Computer guys... I need your help

[prerunner1982]

Ok.. so I am not a computer wiz at all.... so here I am.... asking for your help.

Recently I got a trojan virus :bang: on my home computer and as expected it screwed my laptop pretty good. Windows loads, but pretty much every program I have is gone. I have tried to use the Resource Disk, but I am not sure it is really going to help me at this point. It either tells me that I have the wrong OS (I am running Windows 7) or that a file is missing. At this point I am at a loss. I really don't have the funds to pay someone to fix this. Can anyone help me?

Since I have only had the laptop for 3 months there is nothing on there (pictures, files, etc) that I need to save. Would it be better just to wipe it clean and reload Windows and such? If so... anyone have a Windows 7 disk and Microsoft office that they could send me a copy of?

Thanks for any help guys. :(

[Mudderoy]

Ok.. so I am not a computer wiz at all.... so here I am.... asking for your help.

Recently I got a trojan virus :bang: on my home computer and as expected it screwed my laptop pretty good. Windows loads, but pretty much every program I have is gone. I have tried to use the Resource Disk, but I am not sure it is really going to help me at this point. It either tells me that I have the wrong OS (I am running Windows 7) or that a file is missing. At this point I am at a loss. I really don't have the funds to pay someone to fix this. Can anyone help me?

Since I have only had the laptop for 3 months there is nothing on there (pictures, files, etc) that I need to save. Would it be better just to wipe it clean and reload Windows and such? If so... anyone have a Windows 7 disk and Microsoft office that they could send me a copy of?

Thanks for any help guys. :(

Formatting the hard drive and reloading the operating system is the only real way to know that you have a clean system. Immediately after reloading the operation system you need to connect, download and install all the Microsoft updates.

Then download and install Microsoft Security Essentials.

To recover your software you may want to create a LINUX Live DVD to boot your laptop from. You can then use that operating system running from the DVD, to get a copy of any files that you may have in your "My Documents" folder.

None of this is easy, but if you can research via Google, and ask friends you can get through it and feel a little more superior to these a$$hats that write and distribute this crap malware.

A legal very good alternative to MS Office is OpenOffice. Thunderbird, or Evolution for a good e-mail client (replaces MS Outlook)

Check out http://www.muccs.com/ for articles about malware, computer stuff, etc...

[prerunner1982]

Formatting the hard drive and reloading the operating system is the only real way to know that you have a clean system. Immediately after reloading the operation system you need to connect, download and install all the Microsoft updates.

Then download and install Microsoft Security Essentials.

To recover your software you may want to create a LINUX Live DVD to boot your laptop from. You can then use that operating system running from the DVD, to get a copy of any files that you may have in your "My Documents" folder.

None of this is easy, but if you can research via Google, and ask friends you can get through it and feel a little more superior to these a$$hats that write and distribute this crap malware.

A legal very good alternative to MS Office is OpenOffice. Thunderbird, or Evolution for a good e-mail client (replaces MS Outlook)

Check out http://www.muccs.com/ for articles about malware, computer stuff, etc...

Thanks Tony..


and ask friends you can get through it

I don't have any friends.... that's why I am here.....asking for help.

[torque]

Also, check to see if your hard drive has a recovery partition, I don't do windows often unless at work but I think you can reformat and do a fresh install from the partition.

If you don't have one, when you get back up and running I would make one.

[prerunner1982]

Also, check to see if your hard drive has a recovery partition, I don't do windows often unless at work but I think you can reformat and do a fresh install from the partition.

If you don't have one, when you get back up and running I would make one.

Where do I go and what am I looking for? lol

[Mudderoy]

Thanks Tony..



I don't have any friends.... that's why I am here.....asking for help.

My mistake, I thought we were your friends. :smiley-whacky119:

[prerunner1982]

My mistake, I thought we were your friends. :smiley-whacky119:

Oh you are... I thought you meant like local friends that would be able to sit down with me and help me in person.... ya'll are my friends, again.. that is why I came here for help.

[Mudderoy]

Where do I go and what am I looking for? lol

Yeah that's a good point. I never buy a new computer and I never set up a recovery partition. Another thing I never do is use the "System Recovery" stuff. You may want to try recovering to a date prior to the event.

To access the recovery partition reboot your system and watch the screen for which function key to use to start the recovery process. In other words you access it from the BIOS during boot. If you make it to the Windows start up screen you've gone to far.

[prerunner1982]

I tried to recover to a prior date, except the only date available was after the incident.

Reading the user guide (not that it was much help) it mentioned pressing F8 during the booting, I tried it and nothing happened. I don't remember off the top of my head what F8 did..or was supposed to do.

[torque]

it is usually f2 or f8 its called boot options,

press the corresponding key for boot options and then see what is available, like it will say
start windows normally
start windows in safe mode
start windows in recovery mode
start from last known working settings

if that doesnt work then you would have a couple of other options assuming that you have the partition the only problem is that I am terrible at trying to do this from memory and without the computer in front of me... sorry man.

[Mudderoy]

I tried to recover to a prior date, except the only date available was after the incident.

Reading the user guide (not that it was much help) it mentioned pressing F8 during the booting, I tried it and nothing happened. I don't remember off the top of my head what F8 did..or was supposed to do.

I think F8 normally allows you to call up the Windows menu so you can boot to safe mode etc...

Recovery is usually a double digit function "F" key.

[LizardRunner]

try F12, instead of F8, F2 takes you to the area to make simple boot changes. If all else fails, hit F8 and choose start in safe mode.

[steph74]

if there is nothing you care to save..... format and start fresh... long process but int he end like Tony says, it is the only way to make sure you are cleaner ;)

His advice is good, forget MS office and go opensource ;) Thunderbird, evolution are great, firefox or opera are awesome, and Open Office as come a long way in compatibility with MSOffice and other than some issues with Powerpoint, it is very good

I also use Abiword (word processor) and gnumeric (exel like software)

Definitely do a partition. I am not sure how to do that in Windows but I bet some ont his forum will be glad to guide you if needed.

And download a linux live CD (or DVD) so you can boot your laptop if a problem occurs and even recover all your files on a CD and sometimes even run an antivirus cleaner.
Look into puppylinux.... 100MB operating system that works from a small USB key.... better than a CD/DVD in my opinion as you will be able to recover an burn your data....

Good luck, Viruses sucks

[prerunner1982]

try F12, instead of F8, F2 takes you to the area to make simple boot changes. If all else fails, hit F8 and choose start in safe mode.

except F8 won't work...

[prerunner1982]

if there is nothing you care to save..... format and start fresh... long process but int he end like Tony says, it is the only way to make sure you are cleaner ;)

This is what I am leaning towards... just don't have the Windows 7 disk that I need.....

[Mudderoy]

This is what I am leaning towards... just don't have the Windows 7 disk that I need.....

if the system didn't come with a operating system cd/dvd then there is a recovery partition on the hard drive. Just Google your brand and model and you should find how you start the recovery.

You'll be back to the way it was when you got it new in an hour (or so).

[Mudderoy]

What is the make and model of your PC?

[prerunner1982]

Dell Inspiron Laptop.

That is all I know as it is not with me...

[Mudderoy]

Dell Inspiron Laptop.

That is all I know as it is not with me...

Google search "Dell Inspiron Laptop recovery partition"


Hello eamonlahrach, If you want to restore your system back to the way it was shipped, when the system boots, immediately press the ctrl and F11 keys at the same time and you will enter the Dell Recovery Restore Utility.

You should have backed up any files that you may need after the restore completes because all the data on the system will be lost.

After you enter the Dell Recovery Restore Utility, just follow the instructions and the restore should complete in approximately 8-15 minutes, depending on how much data is to be restored.

When the restore is complete and the system reboots, you will need to enter all the user information as you did when you originally started the system.

When back to the desktop, you can then install any programs you may have used after you got your system and copy any files that you backed up.

Below is a link to the Dell site and the Owners Manual for you system.

Inspiron 1525 Manual

It shows how to restore the system from wihtin Windows XP and/or Vista.

Hope this helps.

[toebee97]

Just a heads up, if you want the exact OS that was on it already, and you don't have a recovery partition (most laptops don't these days for whatever reason, my fiance's Acer didn't), you'll need to make sure you're getting the OEM disk for your particular model of laptop and not a retail Windows 7 disk (unless you want clean Windows with no proprietary crap on it, thats what I use on my HP desktop and I love it. Only problem is tech support won't help you if you aren't on OEM). If you can tell me the make and model of your laptop I can do some searching for you if you like.

Edit: NM I type too slow lol.


Dell Inspiron Laptop.

That is all I know as it is not with me...
As soon as you can post the model number I'll start looking for the OEM Windows for it.

[prerunner1982]

Ok... F12 loaded the boot options and was able to restore using the partition. So far so good. Will be loading some antivirus, spyware, malware programs that have been recommended by multiple people on another board.

Thanks for the help guys.... hopefully this will take care of it.

[LizardRunner]

glad you got it going again

[TeXJ]

keep up with anti virus and malware programs.

Oh and back up your data.

Glad it worked out for ya.