Folks,
My question arises from a terrible virus. When I try to boot my Toshiba Laptop, It "starts" with the hint that we are opening windows, but then the screen goes blank, and I am told that the "endpoint" is "invalid" because of an /isass.exe (or) lsass.exe error. The virus has complicated the "Local" Security Authority Subsystem Service by somehow replacing it with a spyware/virus that starts with the letter "i" as in iceberg, instead of the "l" as in Local. I have much raw data that I want to save. Toshiba tells me I need to reformat my disk (and destroy my data). Any suggestions?
I cannot get to the repair screen that would allow me to restart in safe mode. When--intermittently--I get to that screen and try to open in safe mode (or any of the other options), I get a long list of "exe" programs associated the "C:/" drive.
Any hope, any help?

Thanks.

Joris

Folks,
My question arises from a terrible virus. When I try to boot my Toshiba Laptop, It "starts" with the hint that we are opening windows, but then the screen goes blank, and I am told that the "endpoint" is "invalid" because of an /isass.exe (or) lsass.exe error. The virus has complicated the "Local" Security Authority Subsystem Service by somehow replacing it with a spyware/virus that starts with the letter "i" as in iceberg, instead of the "l" as in Local. I have much raw data that I want to save. Toshiba tells me I need to reformat my disk (and destroy my data). Any suggestions?
I cannot get to the repair screen that would allow me to restart in safe mode. When--intermittently--I get to that screen and try to open in safe mode (or any of the other options), I get a long list of "exe" programs associated the "C:/" drive.
Any hope, any help?

thanks.

Joris

I think your computer is affected by a dangerous trojan which has changed the registry. You are right, lsass.exe has been changed to isass.exe. This registry is to be corrected and I don't know if you will be able to start your computer on Safe Mode. If you can then use RegCure which will help you to correct the registry entries. Microsoft has got some support links for registry issues but I think that is very complicated. However, please find here below the link which I hope will be of help.
How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307545/en-us)

Here is description and removal procedure from Symantec (http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-053012-1545-99&tabid=2)