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How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-05-2008 at 01:16 PM

HELP.

I had 2 csrss.exe files running on my Dell PC and read that was a bad thing and could be a virus.

So I did a search on my C drive to see where these files were located & 5 came back. 

I kept one in C:/Windows without changing it, but changed the other 4 to csrss.exe1 (so I wouldn't delete the files, but also it should stop the files from running on windows).

Then I restarted the computer and now windows won't open, giving me a c000021a error.  I believe the issue is the csrss.exe1 file that was located in C:/Windows/System32.  I'm hoping all that I need to do is get to a command prompt, change to the System32 director and rename the file back to .exe

The problem is I have no idea how to get to the command prompt before Windows tries to load and gives me the blue screen of death error. 

- Does anyone know how to get to the command prompt right when the PC starts?
- Do you know if my assumption is correct that once I rename the file in the System32 folder that windows should start correctly?

Thanks!


RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by bigb88 on 03-05-2008 at 02:06 PM

um when u are restartin comp hit f8 and then pick safemode with command prompt but getin the command and renamin the system32 folder would kill the os and u proly would not be able to do it anyways but ya

but u can try this restart comp and then hit f8 and then pick "last known good config" k and see if it boots up also do u know if both was in the C:\Windows\System32? cuz if so thats normal if it was in a diff place ya then u got a virus

but also vista will have 2 runnin so if u are on vista then ya

oh and also if u cant get it to go with the lastknown good config try and do a system restore to a date that was good k here is a link to do it in safemode http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449


RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-05-2008 at 02:14 PM

Thanks.  I don't need to rename the entire System32 folder...just the csrss.exe1 file that's within the folder (to change the extension back to .exe).

I'll try safe mode and then last known good config too.  It's windows 2000.

Thanks.


RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by bigb88 on 03-05-2008 at 02:16 PM

anytime but ya if u got 2 there look and them and make sure its just not a copy if so rename one to csrss.old  and the other to normal and see but ya hope u get it all fixed out post back if u do :)


RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by Baggins on 03-05-2008 at 03:24 PM

Use a live linux CD?


RE: RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-05-2008 at 04:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Bilbo
Use a live linux CD?

I've never heard of that (I know a little bit about computers, but not that much...only enough to get me in trouble like I did in this case).

Do I just buy the CD, put it in the CD-ROM drive, and then it'll give me a command prompt when I start my PC?
RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by Quantum on 03-05-2008 at 05:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by UDcc123
quote:
Originally posted by Bilbo
Use a live linux CD?

I've never heard of that (I know a little bit about computers, but not that much...only enough to get me in trouble like I did in this case).

Do I just buy the CD, put it in the CD-ROM drive, and then it'll give me a command prompt when I start my PC?

Don't use a linux cd if you just know a bit about computers.
RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by Baggins on 03-05-2008 at 05:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by UDcc123
buy the CD
Haha. That's a laugh. :P

haha report me
RE: RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-06-2008 at 01:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by bigb88
hit f8 and then pick safemode with command prompt

When I did this, it automatically tried loading the drivers from the System32 folder, which crashed the PC before it gave me the command prompt. 

Is there a way to get to the command prompt before loading any other files?  Could I load a CD or floppy with DOS loaded onto it and rename the file from there?  If so, where would I buy one of these discs?

I tried the last known good config, but unfortunately, windows shut down properly last time (even with the renames), so no luck there.
RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by pollolibredegrasa on 03-06-2008 at 01:52 PM

If you have a Windows XP CD, you can boot from that and when it prompts you, press R to enter recovery mode, this should let you rename the file back (you might need the administrator password to do this).

Alternatively, if you have access to another XP computer, boot into windows on that and insert a blank floppy disk. Then in My Computer, right click the floppy drive, click format and make sure you select "Create an MS-DOS startup disk". You should then be able to boot into DOS mode from that and rename the files.


RE: RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-06-2008 at 02:07 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pollolibredegrasa
If you have a Windows XP CD, you can boot from that and when it prompts you, press R to enter recovery mode, this should let you rename the file back (you might need the administrator password to do this).

Alternatively, if you have access to another XP computer, boot into windows on that and insert a blank floppy disk. Then in My Computer, right click the floppy drive, click format and make sure you select "Create an MS-DOS startup disk". You should then be able to boot into DOS mode from that and rename the files.

The floppy option would probably be easiest.  Would it work burning a CD for an MS-DOS startup disk too, or just with a floppy?  If only a floppy works, does Circuit City sell floppys?

If that option doesn't work, I assume since it's a personal PC we use at home, there wouldn't be an administrator password.  Is this correct?

Thanks!
RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by MeEtc on 03-06-2008 at 02:37 PM

I would recommend this tool to you, and anyone else that needs any kind of alternative for boot options, and doesn't want to use a Linux live cd:
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Called BartPE, it basically makes a version of Windows bootable from CD using the original files from a Windows install CD.


RE: RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-08-2008 at 12:05 AM

quote:
Originally posted by pollolibredegrasa
Alternatively, if you have access to another XP computer, boot into windows on that and insert a blank floppy disk. Then in My Computer, right click the floppy drive, click format and make sure you select "Create an MS-DOS startup disk". You should then be able to boot into DOS mode from that and rename the files.

Okay.  I'm slowly getting there.  I made the backup DOS boot disk two nights ago, but when I got home and tried to load it I got the following error: 

Disk I/O error
Replace the disk, and then press any key

I figured the DOS program wasn't being recognized on my Dell for some reason, so I went back to my work PC today and recreated the boot disk.  Afterwards, I renamed mode.com to mode.exe.

I tried loading that new boot disk and I had success...the PC gave me a A:\> prompt.  I thought I was in the clear.  I typed "cd C:/windows/system32" and received "Invalid drive specification".  I tried "cd C:" and received the same error.

How can I get my PC to recognize my C drive through the MS-DOS floppy backup?
RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by Jarrod on 03-08-2008 at 12:41 PM

wtf not "cd c:"

code:
c:
cd windows
cd system32


RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by UDcc123 on 03-08-2008 at 02:34 PM

I got it to work!  I used the windows boot disc to get to the recovery console and it worked perfectly.  Thanks for everyone's help.


RE: How to get command prompt before windows loading by CookieRevised on 03-08-2008 at 03:05 PM

quote:
Originally posted by xen0h
wtf not "cd c:"
code:
c:
cd windows
cd system32


"cd c:" can be used to check the current path on the C: drive. If he got an error earlier while he wanted to change the path, it is not inlogic that he tries "cd c:" to see the current path on that drive.

in that same aspect, doing "cd c:\whatever" wouldn't have switched drives either, only the current path on that drive.