My mother called me recently and asked me to look at her computer. A few days ago, icons appeared on her desk top for random porn sites (What is it about viruses and porn!?) Shortly after, the computer stopped starting properly. Closest you could get was safe mode.
Pretty much, on first startup, it will go to a screen asking if you want to use Microsoft Media Center or Microsoft Recovery Console. If you select Media Center, the computer will try to start. It will get to the screen with the Microsoft XP logo and the blue loading bar, but then the screen flickers and the computer restarts. It was also starting, according to my mother (As I do not use this computer, it’s at her house), on an odd page which showed computer statistics, which she told me it normally didn’t do. Anyway. On it’s second try, it will ask if you want to start in safe mode, (Normal, networking or command prompt) Last good configuration, or normally. Selecting normally or last good configuration will cause the computer to again try to restart, and fail, coming right back to this page. Safe mode will work 2 out of 3 times. Sometimes it will just sorta freeze after it starts, others the explorer.exe wont start.
While in safe mode, I tried to run the existing anti virus. All I saw (I’m not familiar with her computer) was Macafee. It would open, but the screen would remain blank. Also to note, is that we tried a system restore, but all the restore points were deleted.
So I managed to get online in safe mode, and I had to admit, I was impressed. I don’t know if it was coincidence or not, but any time I tried to access a site where I could download Malwarebytes’ or Avast, it blocked it and claimed, very swiftly, the internet connection cut out. Many other sites worked, including for sites for other anti virus programs and crap that I’ve never heard of and trust as far as I can throw them. I finally, though I honestly couldn’t tell you how besides persistence, managed to download Avast.
So I installed and restarted. (If it and Macafee would have had an internal war, well. shrugs Mom wouldn’t let me uninstall.) So I open Avast and it does the memory test, and finds three trojans, none of which it would allow me to move to the chest. It told me that they were important to the computers running or something like, and therefore couldn’t be moved. Consequently, it also never found said viruses again on subsequent memory checks.
First I tried to run a normal scan. It wasn’t even half way through when the computer was forcibly shutdown. A popup came with a red X, said that the computer needed to shut down on authority of the administrator. (I don’t have exact details on this, I didn’t even think of asking you guys for an opinion until after I was home and running my own boot time scan and it was 4am -.-) It was a forced shut down, no options. That has been the main issue. I can’t run a full scan, even a partial scan in safe mode due to this. I tried running a specific scan. Selected more important files figuring they’d be in there. Computer froze. Subsequent tries it shut down.
To top it, I tried to do a boot time scan, but the computer can’t even boot to do it. It will restart to do the scan, but it never gets past the logo to do so.
Honestly, I don’t know what to do. I tried to get Avast and Malwarebytes’ to work but I was never able to download Malwarebytes’ and Avast can never fully scan. It takes so long and it just keeps shutting down. Also to note, was when I got onto firefox to try and find Avast, I.E. popups came in troves. It only happened for a very short period of time, and when it did dozens (Up to 60) would open all at once. I swear it’s like she got every problem I’ve had with my computer and viruses in a 2 year period all at once.
She’s very unwilling to do a system recovery. I may be jumping to conclusions, but I think she should. Maybe she’s right. Maybe she should do something before there’s nothing to be done.
I don’t know. Opinions? Pointers? Tips? Fire? Fire is always such a great option for electronics. -.-
Need something though. I’m not even sure your opinion will help me sway her. ><
Anyway thanks.
Hi :