[Down With Malware!]

Thanks you have been very very helpful. Now my next big project I need to do is get my laptop with Windows Vista on it to run again. Once again thank you. Where should I ask the question about the laptop since its been destroyed by malware? Would it be a hardware issue since putting in an OS doesn't work at all?

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If the malware is completely cleaned then OS would be the place if it is related to reloading it. If you think there is a a hardware issue then put it here in hardware.

Edited by rshaffer61, 01 February 2010 - 10:43 AM.

[rshaffer61]

If the malware is completely cleaned then OS would be the place if it is related to reloading it. If you think there is a a hardware issue then put it here in hardware.

Edited by rshaffer61, 01 February 2010 - 10:43 AM.

[Down With Malware!]

Thanks for all your help, I will see if someone can help me with the laptop. You are truly grade A++! =)

[rshaffer61]

Is the infection completely cleaned?
If oyu want I can try to help you here if you would like.

[Down With Malware!]

Well, that is the thing..I have no clue if the infection is completely cleaned or not. Whatever the case, how do I make sure its completely clean? Would it be clean since the laptop forget what op it was using? Every time I try to turn it on it wants to do all kinds of tests, like screen tests and such. I can't get my laptop out at the moment I have to go somewhere but yeah its pretty messed up.

[rshaffer61]

Are you saying it is in a loop trying to log in but then reboots?
What make and model is the laptop?
Is there data that needs to be saved?

[Down With Malware!]

It has no log in at all, it is a dell inspiron and where can I find the model number on this? There is no OP system at all. it came with windows Vista and I did something and some serious malware got on it and totally crashed it. We tried putting in windows XP disks to see if it would boot off of that..nothing. I am not sure why its not accepting it. Got any ideas on why? We tried two different Windows XP disks and it still wouldn't go off of that.

[rshaffer61]

Won't boot unless you change the boot sequence in the bios. If vista is loaded then not a good ideal to try with a XP cd. First lets see if the data is accessible.

Get Puppy Linux from my signature below...Get puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso download it and burn it to cd
..
if you don't have a burning program that will burn .ISO files get Burncdcc from my signature...it is a small FAST no frills iso burning program...

NOTE...do not put a blank cd in until burncdcc opens the tray for you
1. Start BurnCDCC
2. Browse to the ISO file you want to burn on cd/dvd ....in this case its puppy-2.16-seamonkey-fulldrivers.iso
3. Select the ISO file
4. click on Start

make sure in the bios the cd drive is the first boot device....

put the cd in the cd drive..boot your computer....puppy will boot and run totally in ram...if your hardware is is good working order you will know...
after you get it running and your at the desktop...you take the puppy linux cd out and then you can use the burner to copy all your data to cd/dvds
you can also use it to backup your data to a external usb harddrive..just have it hooked to the computer when you boot up with puppy...

==========================
quick guide for saving data...music..files on a system that will not boot using puppy Linux..


after you get to puppy desktop..
click on the drives icon...looks like a flash drive...top row..it will list all the drives connected to

your computer...

click on the red icon for the drive you want to mount...in this case its a flash drive ...puppy will

mount the drive..the drive icon turns green when its mounted...
minimize the drives mounter window..you will need it again in a few minutes..
drag the right edge of it sideways to shrink it to its narrowest size...about half the width of the screen...then drag the window to the right edge of the screen...

now click on the icon that looks like a filing cabinet (kind of yellow) on the main drive...it should
already be green..
you will see a list of all the folders on the main drive Usually your C: drive..shrink that window to
the narrowest you can..about half the width of the screen...drag that window to the left side of the screen...
at this point you should have 2 windows open on your desktop..the flash drive on the right side..
go back to the folders on the C: drive...click on the documents and settings folder...then your user
name or all users..find the folders that has your data..
drag and drop the folder with the data you want to make copies of to the flash drive window...

your options are to move ..copy ect...JUST COPY..if its to big you will have to open the folder and
drag and drop individual files until the flash drive is full...(I have a 120 GB external USB drive for
big data recovery jobs and a 4 GB flash drive for the smaller jobs)..after you get the files copied to
the flash drive...
Click on the drives mounter you minimized earlier
UNMOUNT THE FLASH DRIVE by clicking on the green icon..you will once in awhile get error messages when
unmouting the drive..ignore them..when the flash drive icon turns red again its safe to remove the
flash drive..trot on over (stroll if you want to look cool) to another computer and plug in the flash

drive and copy all the data files ( I drag and drop) to the other computer..
make sure the other computer can read them...

now delete the data on the flash drive...take it back to the misbehaving computer and plug it in

again..click on the drives icon again and repeat until you have all your data transferred to the working
system..

Thanks to happyrock

[Down With Malware!]

Thank you for the detailed instructions..but this only happened a week after I got the laptop. I don't think there is any data I would need to save, should I just get another windows Vista disk or get something else? or will the laptop work after all that or would I need to take it to a computer specialist?

[rshaffer61]

Is the laptop brand new?
Warranty?

[Down With Malware!]

I think the warranty expired and I wouldn't trust sending it back anyways as it might not return..Someone can look at the flat pizza like box that says Dell and they know its a laptop and steal it. The laptop is over two years old, but it is pretty much brand new expect for the fact that I can't use it. Do you think the Malware can still be in there if I boot it off the puppy Linux disk? If it is would it be hard to remove?

Edited by Down With Malware!, 01 February 2010 - 04:12 PM.

[rshaffer61]

Linux is immune from most windows virus's. Since you won't be actually using the hd because Linux runs from the cdrom.

[Down With Malware!]

Alright I get that. Could I connect to the internet with it? Would getting some kind of anti virus clean out whats in there? I am just trying to think of what to do to get this laptop working again. X_X

[rshaffer61]

You can connect to internet but unlike Windows Linux doesn't use exe files to execute programs. I run linux on my system and don't even have a virus program installed.
Puppy is what we use to backup data with so that in case a Repair or Prallel Installation goes crazy then the data is safely backed up.

[Down With Malware!]

Alright, if this puppy Linux works then awesome. Should I get Linux OP to replace the windows Vista in here? Or should I just buy windows Vista and just reinstall the whole thing? I am not quiet sure if this laptop can handle Win 7 or not so what do you advise to get? =)