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Q: I had a virus in my system
and tried to enter Safe Mode to troubleshoot the issue. I was not able to use
the normal method of entering Safe Mode so I was instructed to try the System
Configuration Utility and check the Safeboot option in the Boot.ini section to
get there. Now, when I try to boot my computer, it just takes me back to the
black boot options screen. I can't find a way to enter Windows. Is there a way
to get my system operating normally again?
A: Many current malware are removing the option in the registry to properly
enter Safe Mode. This is in an attempt to make removal of the malware more
difficult. Once you have forced Windows to boot to Safe Mode using the /Safeboot
option in the System Configuration Utility (MSCONFIG), this is forcing Windows
to boot to an option that simply doesn't exist because MSCONFIG has placed a /safeboot
entry in the Boot.ini file and it cannot be removed until you can get back to
MSCONFIG to uncheck the Safeboot option. You will now be stuck booting to your
boot options screen as you've described.
A possible fix for this is to rename your Boot.ini file so that Windows can
identify that it doesn't exist and automatically rebuild it. Here's how:
- Boot Windows from your Windows installation CD
- Enter the Recovery Console
(How to use the
Recovery Console)
- Once you've entered the command prompt, rename the Boot.ini file by entering
the following:
ren C:\Boot.ini Boot.ini.old
- Press Enter
- Once the renaming has been successful, remove the installation CD and try
booting your system normally.
- When you have successfully entered Windows, rename the file back to Boot.ini
using your command prompt. (Start>> Run>> Type in: cmd [Enter])
- Go back to MSCONFIG (Start>> Run>> Type in: msconfig [Enter]). Once in the
System Configuration Utility, click the Boot.ini tab and deselect the /SAFEBOOT
option.
- Exit the System Configuration Utility
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