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I have Windows XP SP3 with no Antivirus software. By mistake I clicked on an exe file which was generated in every folder with foldername.exe. Then my computer restarted.

When I execute msconfig.exe my computer restarts.

The computer is running normally but I know it will not run after 1-2 days. Now is there any way to fix that without installing any antivirus?

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    May I ask why you are so opposed to antivirus software considering you were infected by a virus that would have been easily caught?
    – Dustin G.
    Jun 15, 2011 at 14:16
  • I think that it if its not allowing me to open regedit or msconfig then it won't allow me to install Anti virus. and i also don't have any live CD
    – Mirage
    Jun 15, 2011 at 14:18
  • Well you could try at least?
    – slhck
    Jun 15, 2011 at 14:22

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You can try running sfc /scannow from the command line. That will replace any bad or broken system files. After that you can slave the drive to another desktop and run antivirus scan from there. You can also try running hijack this from trend micro. It's not an install but a standalone exe that goes through your registry and helps you identify malicious startup entries and such within msconfig

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  • i tried that and it says registry editing has been diabled by admin
    – Mirage
    Jun 15, 2011 at 14:59
  • cut your losses and format. Sometimes its easier to start over then to fix what's broken
    – acme64
    Jun 16, 2011 at 13:21
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    i downloaded the emergency AV boot cd and scanned it . it removed the virus but took 5 hours though
    – Mirage
    Jun 17, 2011 at 3:45
  • i love a happy ending. PLEASE install an antivirus now!
    – acme64
    Jun 17, 2011 at 4:00
  • i did that first thing , i used AVAST
    – Mirage
    Jun 18, 2011 at 13:39
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is there any way to fix that without installing any antivirus

You could re-install XP and applications from clean media (e.g. CD) then restore data from backup.

You could remove your HDD, place it in a USB enclosure, take it to a friend's PC which does have AV installed and get your friend to use their AV to clean your HDD.

Personally I find it easier to just use AV. There are plenty of inexpensive and free products.

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  • +1 Good points especially scanning on a differents system with AV and other malware tools. Installing locally will likley not work, especially if a rootkit of some kind.
    – Dave M
    Jun 15, 2011 at 14:32
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Any and every reasonable answer must begin and end with "You should install antivirus software."

Running AV software isn't just for your own good. Your computer is probably pwned by some botnet and contributing it's own annoying part to the global spam, virus, and DDoS attacks.

Especially because there are so many decent free antivirus tools, and if you really don't want AV, you should be running Linux at the very least.

Please explain why you don't want AV software on the system and perhaps we can tailor a solution that may better suit your (odd) needs.

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Try booting into safe mode by pressing F8 before Windows loads. See if you can access msconfig from there.

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  • same thing happens in safe mode as well
    – Mirage
    Jun 15, 2011 at 14:59

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