Need Help With Serious Virus/Spyware Problem

[hapyman]

You might want to try something like Bart's PE Builder to Make an Anti-Spyware and Rescue CD if you don't have easy access to another PC.

Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD - http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

An old guide - http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=secu ... ertutorial

This is definitely the way to go to fix computers that are this infected. You basically run a fresh windows installation off of a CD that is stored on a RAM disk. Bart PE takes quite a bit of configuration and I have found that UBCD4WIN (which is based off of BartPE) is easier, more customizable and has more pre-installed options in the antivirus and anti-malware department. I always keep one of these disks in my bag and have saved numerous family members files. Even cooler is that you can even do a "System Restore" from this boot if you have the proper restore points.

[Major_A]

Open the case up and look around on the motherboard. They silk screen (print) the model number on the motherboard. It's usually in the region of the video card slot.

[soccermiles77]

this just seems to be one problem after another haha.

I found a CD driver for a mobo which i had thought to be the correct one, and when i installed it just now and restarted my computer, it bluescreened on me, so I'm back to reformatting and installing windows again. fml.

I need to look for the model number after it finishes reformatting and installing windows, and then hopefully I can find the drivers on the internet. After I install the mobo drivers, if i'm connecting through a cat-5 DSL connection and the connection is up, i shouldn't need to do anything else to have the internet functional, correct?

[Major_A]

Shouldn't have to. The motherboard drivers you are referring to have the NIC drivers in the package too. That's what installs so you can connect to the Web. Now that you know how to install Windows you might want to look into slipstreaming drivers and useful apps into your install. It saves a lot of time and hassle.

Slipstream/Tweak Utility for XP
http://www.nliteos.com

Driver Backup to use in nLite
http://www.drivermagician.com/Lite.htm

Programs and apps you can slipstream into your XP install with nLite
http://www.winaddons.com/nlite-addons

And FYI you could've probably booted into Safe Mode and fixed your problem without having to reinstall Windows again.

[soccermiles77]

tried booting in safe mode, bluescreened on me then as well. Woudl the slipstreaming work for mobo drivers?

[soccermiles77]

honestly, I'm not too concerned about hte slipstreaming thing. I'd rather take the time and do it the way i know how and make sure its correct. All i need is that model number. I'll look really closely at it after i reinstall windows

[soccermiles77]

This is getting slightly confusing.

On my bootup screen, it shows a x-fighter looking starship with the ASUS logo, and yet on my motherboard itself, I can see MSI.

The only numbers that look like htey could be the model number are the following:

MS-7388 VER 1.0
N1996
K9A2-CF

I've searched for all 3, and the only one that comes up with results and actually looks identical to my mobo is the N1996, only when i tried to google drivers for it, I get results coming back saying that n1996 is a classification instead of a model number.

[Major_A]

Install Windows again and download Everest (http://www.majorgeeks.com/EVEREST_Ultim ... d6235.html). Extract and open up everest.exe and open the Motherboard properties. It should tell you what you have in one of the fields they didn't omit in the trial version.

[xstayxtruex]

does this look anything like your motherboard?


if so, go here http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=downl ... od_no=1333 to download the drivers for your motherboard. drivers directly from the manufacturers website are always going to be more up to date than the ones on the disc that came with it when you purchased it.

the first three are for your on-board audio, your ethernet adapter, and your on-board video; respectively. those are more than likely the only ones that you'll need unless you have dedicated sound, video, or ethernet cards.

[soccermiles77]

Got the mobo model number and the ethernet adapter working, but when I dl'ed msi's LiveUpdate, it suggested that I update the BIOS. I did the install for it, restarted my comp, and now my computer will turn on but my display isnt turning on. I looked around a little bit and found that I may need to make a rescue disc? I'm about to go to my other computer and follow msi's steps for making a rescue disc, and direly hoping that I haven't completely messed up my mobo's display stuff.

[Major_A]

Reset the CMOS and see if you get a startup. Either that or pull the video card, hook to the onboard video. Enter the BIOS and tell it to boot from the PCIe slot and not onboard. (This is all assuming you are using an aftermarket video card.)

Do you have the K9A2 CF motherboard mentioned?

[soccermiles77]

yes i have the k9a2 cf mobo

where would i hook it up to do onboard video? and i took the lithium battery out, thats how you reset the CMOS correcT?

[soccermiles77]

Okay, took the video card out and air dusted in and around the PCIexpress port and the video card, replaced the lithium CMOS battery, and its still not even recognizing that my monitor cable is plugged in, giving me the "Check signal cable" floating box.

I think my only optio nform here is to reformat it one last time to see if maybe I didn't need ot update the BIOS in the first place. Seemed to run fine without it

[xstayxtruex]

reformatting your hard drive will not effect the way your video feed is being read by your motherboard.

reset your CMOS jumper by 1. turning off your computer 2. taking the plastic jumper out shown here:


3. place it back into the next pin beside it shown like this {. .} . ---> . {. .} Then place it back in the original position.

turn your computer back on after doing those steps and then go into your BIOS

go into PCI/PnP setup on your BIOS screen shown here:


afterwards, select the other option besides PCI, shown here:


press F10 and press Y

plug your monitor's cable into the onboard video VGA port on the back panel of your computer and turn your computer on.

your onboard video should work.

[Major_A]

After looking I didn't see an onboard connection. I thought all the new ATi chipsets had onboard video, I guess not.

[xstayxtruex]

not all 700 or 800 series chipsets have on board vga or dvi, if they dont have either one of those they would have hdmi

[soccermiles77]

would restarting the CMOS help my problem even if i'm getting the "check signal cable" message floating on my monitor at all times, suggesting that it might as well not even be plugged into the mobo?

[Major_A]

It can't hurt anything.

[xstayxtruex]

reset the CMOS like i showed, and the default video interface should be PCI

so after you reset it, plug in your video card and hook your monitor up to it, then turn your computer back on.

[soccermiles77]

reset the CMOS successfully, but that only seemed to solve the problem of the monitor's floating "check signal cable" message, and instead just isnt showing anything upon bootup. My monitor just keeps toggling back and forth between analog and digital, and i woudl assume that it's searching for some kind of signal from either of the channels, which after a few rounds of toggling back and forth, it goes into its sleep mode