Hi, I running windows xp professional, and recently I was attacked by a huge wave of viruses and adware. While attempting to restart my computer, as I log back into windows, it gets to the welcome screen, then instantly shuts down. It appears I can get into safe mode. Any ideas or help would be most appreciated!

If you manage to get it into safe mode, i would run adaware....if not, and you aren't able to get it to where you can run anything, i would go ahead and reformat but only as a last resort

Do you have any important data? If so, ask someone to help you move your HD to their computer, transfer the data on their computer, and then do a full format of the HD. After you format the HD, move the data back on the HD, have your friend help check for viruses on the newly formatted hard drive, then put it back in your computer. Load the XP CD in, make sure your BIOS is configured to boot off the CD, then install XP. (Tip: Do NOT reformat again from the XP Setup, since you already did it on your friend's computer, and because you'd lose the data you have on your HD.) If you have no important data on the hard drive, just go ahead and boot from the XP CD-ROM and reformat. Post back! =) -Andrew

To Baazar: Before you format you PC, have a look and do some more search on the web. I believe this is a lsass.exe error virus and you need to take the following steps before you format your pc. Unfortunately I am still using W98 and I cannot rembember the exact name of the program I had to run when fixing similar problem on my friend's PC. What you need to do is to stop your PC shutting down so you can run scanreg and other antivirus and adware programs. To do that you have to go on Start/Run and than you type (here you type the 3 letter word which i cannot rembember now) and then you will be prompt with ms-dos window where you should type shutdown-a and then press enter. By doing this, it prevents your PC shutting down and gives you a chance to fix the errror. If you can wait for another 6 hours, I am about to go and see my friend who I fixed similar error and I will let you know later what the exact word is and what you need to do. I know by not remembering the exact word, I am not helping you at all but at least I am trying to let you know that you can avoid formating your PC and try one more thing. I know for sure that I fixed similar problems a while ago on two different PC. Speak to you later.

Hey, thanks everybody for responding. I'm trying to run as many anti-adware and anti-virus programs as possible, because I want to make reformatting a last resort. I'm going to try running: Ad Aware Spybot SD Norton Antivirus Any other ideas? I'm looking into that lsass.exe error virus, but I don't know if thats the cause. I'm also pretty sure this is just some startup setting I have checked on, is there anyway I can view those and see if they are the cause? Thanks again -Baazar

Ok, heres an update. Not sure what did it, but after a complete power shutdown and reboot, I can now, login in to windows and see, "welocome" followed by my background picture. But no taskbar appears and no icons are on the desktop as well as the right click menu has been disabled. I can move the mouse and access the ctrl+alt+del menu, and my computer, run etc. Any ideas? Thanks Again, Baazar

Hi I am having a similar problem, and having read this thread I am beginning to fear that I may have to format. I am running XP Pro on AMD 1700 with 256 RAM 40G HD. When I start it gets to the log in screen, and once I press enter, it reboots. Sometimes it gets to the desktop, the icons and taskbat etc load, but it restarts within about 10 seconds. I haven't installed anything major of late, and the only thing I can think it might be is a virus.