Please help, computer tit's up!!! :(

[Da]

basically I have been battling now for 3/4 weeks (on and off) to clean up my PC. It got a virus known as a Trojan Horse Downlaoder which basically fooked up several important programs and has generally affected the running of the PC ever since. I have AVG, SpyBot ,McAfee along with all the usual windows and AOL virus/firewall software. The AVG found the virus and deleted it, SpyBot got rid of all the crap it downloaded. BUT and it's a big but... it seems to have taken over my system restore, I can nolonger access it from the control panel it simply loads a blank page saying script error. Everytime I start up the PC and do a scan it finds more and more infected files (86 tonight alone!!) I cannot view certain secure pages on the web nor can I post smilies, hyperlinks or pictures on this site as I believe my not-so-friendly Horse has buggered my browser settings. The Windows XP search function nolonger works either, all I get is the little dog sat there wagging his tail at me, no text box or menu...useful!!
So basically i'm well pissed off with it now and I'm desperate for help! Someone please, anyone!!
Cheers in anticipation

 

[wozzaa]

I would say back up all your inportant information and wipe the hard drive. If i got a virus infection i wouldnt even bother with trying to cure it half the time they screw up way to much stuff and its just safer to wipe it all and start again.

Thats my advice anyways.

 

[Adams_16v]

what wozza said!

fresh install, SP2, all latest updates, anti virus on thats up to date, and a firewall on too!

sorted!

 

[SeanM86]

grrr this happened my pc aswell. Tho now when i go to re-install windows it wont find a file so the computer is more less useless. Cant access it anymore. Sorta need a new PC now anyho as my old one is a bit dated

 

[Dash]

Have you still got the file rstrui.exe on your PC?

 

[Da]

James, I believe so yes. why? Oh and if I wipe my HD how do I get the OS back? Got XP sp2 plus all updates btw.

 

[ViolentJ]

James, I believe so yes. why? Oh and if I wipe my HD how do I get the OS back? Got XP sp2 plus all updates btw.

as the pc is now... put the XP cd in the drive and restart (you need to make sure that the CD or DVD drive is set as a boot device). When the pc starts it will tell you to press a key to boot from CD. Once you do this all you then need to do is follow the on screen prompts i.e. format as NTFS and then it will automatically start installing.

Make sure you have the XP key handy as you will not be able to install without it.

As soon as XP is on install antivirus software before anything else then firewall software and then all the windows updates.

 

[Da]

cheers simon, but I do not have the XP cd. It was already on the PC when we bought it brand new

 

[ViolentJ]

You should have some sort of CD with Xp on so that you can reinstall when things like this happen. Have a look through whatever came with it. If not then contact the place that sold you the machine and see if they can help out.

Failing that you would have to part with some cash to purchase a copy.

Look here for prices: Ebuyer

Note: You would not want an upgrade version.

 

[Da]

cheers simon, just found my Packard Bell software DVD so it's probably on there

 

[Da]

nope, it aint on my DVD and XP is £99.99 inc vat! Oh and what's my XP key?

 

[ViolentJ]

Just make sure you are clear about how to reinstall windows or have someone on hand to help before you go ahead. If you format and then find the CD isn't bootable and has to be run from within windows then you'll be a bit buggered!

 

[ViolentJ]

nope, it aint on my DVD and XP is £99.99 inc vat! Oh and what's my XP key?

The Key is normally on the certificate of authenticity or on the CD or on the CD packaging.

The place you bought it from should have given you some way to reinstall windows.... i believe this is standard practice. I'd give them a bell mate.

 

[Final Maxim]

get yourself 6 floppy disks, goto http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm, right down 1 2 3 4 5 6 on the discs as you take em out so you know which am which then boot from floppy instead of cd

 

[Da]

hmmmm...think i'm going to go back to Dixons tomorrow tbh mate, we've got every conceivable CD for the printer, digi cam etc but no XP cd. We've even got the XP manual complete with XP key as you say, but no software

 

[wozzaa]

Does it not say backup cd1 or something on some disk?

If its a machine you purchases like a packard bell they usually stick there own logos etc on the cd but it is basically just XP.

 

[Da]

got the PackardBell software library which is where all the software is i believe, but when i try to run (AutoRun) it says the application failed to initialise. So I cannot check the DVD contains XP

 

[ViolentJ]

right click the drive icon with the cd in and select explore. You should then be able to see the contents.

 

[Da]

XP is not mentioned in any of the files oh and FM, i do not own any floppies, only blank cd-r's.

 

[Da]

All sorted now, cool! :clap: :butt: