Author Topic: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.  (Read 22691 times)

Bobbias

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My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« on: September 24, 2007, 02:32:43 PM »
Ok, here's the deal. I've been fixing my mom's computer for a while now because she got it infected with a virus, the net got destroyed somehow ( couldn't even ping someone, because winsock was destroyed somehow). I reinstalled windows after trying to get rid of the virus, and now, it won't boot.

Whenever we turn the computer on, the BIOS loads and run, and then just the instant windows is supposed to load, the computer shuts off. It doesn't reboot, it just shuts off. I know it's not the power supply, because we swapped it out for another one we knew worked, and the problem persisted. I know it has to be windows because I can boot into sage mode. Anyone know what's happening with windows, or why it isn't booting. I'm going to try to reinstall windows again, but I have no idea if that will work, so if anyone has any ideas, let me know.
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Spectere

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #1 on: September 24, 2007, 03:29:21 PM »
The virus probably hammered enough system files or drivers to make the system unusable -- it's not too uncommon, really.  When you reinstall over an in-place installation it keeps the registry and drivers in place, as well as some newer system files (I believe).  The only real way to make sure that the system is fine is to do a fresh reinstall.

If you want to try something else before you do that, pop the Windows CD in the drive, boot into safe mode, and try going start -> run -> "sfc /scannow".  If the system file checker will willingly run under safe mode this may help.
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Bobbias

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #2 on: September 24, 2007, 03:51:29 PM »
Ok, I'll try the safe mode file checker. And it was a fresh install. I formatted the drive before I reinstalled because of the winsock problem (it was completely trashed, lol, I've never seen something cause even pings to error out, citing problems with winsock.)

She got hit by at least 1 trojan and the virtumonde virus, plus a couple others, and since I couldn't be sure they were all gone, I just formatted it because that's the fastest way to be sure they're gone. There was nothing wrong with the system untill a couple dayys ago when this started, so it's pretty mysterious.
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Ulti

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #3 on: September 24, 2007, 04:04:58 PM »
It really didn't even work after a full reformat? Are you sure there's not another hardware issue?

Bobbias

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2007, 04:11:17 PM »
It ran fine for a long time before my mom got it for work, it only started acting up after she got the virus.

This also isn't the first time I've seen a computer do weird thins even after a full reformat.
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Zakamiro

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #5 on: September 24, 2007, 05:54:48 PM »
I've also seen weird things happen to computers without an OS.


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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #6 on: September 24, 2007, 10:32:56 PM »
formats are for wussies

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

run it, partition, format, install windows

if that doesn't work, try one of the more heavy-duty settings

if that doesn't work, try installing linux instead of windows lolz

if that doesn't work, you've maybe got a shitty harddrive, and it should be replaced

if you replace your drive and the computer STILL doesn't work, have her get a new computer and make this one useful by making it a paperweight or something... i dunno paint a target on it and practice your aim with various weapons or something, or stash your illegal drugs inside the case

Bobbias

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2007, 11:31:17 PM »
Uhh, it's my MOM's computer we're talking about, so I can't trash it (it was a work computer at my dad's office before he downsized), and it's being reused because we don't have the money to buy another one, and I'm fixing it because we can't afford to send it to some techie who will make us pay WAY too much for hat had to be done.

I can't even use this computer to place dban on a disk anyway. I disconnected my floppy drive a while ago, and even though I reconnected it and my computer says nothing's wrong, it doesn't work, lol. (and that computer is kinda fucked, so it kinda eliminates that option as well, lol)

Oh, and it isn't that it has no OS, it's that apparently windows sucks at reformatting, lol.
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Malwyn

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #8 on: September 25, 2007, 12:29:38 AM »
...if you can't afford a new computer, why are you using Windows? If it's an old computer it's hardly fit for hardcore gaming, and if it's going to be decimated by a virus you might as well try Linux. Mothers and the computer illiterate can pick things up more easily than you'd think, and the OS is far more malware-resistant and has far fewer 'wtf' quirks.

As for reformatting, I'd strongly suggest gparted, it has a 20mb livecd iso, or you could go with one of the awesome livecd rescue disks like knoppix, DSL or Wolvix. Windows formatting is a joke... not only can you not resize things, it detects three different types of partitions, and everything else doesn't even show up. So you're working blind and... gaugh. Woefully inadequate.

Bobbias

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #9 on: September 25, 2007, 01:17:15 AM »
First off, I'm not going through and installing linux because 1) my mom would say no, because she is semi-computer literate, she can do some stuff on her own fine, but swithing to linux would royally fuck her up, 2) I'm not going through the bother of it.

...if you can't afford a new computer, why are you using Windows?

The hell does that mean? Sounds like a mindless windows bashing comment to me, and though I agree windows has it's flaws, I use it, so I can't complain too much. (And I kept mine running virus free for over 6 months with NO antivirus whatsoever, until my brother infected it.)

I'm seriously trying to get my mom to switch out of MS outlook, considering that program is a steaming pile of horse shit.

The main thing the computer is used for is A) browsing real estate websites, one of which requires some IE specific scripting to work, so we need IE (she knows FF is safer, but can't use the site in it.) B) emails, which I'm really going to try to get her to use something either than outlook for, and other misc sites and such. She really doesn't use it for much else.
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Spectere

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #10 on: September 25, 2007, 01:20:10 AM »
Pssh, Solaris's partitioning tool makes DOS fdisk look advanced.  It literally doesn't detect anything but Solaris partitions.  Also, Vista does support resizing (finally).  Also, I'm sure my dad's Pentium II in the garage will disagree with the assertion that Windows needs a new computer.  It's happily running XP. :P

And...really, if you reformat a drive and the system is still acting up, odds are it's a hardware issue.  Windows may be lacking in a lot of ways, but when you format a drive the contents definitely get wiped (not securely wiped, but good enough so that viruses can't go "lol attack tiem" when you reinstall); no question about it.
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Bobbias

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #11 on: September 25, 2007, 01:22:22 AM »
I think I'll swap harddrives from the computer I stole the power supply from. I'll see if it was the harddrive that's the problem. (I'll just toss it into this computer and check it out with some tools, lol.)
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Spectere

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #12 on: September 25, 2007, 01:25:53 AM »
Step 1) Get UBCD.
Step 2) Run Drive Fitness Test.
Step 3) FIND OUT THE TRUTH.
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Shoop Da Whoop

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #13 on: September 25, 2007, 01:28:12 AM »
Solaris

Lol, my dad works for Sun microsystems, no joke. He's the guy that updates everyones technology by selling them more computers/servers.

Bobbias

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Re: My mom's computer sucks, help me fix it.
« Reply #14 on: September 25, 2007, 01:32:01 AM »
Well, if I make a bootable CD I'll have to go buy some CDs, I don't have any blanks around, lol, only DVDs, and that comp doesn't have a DVD drive.
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