Win Vista keeps rebooting

[#1]

This is the program which will fix it Imgburn http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download

[#2]

Not sure if a third party burning software will fix anything if mssstool32.exe requires imapi v2 to create the .iso file.
Either get this microsoft package installed properly on XP: http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=17073
Or find a Vista / Win7 machine to create (and burn) the iso.

[#3]

Quote from: penneck

His laptop is a Sony Vaio VGN-NR38E

Try F10 as the computer is booting.  Note that if this works, all user data will be lost in the recovery process.

[#4]

Quote from: penneck

... I have just tried what you suggest, but my pc which uses XP says I need to install Imapi 2....

Borrow your wife's computer?

[#5]

An update:-
I dont know what I did wrong, but trying again got the Imapi v2 installed, and I was able then to create a bootable CD with a Windows Defender Offline Iso image on it. I also created a USB memory stick version as well, just in case. My son's laptop wont boot from the CD. It ignores it and boots up in the normal way, so I went into Computer (the equivalent of XPs My Computer) but it didn't list the CD Drive. It did list E:\USB Memory. I tried booting with the USB memory stick, but it ignored that too.
I went into the BIOS and had a look at the Boot Order. Inthe Boot Order list, anything to do with USB (plus the Floppy Drive) has an "*" with the message "This drive is available when External Drive Boot is Enable." - not my typing - it says Enable not Enabled. I haven't found how you control External Drive Boot is Enable. I did try moving USB Flash in the Boot Order. It would only go down, not up.

[#6]

A further update - the Win Defender Off line  CD wont boot up my desktop pc either. The bootup ignores the CD Drive even though it is top of the Boot Order. Is there still something wrong with the CD. The drive should be okay because it was that drive that I created the CD on

[#7]

I just downloaded mssstool32.exe and ran it - from http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline
It created a CD without any further action on my part other than putting a blank CD in the drive and it is bootable judging by the file list which includes bootmgr

[#8]

Sometimes people accidentally just copy the iso file to their CD (/memory stick) instead of unpacking it to the CD.  If you put the CD in your working XP computer, what are the contents? 

[#9]

Quote

Turn on or restart the computer and prepare to tap the "F2" key to enter the BIOS screen. When the VAIO logo appears, tap the "F2" key to enter the BIOS screen. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the "BOOT" section of the BIOS screen. Ensure the "External Device Boot" is set to "Enabled". Press the "F10" key to save changes and exit.

From http://superuser.com/questions/258739/sony-vgn-nr260e-external-device-boot

[#10]

I've just gone into the Vaio BIOS. I have just found that External Device Boot is enabled under Advanced, not under Boot. I have enabled it, so am waiting while I produce a good boot CD.
As it turns out, I had burned the Windows Defender Off line image file to the CD just by treating the image file like an ordinary file. I have now found how Nero 7 copies the image file as an image. I tested the new CD in my good pc, and it booted, but after spending a while loading files, the screen just went blank (black blank, not blue blank) and I waited for something to happen. Nothing. I tried CTRL+ALT+DEL but no reaction, so I removed the CD, and powered down. When I rebboted, it came up as per normal, so god knows what I have done wrong now

[#11]

Another update - now that I have found how to enable the USB ports, I have booted up with a USB stick with the Windows Defender Offline image on it. It booted, so I ran the Quick Scan (twice), and while Win Def Offline found the Virus and the Trojan (Sirefef), it has so far failed to eradicate it. I am now running a Full Scan so fingers crossed.

[#12]

Quote from: ReedRichards

Although I was able to remove the virus so superficially Windows appeared back to normal; the virus had removed the entry points for the software required for Windows Update and Security Center so neither would run.

Reading the symptoms of Sirefef here http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/Threat/Encyclopedia/Entry.aspx?Name=Win32%2FSirefef ; , the missing services sound suspiciously similar to those missing from the computer I was working on over the weekend.  I managed to restore about half of these to working but it was taking so long that I gave up and used a System Restore instead.  In your case, Penneck, I think you should investigate the F10 option to see if it does get you into the recovery menu. 

[#13]

There's a Sirefef removal tool here http://kb.eset.com/esetkb/index?page=content&id=SOLN2895 .  I'm also a big fan of TDSSKiller http://support.kaspersky.com/faq/?qid=208283363 which runs very quickly and will apparantly target Sirefef.  But whether your setting are restored to normal in either case is another matter.

[#14]

Well chaps, it looks like the laptop is fixed (famous last words). I was just preparing to use the "eset" tool that Reed Richards suggested. I managed to switch on the External drives so that I could boot from a memory stick with Windows Defender Offline. I ran the laptop overnight using Windows Defender Offline doing a full scan. It found a load of problems, and dealt with all except one message about a Trojan and one about a virus (both Sirefef).
I removed the memory stick and rebooted, and it brought up a list like you get when you use F8. The list recommended a repair (I've never seen this line before, nor could I get it later when I tried a safe boot), so I selected it. The next time I booted the pc, the reboot problem had gone. Microsoft Security Essential (full scan) cannot find anything of Sirefef, so I tried the memory stick again. That ran a full scan and didn't find anything either.
I do have one concern (apart from "is Sirefef hiding for a while?") and that is Windows Defender on the laptop (not the bootable one in the memory stick) is stopped. It says so when I try to use it. How do you start it?
Well, my thanks to all who made suggestions, particularly RR

[#15]

On Monday my daughter asked me to help solve a problem with my ex-wife's PC which kept rebooting and but frequently let her get started with a scan but then crash.
I attempted remotely via LogMeIn and she has Symantec and some other virus scanner with the word power in, I think. Eventually got frequent messages that trojan.zeroaccess and trojan.gen2 were found but nothing would remove them.
I went round yesterday and uninstalled all current virus protection and installed MSE and reinstalled MalwareBytes which kept crashing. The above trojans were removed but also MSE found Sirefef and removed that, too.
Re-ran all scans again along with Spybot and all seems stable.
I really need to start charging for the time taken to sort all this - all afternoon  
Edit: I reiterated to them both about the vigilance needed to keep the PC free from infections including frequent updates and scans. I reminded them that having used computers at home for almost 30 years "let me count how many trojans/virii I've had... erm, that would be zero!"