Thread: Can't boot Windows XP - possible virus infection?? Help requested.

My partner is unable to boot his laptop (Toshiba Satellite Pro about 3-4
years old, running Windows XP). An error message comes up saying that
Windows was unable to shutdown properly and this may have been due to new
hardware or software being added - but the last time he used the laptop, he
did not add any new hardware or software and, as far as he can remember,
Windows shut down normally.

On the same error screen, there are options to boot in Safe Mode, Safe Mode
with Networking or return to the last known good configuration. Nothing
happens if you try to boot in safe mode. If you try to boot in the last
known good configuration, the system counts down in seconds to rebooting,
then the screen goes black, then it cycles back to the same error message I
have just described. So basically we can't reboot at all.

My boyfriend reports that the last time he was using the laptop, he noticed
it was behaving oddly - he kept being prompted for his email password (which
is usually saved in his Outlook settings) and he got some kind of warning
message that his antivirus software (Norton) had been unable to automatically
install the latest update.

Can anybody diagnose the likely cause of this problem? I am wondering, due
to the antivirus warning message he received, if it could it be a virus?

Unfortunately the only kind of recovery disc he has is what Toshiba shipped
with the machine, which looks like it will reformat the hard drive. Is there
anything else we can try before resorting to this?

Many thanks for any help you can offer.


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Nickyxx5