OT: IT Help Needed

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sym

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As we now have a confirmed bunch of IT Support people on the board, I need your help !

My W2K laptop is booting very slowly, and finally showing the following message for a split second before re-booting (had to capture it with my digicam as it only stayed there for a split second before re-booting .... grrrrrr !!

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;104203

Anybody know how serious this is on a scale of 1-10 ? / any quick fix ?

Any help appreciated.

Cheers, S.
 
Never seen that message before, can you boot up in safe-mode ?
 
Originally posted by PJH
Never seen that message before, can you boot up in safe-mode ?

PJH - cheers. No - can't boot in safe mode either - same thing happens ... win 2000 startup screen, and then this message for a split second, then auto-reboots.

S.
 
norman . . . could be a virus, but not one i've heard of . . . yet !!

S.
 
That Microsoft article referrs to machines running NT3.1, not windows 2000. Can you post the exact error message you see please?

In any event, I would try restarting in last known good configuration (press F5 on boot). If that doesnt work, try rebooting in safe mode, Once the computer is up and running shut down and restart normally. This usually repairs the registry, as it is backed up after each successfull start and with a bit of luck you will be away again.

If that doesnt do the trick then you will need to boot off your 2000 CD and use the recovery console. Probably be quicker if you happen to have made the 'Emergency Repair Disk Set' but then no-body ever does remember to make them do they?
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by Sp!ke
That Microsoft article referrs to machines running NT3.1, not windows 2000. Can you post the exact error message you see please?

In any event, I would try restarting in last known good configuration (press F5 on boot). If that doesnt work, try rebooting in safe mode, Once the computer is up and running shut down and restart normally. This usually repairs the registry, as it is backed up after each successfull start and with a bit of luck you will be away again.

If that doesnt do the trick then you will need to boot off your 2000 CD and use the recovery console.

Sp!ke - you're right - it was the only reference to that error that I could find.

Error is as follows :-

error.jpg


PC won't boot up in safe mode or last good either - has the same symptoms.

Fortunately its my work PC and will get fixed in the morning, with a bit of luck, but thanks to all who have tried to help.

S.
 
bit late maybe ,there is a virus about called BLASTER from what I heard it can shut down your system automatically?I think it goes in C:\WINDOWS\system32 as some form of .exe.
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by pluggers
bit late maybe ,there is a virus about called BLASTER from what I heard it can shut down your system automatically?I think it goes in C:\WINDOWS\system32 as some form of .exe.

Blaster does try to shut down your computer , but only when youre online or connected to an infected network. This will bring up a dialogue box saying the system will be shutdown in 30 seconds exploiting the remote shutdown command.

here is more info on this from symantec

Blaster.a generic info

Anyone running 2k or windows XP please patch your machine now and turn on a firewall of some sort. even the one included within XP. Patch
 
S

Last time I had a message like that the Hard Drive want Kna**ered and had to be replaced.:crazy:
 
S

Last time I had a message like that the Hard Drive was Kna**ered and had to be replaced.:crazy:
 
Originally posted by Brian WH
S

Last time I had a message like that the Hard Drive was Kna**ered and had to be replaced.:crazy:

Brian

It was a hard drive problem as it happens. Luckily my data was all intact, although a little voice in my head had told me to backup yesterday anyway, so wouldn't have been a problem. Had to have the operating system rebuilt though. Never mind - all sorted now.

S.
 
Prevention is better than cure!

It is definitely the blaster virus. If the machine stays up longer for you to install an anti-virus you are at luck. Otherwise you will need to start all over again as in re-install the operating system. Make sure that you anti-virus software does instant update. That way you are able to download the latest definition file there scanning you computer for virus.

Also remember if you decide to quarantine a virus it resides on your computer until you decide to disinfect or delete it. Pay attention to the options as in what to do with a virus that cannot be disinfected.
 
Sorry Dynamo, but I strongly disagree with your comments...

the blaster virus displays a completely different message to that of the poster and even if the machine in question was infected with Blaster, you shouldnt ever have to do a reinstall as there are many tools to remove it with ease.
 
Got to agree with Spike there. I got hit at home whilst rebuilding one of my PC's. Just downloaded a fixer from Sophos.....

Sophos Link
 
Originally posted by VikJ
Got to agree with Spike there. I got hit at home whilst rebuilding one of my PC's. Just downloaded a fixer from Sophos.....

Sophos Link

Yep - was my hard drive that was at fault . . . seems it had been on its way out for some time, and the registry files had somehow become corrupt . . data was all copied to new hard drive and rebuilt with new operating system install.

Not a virus. Data was 100% intact.

S.
 
Ah, I have been having trouble with a XP machine coming up with a warning about 'RPC has initiated a shutdown in 60 seconds'.

This only happens when the computer is connected to a network or the internet, is this the blaster virus that has been mentioned?

I have Sophos with the latest updates.
 
Dont bother cleaning the PC *until* you have patched you machine with the Microsoft Blaster patch.

Our record so far for an unpatched machine is 7 seconds from connection to the internet 'till infection.

If the PC isnt patched, when you clean the PC, you will be re-infected immediately on connecting to the outside world.
 
I've got a mini wireless LAN at home and all of a sudden, it stopped working. After 2 days of head scratching, I stumbled across the fact the blaster had infected both of my PC's!

As Fuzzer says, the RPC error is the Blaster Virus. With the disinfection tool, it gets rid of it very easily.
 

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