Help me fix my PC...

[JudoJosh]

So awhile back I got this virus and what it basically did was pop up and tell me I had a virusand if I paid them it would go away. The symbol was very similar to mcafee but I didnt have mcafee so I was suspicious.. well that and I kept getting shortlinks to porn sites on my desktop anyway I downloaded " Malware Bytes" and the problem was solved.. or so I thought. Months went by with no problems then files started not opening and the dektop icons started re-arranging themelves and files started disappearing or moving to other locations and then a couple days later the PC reset itself and it stuck on this safe mode option screen and cant get out Here is where it got stuck. Out of the 4 options no matter which one I slected the PC would start to load and then restart by itself and send me back to this safemode option screen. So I got out my recovery disk and instead of doing a complete destructive reinstall I was able to get to my desktop. I used a system check option it gave me and everything came back good then i ran a partial recovery where it would restart with the last known good configuration. So I finally got into my desktop and I got out my external drive and started backing everything onto that. When I was done I restarted the computer and it went back to the safe mode option screen so I restarted it again and went back into the recovery options but this time I choose the full destructive recovery where I loose all files (didnt matter since I backed everything now) So the PC was doing the recovery stuff and then these errors started popping up. 2 option was retry and ignore so I hit retry and it came right back so I hit ignore and it went away then it started rebooting further and another error popped up with the same 2 options. Needless to say it kept doing this the entire time then it resetted itself. So this brings us to the present. Now the pc recovery option doesnt work at all anymore so I cant even get into the recovery options screen. I tried to change the boot drive from C to my CDrom drive so it would read the recovery disk first and it still didnt help. I was getting an error screen before saying NTLDR is missing after messing with the boot screen options and that message didnt come up anymore then it said "disk boot faliure enter system disk". I have no idea what to do from here. I changed the boot options back how they were and I got this NTLDR message again. I have been searching on google and it seems I can reboot it but I need a diskette drive which I dont have. The only other option I found was make a recovery disk image file on a cd but I would need to be able to get into my desktop to do that which I can not.

I have a labtop with vista on it. I am thinking maybe follow the directions on making the bootable image CD for my desktop but I would rather get my XP back then vista. If it would even work...

Any computer guys can offer any advice??? Thanks

 

[DmitryWI]

F... Vista. Go buy yourself windows 7. Don't do upgrade but you can do clean install with the upgrade disk. It will take care all your problems

 

[JudoJosh]

THanks for the suggestion. I'll keep it in mind as an option.. Like a last resort type thing. I would much rather have xp again as I think windows is moving more towards this dumb down windows like vista where u can't do anything sorta feels like windows is tryna be like mac more. Anyway thanks for the suggestion I honestly haven't thought of that before.

Anyone have windows 7? And like or hate it compared to xp?

 

[hoopem6]

NTLDR is an essential component of the Windows boot process, and will continue to cause failed boot-ups until it is replaced/reinstalled. While Windows Vista technically does not utilize NTLDR, this error can signify a MBR error or a change in its' location. A malicious Trojan virus is most likely the culprit of your unfortunate circumstances.

Do you by any chance have a copy of the Windows Vista/XP installation disk? Or possibly a recovery/re-installation disk that came with your laptop?

Edit: While Windows 7 may not be an essential upgrade, please keep in mind XP is a nearly a decade old. Regardless, Windows 7 is far superior than XP on virtually every level (including user ability and sheer functionality).

 

[sanchezgreg18]

THanks for the suggestion. I'll keep it in mind as an option.. Like a last resort type thing. I would much rather have xp again as I think windows is moving more towards this dumb down windows like vista where u can't do anything sorta feels like windows is tryna be like mac more. Anyway thanks for the suggestion I honestly haven't thought of that before.

Anyone have windows 7? And like or hate it compared to xp?

bro if u need windows 7 lemme kno I can download it free from my school , I could send u the download link and the CD KEY or I could burn it and send it to u in the mail or something

 

[JudoJosh]

NTLDR is an essential component of the Windows boot process, and will continue to cause failed boot-ups until it is replaced/reinstalled. While Windows Vista technically does not utilize NTLDR, this error can signify a MBR error or a change in its' location.
A malicious Trojan virus is most likely the culprit of your unfortunate circumstances.

Do you by any chance have a copy of the Windows Vista/XP installation disk? Or possibly a recovery/re-installation disk that came with your laptop?

The desktop (xp) didn't come with one it prompted me to make one when I first got it which I made and have but it doesn't work. I'm not sure if the labtop (vista) had an install cd, if it did I should have it.

Again this give me vista on my desktop and I would rather have xp again. I wonder of they still sell xp install CDs

 

[sanchezgreg18]

The desktop (xp) didn't come with one it prompted me to make one when I first got it which I made and have but it doesn't work. I'm not sure if the labtop (vista) had an install cd, if it did I should have it.

Again this give me vista on my desktop and I would rather have xp again. I wonder of they still sell xp install CDs

you just need to download an XP installer and burn it and then reformat ur harddrive

 

[iDShaDoW]

Probably late, but like the others said, you'll need to find a full copy of XP and reformat the whole thing and start from scratch. Recovery disks are usually pretty useless and if you have a virus, it might just recover parts of XP and not do anything about the virus.

As for the pop-ups, never trust those things, those bastards have fake pop-ups saying you have a virus (which they probably put on your system) so you'll download their crappy software and use it to fix what may or may not even really be there.

I stuck with XP for a long time too, then tried the Windows 7 Beta and never went back since I got 12GB of RAM. XP is still nice for older programs though. Sanchez is giving you a sweet offer to mail you a free copy and license key. Not sure what the rules on this forum are as far as pirating stuff goes but I could even send you some modified BIOS files with a corporate license key in it from like Dell or HP that they'll never be able to block. That's how I got my full version of Windows 7 Ultimate.

Of course, I'm sure someone might be suspicious of someone they don't know sending them a BIOS file but I've got better things to do than screw with someone's stuff that I don't know either.

 

[hoopem6]

Depending on the complexity and severity of the virus, it may still be prevalent even after a complete reformat/clean re-installation.

Instead, I would suggest investing in a brand new internal hard drive. By doing so, you will avoid the possibility of remnant infected files (and future headaches).

You can then perform an OS installation of your choice, and transfer your previously backed up files, etc.

 

[rampage jackson]

Josh: Your computer hates you cuz ur fat!

I say trash the drive, and install 7. Haters gonna hate, but 7 is the **** if you have SSD's like me.

 

[Zero V]

Head to Kickasstorrents.com....you can find your desired "operating systems" there, make burn em to disk, and well...reformat and give it a go. You can do a full reformat with windows 7 installed in about 2 hours while playing a game during that time, or reading a book. Just occasionally looking up to click "forward" lol.

 

[hoopem6]

Head to Kickasstorrents.com....you can find your desired "operating systems" there, make burn em to disk, and well...reformat and give it a go. You can do a full reformat with windows 7 installed in about 2 hours while playing a game during that time, or reading a book. Just occasionally looking up to click "forward" lol.

You might be in for a run around if you solely rely on a torrent's validity.

In order to properly run Windows, you must first pass Windows Genuine Advantage program. Cracked serial keys associated with torrents are often severly limited and massively replicated. Without a unique product key, you will not be able to log-in and begin customizing your PC.

 

[rampage jackson]

You might be in for a run around if you solely rely on a torrent's validity.

In order to properly run Windows, you must first pass Windows Genuine Advantage program. Cracked serial keys associated with torrents are often severly limited and massively replicated. Without a unique product key, you will not be able to log-in and begin customizing your PC.

Volume License FTW

 

[iDShaDoW]

There are plenty of "activators" out there that will bypass the authentication servers as well. There's always the risk of some sort of malware in them though, so make sure you get it from a trustworthy source.

I personally use a corporate license for Gigabyte so Microsoft can't really block it without cutting off thousands of legitimate copies and having lots of pissed off customers lol. Not the most honest method but hey, I'm a broke college student for the next couple years.

 

[votum]

Any time you get a virus you need to format your hard drives. This is why it is important to partition them, and keep your OS (windows) seperated from your data/docs/music whatever. That way when you get a virus, you can just format your computer and not lose anything. Viruses can dig in fairly deep also. Then you install a good AV like avast or avira before you plug it into the inet so the first downtraffic is your AV updating itself, do a full scan, and it will catch the virus if it happens to be in your data drives (it wont be activated unless you open it sometime)

And Windows 7 is the same kernel as vista, so all drivers and programs work the same as they did on vista. Windows 7 is what vista should have been, and runs faster than XP.

 

[bluehealer]

JJ, I had a similar problem on the family computer. I can't remember the name but some spyware thing kept popping up and screwing up the whole system, they couldn't even get online anymore. I downloaded malwarebytes' anti-malware (free version) to a flashdrive here at work, brought it home and ran it on the troubled computer. It worked great.

 

[JudoJosh]

JJ, I had a similar problem on the family computer. I can't remember the name but some spyware thing kept popping up and screwing up the whole system, they couldn't even get online anymore. I downloaded malwarebytes' anti-malware (free version) to a flashdrive here at work, brought it home and ran it on the troubled computer. It worked great.

That's the same program I used to get rid of it but then the problems started later on

 

[JudoJosh]

So I got a torrent of windows xp with a key, downloaded it on my wifes labtop and it gave me a .nrg file. I burned it to a CD and restarted my desktop with the cd in the drive and I changed the boot sequence to load cd drive before the hdd drive and I still got the same error. So being that .nrg is a Nero program I got a converter and converted it to a .iso file, burned that file to a cd and still got the same error on my desktop.

I think I am burning it wrong. I remember reading somewhere before that u need to burnto a certain part of the cd so it acts like a boot disk and not a regular data cd so I am thinking that is the problem but not sure ..

Any suggestions on how to burn this? Or is it I just got a bad file downloaded?

 

[CopyCat]

Depending on the complexity and severity of the virus, it may still be prevalent even after a complete reformat/clean re-installation.

Instead, I would suggest investing in a brand new internal hard drive. By doing so, you will avoid the possibility of remnant infected files (and future headaches).

You can then perform an OS installation of your choice, and transfer your previously backed up files, etc.

You can spend money on a new hardrive if you want or you can run a magnet across it and and do a then perform an OS install of your choice.

 

[hoopem6]

You can spend money on a new hardrive if you want or you can run a magnet across it and and do a then perform an OS install of your choice.

Note: any magnets you're likely to have around your house, even big speaker magnets, are unlikely to affect your hard disk in any significant way.

 

[CopyCat]

Note: any magnets you're likely to have around your house, even big speaker magnets, are unlikely to affect your hard disk in any significant way.

No offense, but tell that to the 12 wiped hard drives I have sitting in my office. AC Magnets can wipe hard drives. In fact the military actually approves this method, which is why I have 12 magnetically wiped hard drives in my office.

Note: Your statement reads like a copy and paste from google.

 

[votum]

You need to burn it as an image in nero or whatever program you are using. Then your going to have to reboot your computer and pay attention to the messages than run after the BIOS, one will say "Press any key to boot from CD" or something. Then smash your keyboard and you should be good. I recommend windows 7 much better than xp too.

 

[hoopem6]

No offense, but tell that to the 12 wiped hard drives I have sitting in my office. AC Magnets can wipe hard drives. In fact the military actually approves this method, which is why I have 12 magnetically wiped hard drives in my office.

Note: Your statement reads like a copy and paste from google.

Really... The United States military entrusts the complete erasure of sensitive material to a magnet?

I never stated it was impossible, instead I suggested it would require a higher-frequency magnet to completely ensure the removal of previous data.

 

[hoopem6]

Also, have you personally tested the functionality of each of the 12 hard drives you supposedly "wiped" clean?

 

[CopyCat]

Really... The United States military entrusts the complete erasure of sensitive material to a magnet?

Need to understand that there are levels of confiential information.. as in confidential, secret, and top secret. I of course am not working with machines that are classified with top secret info as I am sure they have a higher protocol to follow and am also not going to be giving these drives away to random folks. Each of these drives were taken from older machines and are being parted into others. Which are of course still on military networks.

Also, have you personally tested the functionality of each of the 12 hard drives you supposedly "wiped" clean?

3 of them have been parted into other machines, formatted, and working. The others have not yet been

 

[hoopem6]

And have any of the hard drives mentioned had any previous instances of infection?

It sounds as though the OP has spent a considerable amount of time troubleshooting... So to avoid any further run around, I professionally suggested investing in an upgrade.

Point being; there is no guarantee that reformatting, or wiping, a hard drive will completely eliminate the threat. Plus, in most instances, a sizable internal hard drive can be purchased for less than the price of most supplements.

 

[CopyCat]

And have any of the hard drives mentioned had any previous instances of infection?

It sounds as though the OP has spent a considerable amount of time troubleshooting... So to avoid any further run around, I professionally suggested investing in an upgrade.

Point being; there is no guarantee that reformatting, or wiping, a hard drive will completely eliminate the threat. Plus, in most instances, a sizable internal hard drive can be purchased for less than the price of most supplements.

1. No infections, just parting out old machines
2. I would agree, with the amount of effort put in I would also go for the upgrade (my biased suggestion... buy a Mac..lol)
3. Hard drives can be had for cheap.. keep an eye on slickdeals.com. They always have good deals on hard drives. There's a link to has Western Digital WD20EARS 2TB 5400RPM Caviar Green Serial ATA Hard Drive (OEM) + Kingwin USB/eSATA Hard Drive Dock for $127

* and truth be told you are right in that I kinda did make it sound simpler than it is

 

[JudoJosh]

I got windows back.. Thanks to everyone and especially sanchezgreg!!! I just gotta try and get it back the way it was and I should be back to logging in no time

 

[wespebane]

Now that you're fixed look up AVG Free and install it. It costs nothing and might protect you from this in the future.

 

[warnerve]

JJ, I had a similar problem on the family computer. I can't remember the name but some spyware thing kept popping up and screwing up the whole system, they couldn't even get online anymore. I downloaded malwarebytes' anti-malware (free version) to a flashdrive here at work, brought it home and ran it on the troubled computer. It worked great.

yes, I had the same problem and got it fixed with malware bytes as well. I also had to load something called rkill and run that first because the virus was stopping malware bytes from running