As the Subject says, I am in need of some help in a big way. Thank you in advance for any assistance offered.
This is on an Acer Aspire 5100 laptop, WinXP Service pack 3. Formatted the HD, did a full re-install, fully updated and it's been running like a top, until...
... got a wireless mouse, and it wouldn't function. Checked in the Device Manager and noticed the USB drivers had the big yellow question mark of death.
Though I've never seen it work, I clicked "install driver" just to see what would happen, and gave it permission to search the web. Well, it found a driver! Then it installed it.
From the moment this happened the computer locks up. It locked up during the install of the driver, and now it won't load windows.
I have run all boot options - all Safe Modes, Last Working - and I never get much past entering the password to log in. Even when I select Restore, after several seconds the system locks up. I never get to the Restore interface. Basically I after about 20 seconds every grinds to a halt.
I have tried to run repair from DOS, but it asks for an admin password and there is no admin password. When I put in the user password it says that's wrong, and when I just hit enter I get a C:\windows prompt.
This is one of those rare instances when I know exactly what caused the problem, but I have no idea how to fix this.
So. I am unable to get into the system to remove this USB driver, and if anyone can offer me a solution I would be VERY grateful.
This is on an Acer Aspire 5100 laptop, WinXP Service pack 3. Formatted the HD, did a full re-install, fully updated and it's been running like a top, until...
... got a wireless mouse, and it wouldn't function. Checked in the Device Manager and noticed the USB drivers had the big yellow question mark of death.
Though I've never seen it work, I clicked "install driver" just to see what would happen, and gave it permission to search the web. Well, it found a driver! Then it installed it.
From the moment this happened the computer locks up. It locked up during the install of the driver, and now it won't load windows.
I have run all boot options - all Safe Modes, Last Working - and I never get much past entering the password to log in. Even when I select Restore, after several seconds the system locks up. I never get to the Restore interface. Basically I after about 20 seconds every grinds to a halt.
I have tried to run repair from DOS, but it asks for an admin password and there is no admin password. When I put in the user password it says that's wrong, and when I just hit enter I get a C:\windows prompt.
This is one of those rare instances when I know exactly what caused the problem, but I have no idea how to fix this.
So. I am unable to get into the system to remove this USB driver, and if anyone can offer me a solution I would be VERY grateful.
