Well, a weird problem started yesterday.

I installed a new CD burner the other day. Of course, I had the CD with the driver for the CD Burner. 2000 autoloaded a driver up for the CD Burner.

It installed just fine, and I even burned a CD. Then, I noticed a VERY familiar problem with the PC, it was at 100% CPU Usage. There was a process running called microsoft.exe. I found out that was a worm. I updated my antivirus, and I scanned. It didn't detect it. I did, however, terminate the process.

My sister then told me this: A STOP error appeared, and said that if this is your first time seeing this error, it had to do with your HDD, or something like that. She wasn't sure. She also started experiencing the slowdown I had as well. She restarted the PC, and in 2000 Pro, you know how it starts up. It says "Starting Windows", and then the little bar on the bottom fills up. It only fills for like a second, and then COMPLETELY stops! I have no clue what could have caused it! Someone help....I really don't want to end up reformatting. I bought the CD burner to backup all data before upgrading to XP Pro. Even worse, I got a worm that wasn' t detected. Help...

Originally posted by RenegadeX28
Of course, I had the CD with the driver for the CD Burner. 2000 autoloaded a driver up for the CD Burner.

Just to clear up a common misconception, Windows only requires drivers for optical devices in DOS.

Windows since 95b has had native support for optical devices and doesn't use or require any drivers.

Check Device Manager and you will see for yourself.

The only thing Windows requires is an ASPI layer that fools the system into thinking it's a SCSI device.

You can get ASPI from ADAPTEC (http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/support/suppdetail.html?prodkey=ASPI-4.70).

Have you tried to install re-install Windows over the original?

Well, of course, I won't be able to see Device Manager since I can't even load it. I can't even get into safe mode!

So, you are saying that I should have downloaded that ASPI thing?

What if I take the CD burner out?

No. You mentioned the driver. I was clearing the air for you and anyone else reading this.

I would reinstall Windows over the system you have now. You won't lose any settings if you don't format.

Reinstall it again? So, what setting should I pick if I were to do that, upgrade?

Or use the rocovery console.

Rather than rattle on needlessly, have a read of THIS (http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/tools/default.asp) and THIS (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/serverop/part3/sopch13.asp) from M$.

Would doing the last known good configuration make it work?

Yes, if it was working fine before.

Yeah, it was working fine before...just the slowdown from the worm...

sounds to me like its all mashed up,the op sys that is.if you can take the hd out and put into another pc and set it as slave to the other hd.then back up from your drive anything you need to the primary drive in the pc.put your drive back in your pc,format it and install a new op sys.think this would be your best scenario.

I have another PC, but it has Windows 95. I know it wouldn't read the FAT32 partitions it has. So I have no chance to do that.

I feel like just losing all data and reformat. I need the PC, since my sister needs it for school and all.

But, the question is this: If I get XP Pro, and delete and reformat all the partitions, will it delete the worm already there?

Yes. Formatting will erase all the data on the hard drive, worms or bugs.

Well, I guess I will have to do that, since not even Last Known Good Configuration will work....

You could try to install without formatting (over your O/S) and that will preserve all the settings, but if are suspicious that you have a worm or virus, it will still be prevelant.

I tried doing the Recovery Console, and I tried accessing a program. It said the reference to that program isn't found in the registry. It said the registry may be corrupted. If I reinstall, will I have to re-install all the drivers for the modem and sound card again?

When you reinstall a O/S over a current one, all you are doing is installing the basic files for that operating system.

Any program settings, system settings, programs, and drivers will be preserved.

If that doesn't help, all I can suggest is to format and start again.

Have you tried a repair in the recovery console?

Yeah, I did, and it didn't work. I guess I will reformat when I get XP..