Computer problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter pazza1150
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pazza1150

Guest
Hi all,
I have for the second time in a year been 'had' I think by a virus. The computer starts to boot then a get a glimse of the 'blue screen of death?' with some error message and it trys to boot again and again etc. I have tried to boot in safe or last known configoration to no avail.
The last time the computer was erased and all software reloaded, after that i did fit a second hard drive but stupidly did not copy everything to it, just some of the photos etc.
My questions to someone knowledgeable are
1. Is there any likelyhood of being able to save any images/files etc.
2. What can I do to access or repair as the computer will not load.
3. Can anyone recommend future security. I currently use Avvast as virus protection and hardly use the computer as we both have laptops which run wirelessly. I think I will get an external drive for all backups though.
Any thought greatly received, comments like muppet also accepted due to stupidity!
Thanks
Dave
 
If you both run laptops wirelessly, does that mean you have a wireless router with a built-in hardware firewall, or something else ?

Could you not load the OS onto the 'spare' HDD in order to boot the system and then run an AV on the corrupted one ? You may need to disconnect the original drive first and reconnect as a 'slave' after loading the alternative drive as a 'master' once the OS is loaded.

What OS are you using ?
 
Also, if you're using Avast I think it extremely unlikely you've been hit by a virus.

Avast and AVG are two of the best there are, even the free versions.
 
What operating system are you running? There are several ways to repair various operating systems, instead of completely re-installing

As for antivirus software, we have also used and sold Nortons internet security for virus/firewall protection, ofcourse there is an annual fee for the virus subscription. Recently upgraded a customers machine, that was running AVG. Removed and installed Norton 2006, and first scan found 2x trojan viruses and 2 adaware related programs. So Nortons, does actually scan nore thoroughly than free software.

To be honest, iI have to work on more machines that have spyware infections, than viruses these days.

I'll wait for your reply about the opoerating system, and advise you the best route to take :)
 
Thats good, xp can be repaired in several ways....

But, first the blue screen of death, can be caused by a few different factors, a main one being faulty memory. If this is the case, a repair may get you up and running, but could fall over just as quick.

To repair windows, there are several ways to do this, if the first one works, fine, if not move to the next.

1. Insert xp oem CD, boot from CD, at the first prompt, press 'R' to try and repair using the recovery console. Then normally press 1 to select 1:c:\windows. When you get a prompt, type : c:\chkdsk /r .this will try to repair the boot sector.

If this fails....boot with the oem disk again, at first boot, press enter, next prompt, press f8 to agree and continue, then at the third prompt, press 'r' to repair an existing installation, this will repair, without overwriting data or installed programs, u will need xp code to complete repair.

ok, hope this helps :)
 
Steve said:
Also, if you're using Avast I think it extremely unlikely you've been hit by a virus.

Avast and AVG are two of the best there are, even the free versions.
Click to expand...

Steve do you know where to download Avast? I am running Norton and don't rate it.
 
well all I can say is you dont get anything for free in this world!...And working as a tech support engineer, I see plenty of machines with virus/spyware problems, I dont think downloading antivirus software is gonna stop, or fix your blue screen. Mend the machine first, then worry about antivirus software. :)
 
Steve said:
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html

Despite what Jez D might think, I wouldn't let Norton in the same room as any of my PCs...
Click to expand...

:thumb

Seconded...it's well known for causing all sorts of problems because of the way it inserts itself in memory and how it blocks things.

I had the oppposite experience when installing AVG.....I downloaded it, patched it then disconnected from t'internet and uninstalled Norton.....then I ran a full AVG scan and it found several things (can't remember how many now) that Norton hadn't found.

well all I can say is you dont get anything for free in this world!
Click to expand...

Hmmm....very cynical and very untrue.....

Ask any Linux user ;)

I've got AVG on all my machines and it's a fantastic bit of software.....wouoldn't touch Norton products witha bargepole but they're ok for beginners who get easily seduced by big names and glossy front ends ;)
 
Each to there own, dont want to enter a cat scrap, over which antivirus people prefer, i just talk from experience from having to rectify and clean up 100's of machines a month, with spyware/viruses. I'm more concerned in getting Plaza's machine back to the world of the living....because that's why I posted in the first place! :beerjug:
 
Thanks

Thank you for all the replies. It seems to be a dodgy sector on the main hard drive. Trying to save all the data onto an external hard drive and then see if it needs replacing.
Thanks for the instructions on repairing xp, very useful. It saved me from wiping all as "it is the only thing you can do" advice someone did give me.
Thanks again, will post the results hopefully tomorrow.
Dave
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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