Please help - missing dll's preventing xp from sta

[dato4u]

missing dll's preventing xp from starting.

I've recently re -installed xp office on my system. It went on fine, no hitches at all. I've activated it and all worked fine until I rebooted the system having loaded windows update.
On switching on the computer, after the winxp splash screen I get a black screen with a mouse pointer showing, then after a moment I get these two error messages:

lsass.exe. Unable to locate component
lsarv.dll was not found. Reinstalling this component may fix the problem.

(then after clicking o.k)

then the computer just sits there.(the mouse does not freeze)

How can i repair this ? please post instructions in an easy read/ do format as I am a bit of a novice.
any ideas would be great as the microsoft people are always engaged when I phone.

Thanx.

[NHH]

Hi.

Lsass.exe & lsarv.dll are 2 files that can be affected by the Sasser worm and they have been corrupted... looks to me that you may have accessed the internet with no firewall running, thus catching the Sasser worm almost instantly and unfortunately corrupting 'lsass.exe'.

Even though these files are inaccessible, you should be able to start the computer in safe mode.
Instructions on how to start your computer in safe mode can be found here.

Once / If the PC starts OK in safe mode then follow the instructions here on how to do a 'System File Check' to repair any broken Windows files. Any windows updates may be lost but your files and settings will remain intact.

If everything goes OK then make sure you have a firewall enabled before connecting to the internet. Instructions on how to enable the built-in Windows XP firewall can be found here.
Then you can come back to Nethomehelp.co.uk to get a descent firewall for free from the 'Downloads' page if you wish.

Also to be sure that your computer is virus free, Click on the 'Housecall' logo on the right hand side of Nethomehelp's front page to virus scan your PC.
Again you can get an anti-virus program for free on the 'downloads' page, my recommendation would be Avast! anti-virus.

Hope that's OK for you, good luck

[dato4u]

Vin-thanks a lot for all your help . if only microsoft would be as helpful. What u say makes sense as I went onto the internet to download the microsoft updates and I must not have loaded the firewall properly . Thats the last time I make that mistake !!


One last thing before I give it a try when I get home from work tonight, can you let me know where I will find the safe mode menu . is this something that gets displayed automatically when I tape F8 or will I have to search for it ?

Normally if i hit a key when loading it displays a blue screen with a menu of items. It all looks a bit daunting though for a novice. What do i do next ?


cheers and thanks again mate

[NHH]

The blue screen you mention sounds like the PC's BIOS screen. This isn't the safe mode/startup menu I'm on about.

Immediately after the initial POST (power on self test) screen when switching on your PC, tapping F8 will display just a black screen with a simple white text menu, the top option being 'Safe Mode', select this (with the up/down arrow keys) and press Enter.

Simple as that... let me know how it goes

[dato4u]

thanks Vin,
I remember seeing it now. However there is a problem in that my computer will not allow me to select the safe mode instaed a countdown starts and by the time it takes to tab and select the timer has reached zero and it loads in normal mode. Can i override this clock or is there a way of making it select the safe mode ? The best way I can describe it is that access to make a change or select the safe mode has been blocked. Have you come across this before and can you tell me how to get round it.

thanks for your patience.

[NHH]

The timer should stop as soon as you press the up/down arrow keys to cycle through the available options.

The timer duration can be changed but as a novice you would ideally need to have Windows running to change it.
For your reference though, here's how to set the bootup menu countdown.

• Open System Properties by right clicking on 'My Computer' and selecting 'Properties'.
  
• Click on the 'Advanced' tab
  
• Click on the 'Settings' button under 'Startup & Recovery' subheading.
  
• In the new window, under the 'System Startup' subheading you have the options 'Time to display list of operating systems' & 'Time to display recovery options when needed'.... by default these are usually set to 30 seconds. Change if required.
  

Anyway.. all should be quite self explanatory when you can get the F8 startup menu. Trial & error is always the best way to learn...