Help! NT Authority/system error and system just shuts down repeatedly

Question

I have an XPS600 w/ WinXP and a Raid1 configuration.  Last night I downloaded/installed some updates from the Dell Drivers and Downloads page.  This included Dell Support 3.2, Nvidia Nforce networking controller (R104929.exe), nVidia 256mb GeForce 6800 drivers (R117537.exe), and Dell Desktop system software(DDS) (R121089.exe).   My system then went into a tailspin.  It goes into a restart loop.  After it reboots, if I leave it idle on the WinXP user login page, after several minutes an error message pops up that says 'The system is shutting down.  .....  Shutdown was initiated by NT AUTHORITY\system'.  Windows must now restart because the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service terminated unexpectedly'.  A 60 second countdown timer activates and the system reboots to do it all over again.   If I select a logon after the reboot, no applications will run, although I can see icons on the desktop and access some menus (with no functionality).  I get two Symantec error messages about reloading my anti-virus software, then a Generic Host/Win32 error message and an nVidia Raid Service error message window.  (I copied down the additional details info for both)  Within a few minutes, the above 'NT AUTHORITY\system' error pops up and again the 60 second countdown begins.   I have tried a system restore to no avail.  I can't run it from Windows, and when I ran it from a safe mode command prompt, it didn't fix the problem.   Can anyone tell me how to fix this?  Is there a way that I can access the files I downloaded from Safe Mode and remove them?   Thanks a bunch for any help you experienced users out there can provide.

mnvron · Answer

Oops...First time user and I posted it to the wrong thread/forum area.  Hopefully and administrator will relocate this to the Software category.  Sorry for the trouble.

xcator · Answer

sorry, but it sure sounds like you have blaster or something similar.  Are you behind a router and/or use a software firewall?  if you disconnect your internet connection/cable, does it still happen?

misha_markovich · Answer

Well,   I seen this many moons before; you would be best off after saving data, fresh installing OS, I would no trust this PC as far as infestation goes.   To buy your self some time so you could save the files, you can try one of these things:     1. Cheat tip 1: Set you clock one hour or more backward, that would give you some time to troubleshoot.   2. Cheat tip 2: From Start/Run; type: cmd and hit Enter. The Command prompt WIndow would open. From prompt type: shutdown.exe -a and hit Enter. This command aborts shutdown.   3. Cheat tip 3: When windows boots and the error shows up, don't click anything. Just move it out of the way for now. Then open the control panel, then open Administrative Tools / Services and Double Click on the DCOM Server Process Launcher. Then click on Recovery and in all the boxes that say Restart The Computer, Change to Take No Action and although the error will still come up when you boot up you can now click on OK to terminate without the countdown shutdown coming up and will give you the time to look further into your problem.   Than go to Microsoft Updates and run them, I think that Windows malicious Tool removal download may fix your problems   Than I would back-up and completely rework the PC.   Misha

mnvron · Answer

Thank you both for the advice.  At this point I think the plan is to pull one of my HDD's, plug it into a relative's working PC and configure my drive as a secondary.  Then I'll access my now secondary HDD and xfer what I need to save to an external firewire HDD before doing a complete reformat/reinstall of XP and everything else.   I have tried troubleshooting in SafeMode, the Recovery Console, using the Dell disc and the XP disc and so far nothing has worked.  The drivers won't roll back and I can't restore to a previous point either.

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