PowerShadow and Windows XP Safe Mode

[ThatDude]

Hi-

 

I installed PowerShadow 2008 (great virtualization software) on my laptop. I am now unable to boot into safe mode. I uninstalled PowerShadow and the problem went away. I reinstalled PowerShadow and the problem occured again. My boot.ini with PowerShadow installed is:

 

[boot loader]

timeout=3

default=C:\PSALDR

[operating systems]

C:\PSALDR="Normal Mode for Windows XP Media Center Edition"

 

Adding C:\PSALDR="Safe Mode for Windows XP Media Center Edition" /safeboot:minimal /sos /bootlog /noguiboot to [operating systems] does not solve the issue.

 

Any ideas?

[DennisD]

There are one or two people on here who use or have PowerShadow installed, myself included, but I'm fairly sure we all have the free version which was on the go sometime last year. I can access safe mode with no problem by tapping the F8 key before the timed boot option screen appears.

 

The 2008 version is probably a completely different animal. Are you running a trial version, or have you shelled out money for it?

 

If the former, there are other good virtual sytems available for free. If the latter, then all I can suggest is to check how you have PowerShadow configured.

 

If you have it configured to be active on boot, then that may be stopping you getting into safe mode. I have my older version configured to be inactive on boot, giving me the choice to use it or not.

 

Unless someone on here has experience with the 2008 version, then I think you'll be struggling for advice, and your best option would be to contact the Developer.

 

And in case you're interested, the following virtual systems are free:

 

SandBoxie:

 

Returnil: (Home Edition)

 

Quite a few folk on here use these apps, so advice is available.

[ThatDude]

There are one or two people on here who use or have PowerShadow installed, myself included, but I'm fairly sure we all have the free version which was on the go sometime last year. I can access safe mode with no problem by tapping the F8 key before the timed boot option screen appears.

Thanks for your reply, DennisD. I paid for the 2008 version a while back (about a year ago). I still don't have a solution for my problem, but I now have a much bigger problem.

 

When I boot up the computer (XP Media Center 2005 SP3), I get a screen that flahes "Loading..." and "Please type in password to Normal Mode". I am unable to get past these screens. These screen are from PowerShadow. I am unable to boot into Safe Mode or into Normal Mode. Basically, I can't boot into Windows at all. I tried using an XP Pro w/ SP2 disk to boot into the recovery console, but was unable to do so.

 

I think that if I could either bypass that screen that normally occurs before the Windows logo appears, or somehow uninstall PowerShadow without booting into Windows, my new problem would be solved. If anyone has any ways to do this or any other ideas, please post.

 

Thanks,

Joe

[DennisD]

Sorry to hear you're still having problems.

 

There might be some information in the following thread over at Wilders Security Forum that may help.

 

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread....owerShadow+2008

 

It's discussing what appears to be a similar problem to your own. You could also try posting your problem there. Can't do any harm.

 

This suggestion could also be useful.

 

Email to support@ensurebit, they should be able to provide you with a mechanism to disable shadow mode and allow recovery. Do allow for timezone differences, the communication will be a tad asynchronis, but they do return communications by the next day (again, this is expected based on the time zones involved).

 

Post back if you can't resolve it, as there may be someone else here with helpful info, who hasn't read these posts yet.

 

Good luck.

[ThatDude]

I sent an email to their support on Friday night, but so far I have not recieved a reply. Hopefully, I'll hear from them by Monday. I created an Acronis Image of my messed up computer, just in case I need it. I had resinstalled my OS for the second time (the first time I got the hal.dll not found message) and was about to image it when PowerShadow messed up my bootup.

 

If anyone knows of any bootable programs that can delete files, replace files and/or uninstall programs, please let me know. Windows Recovery Console won't boot for me for some reason, so I can't use that, unless there's a way to make it boot. Maybe a bootable DOS program would work. A bootable piece of malware that destroys PowerShadow would work too .

[Humpty]

Haven't used PS in a fair while now so can't really comment on the newer edition you are using.

 

You could have a look at the link below for Hal.dll probs, towards the bottom of the page entitled

 

"Shaun Gray (3/2005) states:

 

Let me review my experience / problem with hal.DLL with you all:"

Missing hal.dll article