Problems upon startup - can't even login. What is it?

[northernfamily]

My husband's computer is having an issue. Here's the description I'm posting everywhere to try to find an update. We are many hours from the nearest store or technician so hoping someone online can diagnose this before we bother making a drive to try to save a ruined computer:

Started the computer and before it let him log in it said Windows Vista needs to update, press Ok recomended.
Then it updated a bunch of stuff and scanned stuff for about ten minutes. It said a lot of stuff as it updated and three things that jumped out at him were "Updating tipped over tomatoe bin, updating garbage bin, updating tipped over garbage bins" which makes him worry it may have been a virus from Facebook's Farmtown just masquerading as a Vista update.

Now it won't let him on, and does not even get to the log in screen.

Now when he starts it itgoes to a screen that says 'start normally or look for repairs' (in computer lingo).Just after you start it and the status bar thingy appears at the bottom of the Dell/Windows screen, the computer flashes a blue screen too quickly to read and then restarts. It normally would do the status bar thingy and then go to the log in page, but now it goes to the 'start normally or perform repair' stuff.
He has tried starting Windows normally but then it flashes to the blue screen for a second and then disappears and restarts.
If you try the repair option it takes a while to do some searching for problems and a prior state when it could function normally and then says Startup repair can not repaire this computer automatically.Sending more info can help Microsoft create solutions. Then you can send or not send info, we've tried both. Under problem details it says:
Problem Signature 01.. AutoFailover
Problem Signature 02.. 6.0.600.16386.6.0.6000.16386
Problem Signature 03.. 4
Problem Signature 04.. 196611
Problem Signature 05.. NoRootCause
Problem Signature 06.. CorruptVolume
Problem Signature 07.. 0
Problem Signature 08.. 1
Problem Signature 09.. Chkdsk
Problem Signature 10.. 0osversion:6.0.6000.2.0.0.256.1
Local ID:1033

 

[northernfamily]

Anybody have any ideas? I see it's been viewed....hoping for help. Even just suggestions of what stores are ok or not ok to take our computer to, would be helpful. I think there's a Staples in Timmins which is our closest city. Would they know how to fix it?

 

[superty12]

Virus?

If you think it's a virus, then 1: Put the drive in the working computer (or select another Windows Vista/7 OS (if you dualboot Vista with Vista or Vista with 7)). 2: Complete the steps here on the drive/partition with the failing login Vista: https://www.techspot.com/community/...lware-removal-preliminary-instructions.58138/
3: Post the logs.

 

[Broni]

Let's see, if we can look at your computer booting from an external source.

Using good computer, please download OTLPE (filesize 120,9 MB)

• When downloaded double click on OTLPENet.exe and make sure there is a blank CD in your CD drive. This will automatically create a bootable CD.
• Reboot your bad computer using the boot CD you just created.
  • Note : If you do not know how to set your computer to boot from CD follow the steps here
• Your system should now display a REATOGO-X-PE desktop.
• Depending on your type of internet connection, you should be able to get online as well so you can access this topic more easily.
• Double-click on the OTLPE icon.
• Ensure the box "Automatically Load All Remaining Users" is checked and press OK
• OTL should now start.
• Press Run Scan to start the scan.
• When finished, the file will be saved in drive C:\OTL.txt
• Copy this file to your USB drive if you do not have internet connection on this system
• Please post the contents of the OTL.txt file in your reply.