This has got the be the most frustrating software problem I have ever encountered. To start, I run Windows 7 64bit on a custom built machine with an MSI gaming motherboard, GTX 780 GPU, Intel i7 CPU, 16g RAM, Samsung 250evo SSD, a 1tb backup drive, and a Dell U2412M monitor. I ran a full sytem scan a few hours ago and chose the boot scan option after the scan was resolved. Since then I have been entirely unable to use my PC. I cannot start up in safe mode, I cannot entire the BIOS, I can’t even boot from another drive to re-install windows. My screen is simply black upon startup - all the LEDs in my computer turn on, as do the LEDs for my keyboard and mouse. The boot scan never began to my knowledge, as I cannot see anything but black on my monitor. My monitor recognizes there is an input but will not display anything. I have using three other monitors in the house, as well as an HDMI cable to my TV, and each one recognizes an input but displays nothing. I am unable to press “del” to enter the MSI BIOS, and no keyboard commands seem to be recognized at all. No sound comes out of the speakers to indicate a boot is occuring either. I have attempted to unplug the SATA and power cable connecting my hard drive that contains AVAST, but even that has not solved this boot issue. I read in another thread that the AVAST boot scan sets the resolution to 800x600, which is too low for my monitor and possibly even my GPU to display. If this is the case I have no way to view what is going on at all, no way to change the resolution if that is indeed the problem, and no way to stop this awful black screen loop from occuring over and over. PLEASE HELP, I consider myself very computer savvy as I built this PC myself, and I regularly help friends and family with tech support, but I simply have run out of troubleshooting options. Why would AVAST have such a feature that has essentially turned my $2,000 machine into a glowing red brick?
I thought I had it bad - avast has locked me out of the internet, my main programs won’t run because of it and Microsoft IT has run out of ideas and is recommending I re-install windows (and everything else of course). Sorry
Wish I could help more but some links to read…maybe some ideas there.
One say to “unplug” and then re-power (cold boot)…other seems like there was Ransom-ware…did you see what the Scan said ?..anything found ?
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=140002.msg1021010#msg1021010
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=114763.msg893463#msg893463
I also PMed Essexboy for his help.
Are you able to access the safe mode menu on the computer ?
I can’t even access the BIOS let alone get into safemode. AVAST DID find, something, and recommended a boot scan but I cannot recall what the scan found. I will try scanning my drive with Windows Defender with another machine, but somehow I doubt a virus is preventing all boot activities including BIOS. Never heard of such a thing before.
Cold boot also did not work. Also checked all cable connections inside the machine, and checked integrity of both hard drives and my video card with other machines. Motherboard is making the boot sound, the one short beep, so no mobo or memory issues could be the cause. I am nearly positive this is not a hardware issue. My last resort is taking the machine in to a PC store, but I should NOT have to do that because of an anti-virus program. If I have to, I will uninstall AVAST from all 5 machines in my house and all the computers in my office, unless this is ransomware of some kind.
After removing both SATA cables from my hard drives I am able to boot to the MSI BIOS. I may have to wipe both drives, as I don’t want to infect other machines by scanning them or even plugging them in, if indeed the problem is ransomware of some kind. Any recommendations on how to proceed?
As you have dual hard drives plug the windows one only back in and see if that lets you boot