can anyone help me with my computer

[yes_yes i am]

I got hacked...i think. It was from an email... one of those screensaver emails. I opened it, and whatever it didnt work. Then I try opening NBA HangTime, and it closes right when it opens. This happens with every other game and most programs on my computer


I decide to download Norton Antivirus, a trial version. Next thing i know, I cant open any files on my desktop, including my computer. I try restarting, now i cant open anything from my start menu and all the items that usually start up dont open on start up. hmmmmmm

So I restart my computer in every single safe mode there is... no help at all.


So now all i can do is surf the net... does anyone know anything i can do? except format...

[Mechadragon]

Do a search on free virus scans on google.

[bobcat]

Symantec.com

Virus check for free.

Or you could get a boot disk with Symantec Antivirus and scan from there.

If all else fails, and you feel the need for a format, then format.

Which OS?

Oh and get some firewall s/w. Such as Blackice/Zone Alarm/Symantec Internet Security

[Null]

firewall wouldnt of helped you against an email virus anyway, just need to be more careful on what you open.

IMO i dont like thoes firewalls anyway. i prefer one thats not running directly on my system so it uses no sys resourses.

and you really should just go out and buy Norton or Mcaffee Virus protection programs. they might of cought this much sooner.

As for what to do now. try a virus scan. if it cant do anything you probably will just have to reformat.

I enjoy a nice reformat once and a while anyway. hehe :p

[yes_yes i am]

Well, you see...opening files is not exactly an option on my computer anymore, unless it is a video file. (So far thats the only type ive been able to open.. which, might i add, came in handy :rolleyes: ) The error i get goes something like "Access to the specified device, path, or file is denied"...

This happens for pretty much any file. I think i am quite screwed :)

[Jonbo298]

Did you open this in Outlook or Outlook Express? Or did you use a free email service like Yahoo? I only use Yahoo because it has a built in virus checker for if you want to scan a file before you download it. Thats just a recommendation

[bobcat]

Well, you see...opening files is not exactly an option on my computer anymore, unless it is a video file. (So far thats the only type ive been able to open.. which, might i add, came in handy :rolleyes: ) The error i get goes something like "Access to the specified device, path, or file is denied"...

This happens for pretty much any file. I think i am quite screwed :)

format. Your Pc will thank you in the end. The CD ROM will open up and you will hear "thank you" from your speakers (make sure they are switched on).

And make sure you don't copy much of the junk across from your old pc as it's probably infected. Actually buy a new Pc.

On second thoughts buy a mainframe. They are cheap :unsure: and they will own all of your friends Pc. AS/400's are quite good.

Why stop there...........

Ok I'm getting a bit carried away. Seriously format will solve your problem but make sure the files you copy across aren't infected. And load on some firewall/antivirus software FIRST!

[Happydude]

you could try something else...what OS are you sueing?

if it's XP...you could try going into task manager ( ALT + CTRL + DEL) and ending all the programs from your username except for explorer.exe and tskmgr.exe close everything else...then try opening a program that usually doesnt work...see if anythig happens...if it doesnt help then just reformat...

[yes_yes i am]

Damn.

ok now i have 2 new questions


what do i need to format, i know i need a o/s disc but i dont have any drivers really for my computer... they were already installed when i got it. are they all located in the same folder? if so... which one (i think i know...but i wanna be sure) and how exactly do i make a boot disc, or do i just download a file and put it on a disc?

and also

lets say this virus that i got is one of those backdoor cydoor thingy viruses, couldnt i just get one of my friends to access my computer the same way the hacker guy did and erase/fix my infected files?

[yes_yes i am]

you could try something else...what OS are you sueing?

if it's XP...you could try going into task manager ( ALT + CTRL + DEL) and ending all the programs from your username except for explorer.exe and tskmgr.exe close everything else...then try opening a program that usually doesnt work...see if anythig happens...if it doesnt help then just reformat...

tried that, but task manager was one of the first things that f*cked up.

it closes right after i open it...

[Null]

if your reformating you dont need a boot disk

all you need is the WinXP CD, put it in. start computer. follow directions.

[yes_yes i am]

if your reformating you dont need a boot disk

all you need is the WinXP CD, put it in. start computer. follow directions.

That brings up another problem... my cd drive.. It also stopped working. The light is on, on the actual "HP Cd Writer/Reader", but the i think it like uninstalled itself... Its not even in the device manager... and when i scan for new devices it doesnt find the cd drive.. I was thinking it might be disconnected but then how could the light be on?

Also, when i format, will my cd drive automatically work?(if the problem wuz that it wuz disconnected and i reconnected it) or do i need to install a driver first?

Im gonna go look around now for some sites that can help...

[Jonbo298]

If you do reformat and start over, after formatting, just pop in the CD and make sure in the BIOS that there is an option in the boot order that says boot from CD. I dont think it matters which goes first. When I reformatted mine a few weeks ago, I just made sure my Windows 98 CD was in and I started it up and it eventually got me to reinstalling Windows. But I dont know about XP boot screens since my grandmas hasn't failed her yet.....

[Null]

Actually you 'SHOULD' want the boot order to go...

Floppy
CD Rom
Hard Drive

... in your bios.

reason being, once it hits the Hard Drive in that order, Windows Starts. so the computer wont boot from whatever is behind Hard Drive unless the harddrive is unplugged.

and if something isnt working right. you want to have the option to boot from CD or Floppy before the Hard Drive starts up and your windows starts.

[Jonbo298]

Actually you 'SHOULD' want the boot order to go...

Floppy
CD Rom
Hard Drive

... in your bios.

reason being, once it hits the Hard Drive in that order, Windows Starts. so the computer wont boot from whatever is behind Hard Drive unless the harddrive is unplugged.

and if something isnt working right. you want to have the option to boot from CD or Floppy before the Hard Drive starts up and your windows starts.

I was speaking as in if he already formatted and had no windows on the HD. Not of Windows was still on the HD. The way I did was just format through Dos, then reboot and have CD in. No option changes.

[Null]

shouldnt really matter. HD should be last in the list.

But most people dont have dos.

Easiest way to reformat is just put the XP CD in. and goto reinstall. click on the drive and tell it to format there before installation.

[yes_yes i am]

Ok, I fixed my CD drive, I can now start windows xp installation.

But when clicking on install windows xp, nothing seems to happen
so should I just format from windows and then try to install it from dos mode... (if i have one)

[btw, Ive found a way of accessing all my folders. Where do i read/change my bios?]

[Jonbo298]

When you turn your computer on, there should be something on your monitor that says Hit (insert key here) to access Bios (it may say something else). Also, I recommend making a boot disk before formatting your HD if XP won't install like you're saying. I think that might be a way to boot into dos. But Im not an XP person unfortunately. Null could answer what I'm trying to say.

[yes_yes i am]

ok, i changed my bios and i was about to install windows xp but it didnt give me the option of formatting first.. the only options were to delete partition or install.


should i just format from my computer?

also, i dont have a boot disc and i dont think im gonna make one cuz i have no idea how and im on windows 2000 right now theres no option in 'my computer' to make a boot disc


EDIT: ok nevermind about formatting from my computer, it wont work, this is the error i get "windows cannot format this drive. Quit any disk utilities that may be using this drive and make sure no window is displaying the contents of this drive, then try formatting again.

btw, task manager is now working for some reason, so i tried to end explorer and then format, but i still get the same error, and i cant close anything but explorer pretty much...

EDIT #2: Well, its officially over. I think i short curcuited my cdrom drive... but before i did that i formatted my computer ofcourse. So now theres no OS on my comp and I cant access my CDROM drive or the conducter cable connecting it(one or the other...or both). cant even open it actually..unless i pry it open (not 2 mention Mushlafas winxp cd is inside it :).)

...i think im just gonna wait till i get a computer. maybe if i get a job this summer, o well

thanx for the help anyways.. :(