The most interesting series of Windows problems to ever grace this forum.

[AlwaysFSX]

I honestly have no idea where to start with this..

 

HP dv4 laptop, AMD dual core, 4 GB ram, Radeon 4250, Win7 64 bit, everything was updated when I first installed Windows.

 

Some of you may remember my previous threads about a laptop with problems...this is that laptop. And no, I can't just reformat the hard drive or buy a new one. Life doesn't work like that unfortunately.

 

So the problems started with the system generally being unresponsive and slow...

 

It has escalated to Explorer.exe crashing and a dozen dll.exe's showing up in the processes on Task Manager.

 

I went in to msconfig and set it to start in safe mode so I can follow ttam's malware removal guide after downloading everything on a USB and the situation got worse by:

1. trying to open the folder with the removal programs on the USB caused the computer to shut down
2. Proceeded to BSOD when restarting after a few attempts
3. Now goes right in to start up repair which ends in failure because there are bad sectors on the hard drive

 

As I type it's loading everything for safe mode....

 

And it BSOD'd.

 

Restarting...

 

"continue startup thing from HP because of the bad hard drive"

 

Starting safe mode....

 

Hey, it to the log on screen.

 

"Windows has recovered from an unexpected shut down" window.

 

Task bar is taking longer than forever to load.

 

Attempting to move folder of programs to desktop when it finally loads, will report back with success or failure.

 

Update: managed to move folder over, hitmanpro needs to be 64bit on a 64bit OS. I call BS, no it doesn't.

 

Where the hell do I start with fixing this thing?

 

Currently running ComboFix, completed up to stage 4 so far.

 

After several passes with HitmanPro and using the file explorer to delete all the INSTALL_TOR shortcuts, the system seems stable. Seems.

[Aniallation]

FINALLY somebody else with Radeon 4250!!! Yay!

 

Anyways, I would get an SSD, install clean Windows, put the HDD in external enclosure, then copy the files you need over. Cause seems like both your drive and Windows install are borked af

[Tech_Dreamer]

i think if it's a virus it has obviously corrupted the system files beyond windows system self repair, do you wanna try the  fresh OS install or you got important files up on the main partition?

 

also check if it works with new/borrowed set of ram modules, Don't ask me why , sometime it works like magic

[AlwaysFSX]

FINALLY somebody else with Radeon 4250!!! Yay!

 

Anyways, I would get an SSD, install clean Windows, put the HDD in external enclosure, then copy the files you need over. Cause seems like both your drive and Windows install are borked af

Read the first spoiler...

 

i think if it's a virus it has obviously corrupted the system files beyond windows system self repair, do you wanna try the  fresh OS install or you got important files up on the main partition?

Waaaaaaaaaaay too many important files are on the disk.

[Toddwjp]

put windows disk in, set it as the boot priority in bios, wipe the old drive reinstall windows.

the only other way to get those files back would be to remove the harddrive and plug it into a pc,

[Aniallation]

Read the first spoiler...

 

Waaaaaaaaaaay too many important files are on the disk.

Do you have a USB stick or something you could use to back up the important files so you could reinstall OS?

[Aniallation]

put windows disk in, set it as the boot priority in bios, wipe the old drive reinstall windows

Read the two posts above you.

[AlwaysFSX]

put windows disk in, set it as the boot priority in bios, wipe the old drive reinstall windows

Read below.

 

Do you have a USB stick or something you could use to back up the important files so you could reinstall OS?

There's a wee bit more files than space on the usb...

 

Read the two posts above you.

Read above.

[Toddwjp]

Read the two posts above you.

now re read my edited post i started to reply before the others had popped up

[Tech_Dreamer]

Read the first spoiler...

 

Waaaaaaaaaaay too many important files are on the disk.

alright i think you need a new/borrowed  HDD with a solid AV soft ( make sure you have AV softs from more than two companies, trust me, signature recognition varies across them) then try to slave this HDD with it & copy over the files via regular explorer browse, then do a full wipe down..

 

Try it & see if it works & Keep us updated

[Aniallation]

There's a wee bit more files than space on the usb...

Get another one. They're so cheap nowadays 

[AlwaysFSX]

now re read my edited post i started to reply before the others had popped up

Don't have a desktop I can do that on.

 

alright i think you need a new/borrowed  HDD with a solid AV soft ( make sure you have AV softs from more than two companies, trust me, signature recognition varies across them) then try to slave this HDD with it & copy over the files via regular explorer browse, then do a full wipe down..

 

Try it & see if it works & Keep us updated

Not possible, no HDD around.

[AlwaysFSX]

Guys, stop suggestion to reinstall Windows, I know of all the methods that I can use; I can't.

[Toddwjp]

Don't have a desktop I can do that on.

 

Not possible, no HDD around.

hmm try and install windows as a partition then. if this isnt an option then your just gonna have to keep trying in safe mode

[AlwaysFSX]

hmm try and install windows as a partition then.

Not enough space on the hard drive.  :unsure:

[Aniallation]

Guys, stop suggestion to reinstall Windows, I know of all the methods that I can use; I can't.

Well if ComboFix doesn't do anything there isn't much of another option. Your Windows install sounds really messed

[AlwaysFSX]

Well if ComboFix doesn't do anything there isn't much of another option. Your Windows install sounds really messed

I know it's possible to fix it...first I have to find the problem.

 

How many passes does ComboFix do before it finishes?

[Toddwjp]

Not enough space on the hard drive.  :unsure:

\

how about linux on a mem stick?

[AlwaysFSX]

\

how about linux on a mem stick?

What would I put on their to fix the computer? That's kinda my goal here..

[Toddwjp]

What would I put on their to fix the computer? That's kinda my goal here..

you would be able to access your hdd and recover any important data and then format it

[Aniallation]

I know it's possible to fix it...first I have to find the problem.

 

How many passes does ComboFix do before it finishes?

Would depend how badly the Windows install is messed up and where it's messed up at

[AlwaysFSX]

you would be able to access your hdd and recover any important data and then format it

I refer you to my statement below.

There's a wee bit more files than space on the usb...

[Tech_Dreamer]

Not possible, no HDD around.

Mawh!

 

the more you try to fix it on the same drive the risks is kinda higher , i've seen a couple of bad repairs that ended with the whole drive being formatted/wiped, soon you'll be forced to do a formatting if you play around with it with mini applications that make the problem worse, same case with the windows own repair utility, i guess you need to wait it out maybe borrow a friends drive

 

do you have a back up disc drive with you by any chance , Kaspersky /eset nod or avg other backup utility which you might have used to do a secure backup on a physical drive?

[Aniallation]

you would be able to access your hdd and recover any important data and then format it

He already has access to his HDD. There's just more files then will fit on his backup media. But how much could it be to get another USB stick though

[AlwaysFSX]

Would depend how badly the Windows install is messed up and where it's messed up at

What if it's not the Windows install that's messed up, just something causing it to act funky.