PC not starting when turned on, gets to a point and just stops

Hi,

Quick background info:
Alienware PC
Windows XP Home
Internet Explorer
about a year old

I was browsing the internet when suddenly a bunch of MS-DOS windows (or that's what they looked like) popped up, and I got an error message saying that something can't be run (I should have read it closer, but I figured it was just a messed up script so barely read it). The two options were "Close" (or "cancel" maybe, the idea being that it would stop whatever it was doing), or "Ignore." Like I said, I figured it was just a script or some little thing the site had going that I didn't need, so I pressed "Close."

Well, everything was fine for a few seconds until the computer just shut down and rebooted itself. Now, every time it reboots it shows my video card information in the upper right (just white text on black screen), then quickly jumps to the alienware logo (It says press DEL to enter setup under the Pentium 4 logo, I tried that but it doesn't make enough sense to me.), and then just a straight black screen (at first the screen has a flashing "_ "
in the upper right, like it was going to put out some text, but after two flashes it just disappears.), and stays that way. The first two are the normal progression it goes through on bootup, but it never makes it to the log in screen.

I'm really, really, really, worried I ruined this computer by "Close "-ing something vital (I'm guessing not just a script or whatever).

Any help would be much, much appreciated.

Edit: Also, when I press F8 to get to the safe mode menu, the menu doesn't come up, it just goes to a "Please Select Boot Device" menu, with the options being 1st Floppy Drive, PM-LITE-ON DVD SOHD-16P9S, and 3M-ST-380817AS. In the setup menu, those three appear under Boot Priority, when I disabled them to find out which one was messing up, I would get normal errors when only 1st Floppy and PM-LITE-ON DVD SOHD-16P9S are enabled, but only 3M-ST-380817AS was enabled it would give me the same black screen that I described above, leading me to believe the problem is with 3M-ST-380817AS, whatever that is.

Edit2: Actually, turns out I can get to safe mode, the problem before was that I was just hammering on F8 so it jumped ahead to that "Please Select Boot Device menu." However, when I do get to the safe mode menu and try to start from last known good config or just plain safe mode the same black screen shows up. This is ridiculous, I'm almost positive now that my $1000+ computer is going to be wasted.

 

Be reassured it is highly unlikely that you have ruined your computer.
It is almost always software conflicts that are the problem seldom the hardware.
The fact that it boots up ( the body is breathing ) is a good sign.
The computer is asking you as it had trouble starting which device ( hard drive , cd , floppy) it should start with.
Choose hard drive.
Safe mode is a diagnostic mode.
Minimal software and device drivers are loaded so that you can get going and change things back.
Let the machine go into safe mode when you are given the choice. If there is another option of "use last known " configuration that worked use that first.
If that does not fix the problem at hand then reboot back into safe mode.
Use system restore ( if it is turned on) Start Menu > All programs > accessories > system tools > at bottom is system restore.
Run system restrore to restore your computer to a date before this stupidity happened. System restore will get windows going to a previous date. Your data and hard work will not be touched. You can always reverse any system restore changes.
Once last tip. If you have problems with the computer one tip is to restore the computer bios to factory defaults and go from there.
On bootup you probably will see a notation of the key to do this ( del. page down etc). Set to factory defaults.

hope this helps.
The fact that your computer starts says ( other than the hard drive) that the computer works. It is a windows software conflict.

 

Thanks

I tried to boot in safe and in last known good config and it still gives me the same black screen. The only menu I can get to where I can change settings is the one where you press DEL at the beginnings - "Setup" I believe it's called, and I messed with that one for a bit and no changes.

I'm glad to hear it is unlikely it's totally ruined.

Edit: Interesting... after disabling the CD drive, then putting a CD in it suddenly booted up to windows like normal. However, immediately upon getting onto the desktop, I'm faced with the same error that led me down this path before while I was browsing the internet. I am currently not hooked up to the internet now, so I guess the error wasn't internet related.

Anyway, this is the error:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\DLH9JK~3.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose 'Close' to terminate the application.

[Close][Ignore]

Behind the error box there are 4 empty MS-DOS boxes (that black box thing). Each header is named C:\WINDOWS\system32\DLH9JK~_.EXE with the _ spot being 1, 2, 3, or 4.

So what should I make of this?

Last time I pressed Close and everything went to hell, so I'm thinking I should go for ignore this time? I'd like to not see this error at all.

 

Hi, work. Welcome to Windows BBS!

I Googled DLH9JK~3.EXE and came up with only about 42 results, many in Eastern Asian language(s).

It looks like you are a malware victim.

• PREVX Information: DLH9JKDQ2.EXE (and DLH9JK~3.EXE)

I suggest you carefully follow all the instructions in this link except you should paste your HiJackThis! (HJT) log here in this thread (instead of a new thread in the "Removing Spyware & Viruses" forum).

I expect a forum moderator will move this thread to the "Removing Spyware & Viruses" forum so you can get expert guidance for further cleaning/repairing your system if necessary.

 

Thanks! Yes, I googled it as well and came up with the same thing. Didn't expect it to be something like that, so that's why I asked before checking. Everything looked like some sort of hardware failure to me. Anyway, it's all working now, I appreciate the help!

 

You're welcome, work.

I'm glad your computer seems to be working smoothly again. Please let us know how you solved your problem so others with the same or similar problem who read this thread may benefit.

There's a reasonable possibility you still have malware on your system.

According to the PREVX report:

Malware is often accompanied by other malware. Therefore, I still suggest you at least post a HJT log in this thread for your computer to try to rule out that possibility. However, that decision is up to you, of course.

Also, I suggest you read the information in this link:

• HelpWithWindows.com: Keep your Computer free from Viruses, Trojans, Spyware and other Malware

 

Sure, I can give a quick description of what I did. I basically disabled the 3Mxxxx (numbers and letters) by pressing delete to get to the setup menu at the Alienware logo bootup screen. To disable it I had to go to Boot Priorities, highlight the 3Mxxxx, press enter and go to disable. Then I popped in the Restore Disk (not sure if this actually had an effect on anything, but it was in there), saved the Setup, and let it boot. When it asked if I wanted to "press any key to go to restore" I ignored it and, after a moment, it booted up normally. As far as the malware goes, a simple PrevX scan took care of it.

I think the true problem lies with a younger sibling downloading indiscrimately... I've been at school for the past few months, and when I come back I'm greeted with my computer being full of malware that wasn't there before. Hooray. But it happens, and it's all good now.

 

Hi, work.

Thanks for following up. I'm glad PREVX took care of the issue. I have never used PREVX but I think it has been recommended by well established/reputable Windows BBS members in the past.

I'm guessing "Alienware" refers to either http://www.alienware.com/ or it is a generic term for the kinds of software you often find on your computer when you return from school.

Sounds like you may have "been there, done that" many times with removing malware.

Just in case your C:\WINDOWS\System32\AUTOEXEC.NT was modified by malware, I'm providing my AUTOEXEC.NT contents below (opened via Notepad) in case you want to use it to help you compare and repair/replace yours.

My computer's (Windows XP Home SP2) C:\WINDOWS\System32\AUTOEXEC.NT contents:

Code:

@echo off

REM AUTOEXEC.BAT is not used to initialize the MS-DOS environment.
REM AUTOEXEC.NT is used to initialize the MS-DOS environment unless a
REM different startup file is specified in an application's PIF.

REM Install CD ROM extensions
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\mscdexnt.exe

REM Install network redirector (load before dosx.exe)
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\redir

REM Install DPMI support
lh %SystemRoot%\system32\dosx

REM The following line enables Sound Blaster 2.0 support on NTVDM.
REM The command for setting the BLASTER environment is as follows:
REM    SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330
REM    where:
REM        A    specifies the sound blaster's base I/O port
REM        I    specifies the interrupt request line
REM        D    specifies the 8-bit DMA channel
REM        P    specifies the MPU-401 base I/O port
REM        T    specifies the type of sound blaster card
REM                 1 - Sound Blaster 1.5
REM                 2 - Sound Blaster Pro I
REM                 3 - Sound Blaster 2.0
REM                 4 - Sound Blaster Pro II
REM                 6 - SOund Blaster 16/AWE 32/32/64
REM
REM    The default value is A220 I5 D1 T3 and P330.  If any of the switches is
REM    left unspecified, the default value will be used. (NOTE, since all the
REM    ports are virtualized, the information provided here does not have to
REM    match the real hardware setting.)  NTVDM supports Sound Blaster 2.0 only.
REM    The T switch must be set to 3, if specified.
SET BLASTER=A220 I5 D1 P330 T3

REM To disable the sound blaster 2.0 support on NTVDM, specify an invalid
REM SB base I/O port address.  For example:
REM    SET BLASTER=A0

Thanks again for following up with your removal procedure and good luck!

 

I meant Alienware the computer brand, not a type of unwanted data. Thanks for that, I'll take a look and see how they compare.