More computer help required

[Nobbylad]

My Dell Dimension 9150 running XP SP3 has given up the ghost (almost).

When booting up, there's an "svchost.exe at memory address blah blah The memory could not be read" error.

You can eventually log into Windows, although I'm pretty sure it's not logging me in with Admin access.

There's no taskbar/start menu so any actions have to be done through Task Manager. I can't get networking, can't copy and paste files to an external hard drive and every minute or so the PC initiates a system shutdown saying RPC terminated unexpectedly however I can prevent it shutting down by SHUTDOWN -A.

I can't run chkdsk and can't run system restore (strui.exe) and srdiag.exe comes back saying "System restore is unable to protect your system. Please restart then run system restore again"

I don't have an XP disc so can't boot from CD (XP was preloaded).

Any ideas?

[Kenzie]

Can you boot into safe mode and try restore from there? Normally F8 or DEL during post. I have heard of people downloading an ISO of windows and using the repair console.

[Nobbylad]

safe mode same issues

[Kenzie]

Give this a try?

http://geekswithblogs.net/TimH/archive/2006/12/16/101353.aspx

Also, if you want your task bar back, go into task manager and select new task then type explorer.exe and hit ok.

[Nobbylad]

have done the auto updates thing and tried explorer

[xXBADGERXx]

Slightly more concise workaround

http://www.pchell.com/support/svchosterror.shtml

[Nobbylad]

Thanks Badge...didn't work but managed to get a copy of XP from a mate, looks like I'll just reinstall the OS.

[xXBADGERXx]

Ahhh , saying that , if you have a disc then it`s easier mate . In one of the DOS options you can press "R" for repair mode , it will try it`s best to re-install any missing files such as SVCHOST.exe .

I`m pretty sure I had something very similar to this when SP2 came out , not long after an update and reboot it all went nipples up , I tried a few things and I remember slipping in the XP disc and trying Repair mode and it fixed it in mere minutes . The problem you may have is that it might not like a disc from another provider . They started getting a bit more serious about serial numbers around that time which is easily worked around in Windows with net access , when you are in DOS it may be even easier or it could throw something at you , I reckon you should be able to workaround whatever comes along though with a bit of rummaging .

[Nobbylad]

OK - well the other disk didn't help.

I can't run system restore or repair, if I try and boot from the CD I get random file errors (different one each time) and if I try and run setup in Windows, it tells me that the installed version of XP Home Edition is newer than the CD so it won't install.

[xXBADGERXx]

Well , the last resort is always a format and reinstall , just remember to change the boot sequence in your bios to boot from the cd after formatting the C: drive and it will install XP for you , then the rigmarole of updating it all begins . I would try and find another way first . Have you tried the Microsoft database , sometimes they actually do turn up with little rescue patches sometimes .

[Nobbylad]

Not trawled through the Microsoft databases yet. Don't want to format as haven't backed up to my external hard drive yet :(

[xXBADGERXx]

http://repair-svchost.org/

Give that a whirl mate , click in the box and it will start you off , click it a second time and answer the questions to narrow it all down .
Have you also done a recent spyware/malware scan ?

[Nobbylad]

Cheers Badge, will try tomogs. Can't run av software at the mo, Norton won't fire up

[xXBADGERXx]

Download free ones , they will suffice for the time being , restart windows in safe mode with networking capability , should help a bit , get Adware Away from lavasoft or Malwarebytes is another decent one for free

[Nobbylad]

Net doesn't work, not even hardwired and in safe mode

[xXBADGERXx]

I have a feeling I had this , I am pretty sure of it , and to assist in eradicating it I had to turn off system restore as there was a Blaster Worm hiding in there and it came back time after time . I did that , used a patch to repair it then held the power button in for 6 seconds to close the PC down abruptly so it could not go and save a virus anywhere else , rebooted in safe mode and did a scan . Are you using another PC at the moment to get online or a phone ?

[Nobbylad]

Have a netbook (when I can get it off the kids) and me phone. I ran that PC Health thing you sent me but it got about 80% through then hung. Can't re-run it (even after uninstalling) and can't even boot from CD no.w (although the CD/DVD drives where always temperamental).

Probs gonna try and get a version of XP from work tomogs and try that (as well as a USB DVD drive).

Got most of my data off onto an externall HDD using xcopy, but just know there'll be something I'm missing if I wipe it and start again....

[xXBADGERXx]

The link I sent you was a web based , it didn`t need an install . It uses flash to work it`s way through a process to narrow down the problem . You`ve got one of those worms I reckon that completes tries to fox you at every turn . I would deffo say you are going to need an XP disc of some sort now . Keep me updated in what you manage to bring home tomorrow .

[phil24_7]

I had something similar to this and had to run an iso virus software, so that it cleaned windows before it booted up. It was a proper c**t to sort out as I'd tried about 15 other ways before finding something that worked.

[Nobbylad]

Gonna tie the p.c. to the back of the bike today and drag it 40 miles to work. Granted it won't fix it but smashing it to bits will make me feel slightly better!

[Nobbylad]

Arrrrggggghhh! Been away for a few days but before I went, got hold of an XP Pro disk but couldn't get it to install as can't boot from cd or even usb cd (even though that's an option in the boot menu).

Can't reinstall XP Home edition or install XP pro...thinking that my only option at the moment is to buy a cheapo HDD, install an OS on that, then connect the existing HDD as an additional drive and then copy the data I need off it before re-formatting it.

I get a blue screen of death when trying to install XP on boot (when it did manage to boot) and looking at the STOP code, it suggests memory issues. I downloaded a memory checking tool that you can run from bootup and that says everything was OK, as did an AVG bootable USB.

[The Idle Biker]

Nobbylad, one of my teams are IT. Drop you a pm, if you are still struggling tomorrow let me know and I'll put you onto one of the techs. Watch out though, they are strange!

[xXBADGERXx]

Nobby , you can`t do the OS thing on a seperate drive . XP encodes the files on the drive to it`s installed OS , you try and piggyback it and it won`t allow it .

[beabert]

Can't reinstall XP Home edition or install XP pro...thinking that my only option at the moment is to buy a cheapo HDD, install an OS on that, then connect the existing HDD as an additional drive and then copy the data I need off it before re-formatting it.

I get a blue screen of death when trying to install XP on boot (when it did manage to boot) and looking at the STOP code, it suggests memory issues. I downloaded a memory checking tool that you can run from bootup and that says everything was OK, as did an AVG bootable USB.

Thats what id be doing.

Did you use memtest86+? If the memory is ok, id be looking at a duff hdd/dvd drive.