[xzmattzx]

My nephew has a Toshiba laptop that he just bought a couple weeks ago. I think it's a Toshiba Satellite. He can't get the laptop to open up into Windows now. He said that he closed the screen one time without shutting down, came back later and had a blue screen with white type. It asked if he wanted to restart or something, and he restarted.

I am wondering if he downloaded something malicious with his games, like Mincraft and Counterstroke and whatever else he plays, but I don't know what the problem is.

I looked at the computer to see what would happen when I started it up. It went into that black screen saying that a hardware or software change was causing problems, and there was a choice between startig Windows normally, or having Windows Startup Repair run. When I start Windows normally, the beginning screen (Microsoft logo flying around) takes forever to happen, and the it goes to a screen saying Toshiba where at the bottom it says I can press F2 for setup, and some other button for something. When I do Windows Startup Repair, it goes to a blank black screen for while, then goes into an introductory Windows screen (with the leaves, birds, and flowing lines), and stays there.

Any idea what could've caused this? I couldn't get much information out of the kid because he might want to conceal what games he's playing, or how long he plays them, or something like that. Is any more information on the laptop needed? Finally, how can this be fixed? Would going into Setup or something like that help?

[Essexboy]

Hi we will need to work outside of windows.

Please print these instruction out so that you know what you are doing

• Download OTLPENet.exe to your desktop
  
• Donload this scan.txt file to a USB drive [attachment=57475:scan.txt]
  
• Ensure that you have a blank CD in the drive
  
• Double click OTLPENet.exe and this will then open imgburn to burn the file to CD
  
• Reboot your system using the boot CD you just created.
  Note : If you do not know how to set your computer to boot from CD follow the steps here
  
• As the CD needs to detect your hardware and load the operating system, I would recommend a nice cup of tea whilst it loads
  
• Your system should now display a Reatogo desktop.
  Note : as you are running from CD it is not exactly speedy
  
• Double-click on the OTLPE icon.
• Select the Windows folder of the infected drive if it asks for a location
  
• When asked "Do you wish to load the remote registry", select Yes
  
• When asked "Do you wish to load remote user profile(s) for scanning", select Yes
  
• Ensure the box "Automatically Load All Remaining Users" is checked and press OK
  
• OTL should now start
  
• Drag and drop the scan.txt from the USB into the Custom scans and fixes box, or double click the scan box
  
• Press Run Scan to start the scan.
  
• When finished, the file will be saved in drive C:\OTL.txt
  
• Copy this file to your USB drive if you do not have internet connection on this system
  
• Right click the file and select send to : select the USB drive.
  
• Confirm that it has copied to the USB drive by selecting it
  
• You can backup any files that you wish from this OS
  
• Please post the contents of the C:\OTL.txt file in your reply.

[xzmattzx]

I want to make sure that I am clear on your directions. I am downloading OTLPENet to my PC's desktop. At step 5, to I reboot the laptop using the boot CD? Sorry for any confusion.

[xzmattzx]

Alright, I figured out that step 5 is on the laptop, and I got through easily to step 9. When I open up OTLPE, it gives me the drives and everything, but I can't click on any drive. At one point, it gave an error message after I tried for a third or fourth time, saying something along the lines of "Does not support Windows 2000 or later". I don't have the USB flash drive in yet, but it seems like that's not needed until later, unless I am wrong. Is OTLPE supposed to run slowly or not work very well?

[Essexboy]

OK quick change of tactics

[*]Download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to a flash drive.

Using the CD you created boot the computer to the Reatogo desktop:

• Insert the flash drive with FRST on it
  
• Locate the flash drive and run FSRT
  
• The tool will start to run.
  
  
• When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
  
• Press Scan button.
  
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.

[xzmattzx]

I am able to open My Computer, but it won't show any of the drives and doesn't really work, much like OTLPE wouldn't work. After trying a couple of times, I got the blue screen of death.

EDIT: I have having a little more success just waiting a LONG time for the programs (such as My Computer at this time) to run; we'll see what happens.

EDIT AGAIN: I can get into the flash drive for my folder, and get FRST to statrt running, but I never get to that menu that you made the screenshot of. It always disappears after waiting to load.

[Essexboy]

I assume you are running windows 7, do you have a CD for it (i.e. windows not the Toshiba one)

If not could you let me know whether it is a 64 or 32 bit system. I will then give you a link for the windows recovery console and we can utilise that

[Essexboy]

Due to lack of feedback, this topic has been closed.

If you need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member. This applies only to the original topic starter. Everyone else please begin a New Topic.

[Essexboy]

User returned

[xzmattzx]

Thanks for re-opening this. So my nephew took his laptop to the place where he bought it. I should've mentioned, this is a refurbished laptop, as I understand. Anyway, the first problem was caused because he closed the monitor as the computer was starting up, and the boot program was corrupted. It was fixed, and it worked while I was away. Now, it's not working again, and he gives no explanation as to why; it magically happened, I guess, and of course, he didn't do anything wrong. so I can't provide specifics on why it went bad.

The computer starts up and goes to that screen where I am prompted to start windows normally, or run Windows Startup Repair. No matter what I select, it just goes to a black, blank screen. The Windows Startup Repair at least shows progress in the little progress bar, like it is recovering files or something, before going to that black screen.

I still have the CD burned and the other files available from the previous help, if needed.

[Essexboy]

Yes please if you can run the CD to get to the Reatogo desktop, once there then run FRST and post the resultant log

[xzmattzx]

I got into OTLPE, and it's working better than it did the first time; I can get into subfolders and whatnot. I'm assuming that the local disk is the infected one. From there, though, I'm not sure what to do. I can go into folders under the local drive, but I don't know if I can find the infected file/folder from there. If I simply select the local disk (or another drive, or the flash drive), I get this message: "Target is not windows 2000 or later". I must be doing something wrong at this point.

[Essexboy]

With OTLPE are you selecting the windows folder ?

If you are could you run the FRST programme that you have on the USB drive
That will generate a report for me

[xzmattzx]

Either this is not working, or I'm an idiot. I'm thinking the latter.

Here are the drives available to start:
RAMDisk (B:)
System Reserved (C:)
Removable Disk (D:)
Local Disk (E:)
ReatogoPE (X:)
Shared Documents

When I click on the B, C, or E Drives, I get that "Target is not windows 2000 or later" message. Now, there is a Windows folder under the local disk (likely the corrupted drive?). When I click on that there are many other folders underneath. I have tried selecting that Windows folder, and I get an hourglass indicating some activity, but then it just sits there and there's no progress.

[Essexboy]

OK lets use FRST to see where the problem lies

Save the following programme to a USB drive.
Use the OTLPE disc to get to the Reatogo desktop
Once there then insert the USB drive and run the FRST programme

• Locate the flash drive and run FSRT
  
• The tool will start to run.
  
  
• When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
  
• Press Scan button.
  
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.