Have run Clamwin free several times without any problem. However after last scan was finished ( set up to automatically correct problems) I got as Windows message to the effect that several important Windows files had been removed and replaced with incompatible files. I also got a second Windows message in the blue banner heading it said Windows-Wrong volume and below in the white box the message " The wrong volume is in the drive. Please insert volume VRMPOEM-EN into drive F " drive F is I think a CD or DVD drive - I had nothing in either of these drives. I had three options ie "Cancel" "Try again" and "continue' it didn't matter which one I tried the PC was locked and I could only get out by usual restart keys.

The PC then boots up ok to the point where I put in my password and I get the usual message that my settings are being loaded but then this changes after a few seconds to "logging off" and the machine logs me out again - I cannot get out of this cycle.

I then pressed F8 at the next load and went for the WindowsXP option of a restore from the last successful time but I then go back into exactly the same loop ie just after I put in my password and get the message that my settings are being loaded the message 'logging off" comes up again and I am back to the start.

My PC came with Windows XP service pack 2 and I have that disc - I think I later upgraded to service pack 3

I need my PC on a daily basis for business from home so I am really stuffed without it ( I keep the Mac I am typing this on as a sort of back up in case my PC has such a problem.

Can anyone help me get my PC running again I don't have a start up disc are there any other options from the F8 button worth pursuing?

Surprised Clamwin can take out vital Windows files which is what appears to have happened is this a bug in the software ?[/b]

This post https://forums.clamwin.com/viewtopic.php?t=2720 https://forums.clamwin.com/viewtopic.php?t=2720

Clamwin is reporting (and quarantining or removing, depending on your clamwin settings) false positives for W32.Virut-82 on a legitimate windows sytem file, userinit.exe located in your windows\system32 directory. You will need to boot into Windows recovery mode and restore the file from your original XP SP2 or SP3 disk:

thanks for that helpful reply which I understand.

Unfortunately the PC came a few years ago with Windows xp pre loaded and I have never needed to put in an administrator password since ie I don't know what it is so can't get past that point in the reboot process - is there any way round this?

Thank you

Please refer to the master thread on userinit.exe for my reply

If you install properly, there is no problem. Or do you still have the old anti virus software running?