Administrator, leaving the password blank, and hit ok, I get a 'logon Message' box that says 'unable to log you on because of an account restriction'.

If I change the pre-populated user name to the Mrs's name and use her password then hit ok, I get a different 'logon Message' that says 'The system could not log you on. Make sure your User name and domain are correct, then type your password again. Letters in the password must be typed using the correct case.'

It's starting to look like an OS reload again. Got so close but no cigar!

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

You need to replace their userinit.exe (c:\windows\system32) with your copy of userinit.exe. I had the same thing happen on three computers. Might also want to replace their explorer.exe (c:\windows) with your copy as well. There is also a registry key that needs to be edited. You'll have to do this by putting their drive into the enclosure again and loading their software registry file in regedit as a hive. You'll then have to create the appropriate registry key. Here's a link:

http://techblissonline.com/how-to-fix-infected-userinitexe-and-related-errors/

To load their registry as a hive, make sure it's in your nice new enclosure, open regedit on your machine and click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE. In the File menu, select Load Hive. Then browse to the USB hard drive (their drive) to windows\system32\config and double click on the software file that has no extension. Give it a name of something like 'their software'. From there follow the steps in the link above... copy over the files I mentioned above and finally click on 'their software', go to the file menu and 'Unload Hive'. Put the drive back in their computer and see what happens.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

You need to replace their userinit.exe (c:\windows\system32) with your copy of userinit.exe. I had the same thing happen on three computers. Might also want to replace their explorer.exe (c:\windows) with your copy as well. There is also a registry key that needs to be edited. You'll have to do this by putting their drive into the enclosure again and loading their software registry file in regedit as a hive. You'll then have to create the appropriate registry key. Here's a link:

http://techblissonline.com/how-to-fix-infected-userinitexe-and-related-errors/

To load their registry as a hive, make sure it's in your nice new enclosure, open regedit on your machine and click on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE. In the File menu, select Load Hive. Then browse to the USB hard drive (their drive) to windows\system32\config and double click on the software file that has no extension. Give it a name of something like 'their software'. From there follow the steps in the link above... copy over the files I mentioned above and finally click on 'their software', go to the file menu and 'Unload Hive'. Put the drive back in their computer and see what happens.

SC, I'll see if I can follow along and give it a whirl. Question though, why replace their Explorer.exe. No doubt the userinit was affected by the viruses so that I understand.

Also, I did a regedit test run on my computer for the 'load hive' and it was greyed out. I did not have the other hard drive wired in though.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

explorer.exe sometimes is affected by viruses as well. It's just a precautionary thing, not mandatory.

The Load Hive selection will not be available until you select a place to load it to. I suggested HKLM (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) expanded and then the SOFTWARE folder just because that is the one you'll be editing on their system. You have to select (highlight) the place before anything can be loaded as a hive. As a test you can select that location, Load Hive and then select your own 'software' registry file as well (give a name of something like 'blah') and it'll just duplicate what regedit already sees on your system. Make sure you Unload the hive though once you're done editing.

If you've done registry edits before on your own system, once you load theirs as a hive you'll understand what happens when you do so and it'll become pretty straight forward. I'll be willing to bet that when you load theirs as a hive and you go to the spot in the link I sent, you won't see the Userlogon key anywhere and you'll have to create it on your own.

 

[WizeOne]

Re: Oh, where to start-Need Computer help.

...If you've done registry edits before on your own system, once you load theirs as a hive you'll understand what happens when you do so and it'll become pretty straight forward. I'll be willing to bet that when you load theirs as a hive and you go to the spot in the link I sent, you won't see the Userlogon key anywhere and you'll have to create it on your own.

What I do not understand here is the part about the Userlogon key and the possible need to create one?

Also, doing a search, on the Dell HD, for the userinit.exe file in window\system32, there is none. A version shows up in \i386, \windows\prefetch and \windows\software distribution\download\dd98betc, etc, etc.

On the other hand, my computer has it in the system32 folder. Should I still copy my userinit to the Dell \system32 folder or copy the Dell \i386 userinit to the Dell \system32 folder?? Or should I overwrite any of the above with the userinit from my \system32 folder?