Infinite cmd loop

[piloteer]

Had a customer come in with this problem:
Opens the Run window and types "CMD"
It goes into an infinite loop requiring a Control C to stop it.
The loop repeats "Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Windows XP version 5.1"
Can't find any loops or nested loops causing this. Any ideas?

 

[Boston Pro Comp Serv LLC]

Could be in the shell registry key that has cmd.exe in it. You might try matching up the shell keys pertaining to cmd.exe in a good xp install with the one that is bad.

 

[FoolishTech]

Possibly something funky with the Autoexec.NT file.

 

[NYJimbo]

have him try "cmd /d" instead of "cmd"

see if that produces different results.

 

[iisjman07]

What about command.com?

 

[piloteer]

Tried all the suggestion the only one that does not loop is "cmd /d"
Comparison of the shell registry with my own computer reveals nothing out of the ordinary. It's really weird. Typing "command" does not loop.

 

[FoolishTech]

it's not the shell you have trouble with.

Check HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor for the presence of an Autorun value, and delete if found. Also check HKLM for the same.

 

[irishtech]

Have tried running sfc /scannow to make sure you got all the correct system files.

 

[piloteer]

Found the problem before logging on just now and noted the autorun solution from FoolishTech. It indeed was the autorun registry entry. I wiped it out
HKLM was clean. Contacted the customer who said he doesn't remember ever going into the registry and "changing" things around. Could be something he may have downloaded. Anyway thank all you guys for the inputs.