Can the boot file be replaced?

[Hedrog]

Hello all, I've recently run Malwarebytes to get rid of the Antivirus 2010 virus. All seemed well but I wanted to run it again in safe mode to be sure.
Upon pressing f8 and choosing 'start in safe mode', the machine would run through the script indicating it was loading drivers, but then restart, and continue doing this in a loop until 'start windows normally' was chosen.
It was then I did the DUMBEST, STUPIDEST thing! I went into msconfig> BOOT INI tab > and ticked safeboot thinking this would fix the safe mode boot problem. Now, of course, it won't boot into 'normal' mode either, so I can't get back into windows to untick the damn box.
I intend removing the drive and hooking it up to another machine using an external usb drive casing. Can I copy files from the 'good' machine's drive to the 'problem' drive and solve the boot problem? If so which ones?
O/S is XP Media Centre Edition.
I know I can do a repair install or a fresh install but there's too many irreplaceable programs and files on there.
Thanks for reading and for any help offered.

Best wishes,

Steve.

[Hedrog]

PS I've also tried fixmbr and fixboot in repair - no good.
Cheers
Steve.

[Bob_180_Bob]

Hi,
Download the program UBCD (link in my signature) and run that you should be able to repair your problem with it. Look at video here to see about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=actmNY31sKw

[gerbil]

The simplest way to fix this is, if you do indeed hook up your drive as you say, to go in and edit your boot.ini file so as to remove the /safeboot parameter from the line where it occurs [it may be /safeboot:minimal]... just delete it from the end of the line. Save the edited file over the original, and job is done. Well, that bit, anyway. There is a reason the the safeboot parameter did not work, and that is that the safe boot key in registry was altered by your malware. There are fixes for that. Ask here if you need a resolution.

[Hedrog]

Many, many thanks for the replies.
Bob - I'll certainly build a disk as you suggested to get me out of trouble in the future.
Gerbil - I didn't need to edit it as it turns out. I've used the bootcfg command in repair consol here:

http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ht/repairbootini.htm

It seems to of sorted out the boot problem.

Have you noticed that malware seems to be getting more vicious?! We need guys like you two more & more!
Cheers,
Steve.

[Bob_180_Bob]

On behalf of Gerbil and myself, we are here to help and we love to be paid and you have paid us in full with the expression of your appreciation.
You are most welcome and thank you.