windows XP home;boot up locked;wont boot even into safe mode

a comp running xp home; has three profiles on it; wont boot and freezes at the log in screan for the three profiles; wont go into safe or any other mode even when asked to and goes apparently always to the main log in screan even when even safe mode is requested

seems also to be asking for updates for XP.
They run xp home edition, but recently a windows installer has been popping up saying it cannot install xp pro, but they have not got it


apparently no MSN run on it

it has the ?? virus program of EZ, ??part of the Computer Associates Group(?) as is apparently the firewall and anti spyware

is there any malware that could be causing this problem OF refusing to boot beyond the main log in screan and even to refuse to boot up beyond the reqest to go into safe mode;even at that point it goes into normal mode

any clues as to what could be wrong malaware wise and if so how, if at all it might be rectified

please
p3

It appears the victim is in need of a qualified malware remover. I suggest they post a HJT log here or at one of the other forums to receive help.

"Piney" wrote:It appears the victim is in need of a qualified malware remover. I suggest they post a HJT log here or at one of the other forums to receive help.

thanks; I had a feeling that that might BE an answer; problem now will be how to get a log off a comp that will not apparently allow itself to be logged into?

They need to post their problem at one of the forums to receive expert help.

Did this just suddenly happen? As a last resort you could try system restore if your unable to enter windows:
http://searchwincomputing.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1167895,00.html

KG

the plot gets currioser (spelling looks wrong and probably is )

despite the comp now apparently having had a repair of windows performed on it, it STILL declines to boot up properly ;the latest plan is its gonna get a check out by a local shop ; what ,if anything, they find I for one will be intrigued to know

the comp will not even go anywhere as far as to get into any profile let alone even allow a log to be generated from it

Do you have the ability to hook the hard drive to another computer? That's what I would try.

If it's not even booting or acting sluggish/slow then you might have a bad hard drive. Checking the event logs would show you bad sectors if you could attach it to another machine.

KG

Most likely you will want to slave the drive and use something like MHDD, HDAT2 or victoria for windows on it to see if the drive is bad.