cant boot windows in anything but safe mode

I installed one of the many updates I have it was for Microsoft Security Essentials and I did the reboot as per usual an when i tried to boot windows normally I get black screen and just mouse.. I tried system restore but it doesn't have any earlier points of restore other then the one created by update.. I tried undoing the update through installed updates section but it's not there.. I've checked disks and run scans and nothing seems amiss.. im just out of ideas as I don't have Vista boot disk or anything like that.. Idk ho to manually create a restore point.... I'm at a loss.. any help would be greatly appreciated.. would deleting Microsoft Security essentials help or should I try installing the rest of updates if I can?

Raven

Welcome to Vista Forums RavenHurst! I assume you have just installed Update for Microsoft Security Essentials - 4.9.218.0 (KB3140527), which was actually published six months ago. That MSE upgrade did not require a reboot; so if it was part of a large batch of old updates that you recently installed, then you are to be congratulated for figuring out which update caused your issue. I am successfully using MSE 4.9 on my Vista PC; but if you are seeing a black screen after logging in to Windows normally, that is probably because you have another antivirus program such as Avast installed, in addition to MSE. Frankly, it is not a good idea to install more than one antivirus.

Solutions: The previous MSE 4.8 is now 15 months old and less effective than the 4.9 upgrade. However if there is some good reason why you want it back, then you should use the restore point created by the update, because MSE 4.8 is no longer available from Microsoft.

Otherwise, your best solution is to turn off MSE in safe mode, which would enable you to log in normally again. You could then uninstall either MSE 4.9 or your other antivirus program. It's very easy to turn off MSE 4.9 using the new Administrator setting in the user interface. Simply open MSE, click the Settings tab, select Administrator and uncheck Turn on this app. Edit: Then be sure to click Save changes. Here's a screenshot:



If it wouldn't be too much trouble, after disabling MSE 4.9 and logging into Windows, please check Problem Reports and Solutions (via Control Panel > System and Maintenance) and see if you have any new MpTelemetry problem reports with Problem Signature 02 either HardeningTelemetry or MpUpdateEngine. If you do, please copy and paste the details here.

Vistaar said:

Welcome to Vista Forums RavenHurst! I assume you have just installed Update for Microsoft Security Essentials - 4.9.218.0 (KB3140527), which was actually published six months ago. That MSE upgrade did not require a reboot; so if it was part of a large batch of old updates that you recently installed, then you are to be congratulated for figuring out which update caused your issue. I am successfully using MSE 4.9 on my Vista PC; but if you are seeing a black screen after logging in to Windows normally, that is probably because you have another antivirus program such as Avast installed, in addition to MSE. Frankly, it is not a good idea to install more than one antivirus.

Solutions: The previous MSE 4.8 is now 15 months old and less effective than the 4.9 upgrade. However if there is some good reason why you want it back, then you should use the restore point created by the update, because MSE 4.8 is no longer available from Microsoft.

Otherwise, your best solution is to turn off MSE in safe mode, which would enable you to log in normally again. You could then uninstall either MSE 4.9 or your other antivirus program. It's very easy to turn off MSE 4.9 using the new Administrator setting in the user interface. Simply open MSE, click the Settings tab, select Administrator and uncheck Turn on this app. Here's a screenshot:

View attachment 29371

If it wouldn't be too much trouble, after disabling MSE 4.9 and logging into Windows, please check Problem Reports and Solutions (via Control Panel > System and Maintenance) and see if you have any new MpTelemetry problem reports with Problem Signature 02 either HardeningTelemetry or MpUpdateEngine. If you do, please copy and paste the details here.

Click to expand...

I only figured it was Microsoft Security essentials as that's the only thing I updated, i do have avast but having them both has never been a problem before... I did disable it but still get black screen of death. I can't uninstall Microsoft Security essentials in safe mode, it won't allow it even after its been disabled I figure if I can manually create a system restore point to a week ago then I should be good to go, theoretically speaking

RavenHurst said:

I only figured it was Microsoft Security essentials as that's the only thing I updated, i do have avast but having them both has never been a problem before... I did disable it but still get black screen of death. I can't uninstall Microsoft Security essentials in safe mode, it won't allow it even after its been disabled I figure if I can manually create a system restore point to a week ago then I should be good to go, theoretically speaking

Click to expand...

You can manually create new restore points, but I don't believe you can manually create old ones. You are the first person to report the black screen persisting after disabling MSE, causing me to wonder if my instructions were insufficient. After unticking/deselecting "Turn on this app" (see screenshot), did you click "Save changes" at the bottom of the window? If that really does not work for you, I saw one report that MSE can be uninstalled in safe mode using Revo, but I certainly never tried it myself.

I understand that the latest version of Avast creates Group Policy registry keys to prevent users from turning Windows Defender back on (see http://www.vistax64.com/system-security/304668-avast-turns-off-defender.html). That suggests to me that Avast does not think it is a good idea to use even the most primitive Microsoft security product alongside their antivirus.

Edit: Here's another solution that should work: https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB10

Vistaar said:

You can manually create new restore points, but I don't believe you can manually create old ones. You are the first person to report the black screen persisting after disabling MSE, causing me to wonder if my instructions were insufficient. After unticking/deselecting "Turn on this app" (see screenshot), did you click "Save changes" at the bottom of the window? If that really does not work for you, I saw one report that MSE can be uninstalled in safe mode using Revo, but I certainly never tried it myself.

I understand that the latest version of Avast creates Group Policy registry keys to prevent users from turning Windows Defender back on (see http://www.vistax64.com/system-security/304668-avast-turns-off-defender.html). That suggests to me that Avast does not think it is a good idea to use even the most primitive Microsoft security product alongside their antivirus.

Click to expand...

Well I found out the update was a virus.. now I might have to wipe hard drive and start over. Trying to to the the the delete the files hopefully it hasn't spread... idk what else is do since I was delete the from control panel in safe mode

RavenHurst said:

Well I found out the update was a virus.. now I might have to wipe hard drive and start over. Trying to to the the the delete the files hopefully it hasn't spread... idk what else is do since I was delete the from control panel in safe mode

Click to expand...

You should get some rest before making any far-reaching decisions. The MSE 4.9.218.0 upgrade is certainly not a virus. I am using MSE 4.9 right now, but of course I do not have Avast installed. You need to uninstall one or the other. If you do reinstall Windows, do not install MSE if you plan to use Avast, or at least uninstall MSE before installing Avast. That advice goes for every other antivirus also. If you restore from a factory image that includes a free trial of Norton, don't forget to use Norton Removal Tool.

Vistaar said:

You should get some rest before making any far-reaching decisions. The MSE 4.9.218.0 upgrade is certainly not a virus. I am using MSE 4.9 right now, but of course I do not have Avast installed. You need to uninstall one or the other. If you do reinstall Windows, do not install MSE if you plan to use Avast, or at least uninstall MSE before installing Avast. That advice goes for every other antivirus also. If you restore from a factory image that includes a free trial of Norton, don't forget to use Norton Removal Tool.

Click to expand...

Actually it is a virus.. you're so bent on it being something else that you can't see the truth, there was no issues before the update and there has been many reported issues of viruses disguised as updates especially for Microsoft Security essentials, I restarted comp after update download as it is the only thing I updated.. I can now no longer use system recovery and can only boot in safe mode, there isn't much choices left to repair the problem. I don't have to boot disk so I am trying to restore to factory settings from safe mode without disk, I have already backed up what I needed to

I installed one of the many updates I have it was for Microsoft Security Essentials

Click to expand...

From where did you get this update?

Well I found out the update was a virus..

Click to expand...

How exactly did you find this out...that is, did some antivirus program identify your file as a problem?

I can now no longer use system recovery

Click to expand...

System Recovery may have been not working before your update...do you know?

virtual6 said:

From where did you get this update?



How exactly did you find this out...that is, did some antivirus program identify your file as a problem ?



System Recovery may have been not working before your update...do you know?

Click to expand...

I know it's a virus because of process of elimination my system recovery was working
Fine before the update and even after for the first 12 hours... that's no longer the point. I need to know if you can factory restore comp in safe mode without os disk