Windows XP fails to start after reboot of Spybot

[K_Blue]

Hi - I've used Spybot Search and Destroy to remove some malware. After it completed the scan and fixed the items - including Registry changes - it prompted me to reboot. I rebooted the computer and it loaded to a black screen. I rebooted a second, third time - same thing. I then tried a repair; no luck. I performed an inplace upgrade. During the final stages of the GUI install, the Spybot application loaded and attempted to run. I canceled the Spybot scan and continued with setup. The computer restarted, flashed with a "not enough virtual memory to load..." error. Unfortunately, I can't read the entire error as it reboots to quickly. I placed a second drive in the computer and performed a clean install on the second drive in an attempt to get back to my original drive. I reviewed the manual uninstall file and reviewed the original install's Registry. I don't see any references to Spybot. Is there something I'm missing that's preventing me from getting back into my original install? Thanks!

[Yodama]

Hello K_Blue,

this appears to be a more complicated issue. We will need to sort out some information first.
Which version of Windows and which version of Spybot S&D did you use?

Hi - I've used Spybot Search and Destroy to remove some malware. After it completed the scan and fixed the items - including Registry changes - it prompted me to reboot.

It may help us to find the source of this issue if we knew which malware has been fixed and if there are still traces of it present. Please follow this path
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Spybot - Search & Destroy\Logs
Here Spybot S&D stores its logs, we will require the latest fixes.txt to see what was fixed by Spybot S&D during the latest fix.

If you manage to have Spybot S&D run again, do a scan, right click the results screen after the scan and save a full report to file.

Please send both files to detections@spybot.info with a reference to this thread.

I rebooted the computer and it loaded to a black screen. I rebooted a second, third time - same thing.

Did you try to start your computer in Safe mode? To do this press F8 before the first Windows boot screen appears.
If the blank screen appears again, try to open the task manager with ctrl+alt+del . Check the running tasks, if the explorer is not running you can manually start it with file - new task then entering "explorer" .

I then tried a repair; no luck. I performed an inplace upgrade.

Does this refer to Windows or Spybot S&D?

During the final stages of the GUI install, the Spybot application loaded and attempted to run. I canceled the Spybot scan and continued with setup. The computer restarted, flashed with a "not enough virtual memory to load..." error.

Did any message appear prior to the reboot of the computer at this stage?

I placed a second drive in the computer and performed a clean install on the second drive in an attempt to get back to my original drive.

I assume that you installed Windows on a second drive, is this correct?

I reviewed the manual uninstall file and reviewed the original install's Registry.

How did you access the registry of your first Windows installation?

I don't see any references to Spybot. Is there something I'm missing that's preventing me from getting back into my original install? Thanks!

If you are using ntfs as filesystem for your Windows (common for Windows XP) then you will need to reapply the access rights on your old personal folders while operating under the new installation of Windows.