Problem booting Computer

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Made the mistake of trying to help a friend out with some problems with their computer.

They originally said that there son had downloaded some game from a site and anyway it resulted in a lot of virus's getting onto the computer. I spent a good 4 hours getting rid of these . However noticed that the computer was very slow on boot up and during general use. Suggested they get a new computer, but due to lack of funds suggested they try to just upgrade it. They took it to a local computer shop who charged her £50 saying that she still had viruses on it and gave it back saying they had sorted it. On getting home she turned it bk on to find it was just coming up with a black screen showing the Windows Restore Menu/Windows XP title. Tacking it bk they said they would have to charge her more money to fix this.. Anyway I said I'll have a look to see what they have done hmmmmmm

When I turn it on I comes up with -

System Restore Menu/Windows XP

1.Restore Windows XP
2.Boot to command prompt from cd-rom

Neither of these commands work.


Ive then restarted the comp and pressed F8 to see if I can start it in safe mode.

I now get

Microsoft Windows Startup Menu.

1.Normal

If I press enter I get a quick what looks like a post screen and then get put back to the System Restore Menu/Windows XP from earlier. However I can now use the 2 options. But when I use option 1 it says it will re-install windows xp and delete all infomation on the hard drive !!!!!!. This is not backed up.


Also when I was at the Microsoft startup menu I tried pressing F5 to start the comp in Safe Mode but I went to another screen with a command prompt screen which Had a Microsoft Windows Millenium Logo above it. Ive checked with my friend they never recieved any documentation with the comp or windows disks.

Can anyone give me any help here ?

Comp spec Is
Emachines 190
Microsoft Windows XP Pre Installed
2.20 Ghz Intel Celeron
60 Gb Ultra DMA/100
iNTEL gRAPHICS
256 MB DDR

Cant find any info on motherboard !

 

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It seems the owner of the local computer store want's shooting for leaving it in that state and charging £50 for the priviledge, advise your friend not to take it back there again.

The specifications of the computer won't help you in this situation.

You were saying they didn't have any documentation or discs when they got the computer? Was it second hand or bought as new. I have a feeling all of the restore info may be stored on a "hidden" partition as what many box shifters do, to cut down costs on sending documentation and discs out.

All I can suggest is checkout emachines website:

http://uk.emachines.com/

 

is a reinstall out the question ?

grim

 

If they have no discs then a re-install cannot be done, already suggested there may be a hidden partition with all the restore files on it, that's why I suggested checking the emachines site.

 

I would agree with Wiz there could be a hidden partition with restore files in it.

Also you say it says boot from cd rom can you get into the Setup and get it to boot from the hard drive if this possible it may help.

Also As Wiz said don't take it back to that shop they're ripping your friend off.

If they have booted the system using a disk of their own you say Windows ME then they could have made the problem worse, let us know how it goes and if you need any more help just ask.

 

As an emergency fix try slaving the hard drive to another machince and getting the data off? in case the fubar the machine even more when its in the shop

 

oops double post :S sorry