10 days ago the icons and start menu/toolbar dissapeared on a compaq5310 desktop my son uses. The research I have done indicates its a lsass.exe issue. Compaq has on line instructions to fix it, apparently xp has some issues with their program. Now,after attempting a fix, the desktop keeps rebooting with one error message"lsass.exe system error message" It goes on to state"when trying to update a password the return statusindicator value provided as the current password is incorrect". I am in way over my head here, and after following compaq instructions to fix this by entering values such as i386, I now have no way to get the machine to stop cycling, other than to turn it off. Help!!!!

What is the exact Compaq Model? Pavilion? Presario? 5310???

Also what is the URL of the Compaq on line help you were using?

This?

Sasser Worm-Virus or Its Variants Cause the Computer to Shutdown with an "LSA Shell" Error Message


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it is a preario5310us model, i don't have that url handy but will look. The sasser worm virus url does not match.

this is the url i used:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...&lang=en&cc=us

this is the specific url:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...dlc=en&lang=en

The problem here is that you replaced your LSASS.EXE file with an old one from a CD. This file is part of a matched set of 6 files that have to all be the same version.

You got whammied because there has been a security update that updated the set of 6, and you have now back-revisioned part of the set. In order to undo the chaos, you will need to get the correct verison of LSASS.EXE back on the machine to get the 6 files matched again.

Couple ways to do this come to mind.

a) suck the LSASS.EXE from a working and current(security patch-wise) version of XP onto a CD or floppy, and repeat the instructions from your page using the new file.

b) If no donor XP can be located, youll need to manually extract the appropriate version off the damaged machine. There should be backups of the file in C:\WINDOWS\ServicePackFiles\i386 or C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download\6ca7b3a8e fd5a9b6f87fff395a2eb989 (thats what mine looks like, your may be different) that might work. If that doesnt fly, we can help you figure out what security update you need to suck the files out of to get back on your feet.

ok, I have copied lsass from a working pc to put on the compaq, however, i am stuck in program h-ll as i can't stop the computer from recycling with the error message, it continually pops uo with the error message, what do I do to stop it and how can I access the cd with no start or icon button available?

Are these steps no longer working?:

Reset this file by using the following steps:

1. Turn on the computer and press the F10 key repeatedly after the first startup screen appears.
2. When the Recovery screen appears, press the Alt and D keys at the same time to go to a command prompt.

after pressing f10 i am propmpted to picki a language, when I hit enter on English it takes me to a acpmapq utility screen, where alt and d do nothing, am i doing this correctly?

I don't know. I was quoting the page you pointed out:

HP and Compaq PCs - Boot to Blank Screen With Only a Mouse Pointer

Did you follow these steps before?

Are things different now?

What is on the Utility Screen?

& just by the way: Do you have the Compaq XP CD?