42 replies to this topic

[Kwen]

So I have unintentionally downloaded a virus. (or so I assume)

It was hidden in an .exe that I had already scanned with Avast (Which I no longer trust) and said was clean. As soon as I clicked the .exe, my computer blue screened.

I attempted to restart.Now, every time i try to boot I get a Blue Screen immediately after the windows XP loading screen.

I tried to boot in safe mode, with no luck. In the screen that runs down the list of loading drivers it crashes after saying (Press Enter to continue loading (ST something... a driver I assume).dll. Whether I press enter or not, it crashes and reboots on its own.

So I am physically unable to boot my computer.

The only option presented to me (I did a little research) was to do a repair install of Windows XP. Is this the best option from the information I have given? If so, how do I go about it?

[Phil]

Well, the best option would be to completely reformat your computer and reinstall Windows, then restore your personal files and settings from a backup predating the virus download. You do make regular backups, don't you...?

[Bart]

What did you download?

[Kwen]

Well usually... yes. But of late I have been slacking a bit. But nothing would be lost except the mod I've been working on lately. but with the knowledge I acquired making it I could re-make it in relatively no time at all. Aside from that, everything is backed up on my 2nd hard drive.

Shit... I'll lose all my music too. :|

[Kwen]

A keygen for BFME2. I was reinstalling it. I have lost my booklet and need a key. I had scanned the .exe like I said, but apparently it was a false negative.

[Bart]

Well here's a tip:

Never ever ever ever ever download seperate keygens from the web

So yeah, now you know

As for your music and other files, just put your harddisk in another PC and make sure it doesn't boot or otherwise execute any code which is on it.

[Kwen]

See, thats easier said then done. Because I don't know how to do that. Could I theoretically, (since I have 2 hard drives) Switch them and boot my computer off the secondary and leave my primary one not running, then pull the files off of it that way?

[Bart]

Only if you have an OS installed on the second disk (if you don't know, you haven't), otherwise you can't.

Putting it in another computer is not hard, Google is your friend.

[Kwen]

See I already tried that. But the connecting wires aren't the same. Or else I just don't know what I'm doing...

[Bart]

Then Google some more. At some point you'll then probably find that one of the computers (the oldest one) uses PATA while the other one has SATA.

Find another other PC, or get one of those boxes which you can use to make an internal disk into an external one.

[Kwen]

The one I'd be putting it into is rather old, yes. Other then that, the only other computer I think it would be plausible to do so on would be my dads. But if I can I'd rather avoid telling him about this situation.

[Beowulf]

What's the blue screen you get? It may not even be a virus. See if you can boot the drive with another PC first. If the error travels, it's either the drive itself or something with the OS. This might just end up being a strange coincidence.

[Kwen]

A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.

IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

If this is the first time (blah blah blah)

(more blah blah blah)

(again, blah blah blah)

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0x0000000A (0x00000000, 0x00000002, 0x00000001, 0x804F9D36)

[Beowulf]

Ah. That's more of a RAM issue than virus. So like I said, try the hard drive as the boot drive in another PC and see if it works.

[Kwen]

The only other computer I have available to me is an older one, and I don't think the hard drive is compatible with it. (I have tried.)

And by RAM issue, what do you mean?

[Beowulf]

Faulty stick, malfunctioning slot... among other things.

[Kwen]

So, my first course of action (considering I have no other computer to test in,) Will be to buy another RAM stick, and try and see if adding more will work. I will try arranging them in various slots, all the while testing to see if it will boot.

Do you think it is a possibility (considering I only have a single GB of RAM) That I obtained a virus that sucked up my CPU to a point where the computer failed to run because there was not enough RAM to support it?

[Pasidon]

A burn out? Well... sure. That's possible. It could of been that weeny virus that opens up a load of programs and burns your CPU the old fashion way. This could of been avoided if you had a Mac...

... Where am I going with this? Sure, just buy away, like the virus jerk wants. Become mentally unstable and seek revenge by using the virus against your enemies. Become the Punisher of the web. Whatever... Just stay away from the evil little key gens. They're smart (as far as dumb hi-hackers go) because what are you going to tell the internet police? "Oh... I was downloading key gens and one gave me a virus..."

[Bart]

Do you think it is a possibility (considering I only have a single GB of RAM) That I obtained a virus that sucked up my CPU to a point where the computer failed to run because there was not enough RAM to support it?

Firstly, yes, it's possible the virus used up a lot of CPU and/or RAM (whose usage levels are totally unrelated). However, any PC not from the stone age will shut down before the CPU overheats. A full RAM or busy CPU also won't matter as soon as you reboot, since the RAM is cleared (and the CPU can't remember stuff).

If your problem is indeed the RAM, it's not too little of it, but that it's broken.

http://www.tweaksfor...S_OR_EQUAL.html

However, the fact that you can get to the XP loading screen suggests otherwise. It will have needed lots of RAM by then already.

[Kwen]

So I'm confused as to what you recommend I do.