pc crash after installing norton antivirus

[maxiesemma]

I installed norton antivirus on my husband's pc and it crashed sometime afterwards. I don't recall which version but I think it was 2006 and I don't recall if it was a suite or not. i had also added a wireless router and installed verizon dsl software on it. i attempted to fix it and now it does not work at all (o/s is gone from it). It originally came with win98 but he had upgraded it to winxps2. i assume i will need to purchase 98 or xp software to reinstall it?

his pc is:

hp pavilion 8760c intel pentium iii and has a cd writer drive.

any help would be appreciated

thank you.

[Budfred]

With all the different things you did and the rather vague details about what you did, it is hard to say if the software is even the problem... It sounds more like you have a hard drive failure if the OS is actually gone... How did you determine that??

If you have a legal copy of WinXP, there is no reason why you would need to buy a new copy...

[maxiesemma]

Thank you for responding. I hope this isn't too long. I'll try to reconstruct the steps I took. I downloaded bootable floppies from microsoft for XP SP2 and got this error message: "File \biosinfo.inf could not be loaded. The error code is 4096". Previously to this, I had DSL and we got a wireless router. His pc already had a wireless network card. I downloaded the DSL software plus two antivirus programs. The problem seemed to start with the Norton Antivirus. His pc wouldn't shut down. It kept rebooting. I was able to finally figure out an error code of unmountable boot volume on it. I got the floppies to download the bootup software and here we are now. According to the model specifications the PC was shipped with "Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition". PC doesn't boot to the BIOS. When I reboot the pc, I get the blue HP screen, then two screens flash by too fast to read. Then I get a screen that gives you choices, Safe Mode, Safe Mode w/Networking,Safe Mode w/Command Prompt, Last Known Good Configuration, Start Windows Normally, then it gives the number of seconds until windows starts. I've tried starting in all the above modes with the same results. It reboots in the same manner and I get the same screen. Except now it says "Boot from ATAPI CD ROM"; "No emulation; press any key to boot from cd". Then the next screen says "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware". Hp does not recommend you change the operating system that was shipped on your PC as the drivers may not be found, however, I am provided the steps to format the harddrive. I am directed to: http://1gighost.net/dalehollow/boot98se.exe. Then I am told I need to create a "F Disk" (floppy) from this weblink provided and am e mailed a document called "Using Fdisk" for my reference. I am told to use the document to perform a format and then I may install the desired operating system. I am also e mailed a step by steps guide on how to use the "FDisk". Based on a chat with an HP technician, I downloaded FDISK utility to partition the hard drive and attempted to perform system recovery on the computer. Per HP's instructions, I went to this website: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?cc=us&docname=
bph02138&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN.

This is happened when I attempted to boot with the FDISK: When I choose Create DOS partition it says, it's already there. I started pc with FDISK. Then I typed FDISK at command prompt. It asks if I want to enable large disk support. I said yes. Then it asks if NTFS partitions should be treated as large. I selected yes. then I get the fdisk options: create dos partition or logical dos drive, set active partition, delete partition or logical dos drive, display partition information. Per HP, Press the 1 key, if it is not already entered, and press Enter to create the DOS partition or logical DOS drive. Then I get 3 more options: create primary dos partion; create extended dos partition; create logical dos drives in extended dos partition. HP tech says to press the 1 key, if it is not already entered, and press enter to create a primary DOS partition. Then it says create primary dos partition. I press the Y key. At the bottom it says primary dos partition already exists. So I return to main menu and delete the Primary DOS Partition, both ntfs and pri dos. Then I return to main menu to create Primary DOS Partition. Then press the 1 key, if it is not already entered, and press Enter to create the DOS partition or logical DOS drive. Then press the 1 key, if it is not already entered, and press Enter to create a primary DOS partition. Then press the Y key, if not already entered, and pre ss Enter to use the maximum available size for the primary DOS partition and make the partition active. The system continues verifying the drive integrity. Then I press Enter to use the maximum available size for the primary DOS partition and make the partition active. The system continues verifying the drive integrity. Then I press Esc to restart the system so that the changes take effect. After restarting, I need to format the hard drive. Then I ask if I leave fdisk in. She asks if I have Windows 98 disc handy with you, which I don't. I am directed to http://www.bootdisk.com/. Then I am directed to remove the Floppy Disk from the dive and restart the system. I am directed tothe DOS/Windows9x/Me/NT/2K/XP one. Then I select OEM. I am informed I cannot install Windows 98 operating system using these boot disks, that I can only boot the system to DOS mode. I ask what happens when I boot to DOS mode. I am told I need to have a Windows CD to install Windows on your computer. I ask what happens when I use the windows 98 bootup disk and am told that it boots to DOS prompt, where you can run some basic commands. I confess that I attempted to reload Windows 98 from my former roommate's Win98 software but I did not have the license key.

[Budfred]

Okay, that is both too much detail and too little detail... The main question is whether you have a Windows install disk of any type... If you don't, you need to get a legal copy of Windows and install it... It should be pretty simple if you do that...

There is a good chance that wouldn't have been needed, but since you removed the existing partition, you now have no other choice...

Also, do NOT install 2 antivirus programs unless you install the second one only to use for specific scans and do not run it in resident mode...

[maxiesemma]

Thanks for your help. I'll purchase windows xp and install it.

[classicsoftware]

Before you purchase anything, you should have restore disks from the HP computer. You can restore it to it's original state and then upgrade to XP again.

Alternately, you can purchase a copy of XP and install that fresh.

Whatever you do, DON'T USE NORTON.......

[Paul Komski]

If you don't have the Restore CD-ROMs you should be able to get replacements (http://www.terryscomputertips.com/computers/restore-partitions-and-restore-cds-premonition.php) from HP.

I agree - stay clear of the Norton "Bloat 'n' Expense"