HALP! sfcfiles.dll bluescreen on startup

[thesartorialist]

Hi, when I booted up my T42 (XP SP2), it got past the Windows screen and then I got a bluescreen with this message:

"Stop C000007b, bad image. the application or dll /??/C:/winnt/system32/sfcfiles.dll is not a valid windows image. Please check this against your installation diskette."

It only stayed up for about one second, then the computer rebooted and repeated the process ad nauseum. I tried safe mode but to no avail, same thing happens. I can't even get access to the OS in order to try to fix whatever is wrong here. I have seen other threads dedicated to this while Googling around but none that resolved my issue-- everyone seemed to have a slightly different case.

I don't have an installation disk. Can anyone help me??

[closersource]

You can help us help you better if you provided some background information. Were you trying to install XP, modifying the system, doing system maintenance on the last statrup? Did it happen all of a sudden?

[GomJabbar]

If you still have the Recovery Partition, press Access IBM (or F11) at the beginning of the boot sequence and once in Rescue and Recovery, copy any personal files you want to save to a USB key or another drive. Next, choose Restore Factory Contents. All existing data on the C: partition will be erased, but you should get a clean install of Windows XP with all the factory loaded IBM software and drivers.

If you do not have a working Rescue and Recovery partition, then try to borrow or buy a OEM XP install CD (perhaps from ebay), and use the Product Key on the bottom of the T42 when you do the reinstall.

It is quite possible that your hard drive has been infected with malware. After reinstalling Windows, install a good antivirus program and update it before copying any files back to the new install. Any drives or disks that you connected and saved old files to could have become infected, so be sure and scan any files you saved for malware.

[thesartorialist]

I've been running the same OS without any modification on it for over a year. The only thing even slightly out of the ordinary was that I had some virus that I tried to remove a couple of times, but still had some trace in the form of causing a dialog box to appear telling me that GenericSvcHost or something like that (would tell you the exact name, but I can't get into the computer anymore... cue infinite regress) had closed, and that the system would shut down in 60 seconds. This happened a few times, I kept trying to remove the virus, and it got to the point where when I got the dialog, I'd just shut down myself and restart to save myself 60 seconds. Last time I did that, this happened.

From what I have read it seems that the virus corrupted the sfcfiles.dll file in System32 and that XP is so paranoid about System32 that if it detects corruption on startup it will bluescreen. That is my basic read on why it is behaving this way. Obviously the problem is I can't fix the file if I can't even access it in safe mode. I can access the F8 menu and the BIOS menu, but that is about all the functionality it has right now. So the question is: how do I get in to fix that file? Or, if I am wrong in my hypothesis, what IS going on??

Thanks.

EDIT: Re GomJabbar-- There is nothing called Rescue and Recovery in Access IBM, just "Create diagnostic disks," "Run diagnostics," "Restore your backups," "Recover to factory contents," and "Start setup utility." Does this mean I cannot recover files before restoring?

[GomJabbar]

You can recover your files. See Rescue files below.

Recovering data

Recovery tools are provided on your computer hard disk. Use these tools to perform a recovery using one of the three following methods:

Rescue files: This recovery method enables you to rescue files to alternate media such as a diskette, a CD, a DVD, a USB hard-disk drive, or the network. For more information about recovering a file, see Using the Rescue files method

* Note: In order to rescue files to a USB device, the device must be plugged in prior to turning on your computer and entering the IBM(R) Rescue and Recovery(TM) workspace.

Restore from backup: This recovery method is available only if you installed the IBM Rapid Restore(TM) Ultra program. This recovery method restores the hard disk to a previously stored state that you created through a Rapid Restore Ultra backup operation. For more information about the IBM Rapid Restore Ultra program, see Data backup-and-restore tools. There are two ways to recover your backups:

* Enter the IBM Rescue and Recovery workspace and then choose Restore from backup. For more information about entering the workspace, see Introducing Rescue and Recovery.

* Create a CD or a USB hard disk drive that you can use to help recover from failures that prevent you from gaining access to the Windows(R) environment or the Rescue and Recovery workspace on your hard disk. Recover files, folders, or your entire hard disk contents from a backup using the IBM Rapid Restore Ultra program and rescue media. For more information about creating and using rescue media, see Using Rescue and Recovery media.

For instructions on restoring your backups, see Using the Restore from backup method.

Restore factory contents: This recovery method reformats the primary partition of your hard disk (drive C); then, reinstalls your operating system, device drivers, and factory-installed software. The hard disk is restored to the same state as when the computer was originally manufactured. For instructions on restoring the factory contents, see Using the Restore factory contents method.

In general, use the Restore factory contents method as a last resort after all other recovery methods and methods of repairing the operating system have been exhausted. When you use the Restore factory contents method, all information stored on the primary partition (drive C) is deleted by the format operation before the operating system and other software is reinstalled. Personal settings, files that you created, and software that you installed since you purchased your computer will be lost.
The recovery tools are on a separate area of the hard disk from the operating system and run independently of the operating system. In case of a hard-disk failure or if the recovery tools are accidentally deleted from the hard disk or become damaged, you can order a Product Recovery CD from IBM on an emergency basis and recover the factory contents from the Product Recovery CD. For instructions on restoring the factory contents from the Product Recovery CD, see Using the Product Recovery CD.

* Notes:

* The Restore factory contents method deletes all information stored on the primary partition (drive C). If possible, make backup copies of your data files before using the Restore factory contents method.

* The Restore from backup method restores the contents of your hard disk to the same state that existed when the backup operation was performed. Any files created or modifications made since the backup operation was performed will be lost. If possible, make backup copies of any data files that were created or modified since the backup operation was performed.

* If you need to reinstall device drivers only, see Reinstalling device drivers.

* Some computers come with Microsoft(R) Office or Microsoft Works preinstalled. If you need to recover your Microsoft Office or Microsoft Works applications, you must use the Microsoft Office CD or Microsoft Works CD. The Microsoft Office CD is provided only with computers that come with Microsoft Office preinstalled. The Microsoft Works CD is provided only with computers that come with Microsoft Works preinstalled.

* If you ordered a Product Recovery CD and several Product Recovery CDs were provided in the Product Recovery package, make sure you have all of the CDs ready before starting the recovery process. During the recovery process, you might be prompted to change CDs.

* If you use a Product Recovery CD, and the computer does not start the Product Recovery program from the CD, you might not have your CD drive listed in the startup sequence. Set your CD drive as the first device in the startup sequence. See Startup menu for details.

* For best results, use the recovery tools provided on the hard disk. If you use a Product Recovery CD, depending on your configuration, you might have to reinstall some device drivers from the C:\IBMTOOLS\DRIVERS folder after doing a recovery procedure. See Reinstalling device drivers for more information.

Using the Rescue files method

1. In the Rescue and Recovery menu, click Rescue files. The File rescue window opens.
2. Follow the instructions on the screen. Additional help is available from the Rescue and Recovery workspace.

Using the Restore from backup method

1. Make backup copies of your recent data files, if possible. Any files that were created or modifications made since the backup operation was performed will be lost.
2. Turn off your computer for at least 5 seconds. Turn on the computer. When the following message is displayed, press the blue Access IBM button: "To interrupt normal startup, press the blue Access IBM button." The IBM Rescue and Recovery workspace opens.
3. Click Restore from backup and follow the instructions on the screen. Additional help is available from the Rescue and Recovery workspace.

Using the Restore factory contents method

1. Make backup copies of your data files, if possible. Any files on drive C that are not backed up will be lost.
2. Turn off your computer for at least 5 seconds. Turn on the computer. When the following message is displayed, press the blue Access IBM button: "To interrupt normal startup, press the blue Access IBM button." The IBM Rescue and Recovery workspace opens.
3. Click Restore factory contents and follow the instructions on the screen. Additional help is available from the Rescue and Recovery workspace.

* Note: Your computer might restart during the recovery process, possibly more than once. When the recovery process is finished, your computer displays a message to let you know that the recovery is complete.

[thesartorialist]

Thank you for your help, and sorry if this is just my own ineptitude (more than likely), but I am still having difficulties with this. When I press Access IBM or F11, I get to the Access IBM Predesktop Area, but no menu is expressly called Rescue and Recovery and there is no option for Rescue files as described in that writeup. There are five icons as I described above, and five categories on the left of the screen-- Utilities, Preferences, Information, Help, and Exit. I tried with my external hard drive and a USB flash drive, both of which were plugged in before startup as dictated by the guide.

I know that with a T42, I should have this software, so I guess it must be something that I am doing. Sorry if this is like talking to a five year old; I really appreciate your help. Again, I've plugged in the USB device, started up, pressed Access IBM, gotten to the "predesktop" environment-- but no rescue files option.

[GomJabbar]

I also have a T42. The information I posted above came from Access Help on my T42. You must have an older version of Rescue and Recovery. I have version 2. I just booted to the Predesktop Area to check. First I had to close the information box to do anything. I have 15 icons on the left under 4 catagories. Under Rescue and Restore, there is the option to Rescue Files. If you cannot find Rescue Files anywhere, I believe you can create a NTFS boot CD, boot from that, and rescue your files then. Possibly the "PC Doctor for DOS bootable CD" has this feature, but I am not sure.

http://www.bootdisk.com/ntfs.htm

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-56222

[thesartorialist]

It must be that it's an older version. But fortunately, I managed to track down an install disk and everything is back up and running with no data loss, at least for now. Thanks for your help! And I will make sure to update that Rescue and Recovery software.