windows xp nt authority system services.exe

[TPHR]

Windows XP sp2

An error message pops up 60 seconds after start up and displays this message:

System Shutdown

This system process
'C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe' terminated unexpectedly with the staus code -1073741819. The system will now shut down and restart

This is my girlfriend's parents computer so I am unsure if the OS is properly updated with the malicious spyware removal tool, relevant patches or properly updated anti-virus/firewall (I do have a hunch that not everything is up to date). I have searched google extensively before posting this problem up here and found my situation to be different than many people who receive this error intermittently. I receive this message everytime I boot the computer, so I cannot go through many of the suggested malware cleanup tutorials involving the installation of programs (since I only have 60 seconds in normal mode and cannot install in safe mode).

I have tried running 'shutdown -a' to get rid of the restart message but havent had success with it as the task bar and desktop disappear afterward and I cant effectively do anything but restart after that.

Any suggestions on where to start? Thank you in advance.

[Kenyon]

Before you could try any hardcore troubleshooting steps on this system I would suggest you to first better make sure that if you have installed all latest patches from Windows update. Also update your security suite (antivirus) to its latest definition and make sure it starts with system running in the background always. Because I strongly feel it could be the problem because of malware or any similar stuffs. Your system is infected and you have to clean it before you should try anything else.

[Stel]

Hello TPHR,

Are you able to get into Safe Mode? If yes, then boot in Safe Mode and Download, install, update and do a full scan with some free malware detection programs. Dont worry, you can uninstall them later anytime.

While running this scan if your PC gets shutdown itself then a successfully aborts the shutdown, but leaves you stranded with no taskbar (but still alive), type CTRL-ALT-DEL to get into Task Manager, File, New Task and run explorer.exe to get your stuff back, then do the downloads and malware scanning