Screwed up a clients computer last night...

[evil jose]

I was working with a client over the phone late last night trying to get our software to connect. Customer was running a Sony Vaio Laptop and he was getting a message that was typical of a firewall blocking our program. After digging around with him doing the work while I talk to him over the phone we couldn't find anything. So I had him run MSCONFIG and disabled all the Startup items and rebooted. He gets the window when Windows boots up saying that some items are disabled.. yada yada.. and to click OK. At that point nothing responds. He cannot click on OK or even the x. Rebooted and tried again, same thing. Booted into Safe Mode and after selecting his user he gets the prompt asking him if he wants to run in Safe Mode yes or no. Nothing will respond by clicking either. Nothing responds at all. Rebooted into Normal Mode and the same thing happens with nothing responding when he gets the window about items being disabled.

WTF??? I've never had this happen before and I'm not sure what I can do to fix it. I noticed that this is an option in the Boot Menu that says something like "Boot into last know good configuration" or something like that. I'm thinking about having him try this today. Any ideas??

[DarkWolf]

I would try that. It couldn't hurt at least, but I think as long as Windows boots, it marks it as a "last known good configuration"... and it sounds like Windows is booting fine, just locking up once it gets into the account.

Does he have administrator access? You could try re-enabling everything in msconfig with the admin account.

[evil jose]

[QUOTE=DarkWolf]I would try that. It couldn't hurt at least, but I think as long as Windows boots, it marks it as a "last known good configuration"... and it sounds like Windows is booting fine, just locking up once it gets into the account.

Does he have administrator access? You could try re-enabling everything in msconfig with the admin account.[/QUOTE]

We didn't try the Admin Account in Safe Mode simply because his cell phone was dying and we had run out of time. I'll give that a try and than the boot from last known configuration. Just never done that before and was wondering if anyone else had.

[Stang2be]

next step might trying to use the recovery console to repair.

[trey85stang]

Ive had that happen once, on abotched service pack install. But never randomly.

[red dragon]

last known good configuration will restore the computer to the last time it booted normally. repair console the user will need the XP cd and boot to it and then press R to start the repair process.

Evil i am on aim all the time if you have access at work. if you need any further assitance please feel free to message me. aim: adam205348 yim: adam_205348 msn: adam_205348@hotmail.com

[1990mustangGT]

Hey jose,

It sounds like a process was disabled this in turn will preven other system processes from starting, which could lead to the computer not responding. There is a CD out on thet net called Ultimate Boot cd for windows(which you may or may not know about it). It has lots of cool programs that you could use to diagnose a computer. I've used it myself and it has saved my ass a couple of times. This will probably be the last thing you would want to try, so I thought I'd mentioned it.

-1990mustangGT-