Cannot boot into safe mode

[Blkfeather]

Im running Windows 7 Home Premium (x64) on my HP desktop, with Outpost Security Suite (free), and with MBAM & SuperAntispyware for on-demand scans. Recently Outpost detected a Trojan and quarantined it. I ran additional scans with Outpost, MBAM, SAS, and Windows Defender-all clean. A knowledgable friend ran CCleaner, TDSS Killer, and Combofix just to be sure. Again, all found nothing. Later i wanted to run scans from Safe mode and discovered that i cannot boot into safe mode. My computer is running fine and boots into normal mode fine, but when i try to boot into safe mode, i can see all the drivers being loaded, but then it stops at "Classpnp.sys", then goes back to the boot menu screen. I booted into normal mode and opened cmd prompt and did a sfc scan and it found no problems. Then i booted into recovery mode, went to "repair Computer", opened a cmd prompt, did sfc /scannow,and got "There is a repair pending which requires reboot to complete. Restart Windows and run sfc again." I hit the restart button, do it all over again, but always end up at the same message. So I tried sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows , and i get "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service".I learned this might happen if "Windows Module Install" service is turned off. So i booted into normal mode, logged in as admin, went to msconfig and sure enough, it was off. So i turned it on. Booted back into restore/repair, opened cmd prompt, tried the scans again and still get the same messages. When i went back to msconfig to double check Windows Module Install service, it had turned back off! Repeated these steps multiple times. Same results! I'm at a lose! Please help if you can!

 

[DavidE]

I don't know the skill level of the friend that helped you, but there is this SF thread by Jacee regarding Combofix:
http://www.sevenforums.com/system-security/227589-do-not-use-combofix-your-own.html
I'm not a security expert, Jacee is a top notch security expert.

 

[Blkfeather]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm aware that Combofix is a powerful tool. Definitely beyond my skill level. I would'nt attempt it. The friend that ran Combofix, TDSS Killer and CCleaner for me is an IT professional. He does it for a living. I trust his skill. Unfortunately, He's out of the states for a time, and unavailable. Do you have any suggestions on how i can fix my problem with not being able to boot into safe mode? I'd sure appreciate any help. Thanks!

 

[gregrocker]

If you're satisified with the install you had then you can try SFC /SCANNOW Run in Command Prompt at Boot from the Win7 disk or Repair CD, or do a Repair Install.

But I'd consider taking this opportunity to follow these steps to do a perfect Clean Reinstall Windows 7 which compile everything that works best in tens of thousands of installs we've helped directly with here, and which has been used by over a million consumers without a single complaint or anyone returning here with any issues if they stick with the tools and methods given.

 

[Blkfeather]

Thanks for the reply, gregrocker. Sounds like you're suggesting the clean install. Ive never done a repair or clean install before. I'd appreciate it if you'd answer a couple questions for me before I begin... why is a clean install better than a repair install? and also, i purchased my computer directly from HP in 2012. I immediately burned a repair disc and a recovery disc(actually it took 4 discs to burn the recovery). Should i use these discs? Or do you suggest downloading a more current, up to date recovery disc? Thanks for the help!

 

[gregrocker]

If you'll read Clean Reinstall Windows 7 it explains the difference between the vastly superior Clean Reinstall and the factory install, with which HP has the worst in the industry load of bloatware and duplicate utilties which interfere with better versions built into Win7.

Using the factory install or it's Recovery disks or partition, you'll never even experience native Win7 perfect performance, while doing the Clean Reinstall will assure you'll have the best install of Win7 possible and enjoy Win7 as it was meant to be, i.e. not smothered by HP bloatware lard.

The Repair Install keeps the Factory bloatware but reinstalls the OS, so it has to fight against all of that corrupting bloatware to try to reinstall Win7 and often will fail, or passes back through settings which are wrong that are causing problems.

 

[Blkfeather]

I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my noobie questions. Clean reinstall it is! I'll follow your instructions on the "clean reinstall" page and post any questions in the comments section there. Thanks again!

 

[gregrocker]

Good choice. Keep us posted either place.