WinXP helpctr.exe infinite popups

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe
the 2nd install... should it be on a new hd, on ONE of my serial drives (if thats possible), or on both of my serial drives (raid 0, as normal)

Thanks!!!

If you do try the parallel install, and you do have a separate hard drive, then what I'd do is to put the 2nd install on the SATA array, and then use the separate hard drive as your holding tank.

Once you have your stuff moved to the separate hard drive for safekeeping, now shut down, unplug the separate hard drive from the system, start Windows Setup from CD (with your RAID drivers on floppy) and nuke all partitions. Now exit Windows Setup by pressing F3 twice and start over, thus assuring that the boot menu will not have three installs of WinXP listed

After you're done setting it up and securing it, now hook up your holding-tank drive and grab your stuff off it. Make sure your antivirus software is installed, configured and updated and do a scan of the stuff first.

While getting the password reset may save you that trouble, it still sounds like your Windows installation needs to die. :evil:

 

[EyeOfThe]

I don't actually have another HD handy... so I would try to get the data I want to save and burn it to CD's. There's not that much, just a few CD's worth.

Offline NT Password reset looks nice, but I have WinXP - and isn't it something you have to enable beforehand?

Thanks

 

[EyeOfThe]

Well, the good news is I can get into windows now.... sort of

I installed a new (2nd) windows on my computer, I start it up, and the bleeping infinite HELP CENTER bug takes over and crashes out my machine.

I wish I could find more info on how to fix this bug/virus!!! I only thing I found was the post I mentioned in the beginning, but that doesn't tell me enough info on how to fix it. Does it make sense to any of you?

 

[mechBgon]

If it can start in Safe Mode With Networking without wigging out, haul it over to some web-based antivirus scanners and let them grind through some scans in Safe Mode W/ Networking. Disable System Restore first. I'd use Kaspersky's scanner and see what it can find, to start with.

Remember, the parallel install is only so you can rescue your data files and burn them to CD or something, then you just nuke it all.

 

[EyeOfThe]

If my data files are in the My Documents tree of the old windows install, I might be screwed right?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe
If my data files are in the My Documents tree of the old windows install, I might be screwed right?

Not necessarily, you will have to take NTFS Ownership of them however. I can help more with that if needed.

 

[EyeOfThe]

Yes that would be a big help!

Also, it should be easy to write a script that terminates helpctr.exe as fast as it gets initiated, right? Then I might have more than a few seconds to get something done.

Or is it that in safe mode this exe doesn't run?

 

[mechBgon]

k, what you need to do is to get at the Security & Permissions stuff that WinXP's Simple File Sharing is hiding from you. On XP Professional, you can turn off Simple File Sharing. On XP Home, you need to reboot in Safe Mode.

Whatever. Once you're able to see the Security tab on the \Documents and Settings\username when you right-click it, now click the Advanced button and another panel should open (example picture). You would put a checkmark in the box for "Replace owner on subcontainers and objects," and pick an account from your new Windows installation in the box above, and then hit OK and let it grind through the change of Ownership. Now you'll be able to get into the directory and work with the files.

 

[EyeOfThe]

Thank, you've been a real big help.

Wow, I hit 300 posts...

 

[EyeOfThe]

Argh!!!

Even in SAFE MODE or DEBUGGING MODE the dreaded helpctr.exe takes over my pc!

New suggestion please?

Thanks

 

[mechBgon]

Are you able to make any headway on rescuing your files so you can nuke it all and do a clean install?

 

[EyeOfThe]

can't even move when the cpu gets eaten up so fast and the memory overloads....

When I click windows explorer a new helpctr popup jumps up in front of it.

 

[mechBgon]

Is that WinXP Professional, or WinXP Home?

 

[EyeOfThe]

XP Pro

 

[mechBgon]

k, and I forgot to ask what Service Pack?

 

[EyeOfThe]

From my first post....

found 1 thing on the web that mentioned the problem and the fix was this:
--------------------------------
Thanks,again,Zero,but our faithful Spybot was correct.

The primary infected key was:

HK_LM:RUN MSConfig CWINDOWS\PCHEALTH\Helpctr\binaries /auto

plus secondary keys pertaining to MSCONFIG32.EXE

I spent hours talking to Microsoft,ensuring it DEFINATELY was not a legitimate auto-heal service,or similar.

I am worried about those weird looking "tools" still on my harddrive.

The key kept regenerating itself after having been deleted in safemode.Booted into normal mode,then back into safe-the key was back,because another "APP" was calling it.
-----------------------------------

Unfortunately there are a few missing steps in the solution. Any ideas?

 

[EyeOfThe]

I just installed a new windows instance off the CD... and didn't do any web-updates... does that tell the SP?

 

[mechBgon]

<--- still not sure if you have WinXP SP0, SP1 or SP2

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: EyeOfThe
I just installed a new windows instance off the CD... and didn't do any web-updates... does that tell the SP?

Start > Run > winver will tell.

 

[EyeOfThe]

v 5.1 build 2600.xpclient.010817-1148

 

[mechBgon]

Sounds like no SP at all. Remind me what you have installed for antivirus software right now, and what firewall software and/or hardware you have?

 

[EyeOfThe]

Interesting...

waited long enuf and got this msg


Helpctr.exe: the app failed to initialize properly 0xc0000142 Click on OK to terminate the application

 

[EyeOfThe]

zonealarm,norton, spybot I think

 

[mechBgon]

What version of Norton (2003, 2004, 2005?) and how up-to-date are the definitions and other components?

 

[EyeOfThe]

reading right now -> http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2614&mode=threaded


Norton is up to date... but I remember it not workin so great, think it had a conflict with something

Spybot works great and up to date, zonealarm was going good too