Ok, already checked that article. Cannot run the scan because cannot get into windows.

Yes, for a while I thought it was isass but it is lsass.exe. I will look at the link you send. Have read several. But the error may have said something other than device could not start. I will look again soon but sure it was lsass.exe

http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/lsass/

 

Are you positive on the spelling ?

mombodog,

 

Thanks for the link. I have tried using the XP home installation CD to recovery and I get to the password. The owner never remember entering any administrator password and got the system in 2004. Had no Norton recovery ghost files or anything. So I select 1 as suggested and at the password prompt hit enter key. If I remember correctly that is the end of going anywhere after that. Now, maybe I could enter the next step and haven't tried so will do this.

Question: I have accessed the drive by slaving it to my desktop and was able to browse the drive contents. There are 3 folders that list the lsass.exe, one being windows\system32 and it is also under windows updates and it seems another under windows i386. My question now is before I start recovery should all these be deleted?

Ok, tried the recovery method from the cd and got through it ok. I chose to over-write the existing file and was successful. Removed the cd as requested, exit, and rebooted. Got the same message which is:

lsass.exe    operation failed

The requested operation was unsuccessful

 

My option is ok, and it goes through the same process. I was reading this link and sounds like since I have XP-Pro I cannot copy my file unto this drive with XP-Home

 

This is strange for sure

Have you tried Safe Mode?

 

If you can get into windows safe mode, run a SFC.

 

 

Run System File CheckerThe System File Checker (Sfc.exe) utility is used for scanning protected operating system files to verify their version and integrity. If System File Checker detects any operating system file with the incorrect file version, it replaces the corrupted file with a file that has the correct version from the Windows installation source files.

To use System File Checker, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd.exe, and then click OK.

2. At the command prompt, type sfc /purgecache, and then press ENTER.
Note You may be prompted to provide Windows installation source files when you run the sfc /purgecache command. If the command is completed successfully, you will receive the following message:

Windows File Protection successfully made the requested change.

 

3. At the command prompt, type sfc /scannow, and then press ENTER.
Note This command may take several minutes to finish. You may also be prompted to provide Windows installation source files when you run the sfc /scannow command.

 

4. At the command prompt, type exit, and then press ENTER to close the command prompt.  

system32 is the file that windows is using currently.

 

i386 is the original Windows installation file archive.

 

windows updates is old file archived by a windows update.

 

"My question now is before I start recovery should all these be deleted?"

 

No.

 

If you can browse the drive, just do a copy and paste of a known good lsass.exe file to the system 32 folder.

 

No, cannot get to the safe mode at all. Get as far as a black screen after it appears it will work but I see safe mode at the bottom and then get the same message.

 

I am looking at my Dell with XP-Pro and I have a windows\system32\dllcache folder listed. Cannot find that folder on the 4600. I could slave the drive again and create that folder.