Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Free Antivirus / Premium Security (legacy Pro Antivirus, Internet Security, Premier) => Topic started by: REDACTED on December 27, 2014, 03:48:02 AM
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I saw a previous thread, here
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=152050.0
but the link to download Windows Vista RC was down. I have 32-bit windows. Can anyone help me?
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I PMed you the link to download and PMed Essexboy.
Do you have a Vista DVD or Recovery CD by chance ?
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I have a Sony Vaio, and a recovery disk sent to me by Sony titled, Windows Vista Recovery Media for Windows Vista Products SP1. It's a recovery DVD
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OK...........
1) Can you reboot PC and hit F8 and try Last Known Good Config ?
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/f/start-windows-last-known-good-configuration.htm
2) If above does not work can you reboot and hit F8 and select Safe Mode.....does it boot to Safe Mode Vista/Windows ?
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ss/safe-mode-vista.htm#step-heading
Go ahead and post the Farbar FRST log for Essexboy.
As you saw from other thread go to this link and scroll down and follow section under "If You Can't Boot Computer"
https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=53253.0
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Last known good config and safe mode result both result in crashing and then restarting. In fact, no matter what option I choose, my computer crashes, restarts, and comes to a black screen saying windows was not shut down properly.
I will work on getting the FRST log. It may take a little while....
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So, I looked at the link you posted and read the section, "If you can't boot computer"...
I am unable to create a CD to boot from, as the only computer I have that can burn CD's is the one that is sick. So, I went to the original link that I posted, and followed the instructions. I ran rufus, and burned the ISO of vista-32 onto the flash drive, copied FRST onto it as well, and booted the sick computer from the USB drive.
A blue screen (with lines a graphics like vista has - not a solid blue like a blue screen of death) has loaded, with a pointer that I can move, but that is it. I'm not sure if it is taking a long time to load from USB or if something is wrong.
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**Update. The install Windows window came up, but no repair windows option. What should I do?
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All we are trying to do is get to Command Prompt to go to USB stick and run FRST.exe to then post log.
I hesitate to take you too much further since Essexboy is the resident expert.
However, looking at your Sony Vaio there is way to get to the Command Prompt from the Advanced Boot Options....read down thru link.
BE VERY CAREFUL TO NOT PLAY AROUND HERE BECAUSE SOME OPTIONS RESET YOUR PC BACK TO FACTORY SETTINGS
https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41949/~/cannot-start-the-vaio-recovery-center-because-the-computer-will-not-start-to
In "theory".........at the Command Prompt (USB stick in PC) type the following:
notepad and press Enter
The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
In the command window type e:\frst.exe and press Enter
{Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.}
The tool will start to run.
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
Press Scan button.
It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.
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Essexboy is on holiday. I've requested the help of one of the other qualified removal experts.
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Thank you. In response to thekochs, it seems I am unable to enter command prompt from the advanced boot options.All the articles I read say that I get there from choosing the "repair my computer" option, but the "repair my computer" option is not among the choices on the advanced boot options screen.
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Thank you. In response to thekochs, it seems I am unable to enter command prompt from the advanced boot options.All the articles I read say that I get there from choosing the "repair my computer" option, but the "repair my computer" option is not among the choices on the advanced boot options screen.
Since the USB RC boot and Advanced Options did not show "repair" then only thing I can think of is to get CD burned on friend's machine for OTLPENet.exe, go online and get a Boot CD (again issue to burn CD), or see/research what your Sony Vaio recovery CD is. I would research the contents of this CD online first but I would assume you boot using it for a recovery environment....the question I would have does it give you utils & Command Prompt or is it just a Wizard that restores your PC to factory settings ? ......if just the latter I would assume it tells you before it does this but I'd be 100% sure before I booted using it....perhaps some Googling on it or Vaio forum (http://community.sony.com/t5/VAIO-Computers/ct-p/Vaio) can tell you. Bottom line, you want a boot environment to Command Prompt you can run FRST.exe from.
At the Command Prompt (USB stick in PC) type the following:
notepad and press Enter
The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
In the command window type e:\frst.exe and press Enter
{Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.}
The tool will start to run.
When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
Press Scan button.
It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.
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I tried the USB boot again, and did get the repair my computer option (i just needed to advance one screen) but my operating system does not show up on the list of options to repair. It says to load drivers if I don't see my OS, but I need guidance to do that.
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Read this....seems if you click NEXT it will get you to command prompt ?
http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/system-recovery-options-help
So anyway, I click next and the next screen says "Choose Recovery Tools". The only one I can choose is Command Prompt
After you run FSRT and get the log at the command prompt you can run.........
sfc /scannow
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/toolsofthetrade/ht/sfc-scannow.htm
chkdsk /f
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/ee872425.aspx
....to check issues with the O/S & file system.
Note, the recovery environment is not "running" on your C: drive but it's recovery environment.
Thus, you may see X: when you get into Command prompt....this is the reason to run the open notepad instructions listed above.
It also applies to how you run SFC & CHKDSK.....example: X:\windows\sysetm32> chkdsk /F c:
The link I posted if you read it shows this scenario: http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/system-recovery-options-help
The moderator in this link showed the OP how to find the O/S partition on the HDD.........
X:\windows\system32>diskpart
DISKPART> list disk
DISKPART> select disk 0
DISKPART> list partition
DISKPART> select partition 2
DISKPART> detail partition
DISKPART> exit
The "detail partition" will show info including DRIVE letter & the word BOOT.....obviously what we are looking to confirm.
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Thanks for all the help so far. I was able to run the FRST and here is the log:
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Please attach your logs. Don't copy and paste. :)
(http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/screenshots/u/Lh/1419788198584-72334.png)
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Whoops. Sorry :-\
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Hi rhadenfeld,
Can you please post me the fresh FRST logs with this instruction?
- On a clean machine, please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/farbar-recovery-scan-tool/) and save it to a flash drive.
Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system.
Plug the flashdrive into the infected PC.
- If you are using Windows 8 consult How to use the Windows 8 System Recovery Environment Command Prompt (http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/windows-8-recovery-environment-command-prompt/) to enter System Recovery Command prompt.
If you are using Vista or Windows 7 enter System Recovery Options.
To enter System Recovery Options from the Advanced Boot Options:
- Restart the computer.
- As soon as the BIOS is loaded begin tapping the F8 key until Advanced Boot Options appears.
- Use the arrow keys to select the Repair your computer menu item.
- Select US as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
- Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
- Select your user account an click Next.
Note: In case you can not enter System Recovery Options by using F8 method, you can use Windows installation disc, or make a repair disc. Any Windows installation disc or a repair disc made on another computer can be used.
To make a repair disk on Windows 7 consult: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html
To enter System Recovery Options by using Windows installation disc:
- Insert the installation disc.
- Restart your computer.
- If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc. If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, check your BIOS settings.[/*]
- Click Repair your computer.
- Select US as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
- Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
- Select your user account and click Next.
- On the System Recovery Options menu you will get the following options:
Startup Repair
System Restore
Windows Complete PC Restore
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
Command Prompt
Select Command Prompt
- Once in the Command Prompt:
- In the command window type in notepad and press Enter.
- The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
- Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
- In the command window type e:\frst (for x64 bit version type e:\frst64) and press Enter
Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.
- The tool will start to run.
- When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
- Press Scan button.
- It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.
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As @bob1360 said, please delete/edit your post (Reply #13)......remove the cut-n-paste.....and "attach" the log.
This is where my expertise ends.......an Avast Expert who can read the log & provide a FRST fixlist will need to comment.
However, the combination of the FRST log saying the Software Hive is not there and you reported prior in the thread "my operating system does not show up on the list of options to repair" may mean there is more serious things up here.
I'll leave it to the true experts but some links in case part of the Expert's solution is Hive (ie. Registry) recovery.
https://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us
http://botcrawl.com/how-to-restore-microsoft-windows-vista-microsoft-windows-xp-and-microsoft-windows-7/
http://www.registryfix.net/restore-registry/
Also, as FYI.....some light reading on Vista Repair environment.
A very thorough link and something you should read and bookmark.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/repair-windows-with-windows-startup-repair/
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Hello magna86. I ran the FRST 32 bit (as the Vista on my sick machine is 32 bit) again, but I had to do so with a USB drive. I don't have a recovery disk for the sick computer and don't have the capability to make one. My other laptop doesn't have a CD-ROM drive.
So I booted the sick computer from a USB drive (using Rufus, and an ISO of vista 32 bit following the instructions from this thread https://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=152050.0). As my computer booted up, I hit F8 to come to the "Advanced Boot Options" screen just to double check that there is no "repair my computer option". There wasn't, so I chose "Start Windows Normally" (which boots from the USB as I said).
After a while, I came to the Windows installation screen, chose US and English, and hit next. Then, I chose "Repair my Computer". It searches for operating systems, but finds nothing. At the bottom of the window, I have the option to "Load Drivers" or hit "Next". I don't know what I'm doing to look for drivers, so I hit "Next". Then I get a list of options:
-Startup Repair
-System Restore
-Windows Complete PC Restore
-Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
-Command Prompt
I chose "command prompt" and followed the instructions below to get the FRST log. Before hitting scan, I noted that there were two boxes of options: one labeled "whitelist" with the options registry, services, drivers, and known DLLs - all checked; the other labeled "optional scan" with the options list BCD, and drivers MD5 - both unchecked. Then I hit scan. When complete, I closed the windows and shut down the computer.
The log is attached.
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BTW, thanks thekochs for all your help. I appreciate it!
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Hello rhadenfeld,
Tool (FRST) can not locate the system nor his system hives. Without proper logs and system analysis, I can't help you unfortunately.
Let's try one more shot ... you can run ListParts at the same way you did with FRST tool but try once again in this way ...
- Please download ListParts by Farbar from here and save it to your flash drive.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/listparts/
- Enter System Recovery Options.
To enter System Recovery Options from the Advanced Boot Options:
- Restart the computer.
- As soon as the BIOS is loaded begin tapping the F8 key until Advanced Boot Options appears.
- Use the arrow keys to select the Repair your computer menu item.
- Choose your language settings, and then click Next.
- Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
- Select your user account and click Next.
To enter System Recovery Options by using Windows installation disc:
- Insert the installation disc.
- Restart your computer.
- If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc. If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, check your BIOS settings.
- Click Repair your computer.
- Choose your language settings, and then click Next.
- Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
- Select your user account an click Next.
On the System Recovery Options menu you will get the following options:
Startup Repair
System Restore
Windows Complete PC Restore
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
Command Prompt
- Select Command Prompt
- In the command window type in notepad and press Enter.
- The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
- Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
- In the command window type e:\listparts (for x64 bit version type e:\listparts64) and press Enter
Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.
- The tool will start to run.
- Check box for "List BCD" and press Scan button.
- Tool shall make a log (Result.txt) on the flash drive. Please attach it to your reply.
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BTW, thanks thekochs for all your help. I appreciate it!
No problem....I see @magna86 is helping....the real expert.....follow his expertise.
If the Hive (registry) is not seen it can be it is truly corrupted (I have listed manual recovery of Hive above in thread, Reply #17), BCD is bad, or you have Virus causing this. If it is virus I'm sure @magna86 has a lot of tricks/tools to help but I wanted to let you know about these free rescue disks (ISO, EXE).....always good to know about.
Avast: http://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB114
Avira: http://www.avira.com/en/download/product/avira-rescue-system
Kapersky: http://support.kaspersky.com/4162
AVG: http://www.avg.com/us-en/avg-rescue-cd
.....there are others but these four IMHO are the most credible & have good tools.
Good luck !
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@thekochs
You did a pretty good thing so far. ;)
As you said in post #17, leak of system hives (according to FRST) this may be a big problem for any repair attempt.
If ListParts does not show something or anything I can work with, I'm afraid I can't do much here.
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I have a Sony Vaio, and a recovery disk sent to me by Sony titled, Windows Vista Recovery Media for Windows Vista Products SP1. It's a recovery DVD.
OP has a recovery DVD but I assume this will set back to factor settings.
My take is if dead end then tell him best way to get all his "data/files" stored off the HDD and then use this DVD to restore PC.
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OK, attached is the result of the ListParts scan. Like the FRST scan, I had to boot from a USB, using the same method from my earlier post.
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I'll let @magna86 comment on next steps but I highly recommend before anything is done you recover any data/files from the HDD. The reason I say is that the log shows your Partition 2 of Volume 0 as "RAW" for file system.....this is your main 297GB partition. By chance do you have backup of all your needed files ?
If not then I'd read this article and do some research on these data recovery tools.
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/282351-32-file-system
I'm not sure if this is a Virus or something else (@magna86 can give you more insights) but if it was me I'd copy my data/files off to an external USB HDD before I did anything to try to recover. Once copied to USB HDD I'd scan that USB HDD with Avast and MalwareBytes.
Also, not sure if it will work since HDD is set to RAW (may need one of tools referenced in link above) but from USB boot you can..........
In Command Prompt type: notepad (and press enter).
File->Open. Browse to the stuff you want to copy. Right click on it then "copy"
browse to the folder on USB stick (or attach USB HDD to another USB port) you want to copy to. Then right click and "paste"
I know you have the Recovery DVD from Sony.....I also found this link too....not sure how much of this will work with main HDD at RAW....Sony may need file system to ne NTFS.
https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41931/~/how-to-perform-a-system-recovery-using-the-vaio-recovery-center.
.....but since you cannot boot PC the Sony Recovery Center seems to be accessible from the Advanced Boot Options in F8.
https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41949/session/L2F2LzEvdGltZS8xNDIwMDM0OTU2L3NpZC90TDNBNGhibQ%3D%3D
The tutorial on how to use Sony Recovery: https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/42022
There is a Rescue Data option: https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41973
AFTER you get your Data...and depending on what @magna86 wants you to do, there is an option to go back to System Restore Point: https://us.en.kb.sony.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/41941
Lastly, I finally found a credible place for Vista ISO download & creation....your Sony PC should have Windows sticker on it with the license key.....may be on bottom of PC.
Your Recovery DVD is probably better since it is Sony specific but this may be worth creating.
This is the How-To: http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/301852-vista-iso-download-create-installation-dvd-usb.html
It references the Digital River (MS authorized site): http://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/57-windows-vista-direct-download-links
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Another download source:
http://www.askvg.com/download-windows-vista-service-pack-2-now/ (http://www.askvg.com/download-windows-vista-service-pack-2-now/)
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Another download source:
http://www.askvg.com/download-windows-vista-service-pack-2-now/ (http://www.askvg.com/download-windows-vista-service-pack-2-now/)
Thx !......but I think this is just the SP2 update ? .....good to have though for OP if he has to re-install Vista w/SP1.
The links above (Reply #25) were for bootable Vista "installation" DVD.
SP2 is an update to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista that incorporates improvements discovered through automated feedback, as well as updates that have been delivered since SP1. By providing these fixes integrated into a single service pack for both client and server, Microsoft provides a single high-quality update that minimizes deployment and testing complexity for customers. Service Pack 1 is a prerequisite for installing Service Pack 2. Please make sure that your system is running Service Pack 1 before you install Service Pack 2.
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Another rescue scheme if evalable is booting from another disk and recover/install from there.
I had a Vista computer rescued that way, do a fresh install on the second hard disk if enough space available, then rescue the data from the initial one that wert bust. Just a proposition.
polonus
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Hello rhadenfeld,
As thekochs has been told, the OS partition (at disk 0, partition 2 with C drive letter instead of NTFS has become RAW) is unreadable.
This is why Windows can't load the system nor recognize the OS' partition...
If the problem isn't created by bad sectors on the HDD itself, TestDisk tool can search for the lost NTFS partition and write a fixed one (it shall attempt to fix). To me (nor sources that are available to me) are not known bootkit or any other malware that may couse this, malware loses his purpose and these codes are very well written so ...
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk
TestDisk can search for the lost NTFS partition and write a fixed one, it allow us to preview the files/folders inside before writing the new partition table, if the HDD is bad only commercial recovery programs can try to save some data for the readable sectors
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Here is the TestDisk How-To Step-By-Step: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Step_By_Step
Here is Forum Link: http://forum.cgsecurity.org/phpBB3/
If TestDisk does not recover the partition then there is PhotoRec that you can recover your files.
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec
The Step-By-Step: http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/PhotoRec_Step_By_Step
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So, most of my files were indeed backed up (thank goodness), but I have a few months of pictures that I would like to get back, if possible. If I run the Testdisk and attempt to fix, will that enable me to access my lost files? In all honesty, I just bought a new computer, so recovering my lost pictures and then restoring the computer to factory default is a pretty ideal solution for me.
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So, based on your scenario if it was me I'd run TestDisk and get my files first, then see if I could get it to repair partition.
I've never used but I gave you the link to Step-By-Step and if it was me after I ran the "analysis" I'd then post on their Forum for guidance.....maybe start with you want to get files then ask how to address your specific partition recovery needs.
Go ahead and put the link here to that Forum post....I'd be interested to follow.
If TestDisk gets your files and partition back...great. Note, the other util PhotoRec will get your files back as well...kind of a backup to TestDisk. Anyway, if the above works great.....if you get your files but it does not recover partition then you have your Sony DVD recovery disk which I'm guessing will recover/restore your PC back to factory install. Obviously, you'll need do all the Windows Updates, install programs, etc.
Good luck and post the link to TestDisk Forum.
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So, I haven't recovered my partition and made my sick computer workable yet, but TestDisk was successful in helping me retrieve those few files that weren't backed up! Thanks a lot thekochs, magna86 and everyone else! I really appreciate it.
Now that I have everything off of my computer that I want, what is the best way to reset the sick computer to factory settings? I plan on wiping the whole thing and then giving it to my mother-in-law as she doesn't have a computer (and now I have two).
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So, I haven't recovered my partition and made my sick computer workable yet, but TestDisk was successful in helping me retrieve those few files that weren't backed up! Thanks a lot thekochs, magna86 and everyone else! I really appreciate it.
Good to hear on the files........did you try to recover the partition or was just getting the files enough ?
I'm just curious how the partition recovery works.
Now that I have everything off of my computer that I want, what is the best way to reset the sick computer to factory settings? I plan on wiping the whole thing and then giving it to my mother-in-law as she doesn't have a computer (and now I have two).
If it was me I would use the Sony DVD Recovery disk you have....I assume it sets everything back to factory defaults.
You'll need to update all the MS updates past that level but not too big a deal.
I'm sure there will be some other minor tweaks to make it ready for the mother-in-law.
Let me know how it goes.
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I didn't try to recover the partition yet. As I was able to access the files, I wanted to get them off before I attempted anything. I've never really tried to do anything like this with my computer, so I was just defending myself against my own ignorance, in case I did something wrong (or hasty). Now that I have the files, I may try to recover the partition. I'm curious if it works too ;)
I might not get to it for a few days, but I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks again!
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If you go that route, don't forget to remove any pre-installed 3rd party Antivirus trial versions before
installing Avast. :)
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I didn't try to recover the partition yet. As I was able to access the files, I wanted to get them off before I attempted anything. I've never really tried to do anything like this with my computer, so I was just defending myself against my own ignorance, in case I did something wrong (or hasty). Now that I have the files, I may try to recover the partition. I'm curious if it works too ;)
I might not get to it for a few days, but I'll let you know how it goes.
Thanks again!
Let me know how TestDisk goes on fixing RAW partition but did some snooping and this software looks interesting too....comes recommended online.
http://www.paragon-software.com/home/rk-free/
A disclaimer.....I never used it either........but since you have your data off the PC and you have a DVD to restore it....good time to play with this type software.