serious problem after running quick scan

[sawu]

Hello,

I have been trying to rid a computer of the AntiVirus XP 08 (antivirxp08) problem, and found out about Malwarebyte's software as being the best method of doing so. Yippee, or so I thought...

I downloaded the program, ran the quickscan. It took about 40 minutes to complete, finding 26 problems. Ok, I thought. Just need to fix these problems. However, while these were being fixed / repaired , my computer switched off. Now, whenever I try and restart my machine, it gets up to the Windows XP "flag" on the black background, with the green progress bar at the bottom, and after about 20 seconds of this, it hangs, and then restarts from scratch again, never being able to get past this point.

This is obviously disastrous, I cannot log into Windows at all on the computer. I don't know what on earth to do next, please can someone make some suggestions???

The computer is a Compaq desktop from a few years ago, running Windows XP. Sorry I do not have more details currently, tomorrow I need to pop back out to try and get the computer at least starting up again...

Thanks for any help, appreciated massively!

[sawu]

I just found this topic which seems to be a similar problem - the main difference being, that before I downloaded and ran malwarebytes program, the computer was running quite happily, with the occassional pop-ups etc associated with antivirus XP 08 being the only (visible) problems.

I can attempt to create a boot CD from the topic mentioned, but any additional info between now and 14 hours time will be a huge help.

[nosirrah]

These situations are very hard to diagnose without a scan log and since you can boot , that would be hard to get at .

I need to know a few things that might make the fix easier .

Do you have the skills and equipment to slave your nonfunctional hard drive to a functioning system ?

If you do there is an easy way to recover from this .

[EliteKiller]

1) Reboot the pc tapping F8 repeatedly > select Last known good config

2) If that fails try safe mode

Report back with your results.

[JeanInMontana]

1) Reboot the pc tapping F8 repeatedly > select Last known good config

2) If that fails try safe mode

Report back with your results.

The user has already said they can't boot period. Please do not give instructions on this forum.

[sawu]

Hi,

Well, i've had a 5 hour session to no avail

Have tried F8 last known good config, didn't work

Can't get into safe mode

Sorry nosirrah, but I don't really have the experience to be doing what you suggested.

I made a boot CD with Microsoft Diagnostic tools, allowed me to get in to edit registry, removed a couple of the antivixp08 entries, made no difference.

Unfortunately the system has no restore points, which is a pain, otherwise I could have restored it in Diagnostics.

Tried a fix by renaming psiapi (or similar), but the "old" copy of file didn't exist on the computer.

Ran chkdsk /r, fixed one or more errors, but still doesn't allow me to boot windows XP up.

Any other suggestions please? Please note, this computer was running fairly normally and healthily, with the exception of a bit of spyware/malware/etc, before hand. The computer is owned by a middle aged couple who do little untoward on it, mainly just general internet browsing.

It was only when the Malwarebytes program was run, trying to repair problems that it had found, that this catastrophic error occured.

p.s. I really do not want to have to re-install OS, let alone reformat hard drive, as I cannot really afford to lose any files from the HD.

[EliteKiller]

The user has already said they can't boot period. Please do not give instructions on this forum.

If you took the time to read the OP then you would see that he could not boot into Normal mode, and there was no mention of trying other boot options. The information I provided was common knowledge. Since you are supposed to be an Expert why is it that you failed to offer any t/s advice?

sawu, since you've already run the recovery console repair the next step would be a repair install.

[sawu]

I forgot to add... I stopped the boot system from restarting automatically when it wouldn't load, so I could see the error message, which was

STOP: C000021 Fatal System Error, Terminated unexpectedly with status of...

Elitekiller - in regards to repair install... firstly, does this risk losing any files/settings in XP? Also, as with all compaqs in NZ, there is no XP disc with the computer, instead there is a repair option built onto the HD, but it does warn that it will remove all programs added to the computer.

[nosirrah]

A repair install with a real XP disk would only repair the OS , your data and applications would not be touched .

The repair option built into your HD is likely not the same thing and will destroy everything and return your system to factory condition .

I did a little research and it seems that with this error selecting last known good from the safemode menu is a good place to start . Was this ever tried ?

I hate to say this but with system restore off 99% of your chances to get this fixed are gone as well . Even if it will never be used as it is intended it does keep a nice running set of registry copies that can be used in these situations .

There is also likely something else going on with your system . Even if we half removed a trojan/rogue combo infection the worst that could happen would be for you to get a dll not found error or two at your desktop but your system would function perfectly . You have mentioned access to your system through some tools , that also means you have access to your scan log .

C:\Documents and Settings\*****YOUR USERNAME GOES HERE*****\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs

This is where your log(s) will be . If there is only one get us a copy of the last one . If there are more than one just the last two will be fine .

With that info we might be able to help you reverse the registry changes that caused this .

[Tigger93]

Since you are supposed to be an Expert why is it that you failed to offer any t/s advice?

No need to be rude, and there was no need for that comment.

[Heavus]

Hello,

RE: STOP: C000021 Fatal System Error, Terminated unexpectedly with status of.

There is more information on this line. Please post. Example: terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0X0000026c or similar.

If repair is run using setup disk, may lead to Error Bad_Pool_Caller or Memory_Manager_Error

I have seen this before and the problem was BAD RAM. Please test before continuing.

Heavus

[JeanInMontana]

If you took the time to read the OP then you would see that he could not boot into Normal mode, and there was no mention of trying other boot options. The information I provided was common knowledge. Since you are supposed to be an Expert why is it that you failed to offer any t/s advice?

sawu, since you've already run the recovery console repair the next step would be a repair install.

You will find I never refer to myself as an expert. I am a moderator here and I do try to head off disasters and keep some order. The information you provided is not common knowledge. As a HJT log analyzer I give instructions on how to boot to Safe Mode often, because most don't have any idea how to do it.

I did not make any instructions because someone that is an expert and a part of the hands on development team was responding.

In cases like this the less others interject with their opinions and instructions the more likely there will be a solution. Try putting yourself in the OP's shoes with several people giving instructions to do this and do that. This is how systems get damaged not fixed.

If you note in the title of the post, it states the problem was after running a scan with MBAM. That signals the problem to be program specific, AFAIK your not a part of the development team for MBAM. That's why they should be responding.

Most of the time these cases are not to do with MBAM or any other Malwarebytes products, but when the OP notices the problem after using one of our products they come to us for help, we give the very best we can. In the rare instance one of our products did cause the problem, then it's even more crucial that someone from the team is able to get the information and give a solution with the least amount of interference.

Thanks for your cooperation.

[sawu]

I did a little research and it seems that with this error selecting last known good from the safemode menu is a good place to start . Was this ever tried ?

...snip...

C:\Documents and Settings\*****YOUR USERNAME GOES HERE*****\Application Data\Malwarebytes\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\Logs

This is where your log(s) will be . If there is only one get us a copy of the last one . If there are more than one just the last two will be fine .

With that info we might be able to help you reverse the registry changes that caused this .

Yes, I have tried last known good with no difference.

I will try and find any logs when I next get a chance to look at the computer.

Thanks.

[sawu]

Hello,

RE: STOP: C000021 Fatal System Error, Terminated unexpectedly with status of.

There is more information on this line. Please post. Example: terminated unexpectedly with a status of 0X0000026c or similar.

If repair is run using setup disk, may lead to Error Bad_Pool_Caller or Memory_Manager_Error

I have seen this before and the problem was BAD RAM. Please test before continuing.

Heavus

Here's everything I copied down:

STOP: C000021 A Fatal System Error

Terminated unexpectedly with status of

0xC0000034 (0x0000... 0x0000...) (can't remember exactly how many 0's there were, but they were the only character in the bracketed strings).

I would have thought it strange or unlikely for the RAM, which is not particularly old, not overclocked, not overused, etc, to crap out during a scan?

Thanks.

[sawu]

If you note in the title of the post, it states the problem was after running a scan with MBAM. That signals the problem to be program specific, AFAIK your not a part of the development team for MBAM. That's why they should be responding.

Most of the time these cases are not to do with MBAM or any other Malwarebytes products, but when the OP notices the problem after using one of our products they come to us for help, we give the very best we can. In the rare instance one of our products did cause the problem, then it's even more crucial that someone from the team is able to get the information and give a solution with the least amount of interference.

Thanks for your cooperation.

Obviously I am not on expert on these matters, but the fact that the problem occurred during the repair after the MBAM scan would also lead me automatically to assume that it is a problem caused by something the program did.

I appreciate all the help offered so far, this is quite a stressful time for me, as I have never come across a problem this severe before (the computer is my in-laws, and as nice as they are about it, the fact I have left their computer in a much worse way than what I found it stresses me out massively!)

[Heavus]

Here's everything I copied down:

STOP: C000021 A Fatal System Error

Terminated unexpectedly with status of

0xC0000034 (0x0000... 0x0000...) (can't remember exactly how many 0's there were, but they were the only character in the bracketed strings).

I would have thought it strange or unlikely for the RAM, which is not particularly old, not overclocked, not overused, etc, to crap out during a scan?

Thanks.

So when you tested the RAM it tested OK? Should be a diagnostic partition on your compaq to run from.

[JeanInMontana]

Obviously I am not on expert on these matters, but the fact that the problem occurred during the repair after the MBAM scan would also lead me automatically to assume that it is a problem caused by something the program did.

I appreciate all the help offered so far, this is quite a stressful time for me, as I have never come across a problem this severe before (the computer is my in-laws, and as nice as they are about it, the fact I have left their computer in a much worse way than what I found it stresses me out massively!)

I can imagine what your going through. I understand completely how you came to your conclusions. Nothing I said was directed to you. There are people in this thread telling you what to do, that are in no way associated with Malwarebytes, nor are they known by us to be capable of giving advice. Nosirrah is the only person posting to this thread with any association to Malwarebytes other than myself of course. I feel it's important your aware of that.

[sawu]

OK, well I have re-visited the machine, no change in what is happening unfortunately. However, using diagnostic tools, I managed to access the log file for MBAM - it was the only file in the log directory.

Oh no - just tried to open the log file I had saved on a floppy to paste in here, but it says the file is corrupted and unreadable! I can't believe it, I was able to view the file on the damaged computer, managed to save it onto the floppy using diagnostic tools, but now it won't open on my computer!

Bugger - the damaged computer is on the other side of town, I can't really afford to make another special trip.

Any other suggestions for what I can do? I think the in-laws are going to take the computer to a repair guy, who hopefully can get XP up and running again... the one positive thing IMHO is that using the diagnostic tools I could access virtually all files on HD, so at least they don't appear to be lost...

[JeanInMontana]

Please copy and paste the log here as soon as you get a chance to get back to the PC.