Solve : Win XP stuck in Partial Safe mode?

1.	Solve : Win XP stuck in Partial Safe mode?
Answer» Since running a chkdsk scan on my computer to try and fix the 100% cpu usage, I have upon reboot entered a state where I am in partial safe mode. Some of my programs that normally load on startup are in fact loaded, but others are not. The screen resolution is correect for normal mode, but the colors are not... Basically the screen background is a brilliant WHITE. (perhaps classic?) The taskbar start button is white as well as the rest of the taskbar, and there is a weird font on it. There should be no virii as I had run extensive scans for malware and come up clean. MsConfig is set to normal bootup with the /safeboot switch NOT checked. I am at a loss as how to rectify this problem.1) There is no such thing as "partial safe mode" 2) Chkdsk would not fix the problem of a cpu spiking 3) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)? 4) Please explain EVERYTHING that led up to this in detail 5) EXACTLY how did you run checkdisk? 6) EXACTLY how did you scan for malware (and with what programs)?Actually i've seen those symptoms when chkdsk was interrupted...is that what happened ? ? Quote from: Allan on September 21, 2012, 06:00:37 AM 1) There is no such thing as "partial safe mode" 2) Chkdsk would not fix the problem of a cpu spiking 3) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)? 4) Please explain EVERYTHING that led up to this in detail 5) EXACTLY how did you run checkdisk? 6) EXACTLY how did you scan for malware (and with what programs)? Hello and thanks Alan, I have been working on this computer for some time now. The basic problem was that the cpu goes to and basically stays at 100% whenever I try to do anything. The usual offenders are MsMpEng.exe and iexplore.exe. Also running antivirus scans takes 4ever also as any file ACCESS pegs the cpu. This problem surfaced some time ago and at the time was running AOL 9.0 software with the built in (or bundled) antivirus. the setup was just a pig. After running any and all AV scans both online and from rescue CD's with negative results, I uninstalled both the AOL email program and the antivirus program to try and rectify it. Apparently this uninstall was only partially successful as I soon found out when I unsuccessfully tried to install MSE. I then tried almost ALL of the free AV programs out there AVG,Avast,Avira,Dr Web, blah blah. I uninstalled each and every one of them because if and when I was able to get them to run, there was no improvement in the speed of the computer. After MUCH work (and probably goofing things up) I uninstalled most of my software, removed printers, drivers and cleaned the registry with some well known programs. I FINALLY got the computer to allow me to install MSE and it works successfully with the exception of it hogging cpu cycles. Oh, I am sorry, I forgot to mention that I also downloaded and ran what I think each and every AV UNINSTALLER which finally enabled the successful installation of MSE. So, on to today. Malwarebytes, SAS, TDDS killer, KAV online, Trend Micro Housecall, even Spybot S&D, Dr Web Cure-it, were all run in both normal and safe mode. There was one or two files found but mostly cookies were the culprits. I thought maybe that after all the removal that I should run some of the system tools just to make sure everything is as it should be. that is why I ran checkdisk from the tools menu with options checked. I beg to differ with you about the safe mode. Why I am saying that it is a partial safe mode, is because some of my startup programs are loaded and run successfully (which they didn't when I was in actual safe mode). But when I wanted to run SFC /scannow, I received the error message saying that the program cannot run in safe mode. The screen resolution is normal, but the color of the task bar, start button, and window boxes is white. Also the text is really generic and a bit larger than normal. But there is NO safe mode in any corner. And finally checking the services, I notice that many of them are not started and will not manually start usually giving me the message that they cannot run in safe mode. The computer is a e-machines T-1600 with WinXPSP3, 1.5 gig ram and is networked via cable. My opinion is that way back that a corrupted Epson printer installation may have been the culprit in slowing things down, but that is long gone now. In fact, there should be no installed printers at all. I do not have an XP install disk, and am not able to find the OEM restore disk either, so if I cannot get this up and running, I am SOL. Thank you for your time in advance. How does the system perform in safe mode? Quote from: patio on September 21, 2012, 06:52:03 AM Actually i've seen those symptoms when chkdsk was interrupted...is that what happened ? ? You know, you may be on to some thing here.... I started checkdisk and walked away for about an hour or two. When I returned, the computer had a blank screen and was beeping one long beep, over and over. I had to press and hold the power key to get it to stop. When I restarted the computer, the checkdisk screen came up and said that it had completed successfully, so I discounted the issue as being a glitch. Hmmm, makes me think. I looked at the crucial memory advisor and I see the computer has one stick of ram being a pc2700 and the other being a pc3200. They are both recognized and are working, but I wonder? Quote from: Allan on September 21, 2012, 08:33:28 AM How does the system perform in safe mode? The same as in normal modeThe likely culprit is AOL 9.0 software.Since it's been removed i would suspect the RAM... Quote from: Computer_Commando on September 21, 2012, 08:46:55 AM The likely culprit is AOL 9.0 software. I believe that all traces of it are gone as I ran JV's regcleaner and SEARCHED the registry for any and all traces of it and the supported files. Could be mistaken though as I am not an expert. Quote from: patio on September 21, 2012, 08:57:47 AM Since it's been removed i would suspect the RAM... If ram, how would you suggest I proceed? I ran memtest-86 on it overnight and all checked out fine.Then it isn't the RAM...next suspect would be the HDD...did it pass chkdsk ? ? Quote from: Frazzled on September 21, 2012, 09:24:52 AM I believe that all traces of it are gone as I ran JV's regcleaner and searched the registry for any and all traces of it and the supported files. Could be mistaken though as I am not an expert. Running the registry cleaner may very well have contributed to - or even caused your problems. See if there is an undo function. Quote from: patio on September 21, 2012, 09:55:18 AM Then it isn't the RAM...next suspect would be the HDD...did it pass chkdsk ? ? well, like I said there were some corrections noted but the result upon startup was successful, whatever that means in windows parlance. As I said, it's possible the registry cleaner deleted some key files. It happens - especially with jv16. Without an XP CD you're going to have a problem. At some point you may very well need to do a repair install or a clean install. For now though, please look in Device Manager - any yellow or red symbols? And please try a clean boot / selective startup (msconfig - general tab - selective startup - uncheck all 4 boxes and reboot). What happens?

Answer»

Since running a chkdsk scan on my computer to try and fix the 100% cpu usage, I have upon reboot entered a state where I am in partial safe mode.

Some of my programs that normally load on startup are in fact loaded, but others are not. The screen resolution is correect for normal mode, but the colors are not... Basically the screen background is a brilliant WHITE. (perhaps classic?) The taskbar start button is white as well as the rest of the taskbar, and there is a weird font on it. There should be no virii as I had run extensive scans for malware and come up clean. MsConfig is set to normal bootup with the /safeboot switch NOT checked. I am at a loss as how to rectify this problem.1) There is no such thing as "partial safe mode"

2) Chkdsk would not fix the problem of a cpu spiking

3) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?

4) Please explain EVERYTHING that led up to this in detail

5) EXACTLY how did you run checkdisk?

6) EXACTLY how did you scan for malware (and with what programs)?Actually i've seen those symptoms when chkdsk was interrupted...is that what happened ? ? Quote from: Allan on September 21, 2012, 06:00:37 AM

1) There is no such thing as "partial safe mode"

2) Chkdsk would not fix the problem of a cpu spiking

3) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?

4) Please explain EVERYTHING that led up to this in detail

5) EXACTLY how did you run checkdisk?

6) EXACTLY how did you scan for malware (and with what programs)?

Hello and thanks Alan,
I have been working on this computer for some time now. The basic problem was that the cpu goes to and basically stays at 100% whenever I try to do anything. The usual offenders are MsMpEng.exe and iexplore.exe. Also running antivirus scans takes 4ever also as any file ACCESS pegs the cpu.

This problem surfaced some time ago and at the time was running AOL 9.0 software with the built in (or bundled) antivirus. the setup was just a pig. After running any and all AV scans both online and from rescue CD's with negative results, I uninstalled both the AOL email program and the antivirus program to try and rectify it. Apparently this uninstall was only partially successful as I soon found out when I unsuccessfully tried to install MSE. I then tried almost ALL of the free AV programs out there AVG,Avast,Avira,Dr Web, blah blah.

I uninstalled each and every one of them because if and when I was able to get them to run, there was no improvement in the speed of the computer. After MUCH work (and probably goofing things up) I uninstalled most of my software, removed printers, drivers and cleaned the registry with some well known programs. I FINALLY got the computer to allow me to install MSE and it works successfully with the exception of it hogging cpu cycles. Oh, I am sorry, I forgot to mention that I also downloaded and ran what I think each and every AV UNINSTALLER which finally enabled the successful installation of MSE.

So, on to today. Malwarebytes, SAS, TDDS killer, KAV online, Trend Micro Housecall, even Spybot S&D, Dr Web Cure-it, were all run in both normal and safe mode. There was one or two files found but mostly cookies were the culprits.

I thought maybe that after all the removal that I should run some of the system tools just to make sure everything is as it should be. that is why I ran checkdisk from the tools menu with options checked.
I beg to differ with you about the safe mode. Why I am saying that it is a partial safe mode, is because some of my startup programs are loaded and run successfully (which they didn't when I was in actual safe mode). But when I wanted to run SFC /scannow, I received the error message saying that the program cannot run in safe mode. The screen resolution is normal, but the color of the task bar, start button, and window boxes is white. Also the text is really generic and a bit larger than normal. But there is NO safe mode in any corner. And finally checking the services, I notice that many of them are not started and will not manually start usually giving me the message that they cannot run in safe mode.

The computer is a e-machines T-1600 with WinXPSP3, 1.5 gig ram and is networked via cable. My opinion is that way back that a corrupted Epson printer installation may have been the culprit in slowing things down, but that is long gone now. In fact, there should be no installed printers at all.

I do not have an XP install disk, and am not able to find the OEM restore disk either, so if I cannot get this up and running, I am SOL.
Thank you for your time in advance.
How does the system perform in safe mode? Quote from: patio on September 21, 2012, 06:52:03 AM

Actually i've seen those symptoms when chkdsk was interrupted...is that what happened ? ?

You know, you may be on to some thing here.... I started checkdisk and walked away for about an hour or two. When I returned, the computer had a blank screen and was beeping one long beep, over and over. I had to press and hold the power key to get it to stop. When I restarted the computer, the checkdisk screen came up and said that it had completed successfully, so I discounted the issue as being a glitch. Hmmm, makes me think. I looked at the crucial memory advisor and I see the computer has one stick of ram being a pc2700 and the other being a pc3200. They are both recognized and are working, but I wonder? Quote from: Allan on September 21, 2012, 08:33:28 AM

How does the system perform in safe mode?

The same as in normal modeThe likely culprit is AOL 9.0 software.Since it's been removed i would suspect the RAM... Quote from: Computer_Commando on September 21, 2012, 08:46:55 AM

The likely culprit is AOL 9.0 software.

I believe that all traces of it are gone as I ran JV's regcleaner and SEARCHED the registry for any and all traces of it and the supported files. Could be mistaken though as I am not an expert. Quote from: patio on September 21, 2012, 08:57:47 AM

Since it's been removed i would suspect the RAM...

If ram, how would you suggest I proceed? I ran memtest-86 on it overnight and all checked out fine.Then it isn't the RAM...next suspect would be the HDD...did it pass chkdsk ? ? Quote from: Frazzled on September 21, 2012, 09:24:52 AM

I believe that all traces of it are gone as I ran JV's regcleaner and searched the registry for any and all traces of it and the supported files. Could be mistaken though as I am not an expert.

Running the registry cleaner may very well have contributed to - or even caused your problems. See if there is an undo function. Quote from: patio on September 21, 2012, 09:55:18 AM

Then it isn't the RAM...next suspect would be the HDD...did it pass chkdsk ? ?

well, like I said there were some corrections noted but the result upon startup was successful, whatever that means in windows parlance. As I said, it's possible the registry cleaner deleted some key files. It happens - especially with jv16.

Without an XP CD you're going to have a problem. At some point you may very well need to do a repair install or a clean install.

For now though, please look in Device Manager - any yellow or red symbols?

And please try a clean boot / selective startup (msconfig - general tab - selective startup - uncheck all 4 boxes and reboot). What happens?

Solve : Win XP stuck in Partial Safe mode?

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