Solved how do I change the font size when I boot up in safe mode?

[olddude]

I've been having a problem with one of the svchost.exe using up all my resources and I've tried everything I know to fix the problem but have gotten nowhere. When I boot into safe mode with networking the font size is so large you can't see the whole page so it's hard to get around to click on stuff you need to click on. I did manage to run several virus scans, Avast, malwarebytes, and superantispyware and they all came up clean, well accept for the last superantispyware scan it came up with 190 tracking cookies that the program deleted.

Is it possible to change the screen settings somehow so that when I boot into safe mode I can see whats on the page? I am writing this now in safe mode because the computer is useless in normal mode.

Oh This is a win xp machine with sp 3 installed.

 

[veeg]

Hello

Hopefully some of our members will chime in soon.

@phillpower2 @Antman

 

[Antman]

Copy configured user profile to Default.

https://www.microsoft.com/resources...cs/en-us/sysdm_userprofile_copy.mspx?mfr=true

Strike that. Never mind.

Please confirm:
Can you adjust resolution through display settings?

The resolution you describe is the expected behavior. Sometimes, the default driver (safe mode driver) will allow for more than one resolution, but defaults to the lesser.

 

[Antman]

Regarding svchost -
Control Panel, Administrator Tools, Services
Disable DNS Client service
Restart

If this corrected the problem, please report. Else, re-enable DNS Client Service

 

[olddude]

Copy configured user profile to Default.

https://www.microsoft.com/resources...cs/en-us/sysdm_userprofile_copy.mspx?mfr=true

Strike that. Never mind.

Please confirm:
Can you adjust resolution through display settings?

The resolution you describe is the expected behavior. Sometimes, the default driver (safe mode driver) will allow for more than one resolution, but defaults to the lesser.

I've tried everything I know of and I can't seem to get it to change. It's stuck on 640 by 480 pixels. In the advanced tab in the display properties box under monitor it shows [default monitor].

 

[olddude]

Regarding svchost -
Control Panel, Administrator Tools, Services
Disable DNS Client service
Restart

If this corrected the problem, please report. Else, re-enable DNS Client Service

I made the change and it seems to made a difference for now. Over the past I have made changes to settings and it worked for a short time but went back to it's old ways after a day or two. I normally let the machine run all the time because it take such a long time to reboot the machine.......most times around 20 mins or more. Here lately when I stop working and let it go into standby and the next day when I click to bring it out of standby all kinds of crazy stuff happens. Mouse pointer stops working or comes and goes, I have lost my wireless connection and have to reboot to get that back or the pages are unresponsive and nothing works. Some times I have to go to task manager to shut down and sometimes that doesn't even work and I have to pull the plug. When all this is going on in task manager I can see that one svchost.exe is running wildly taking up 99 to 100 percent of the cpu resources. Then there is Avast and Google trying to get their pound of flesh the whole system becomes worthless.

I'll see what hapends when the system goes into standby later today or tomorrow and report back with the results. Thank you

 

[Antman]

A successful result of this test (it is just a test, not a solution) may indicate that your HOSTS file is too large.
Please note, most users will not experience a negative consequence for disabling this service.

Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\
Locate filename HOSTS

What is the file size?

Regarding the low resolution in Safe Mode -
640x480 is otherwise known as VGA Mode and is the expected behavior for Safe Mode (in XP era/class hardware). At least one method exists to force the resolution to 800x600 or 1024x768 in Safe Mode, but it involves deleting or modifying INF files in the local Windows driver repository. I will not assist with that exercise.

 

[olddude]

Regarding svchost -
Control Panel, Administrator Tools, Services
Disable DNS Client service
Restart

If this corrected the problem, please report. Else, re-enable DNS Client Service

Back to the same ol thing. This morning when I tried to get out of standby it did the same thing, no internet connection, would not come out of standby, tried to shut down the normal way and machine would not shut off. It got to where it said it was shutting down and hung up so I pulled the plug. Restarted the machine and it took almost 18 minutes to completely boot up to where I could get google chrome to start. I don't seem to have the same problem with that one svchost.exe thingy, it will start for a few seconds taking 99 percent of the cpu then clicks out then google and avast use up all the cpu, once they battle back and forth for about 5 minutes or so, sometimes longer I can finally get google to start and connect to the internet.

Regarding your last post I checked that HOSTS file and it is 855 bytes in the file. I don't think I want to try that change with the INF files anyway.But thanks for the info.
I have a program that I just recently installed called Process explorer and when I run that program it tells another story from what I see when I looked up that HOSTS file. The svchost.exe file that was taking up all my resources; while it's not running wild any longer since I disabled DNS client services, process explorer shows that there are 18,000 k in the private bytes column and 28,000 k in the working set column. I don't know if you are familiar with this program or if this info even means anything.

 

[olddude]

Oh, another thing I was wondering about. I think that I heard somewhere that Google comes with it's own flash player. A couple months ago I kept getting message that my flash player was not up to date and needed to be updated. I clicked on the box to do the update but nothing ever happened. I was having problems viewing online videos especially on U Tube so after trying to download updates on that stupid box that kept popping up I went to the Adobe site and downloaded a fresh updated copy. After that I was able to view my videos better but it wasn't long after this that I started having this problem. I don't know if this is related to my problem now but just throwing it out there for your info.

This problem started out coming and going, one day the machine would work the next it wouldn't. I ran that tweaking.com windows repair program and that fixed it for a few days to a week or more but would go back to the way it was. That's how I have gotten by up until now but now it's such a pain to use and takes up too much of my day just to get my e-mails. Thanks again

 

[Antman]

Based on your last post, it may be wise to invite @Malnutrition - but there is no direct evidence that this is a malware condition.

This is a safe option.
Open a command prompt, type and enter
sfc /scannow

This will attempt to replace any missing/changed system files. You may be prompted to insert your setup CD. Your setup CD MUST match your current Service Pack version.
__________________________

DO NOT PERFORM THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT A SECOND OPINION:
(if you are prone to fat finger syndrome or value your personal files or any and all data on the path C:\Documents and Settings, make a copy of that folder path. If you select the first Repair option, that path will be lost, destroyed, erased, obliterated)

Windows XP has two different repair modes available from the setup routine. It is NOT the first one you see.
Insert the XP CD and boot
When you see " To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER", press ENTER
You will see an option to repair Windows by pressing "R".
Do not select this option. Instead, choose to continue the installation
If presented and prompted, press F8 to agree to the license agreement

On the next screen make sure your current XP installation is selected and then press "R" to repair XP

XP will install on top of itself, replacing damaged, missing or altered system files.
Follow the instructions to complete the Repair Install.

All applications (For the most part - it is XP, after all) and personal files will remain intact.
Your personal files will remain intact without further issue or concern.

 

[olddude]

Based on your last post, it may be wise to invite @Malnutrition - but there is no direct evidence that this is a malware condition.

This is a safe option.
Open a command prompt, type and enter
sfc /scannow

This will attempt to replace any missing/changed system files. You may be prompted to insert your setup CD. Your setup CD MUST match your current Service Pack version.
__________________________

DO NOT PERFORM THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS WITHOUT A SECOND OPINION:
(if you are prone to fat finger syndrome or value your personal files or any and all data on the path C:\Documents and Settings, make a copy of that folder path. If you select the first Repair option, that path will be lost, destroyed, erased, obliterated)

Windows XP has two different repair modes available from the setup routine. It is NOT the first one you see.
Insert the XP CD and boot
When you see " To setup Windows XP now, press ENTER", press ENTER
You will see an option to repair Windows by pressing "R".
Do not select this option. Instead, choose to continue the installation
If presented and prompted, press F8 to agree to the license agreement

On the next screen make sure your current XP installation is selected and then press "R" to repair XP

XP will install on top of itself, replacing damaged, missing or altered system files.
Follow the instructions to complete the Repair Install.

All applications (For the most part - it is XP, after all) and personal files will remain intact.
Your personal files will remain intact without further issue or concern.

Thanks.....I don't have time to mess with this any more today gotta go to work. I will look into this tomorrow morning. I don't think I have a copy of a windows disk with sp3 on it. Does that matter?

Oh I went back and reread you post. I don't have a copy with sp3 on it what do I do now?

 

[olddude]

Ok, just for kicks I went looking and found a 2 disk set that is marked windows XP SP 4. I think this was from right after they stopped updating XP and this was a workaround to keep getting updates until 2019 I think. I can't remember if I did this or not because I then remembered that this is a POS system and they should get the updates normally. It was so long ago I can't remember for sure if I did this or not, but now I'm thinking I did. It worked ok for a long time after I that but I never did see the SP 4 update in my install and remove programs in my control panel.

 

[Antman]

SP4 means the ISO has been modified. Use at your own peril. There are some 'good' or clean "SP4' ISOs out there, but I cannot certify or warrant their cleanliness.

I have a modified copy that I keep on my google drive. It runs a driver pack installation and also installs SATA drivers. I will not claim or warrant that that you will find it useful, but I have it for a reason (and I no longer install optical drives on any of my own PCs). Without a specific forum prohibition banning such a practice, check your message box for a link.

But WHY are you running XP? It kinda sucks. You can and should expect a mounting array of challenges in its continued usage. What is your motherboard model?

 

[olddude]

SP4 means the ISO has been modified. Use at your own peril. There are some 'good' or clean "SP4' ISOs out there, but I cannot certify or warrant their cleanliness.

I have a modified copy that I keep on my google drive. It runs a driver pack installation and also installs SATA drivers. I will not claim or warrant that that you will find it useful, but I have it for a reason (and I no longer install optical drives on any of my own PCs). Without a specific forum prohibition banning such a practice, check your message box for a link.

But WHY are you running XP? It kinda sucks. You can and should expect a mounting array of challenges in its continued usage. What is your motherboard model?

How can I check to see if I made that change. I remember I was having trouble getting updates, a box would pop up saying there were updates that needed to be installed click here to download. When I would click the download now tab nothing would happen. That's when I started looking for a fix and ended up on another site blee......ing computer and found this copy of SP4. I'm pretty sure I made this change but would like to be sure before I go further.

Why XP? Well this computer has a program that I still use some. It is one of my old work computers and this program has parts lookup, parts inventory, service bulletins and other stuff I still use at times. I'm no longer a dealer for these motors and cannot make a copy of the program to move it to another computer so when the computer goes it goes along with it. I have another computer that I bought with Linux Mint 18 'Sarah' OS that I have never been able to master. I don't know anything at all about that OS and can't even get past the login screen I decided that I didn't have enough life left to figure that mess out.LOL

 

[Antman]

You should not experience any issue or difficulty using the bleepingcomputer 'SP4' disc. It is XP SP3 with some updates slipstreamed into it.

That is a valid reason for using XP. Depending on a handful of factors, it may be a wise choice to run XP in a virtual machine within Windows 10. You would have the benefit of, and access to, your parts lookup tool, plus the benefit of general and exponential performance and security enhancements of a more current OS.

I am not recommending that you invest in Windows 10. But, you could purchase a refurbished Dell/HP workstation PC with Windows 10 installed for about $100. That PC would run circles around any XP era machine and consume less electricity and generate less heat. You would have to carefully examine the refurbished product description to ensure that the platform supports a virtual machine, but this is a widely available feature.

 

[olddude]

You should not experience any issue or difficulty using the bleepingcomputer 'SP4' disc. It is XP SP3 with some updates slipstreamed into it.

That is a valid reason for using XP. Depending on a handful of factors, it may be a wise choice to run XP in a virtual machine within Windows 10. You would have the benefit of, and access to, your parts lookup tool, plus the benefit of general and exponential performance and security enhancements of a more current OS.

I am not recommending that you invest in Windows 10. But, you could purchase a refurbished Dell/HP workstation PC with Windows 10 installed for about $100. That PC would run circles around any XP era machine and consume less electricity and generate less heat. You would have to carefully examine the refurbished product description to ensure that the platform supports a virtual machine, but this is a widely available feature.

Thanks....Yes I have bought several refurbished computers and actually have had very good luck with them. Well accept for the one I bought with linux installed on it. I would consider buying Windows 10 to put on that machine but as you said I could buy another machine with Windows 10 already on cheaper than I could buy a Windows 10 disk.
Again, is there any way to tell if I did indeed install this SP4 disk?

 

[Antman]

My Computer, Properties

..., is there any way to tell if I did indeed install this SP4 disk?

 

[olddude]

yes it says SP3

 

[Antman]

yes it says SP3

The 'SP4' CD contains XP SP3.

SP4 does not exist, but refers to a CD with SP3 plus a bunch of updates magically packed in.

The REPAIR functions found in booting from the CD and setup - AND CHOOSING THE SECOND REPAIR option - are the correct and appropriate versions.

 

[olddude]

The 'SP4' CD contains XP SP3.

SP4 does not exist, but refers to a CD with SP3 plus a bunch of updates magically packed in.

The REPAIR functions found in booting from the CD and setup - AND CHOOSING THE SECOND REPAIR option - are the correct and appropriate versions.

I understand.....I think. But where I am a problem is that I'm not sure I installed this SP4 disk set when I got it. Which disk set should I use for the repair? The my SP3 disk or the SP 4 set? What happens if I use the SP3 disk and I did in the past install the SP 4 set?