Win XP system errors

[scj6771]

I am working on a fellow employee's desktop, it's a Dell 4600 running Win XP, first let me start by saying that this machine seems to load up fine, but once your in the madness starts, if you enter the control panel about half of the icons are missing and anything you click on will take some time to open up, the Ctrl + Alt + Del does nothing and if I try to run ANY application I get the following error "The application has failed to start reinstalling this application may fix the problem" if I try to start in safe mode I get the following error "Stop: c0000135 unable to locate component this application has failed to start because WINSRV was not found. Reinstalling this application may fix the problem”, I was planning on running some spyware programs but I can't even get those installed. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[PresterJohn]

if you're not able to get into safe mode, your options are pretty limited.

if that machine came with a installable XP cd, trying doing a reinstall over the existing one. do not reformat or delete any partitions during setup.

[scj6771]

Ok I have learned more about the recovery option in Windows XP than I care to, but I still have one major roadblock, when it prompts me for an administrator password I have no idea and neither does the owner of the machine, I have tried to just hit enter and still nothing, I have tried changing the password by getting into the system using a great program called ERD Boot Disk Commander, this program has always worked for me in the past when I needed to change the local admin password, yet when I change it and reboot to the XP cd-rom and go into the recovery option still I get the "invalid password" thrown back at me, I have read the followin articles http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885523 and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308402/EN-US/ and http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307654 and http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;305478 which no doubt have helped me but still I need to figure out this password issue or find another option, as it stands now the machine comes up with the blue screen of death telling me that "winsrv" could not be found. HELP!!!!!. Thanks.

[scj6771]

Here is an update, I somehow got the desktop to load but not without taking around 10 minutes to get to the desktop, and then still everything is real slow, I ran Adware and CWShredder along with Spybot, removed some junk but still this is getting real painfull to actually try and get anything done, I removed Service Pack 2. Any suggestions on what is taking this thing so long to load and what might be causing it to lag severely??????

[scj6771]

Ok I told him that his machine was all jacked up and I needed to formt and re-install XP, I would have gone that route to begin with but I am always a bit cautious when it comes to a "customers" machine, you know how these "store bought" machines come loaded down with everything under the sun and not one bit of it will ever get used, seems like I spend more time trying to explain why I need to format and re-install than doing the actuall work. Anyway, thanks for all your responses. Any good XP install tips or tricks? Thanks again.

[tank]

Spend a bit of time making a slipstreamed install disk with SP2, instructions here. (http://www.theeldergeek.com/slipstreamed_xpsp2_cd.htm) You will need to do this on a working PC obviously. When the OS is up and running enable the Recovery Console; you'll need that CD again, instructions here (http://www.theeldergeek.com/recovery_console.htm). If you scroll down to the bottom of that linked page you will see the following (prepare to grind teeth);
Recovery Console Password

On many XP installations you can't start the Recovery Console because it won't recognize your password. This registry edit causes the Recovery Console not to ask for a password. This works for both XP Home and XP Professional.

Start | Run | Regedit
Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Cu rrentVersion\Setup\RecoveryConsole
Set the DWORD SecurityLevel value to 1
Exit Registry and Reboot

The above is a "known issue" somewhere on the Microsoft site!:mad:

Finally I would make up a password reset floppy for your friend, instructions here. (http://www.theeldergeek.com/create_password_reset_disks.htm)