session5 initalization failed

[gotodreams]

im getting this session5 initialization failed error. the computer boots again and again. ive got windows xp with sp2. its dual boot with xp home and media center.
the stop error is stop:0x000000071
please assist

[mjc]

If you hit f8 right after POST completes, you'll get a menu to allow Safe Mode, Last known good, etc...choose Last Known Good.

Are you running ZoneAlarm? Where you running chkdsk?

Does it happen with both bootable items?

[gotodreams]

i dont have to press f8 , the options come up automatically. when i press start the last known good config. windows xp begins to load partially or fully and again it restarts. when i press start in safe mode it loads ie the lines show what is loading. it comes to some driver line ,system32 and halts then no action. again it restarts.
earlier i had only windows media centre. there was a time when i failed to boot. i have 2 hdd. so i installed a second os ie windows home .so i could access my stuff which i failed to access since windows media centre was restarting.. then it worked fine for few weeks then again the system started restarting when i had 2 oses. so i thought of upgrading windows home to professional with sp2 the installation went half way and the restarting buisness started again. now i had 3 starting options. windows pro which is half, windows home, and windows media centre. then i tried windows home with incompelete pro , it gave access to my drives that is it loaded for few days again the same restarting problem. so i thougth of upgrading windows pro which was left half way to windows pro with sp3. it too went half way. now present i have 4 optioons windows pro, windows home , windows media centre and windows pro setup. when i try to complete pro setup sp3 it goes on then the bsod appears with the message session5 initialization failed. now i cant do anything
ive not installed zone alarm nor do ive use chk dsk.
as per ur last question does it happen with both the bootables , ive got now
4 bootables. windows pro, windows home , windows media centre and windows pro sp3 set up . the first windows pro is sp2
for all the four i get session5 initialization failed.

[mjc]

Sounds like the initial problem was not caused by hardware or general Windows faults, but rather malware, since all installs are now being affected...especially the fact that they are on two separate physical hard drives.

If malware is the root cause, as I highly suspect it is, then none of your files are worth saving, the chance of them being infected is near 100% (and yes that includes non-executable files, too).

[classicsoftware]

Well, now I am really on thin ice as I will disagree with MJC twice in one week. This is clearly a hardware issue.....

This what I would do:

Remove ALL unnecessary USB devices (everything) but keyboard and mouse).
Remove any unnecessary serial or parallel devices.

See if it re-boots. This is an old error that has been around since Windows 2K

Let us know what happens.

If there is no data of value, you can reformat the drive and reinstall an OS, but I don't think that is the answer. It will however rule out malware. Have you tried to run a Linnux bootable CD like Knoppix.....

[mjc]

Hehe...three of the common causes of this particular one are hardware, an old ZA problem and malware.

Most of the hardware cases I've read up on seem to be limited to a single drive/install. Or if in dual install, one was good the other 'bad'. No indication of ZA, so I went with malware...

[classicsoftware]

You could be right.....

[Sylvander]

So how about scanning for infection in the Windows partition using xfprot run within Puppy Linux?

I tried the method on my own system to check it out and it certainly finds [and logs] things it classes as potential problems.

So far I haven't found a method to disinfect using Puppy.

[gotodreams]

i dont have any serial, parallel or usb devices connected to the pc. ive only the basic stuff. even the sound and video is on the board.the only stuff i have is monitor, mouse , keyboard and monitor .
i use this pc only to watch movies . so i have only movies and songs stored and very imp snaps of my family which i dont want to loose. my board has the old usb version.
i will try running a linux bootable and will post u the result
how do i scan for infection in the Windows partition using xfprot run within Puppy Linux. i mean how do i download it.
the most imp thing this pc is not even connected to the net

[Sylvander]

You must have some PC connected to the web since you're typing messages here.
You need to have access to a PC with an optical burner.

Use any web connected PC to:
Download the basic official Puppy Linux 4.1.2 ISO file from here (http://www.puppylinux.org/downloads/official-releases/puppy-linux-412)...
Burn it to a CD...rewritable is best in my opinion.

If you'd like a more comprehensive "Puplet" get the ISO for Muppy 008.4c from here (http://files.filefront.com/Muppy+Live+0084c+ENiso/;12868301;/fileinfo.html).
This is too big for CD; must be burned to DVD [rewritable is best].

Just boot any one of the above and follow the instructions as it boots to choose/configure your mouse, keyboard, Xorg video, screen area and colour depth.
Once into Puppy, if you want to be able to save configuration changes and installations, you immediately restart, and at shutdown you will be asked to specify a location to hold the "Pup_save" file.
Once back into Puppy...
If you want to be able to go on the web with the problem PC [if you have the means to do so]...
Click the "connect" icon on the desktop, or else go to "Menu->Setup->Network wizard" and follow its instructions.

To scan using xfprot:
Go to "Menu->Utility->xf-prot virus scanner" and follow its instructions.
OK running as root.
It can be tricky navigating the filesystem [to specify the Windows partition to scan] if you're new to Puppy.
Here's how:
In "Path to scan" click "Dir".
In the navigation window that comes up, double-click "File System" in the left panel...
Then double-click the "mnt" folder in the right panel.
[The partitions come under mnt, but they MUST be mounted for the contents to be seen/scanned]
So...
Go to "menu->File system->Pmount", and click the correct button to mount the Windows partition.
Then...
Go back to xfprot and highlight the Windows partition [sda1 on my system] and click "Open".
Now xfprot should show the "Path to scan" as sda1 or whatever...
Click the "F1 Scan" button at bottom left.
A new window opens and the scan proceeds.

[Sylvander]

1. error is stop:0x000000071
(a) Info within the UBCD4Win environment at Start->List of tools->Troubleshooting Windows stop messages->0x00000071: SESSION5_INITIALIZATION_FAILED...
No details given.

(b) Google search finds various results that are possibly pertinent.
This involves replacing c:\Windows\System32\ntdll.dll with a copy from Win2000 (http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win2000/1049142240), but I think further searching is needed, and I don't have the time right now.

[Sylvander]

Hits for XP at the Microsoft Knowledge Base. (http://search.microsoft.com/results.aspx?mkt=en-US&setlang=en-US&q=0x00000071%20Windows%20XP)

Here's one of them:
Microsoft recently learned of this vulnerability in Windows XP (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/815021).
This should have been patched, but was it?