From the Safe mode screen if you select Safe Mode with Command Prompt does that still give you a Blue screen? If it gets to the command prompt type in ver and hit the Enter key, that will tell you the windows version.

If that does not work then try to remember what you did see when it used to boot up, after any manufacturer´s logo you would have seen either a big couloured square window (XP) a small round window (Vista) I doubt you have windows 7 which is different again.

Did you get any discs with the PC?

In the safe mode screen is there an option for Repair or Recovery?

I have tried many times selecting Safe mode with Command Prompt. It would go to the log in screen but as I log in, it takes me to the Blue screen.

I had just tried to log in normally again and it showed me the win XP logo. And no, I didn't get any discs with the PC.

On the Safe Mode screen, there is no option for Repair or Recovery...

This is beginning to sound like a very badly corrupted hard drive.

Get the power on and boot so you can open the CD drive and insert the disk for the hard drive diagnostics that you made. After it has BSOD'd and shut down switch off the power and disconnect the hard drive. Then reboot and it should boot from the diagnostics disc. It obviously won´t find the drive I just want to see if it will work. Tell me what error messages you see and if the diagnostics discs does boot the PC.

On the PC there should be a sticker with the Windows licence key on it. That will tell you what version of XP you have. See if you can borrow a copy of XP that matches it. This problem PC is a desktop model, yes? Do you have access to another desktop PC or only a laptop?

I unhooked the harddrive after I booted the PC with it still plugged in. I then put in the first disc, which was the Run Diagnostics disc. It gave me the error 'Non-System Disk or disk error. Replace and strike any key when ready". I pressed spacebar; it gave me the same error message so I put in the second disc, which was the Memtest one. It worked and started the tests.

When I took a look at the stickers on the PC, it only gave me stickers with the product key and whatnot, and the S/N and p/n keys. Also, this problem PC is a desktop model. I do have access to another desktop PC. Quick note, this other PC does not have the boot disc.

I said this:

Then you did this:

You should not disconnect a hard drive when the power is on, that is why my instructions said remove it with the power off.

As the system has booted from the Memtest disc at least we now know the system will boot so the problem is fairly sure to be the hard drive itself or corrupted files. With no XP disc to run repairs and not being able to boot into safe mode with the command prompt does make things tricky. Does the other PC have XP on it?

I forgot to include that I did it with the PC off.

And no, the memtest disc didn't show any errors. It shows that the tests were successful. However, I could not get the first disc to start up at all.

And yes, the other PC is XP as well.

Ok, try the hard drive diagnostics disk in the other PC and see if it works. If it doesn't I suspect you may have download the wrong tool. On most of the links I gave there are optional tools to run from a boot disc or to run from within windows. You need to have the ISO image for DOS (CD).

The other problem is getting it to boot when the hard drive is connected. Can you try again to get into Set Up and change the boot order. If it won't let you then power off and disconnect the hard drive, reboot and try again.

If that does not work you will then need to remove the hard drive and connect it to the other PC, do you think you can do that, there should be spare connectors inside the PC. Then you can run the diagnostics on that machine. If you can't do that then the only other option is to borrow a copy of XP to run some repairs. It must be the same version of XP that is on your licence sticker.

Okay, I tried the disc in the other PC and it doesn't work... Which one should I download? The make of my harddrive is WesternDigital.. I also have the ISO image but I don't know how to work it. I tried to burn the boot files that I have for the first disc a few times and it didn't work as well. I had to drag the files onto the blank CD's windows explorer.

I tried many times trying to get into the Set Up with the harddrive is connected; it never goes into set up. I also tried with it disconnected, but it doesn't seem to work. It would just show me a blank screen.

When removing the hard drive, I can't seem to remove it out of place. I disconnected everything, unscrewed a few screws, but it still doesn't seem loose. Do you know how? I can remove the front cover of the PC (which only shows the drives) as well as the side to look at everything inside.

On the first page at the Western Digital site you first need to click on the type of drive you have. This will be EIDE or SATA 3.5 inch hard drives. (IDE uses a wide ribbon cable) On the next page wave the mouse pointer over each drive to see the model number list and the select the one that matches your drive. Then down load Data Lifeguard Diagnostics for DOS (CD). You then have to use the iso burner I gave the link for in my guide to burn the image file to a CD. If you just copy the files to a disk it will not work.

To remove your hard drive. If you have already taken the four retaining screws out it should slide out of the chasis which may be fairly tight. Have you removed the screws from both sides? You need to get the drive out to get the model number so you select the correct diagnostics software.

What is the make and model number of your PC?

Okay, I will try that when I get my hard drive out.

When removing the hard drive, I removed the screws. There are only screws on one side; the other side is to the 'front' of the computer. There is this long plastic green coloured thing on the side of the hard drive where the screws are located at. There is a little tab that sticks out to I guess help push the hard drive out. But when I tried pressing out it and tried to remove the hard drive, it didn't budge much at all except a little.

Just wondering, where would I find the make and model number of my PC? I asked my sister about it; she told me it should be on those stickers on the PC. But when I looked at them again, it showed me many 'codes' that aren't labeled and the serial number. I just want to make sure I give you the right numbers.

Not sure about the fitting of the hard drive, unless you can send iin a good clear close up photo of it I can't suggest anything.

The make and model number is usually on the stickers. Run this software and see if it gives any details, if you can copy & paste the read out into notepad and then save the text file attach it to your next post. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/belarc.html

If you are totally stuck trying to remove the drive try downloading Seatools for DOS CD from the Seagate link. This will test any make of drive.

I am still fairly convinced that your hard drive is infected but just wanted to be sure it is not a faulty drive before getting you onto another Malware forum, I take it the forum here has not responded.

Have you had any luck borrowing a copy of XP. There is a way to make a disc from the other PC, please confirm if that has the same version of XP installed on it as the faulty PC. Look in the Windows directory on the good PC and see if there is a folder called i386.

Had any luck getting that hard drive out or borrowing a copy of XP?

Just looking back at what you said, you only took screws out of one side, I'll bet there are screws on the other side so you will have to figure out how to gain access to it.

If you can check for that i386 folder on the other PC and check for the version of XP you might be able to create a boot disc that will get to the Command Prompt, you can then type in a command that will repair the Master Boot Record and hopefully get it to boot into Windows again.

Can you tell me what version of XP is written on your licence sticker. Home, Professional, etc. Have you always had Windows update turned on, would you know if it is updated to SP3?

Okay, I got my hard drive out. I asked my boyfriend to help me take it out. There were screws on both sides but all we had to do was get one side loose. I also doubt I can borrow an XP copy. I don't know anyone with an XP PC but my sister's. Except, her PC is a Home Edition.

My computer is a XP Professional. (To run that software, I have to be able to log in. So I can't run it since I can't even get to the log in screen, let alone try to go into safe mode to log on.)

My sister said that when she looked for the i386 folder, she found no files inside.

And yes, I always have my Windows update on; I never liked to have it off in case something bad happens and it's because I never updated the computer. I'm sure the computer isn't updated to SP3.

Sorry if I'm not making much sense! I'm trying to type all this out while doing other things as well.

Sorry I suggested you ran the Belarc software, was forgetting you coudn't boot when I wrote that.

Now a tricky bit, do you think you may be able to use your sisters PC to attach your hard drive to. You would have to take the sifde of the case off and find spare connectors to plug into your hard drive. You will need to support it on something to make sure the circuit board on the bottom of the drive does not come into contact with any part of the metal case.

If the connectors are compatible you can then download the diagnostics for windows and run it from that PC to test the drive. It will give you a choice of drives to run the test on when it starts, just select the correct drive and see how the test goes.

If you can't achieve that then use your sister's PC to download this (See you PM's) and burn it to a CD with the ISO burner software I gave the link for in the hard drive diagnostics guide.

When done put it in your PC (with the hard drive re-installed and connected) and see if it boots from it, you should see a black screen with a white bar across the bottom and a message saying loading files.

This is the last option available that I can suggest in this forum, anything else has to be done in the Malware forum, I will let you have a link to another site that isn't as busy as this one.