Virus +rep for help

**knight of virtue and valor** · January 27, 2011, 03:40 PM

my stupid brother got on my computer and downloaded a virus. it wont even get past the start menu,so how do I revert the system to how it was before? thanks!

**Jom** · January 27, 2011, 04:25 PM

I guess you're asking how to do a system restore, in which case, if you're using Vista, go to control panel (you can do this by opening My Computer on the desktop and typing "Control Panel" in the address bar) and then go to System and "advanced system settings". Look for the tab which says "System Protection" and then click "System Restore".

If you know when the virus was put on the machine, make sure that the time you're restoring to is before the date that the virus appeared, otherwise the whole exercise is futile.

**Heinz Guderian** · January 27, 2011, 05:35 PM

If Jom read the OP, he would know he cant get past the start menu. what you have to do son is start in SAFE MODE. Start your pc than press f8 like a mother ****er, then pick the option "start in safe mode". what this virus is doing is its being loaded in your start programs. so what you have to do is after you start SAFE MODE. type in MSCONFIG into run and then unclick the virus program from the start menu. it will ask you to restart. do it. let me know what happens.

**Jom** · January 27, 2011, 05:46 PM

That's also an option, but you don't have to access my computer from the start menu; it's also found on the desktop.

**Heinz Guderian** · January 27, 2011, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Jom

That's also an option, but you don't have to access my computer from the start menu; it's also found on the desktop.

omfg ok i think he meant something else when he said "wont get past the start menu" and not actually the button "start" (on the bottom left) which brings up a menu. i think he means it wont load windows.

**Ishan** · January 27, 2011, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by knight of virtue and valor

my stupid brother got on my computer and downloaded a virus. it wont even get past the start menu,so how do I revert the system to how it was before? thanks!

Once a virus infects a system file it's totaled better reinstall windows.
And it was you not your brother.

**Top-Tier-Tech** · January 28, 2011, 12:17 AM

Originally Posted by knight of virtue and valor

my stupid brother got on my computer and downloaded a virus. it wont even get past the start menu,so how do I revert the system to how it was before? thanks!

I have successfully removed various viruses from friends PC's (I've never gotten one myself) using free programs on the internet. What exactly came up on screen that made you decide it was a virus? And where exactly is it hanging up after you boot your PC again? In the end a full OS re-install will be wise if it is indeed a virus but if we can get the problem tamed for now so you can grab all of your files that you want on your HDD before the re-install that would be the best scenario.

**Chudnofsky** · January 28, 2011, 09:00 PM

yeah reinstall everything and delete partition eh...

**Ishan** · January 29, 2011, 04:44 AM

There is no need to delete any partition.

**ROFL Copter** · January 30, 2011, 05:11 PM

Before you do any restore, try running Hitman Pro. Its one of the fastest and most powerful emergency anti-virus programs I've ever used, and I've found myself in the situation more than once. You should give it a try, believe me it saved my computer from rootkits in only seconds when everything else failed miserably.

http://www.surfright.nl/en

**eisenkopf** · January 31, 2011, 07:39 AM

First of all, are you sure it's a virus? Could be a lot of things that lead to behaviour you described (which is still vague - you need to be more precise if you want help that works!). Viruses usually are not keen on announcing their presence...

If it's really a virus, you can never be reasonably sure that it has been completely removed until you do one of two things:

1. Format disc, reinstall everything.
2. Scan the computer with several bootable anti-virus live CDs.

Obviously, option 1 is not very enticing. For option 2, you can go for example to

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootab...download-list/

Make sure that you choose one that updates its virus definitions before the actual scan. For that, it needs internet access. If WLAN config is a problem, use a cable, should work.

Of course, you will need another PC to download and burn the CD. But getting a virus nowadays is actually hard work (or profound negligence), so some penance is due

Your brother should be serving you breakfast for the remainder of this year.

EDIT: IF you have any valuable files on the disc that you cannot risk losing (you do have backups, don't you?), don't do anything until you have a Linux live CD to copy them to a usb drive/stick first (but consider them quarantined, any virus might have been copied with them). If you do not know how to do that, try to get hold of someone who does.