Need Serious Help! :o|

[G-Dub]

hi i've got a serious problem and could really do with some help.

i've reformatted my computer and i have lots of viruses there. i reformatted again and they are still there. i have not restored anything so i haven't transferred any viruses back over.

i think its a problem with the boot memory and would like to know the following things:

is the boot memory in the hard drive, and if so, if i replace the hard drive as a quick fix to make life easier, will the viruses be gone...

and also, preferably, does anyone know how i can sort the problems, so i can reformat again, add my new hard drive, and be completely free of these viruses...

just to mention, i've never encountered boot memory viruses and never had them so anything you can tell me/help me out with will be good expereience.

thanks in advance :thumbs:

 

[Asus]

Boot memory is a Virtual drive that runs in RAM. Just the wrong term here, thats all.
A boot virus sits on the harddrive in the boot sector.
So yes, If you switch the harddrive it will get rid of it.

If you write zeros to the drive it should clear it out too. Or by removing the boot sectors or formating the master boot record.

 

[psyno]

Is the computer attached to a network? It's more likely that it's getting reinfected from another machine...

Here's what I recommend you do:
Download a zero fill tool from your hard drive manufacturer's website.
Disconnect the PC physically from any network interfaces.
Nuke the drive with the zero fill tool.
Reformat & reinstall the OS.
Enable the firewall, install your AV software, install any additional security programs.
Reconnect to the network/Internet & update.

A zero fill will take care of anything in the boot sector.

*edit: :cheers: Asus

 

[simmo]

If the virus's are in the boot sector, bung in a Win 9x disc to get into the cmd prompt and type

fdisk /mbr

 

[G-Dub]

If the virus's are in the boot sector, bung in a Win 9x disc to get into the cmd prompt and type

fdisk /mbr

will this just affect hard drive?

 

[psyno]

It will overwrite the bootsector of DISK-0 with the DOS bootloader. It won't change anything else on the drive. I'm not sure it's a good idea if you're running anything besides DOS/Win9x on the computer, and you might as well nuke the whole drive so you can start completely clean.

*edit: From the MS Knowledge Base: FDISK /MBR Rewrites the Master Boot Record

 

[G-Dub]

Is the computer attached to a network? It's more likely that it's getting reinfected from another machine...

Here's what I recommend you do:
Download a zero fill tool from your hard drive manufacturer's website.
Disconnect the PC physically from any network interfaces.
Nuke the drive with the zero fill tool.
Reformat & reinstall the OS.
Enable the firewall, install your AV software, install any additional security programs.
Reconnect to the network/Internet & update.

A zero fill will take care of anything in the boot sector.

*edit: :cheers: Asus

do you know of one for asus, can't find one, and i have asus.... thank you

[edit] cancel that, my dvd is asus, my hard drive is WDC, western digital is that?

 

[psyno]

Your hard drive manufacturer will have one available... I'm pretty sure that Asus doesn't make hard drives. Some examples of companies that do are Seagate, Maxtor, and Western Digital. You can even use some of the tools on drives not made by that manufacturer, but it's definitely not recommended. What company made your HDD?

*edit: Yes, and look here: http://support.wdc.com/download/

 

[G-Dub]

see above post, and thanks for that, i just found a link to the western digital website and the tools to zero fill my hard drive... does this do the same sort of thing as the fdisk /mbr command? cos that didn't seem to do anything?

oh and sorry for the questions guys, but i should reformat after the zero fills right? thanks again, you guys are so nice to help out!

 

[G-Dub]

ok, i tried the fdisk /mbr and the zero fills, reformatted, and installed xp, but the viruses are still there...

have i done something wrong?

 

[G-Dub]

if someone helps me i will probably end up paying them, paypal maybe? :thumbs: