Trouble Formatting...

[borntohula]

so my PC is on the fritz, and i'm pretty sure it has got some kind of virus. when i try to boot it up normally, it always crashes after the windows (XP) loading bar. the computer then restarts, and brings me back to square one.

 

it boots up fine in safe-mode, so i was able to rescue my files no problem. my problem is that i can't seem to format the goddamn thing and start from scratch.

 

earlier today i tried to repair windows so that i could move my files over to my external hard drive, as i couldn't access it in safe-mode. i also wanted to see if repairing the issue was realistic. so at startup, i ran my XP boot CD, and the repair failed. instead, i had to run safe-mode with networking, and transfer my files that way. a bit slower of a process, but it worked.

 

anyways, now that i want to format my hard drive, i can't, because for whatever reason, my XP boot disk is not being read while the computer starts up. i've held f5 while it boots as well, and don't even get the usual menu display asking me where i'd like to boot from (is that the bIOS menu thing i'm referring to? i have no idea). so i'm completely confused and not really sure about what my next step should be at this point. why isn't my CD being read anymore? is there another way for me to format my hard drive? is there a way for me to start up in DOS perhaps?

 

any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edited October 30, 2008 by borntohula

[calgarydave]

When windows boots and loads the bios there are 3 things you can change.

 

Pushing F2 (usually) will take you into the bios menu

F5 will take you to "where do you want to boot from"

F8 gives you the windows boot stuff (boot to safe mode etc)

 

If F5 is not working try going into the bios menu. Now while in there be very careful cause if you fuck it up there really is no way to fix it. You want too look for something like Boot order. (it can be called a variety of stuff) This tells the computer where to look for the OS. Usually it is set to:

Floppy Drive (if you comp still has one)

Hard Drive

CD Drive

 

What you'll want to do is change the order so that the CD Drive is at the top. Save the BIOS and reboot with the WinXP disks in the Drive. This time around the BIOS should automatically load the winXP Installer from the disks with out you having to do anything.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Oh alternatively you can try booting into safemode w/ networking. Download and install AVG ANTIVIRUS. Run a virus scan using that and see if you can't figure out why you're having issues in the first place.

 

Also if you do just re-format I would highly recommend downloading AVG and just having it around doing updates and the like. Its pretty good at catching stuff. Theres the odd virus it can detect but not deal with, but if you at least know what you're up against you can figure out how to remove it ;)

[borntohula]

thanks for your help. i'll give it a shot tomorrow... i'm sick of that computer today.

 

actually, it's funny that you mention AVG because that's what i've been running. it was working great for me initially, and i kept up with the updates and scans (although i cut the amount of scans performed to only once a week). it still managed to catch anything that was trying to infect me, and i used to get plenty of alerts from it as it would catch things on the fly... but then it stopped.

 

as i was transfering files to my external drive, i managed to find a virus in the process, embedded in the windows folder. AVG isn't finding it in its scans for some reason. it was called "brastk.exe" and after looking up how to fix it on the net, i managed to find and delete it and its associated files as well. but it seems as though it's only one of many viruses.

 

initially i thought the problem was more than just a virus, and actually a hardware issue, but if that were the case, i wouldnt be able to even load safe-mode, right? a hardware issue wouldnt discriminate between safe mode or normal mode, right?

 

i've also run ccleaner, to see if there was a problem with the registry. no dice.

[calgarydave]

a hardware issue wouldnt discriminate between safe mode or normal mode, right?

Not necessarily. When you boot into safe mode a lot of the hardware on the computer isnt actually turned on, OR is working in a very limited fashion.

 

But alas the only real way to know is to try and reformat your computer and see if it works ;)

 

Be wary though my old computer had what sounds like similar issues and when I tried to reload xp onto it, I found out that the hard drive was pooched. (Luckily I had all my files on another hard drive and was able to install xp onto that).

 

 

That being said. I would also take a look at your surfing habits. In all the time I've been using computers I've had 3 viruses latch onto my comp.

1 was the blaster worm and wasnt my fault lol

the other 2 well ya they were my fault going to sites that I knew weren't safe.

 

Is your computer behind a router? If not make sure windows firewall is on, or even better just go get a router for $50.

DO you use IE?? If so switch to Firefox. It took me a week or so to get used to FF but having made that switch... I'd never ever go back. Heck I got mad at the Dell guy when he suggested I upgrade to IE7 lol

[borntohula]

currently formatting now!!!

 

i figured out why F5 wasn't taking me to "where to boot menu"... when i turn my computer on, it will crash, but then automatically restart, and i didn't realize that when it restarts due to an error, it automatically defaults to bringing up the "safe mode" menu. so i was hitting F5, F2 and all that to no avail. finally, after your post, i realized what i had been doing wrong, and tried starting the computer up, opting to go into safe-mode, and then shutting down properly from there. once i booted the computer up again, it was able to bring me to the BIOS menu, and it also picked up the CD in the drive. i probably should've caught this earlier, but i had no idea that it would default to the safe-mode menu... so i was really confused. but now things seem to be going smoothly with the formatting, anyways.

 

i'm an avid user of firefox-- i have been for years, which is probably why my computer has lasted this long in the first place, and i'd say my browsing habits are pretty conservative. i rarely visit places i'm unfamiliar with or accept files that i'm unsure of... i think windows firewall might've been off, but my computer has been confused abotu that sort of thing for some time.

 

a few years ago i was running panda security software because i heard from some roomates that it was superior to norton (which i was having major problems with), but it was a pig and took up a lot of space, so i eventually got rid of it... and i also think it was a bit too invasive for me... but i think i had turned off windows firewall at that point, and never turned it back on. i'll be a bit more diligent with security this time around though (if my problem was just a virus)... so you still swear by AVG? do you run multiple virus detectors?

[borntohula]

so, update time:

 

i thought all was well once i reformatted. the computer started up just fine, and windows was working again. once i started trying to reinstall some drivers, however, things kinda went back to normal. i tried to install the driver for my network card, and the program had an error and wouldn't let me continue. i didn't think much of it, and so i just gave up and tried to install the driver for my sound card instead. when that failed too, i knew something was wrong. also ,the computer has gone back to turning itself off without warning, so i'm forced to think that this is more than just a virus or windows problem.

 

i should have clarified earlier that the power did go out in my house yesterday, and thats when things got really shitty, but because my comp had been acting up before, i didn't really want to attribute the problems with the power-outage. plus, we have a surge protector on this line, so i really didn't think it was an issue. also, i thought that my ability to start up in safe mode, and to have the computer run in safe mode was proof that power wasn't a problem.

 

but because my computer continually shuts itself off without warning, and then will not reboot unless i unplug, then plug it back in first, i think that my power supply might be shot. i don't know much about this area of my computer, so i'm not sure what to do at the moment. is it fixable? is it worth fixing if that's the issue?

[calgarydave]

so, update time:

 

i thought all was well once i reformatted. the computer started up just fine, and windows was working again. once i started trying to reinstall some drivers, however, things kinda went back to normal. i tried to install the driver for my network card, and the program had an error and wouldn't let me continue. i didn't think much of it, and so i just gave up and tried to install the driver for my sound card instead. when that failed too, i knew something was wrong. also ,the computer has gone back to turning itself off without warning, so i'm forced to think that this is more than just a virus or windows problem.

 

i should have clarified earlier that the power did go out in my house yesterday, and thats when things got really shitty, but because my comp had been acting up before, i didn't really want to attribute the problems with the power-outage. plus, we have a surge protector on this line, so i really didn't think it was an issue. also, i thought that my ability to start up in safe mode, and to have the computer run in safe mode was proof that power wasn't a problem.

 

but because my computer continually shuts itself off without warning, and then will not reboot unless i unplug, then plug it back in first, i think that my power supply might be shot. i don't know much about this area of my computer, so i'm not sure what to do at the moment. is it fixable? is it worth fixing if that's the issue?

Hehe I use AVG cause its free and relatively non-invasive. Its not like norton and going to slow down your system noticeably.

 

It does sound like a power supply issue but I'm not really a hardware guy so I cant say for sure. Try making a post on

forums.techguy.org Usually someone will step forward and help you out.

 

 

As far as is it worth fixing? It depends on what the specs are, and if you can afford a new comp ;)

[borntohula]

thanks for all your help. i'm going to sit on it for now... i've got a new laptop, so all is not lost.

[Morglor9]

Does sound like a power supply issue, I should think, and they're relatively easy/cheap to replace so it's a relatively good thing to do if you can regardless. Also, the power outage may have affected your computer even with a surge protector on the line. From my electricity instructor, most only work for a few surges before they basically "wear out" and let anything through. I have a surge protector for my computer, but after three or four power outages it was done. I didn't know this, as it was before I took my electricity class, so magically one day a power outage (actually, I believe it was the resulting surge when the power came back on) fried my motherboard and (it seems) video card.

 

For complete power protection, get a UPS if you care to and can afford it. Just don't plug your printer into it if you do.

[ToadMan]

That doesn't make any sense to me. I guess it depends on how they build the protection circuit. Even the most basic circuit would use a 110v Zener to ground (with some resistance to prevent the fuse from blowing). If anything on breakdown the Zener would become a short and stop providing power.

 

Some quick research indicates that most surge protectors use Metal Oxide Varistors. These devices can only fail as an open circuit if they are continuously operated above their rated voltage, in which case they will have to be constantly dissipating heat which can cause the connecting joint to detach.

 

I would surmise that this only happens in low quality surge protectors, and that it would be unrelated to the number of surges that the bar had protected against.

 

Power usually doesn't surge significantly in voltage when it comes back on. The transient that the power company is worried about is current. When all the heavy appliances come back on they become sudden loads which require the system to deliver a burst of current. That burst can overheat transformers. The generators that the power company uses generally only generate specific voltages, and there is never a reason that they would be stepped up (as the entire system is based on them producing an expected voltage). Turning back on a power trunk will cause a sudden voltage 0-110V (worst case power on at phase peak), but this is no worse than plugging in your computer so it is really irrelevant.

 

You can get a surge above operating voltage if some capacitive load is reconnected back to the system, or an inductive load. Both store energy, and can force it back into the system raising the supply voltage. You will also get a surge if the cause of the power outage was caused by a local lightening strike. The surge from lightening is usually redirected out of the system by the power company fairly quickly (again, it will burn out transformers).

 

At any rate, this is all hit and run. And probably not a lick related to the subject.

[Morglor9]

I'm blaming half of what I said on it being shortly after midnight and another portion on going on my recollection of a lecture in the class I may have paid the least attention in. My bad.