isass.exe error. Help needed

[MOAMB]

Hi,

Was asked to look at my mates computer last night as they were having problems with a few things so i tried a system restore which worked but then i tried to restore it back to the latest date and on doing so im now getting isass.exe error on boot up and i cant boot to windows or boot into safe mode

They had no disks so i have downloaded windows XP SP3 Pro (XP is installed on the PC) and thought i would try a repair but when i boot from CD i don't get the repair option screen as it goes straight to the partition screen where the options are:

• Set up Windows XP
• Create a partition in the unpartitioned space
• Delete the selected partition

When you start the system you get the option of 2 operating system optionss but only the one option works.

Also on the partition setup screen it has the following partitioned drives

• Unpartitioned space 39 MB
• C: Partition1 76246 MB ( 35658 MB free)
• Unpartitioned space 8 MB

I REALLY REALLY dont want to format this drive as it has his work stuff on it.

Is there another way to repair windows XP or is it possible i need to download another XP disk?
Or do you think i can take hard drive out and place it into my desktop and access everything i need and save it so i can then format the system?

My only concern with removing the hard drive and putting it in to mine is iv read that the isass.exe error is caused by a virus and i dont want to infect my system.

Thanks for reading and helping if you can

Ray

 

[hatab]

found this on a huge thread on geeks site, not my work seems a common ish problem of isass error on boot or changing passwords.

they also discus the possibility of a virus causing the problem and the considered response is it isnt virus related but a corupt sam database or part of.



" Posted 20 May 2005 - 06:15 AM
Problem - solved!!

Oh hello,

excuse if I haven't read all the posts to this topic - so I don't know if it has already been solved.
I have found a solution, which worked on my laptop.

The error is:
1)"System error: Lsass.exe --- When trying to update a password the return status indicates that the value provided as the current password is not correct."
2)The recovery console asked for an admin password and don't lets you in.
3)Safemode and "restore at last good config" don't work.
Well. The computer is completely locked.

The solution which worked at mine:
1)you need a second laptop and an external USB Harddrive case.

2)take out the HDD from the computer affected and connect it to the second computer.

3)best thing to do is to backup all the "MyDocuments" data from HDD to the second computer.

4) on the (faulty) HDD navigate to /windows/system32/config and rename the file "system" to "system_faulty"

5) on the (faulty) HDD navigate to /windows/repair/ and copy the file "system" by pressing "Ctrl+C"

6) on the (faulty) HDD navigate back to /windows/system32/config and paste the "system" file here

7) Put the HDD back into the original Computer and startup

7a) at this stage you come to a screen, which asks you to log-in user BUT you are not able to log-in and you will get the error message that "the windows activation cannot be validated" (or something like this)

8) Place the XP Recovery CD into the CD drive and startup the computer

9) if asked, chose to start from CD

10) You will get to the XP Setup screen, where you chose to "Install" Windows

11) on next screen chose "R" for "repair"

12) Windows is now repairing the system. Don't panic !! That looks like a complete new setup, but it is not.

13) After finishing. Your system should be up and running again with all user settings etc.

It worked on my laptop which is running WinXP-SP2.
I had to buy one of this 2.5" USB external HDD cases to connect the drive to another computer. Having spent 20£ on it was worth the investment.
That saved me the time to configure the system with all kind of software..."


full thread lsass.exe error on startup - Geeks to Go Forums

 

[Him Her]

My only concern with removing the hard drive and putting it in to mine is iv read that the isass.exe error is caused by a virus and i dont want to infect my system.

No need to worry about that M8 - the procedure above won't infect your machine. Nor will copying files off provided you don't open them before scanning with anti-virus...