Windows XP won't boot after update. What to do?

[Ksyder]

***Putting this thread in this forum since it is specifically an O.S. problem, if it needs to go to Computer Help, feel free to move it.***

I was asked to take a look at a family member's computer. The machine is a dell desktop with an Athlon 64 and Windows XP SP3. The problem is that after installing some updates now the pc will not boot. It just stays on the Windows splash screen with the blue animation goes left to right under the Windows XP logo.

Under event viewer it says the pc restarted due to ".net framework 2.0 service pack 2" update and now the pc won't boot anymore.

It will boot into safe mode. System restore does not fix the problem. I tried uninstalling any .net software and re-installed (while in safe mode because that is all it will boot up with) it but that did not fix the problem. I'm at a loss of what to do about this. I don't want to re-install, but that is an absolute last resort if there is no solution.

 

[AndroidVageta]

Can you not uninstall the updates?

 

[Ksyder]

I don't know, the only entry I saw in add/remove programs was one entry for .net. If you actually went to the .net folder where all of the different versions were there was like 5.

 

[corkyg]

The 5 versions should be dated. Uninstall the latest one.

 

[Ksyder]

The 5 versions should be dated. Uninstall the latest one.

There was only 1 entry in add/remove programs to remove .net. Do you think something like

http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives...et-framework-with-aaron-stebner-cleanup-tool/

would do the trick?

 

[imagoon]

Get it bootable and start your virus/spyware/rootkit scans. I have had a rash of "MS updates broke my PC! actually translate to: Microsoft patched a hole that root kit X or spyware Y was using to take hold of the machine.

 

[cschill1290]

If scanning for virus/spyware/rootkit doesn't work. I would just boot into safe mode, backup everything of value onto an external hdd or flash drive and reinstall. It will save you a lot of headaches and it's the easiest way to get everything on the same page again.

 

[Ksyder]

Get it bootable and start your virus/spyware/rootkit scans. I have had a rash of "MS updates broke my PC! actually translate to: Microsoft patched a hole that root kit X or spyware Y was using to take hold of the machine.

I like your suggestion and think there could be something to that, as I did in the past remove a spyware problem from this computer. Unfortunately I'm not sure I'll be able to get it to boot and run normally without nuking the OS.