Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Windows XP and Vista both infected

Jul 26, 2012 12:21AM PDT

I have Windows XP and Vista both installed on my HDD on separate partitions. Both are infected in different ways. I can no longer log on to Vista unless in safe mode. In XP, my internet connection constantly shows it is connected and then not connected. I have tried a clean install of Vista but after I press any key to boot from disk, the computer shuts down completely. When I tried to boot the Vista Disk from XP, it still will not allow me to do a clean install. PLEASE HELP! Thank you in advance to anyone who might be able to help me.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Answer
It appears
Jul 26, 2012 2:13AM PDT

That you are trying to avoid wiping the drive clean. I have to guess that is not an option. If so, pull out the existing HDD, install a new blank drive and install it all again. When done, add the second drive and copy out your files.

While you are inside the machine, be sure to do your usual canned air cleaning.
Bob

- Collapse -
I would like to wipe the drive clean!
Jul 26, 2012 10:31AM PDT

I am not able to install a new drive in this system at this time. I want to wipe the HDD, reformat the drive with just one partition, and do a clean install of Vista. The problem is that something is preventing the Vista recovery disk from operating. I get as far as pressing any key to boot from cd and then the system restarts. Also, I am unable to access it from the XP side either. I tried to create a bootable dban cd, but when I boot up, it doesn't do anything. I used poweriso to burn the dban cd. Is there any other program I can use to wipe the drive completely? Thank you so much for all of your help.

- Collapse -
You may have a failing DVDRW drive.
Jul 26, 2012 11:15AM PDT

Look up how to make a bootable USB DBAN USB memory stick next.

I rarely have to use that but it's starting to sound as if the DVDRW drive has gotten old. Old is any drive 2 and more years old. Try the CD/DVD lens cleaner then swap in a new DVDRW drive.
bob

- Collapse -
Answer
Why is it always the CD/DVD drive?
Aug 1, 2012 2:22PM PDT

I had a similar problem twice. I suffered same issue with XP many times and Vista once. Because I had only my own wit to solve the problem of my Windows disk not being read by drive I decided to try a Linux disk. It not only read it, it started the installation process. I let it go as far as reformatting my drive for Linux when it completed that I removed the disk and insert the Windows Install disk. It reformatted the drive for Windows. It read the disk and installed Windows. There was nothing wrong with my CD/DVD drive.

Both times I had a Full Windows Installation disk. I don't know if it will work with a Recovery disk.