Major PC problems

Willow
Willow Posts: 11,044
edited November 2009 in The Clubhouse
I ran a virus check and it found one. It put it in quarantine then I deleted it. I went to go delete the actual file it came under and it would let me. Saying the file was currently being used. So I turned my pc off and that's when all the issues started. It just keeps rebooting over and over. I can't go in by safe mode it just reboots.I tried loading the XP disk and nothing happens....What to do next?

Thanks ahead of time. I'm glad I have my laptop and I did back up my whole C: onto my external HD so if I need to erase everything I might just lose some recent files I had not backed up. but oh well.
Post edited by Willow on
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,815
    edited November 2009
    Sounds easy, but many people just don't have a 2nd PC available. Willow, you might try putting in your windows install disc and seeing if it can do a 'repair' install. Otherwise, you might be fracked and have to do a full clean install. If that is the case, I recommend you go and buy a new hard drive, keep the old disc as a 2nd drive. Do the install on the new drive, then maybe you can recover some of your personal files from the infected disc.
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,044
    edited November 2009
    I can pull it out but don't have a way of connecting it to my laptop. Is there a way to install XP on any of my other drives, Say my external as it's 540gig drive and then how do I get my pc to read that drive if it keep rebooting every 20secs?
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  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 6,815
    edited November 2009
    I wouldn't recommend installing an OS on an external drive. They are not nearly as fast. As a quick temporary fix, maybe, but not permanently.

    The trick you will have to do is choose your 1st boot device as the CD/DVD drive and have the XP setup disc in there. Some motherboards have a Function key for choosing the boot device. It only pops up for a few seconds and says something like F9 for Boot Options. If you don't see anything like that, you need to go into your motherboard setup menu and choose the CD as first boot device.

    EDIT:
    One way you might be able to get that infected disc hooked to your laptop is to dissemble the case of your external drive and swap it with the drive that is infected. As long as they are both the same interface (SATA?), it should work easily. If the external is SATA and the old internal drive is IDE, it probably won't work.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited November 2009
    Willow, you need something like this:

    SATA IDE to USB 2.0 Adapter

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002

    which then you can connect it to your laptop. Another option is to buy a 3.5" HDD enclosure.
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • greg2350
    greg2350 Posts: 544
    edited November 2009
    Be careful with the usb to sata ide adapters. I was going to recommend this but I have burned 3 drives with this adapter. Drive would spin up then the circuit board on the drive started smoking. Its a gamble sometimes it works and sometimes it burns the drive up.
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,044
    edited November 2009
    well I found a way to erase all and reinstall xp. Now I'm in the process of re-installing all my other software! :mad:
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited November 2009
    Once you get it up and running the way you want, grab Acronis True image and create an image of the drive, so that if this happens again you don't have to go through all the trouble of reinstalling.
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,044
    edited November 2009
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Once you get it up and running the way you want, grab Acronis True image and create an image of the drive, so that if this happens again you don't have to go through all the trouble of reinstalling.

    I will thank you as it's a MAJOR PITA
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited November 2009
    greg2350 wrote: »
    Be careful with the usb to sata ide adapters. I was going to recommend this but I have burned 3 drives with this adapter. Drive would spin up then the circuit board on the drive started smoking. Its a gamble sometimes it works and sometimes it burns the drive up.

    Don't hook the power up backwards ;)

    I have that very same Vantec adaptor and have used it on tons of drives with no issues.

    Actually, I have two. One here at work, and one at home.
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited November 2009
    Also there is a chance that the virus will infect the other computer even as a slave. Boot into safe mode install and run malware. If you can not, insert your windows cd reboot, enter the bios by hitting f1, or f2, or f10 depending on the computer. Than under boot configuration. Select cd drive as first priority. Save and exit. Allow the install to run after you hit a key saying hit any key to begin windows install. Once it has stopped continue until it asks you if you want to try to repair the windows files say yes. Allow that to finish and see if it will let you into windows than run ant malware.
    HT setup
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited November 2009
    Willow wrote: »
    I will thank you as it's a MAJOR PITA

    It always is lol
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited November 2009
    Boot into a LiveCD immediately you have a virus. Fix the problem from there. Never boot a system you suspect is infected.

    http://www.google.com/search?q=livecd+with+antivirus&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
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  • Sami
    Sami Posts: 4,634
    edited November 2009
    http://www.softpedia.com/downloadTag/Kaspersky+LiveCD
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,044
    edited November 2009
    it's all good now except I'm missing office but that disk is on it's way. I took forever to fix this.
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  • bigaudiofanatic
    bigaudiofanatic Posts: 4,415
    edited November 2009
    If it was malware yes that stuff is a PITA. A lot of the time it can not be removed you got lucky. Make sure to backup your stuff and do weekly virus scans AND malware scans your virus software will not protect you against malware.
    HT setup
    Panasonic 50" TH-50PZ80U
    Denon DBP-1610
    Monster HTS 1650
    Carver A400X :cool:
    MIT Exp 3 Speaker Wire
    Kef 104/2
    URC MX-780 Remote
    Sonos Play 1

    Living Room
    63 inch Samsung PN63C800YF
    Polk Surroundbar 3000
    Samsung BD-C7900
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  • greg2350
    greg2350 Posts: 544
    edited November 2009
    Lasareath wrote: »
    I just did that today for a client but I got to charge them $650 for the job :)

    Wow $650 to reload a pc from scratch maybe I need to rethink my price. I do at least 1 a week is that price for just the OS or do you charge a flat rate of $650 no matter how much software you have to install.
    TV: Philips 42" LCD 1080p
    Front Speakers: Polk Audio RT800i
    Center Speaker: Polk Audio CS1
    Surround Speakers: Polk Audio R50's powered of Denon AVR
    Subwoofer: Polk Audio DSW pro500
    AVR: Denon 3801
    DVD Player: Denon DVM 745 upscale 1080p
    Sat: Directtv HD 10
    Front Speakers Amp: Rotel RB 890
    Center Speaker amp: Rotel 970 BX
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  • sTiLlLeArNiNg
    sTiLlLeArNiNg Posts: 805
    edited November 2009
    Damn! I cab build a pretty good PC for $650! lol

    If you create a restore point could you not go back to it if you catch a virus/malware/spyware? Also if there is a virus on the drive can one simply do a reformat if no file's need to be saved just swipe the drive/virus and reload fresh OS?
    Media Room 7.1
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    HTPC
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited November 2009
    A little late to the party but in the future use the CD to boot, try running the repair. If that does not work load DOS, you will first want to run CHDSK, followed by Fixmbr and Fixboot. It sounds like you had corruption in the boot sector. I have fixed this numerous times. Glad you're up with a fresh install. I recommend installing malwarebytes for future use as well.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
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