Virus shuts down computer before protection gets rid of it.

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renee0824

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Jun 21, 2013
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Our computer turned all "white noise" (but the "noise" was colored) :) . After many attempts to restart, I was able to restart (looking through the noise) and begin malwarebytes. The noise slowly disappated, and the scan was running fine until about 15 minutes later, the computer suddenly shut down. Any ideas?
 
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Zooshooter

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Feb 8, 2013
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If you have another computer available to you, and an external hard drive enclosure, you can take the bad drive, set it up as an external, and scan it that way.
 
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renee0824

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Jun 21, 2013
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I'm using a laptop right now to have computer/internet access. The desktop is what is affected. The desktop is HP Pavillion Slimline. The laptop is lenovo T420 (husband's work-issued).

I was able to restart just now in safemode with networking. What can I do from here? I guess I'm rather computer-illiterate, despite the computer class I had to take back in the early 90s. hehehe.
 
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renee0824

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Jun 21, 2013
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I'm going to need a little more hand-holding re: format and reinstall. Also, is it at a state where I count everything that is not backed up as lost, or is there another step for that?
 
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curtomo788

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Jan 10, 2013
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Don't worry that's why you get some insanely intelligent people on here especially for computer-illiterate people but you'll learn haha get a computer that has a good anti-virus on it e.g. Kapersky or Avast nothing like Norton or Mcfee and get a usb stick if you can before formatting it get things like photos and videos as fast as you can onto a memory stick and run them under a anti-virus software program and check them over then do as these guys said and format and re-install Windows :)

 
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curtomo788

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Jan 10, 2013
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haha don't be harsh on yourself haha your on here!! :) and jus try what I sad but I don't think your harddrive or operating system is the problem sounds to much like graphics problem :)
 
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Zooshooter

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Feb 8, 2013
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Formatting the drive and re-installing really should be a last resort. It's like dropping a nuclear bomb on a town because you don't like the siding on the houses. If you've booted into safe mode and it's stable, download MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, install it (you can choose to run the pro trial if you want it won't hurt any), and make sure the definitions are up to date. Usually it looks for updates when you first start it up. Run a "full scan" on the C: drive. This may take about an hour, could be less. If it finds anything the first time through remove what it finds and run it again. Keep re-running it as long as it keeps finding things. You want to end up with a scan that ends up finding nothing. Then reboot the computer into Windows as usual (not safe mode) and see how it goes.
 
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renee0824

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Jun 21, 2013
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Ima thinking I will look into the graphics/video card thing first (easiest solutions first?) If that doesn't work, then I'll try the Kaspersky Rescue. I might not make it to get a new card until later today, but I will try to post with an update-- thanks.
 
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curtomo788

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Jan 10, 2013
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id try what zooshooters method first as its the easiest incase its just a virus what iv never seen before, but try his method first :)

 
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TenPc

TenPc

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Jul 11, 2012
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Not a virus, your video card is kaput, you would only notice it when playing in high FPS or resolution or more than 20 minutes.
It's possible that your PSU is under-powered to which has cause the video card to fry itself.

It's a laptop? Well, don't format the hdd, it might be difficult to get drivers for it if you don't have the Drviver Cd or a Restore disk.

What is your current resolution for the screen? If it is lower than 800 x 600 then upp it to at leasy 1440 x 900.

Don't use external monitor as well as screen, especially in high res mode.
 
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renee0824

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Jun 21, 2013
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Hi all, thanks for all your input. A friend tutored me over the phone to test if it was the monitor or video/graphics card. The monitor was fine (connected it to the laptop and worked fine). Then he helped me with opening up the tower-- turns out that the fan on the video card had fallen off the card. Thankfully, that was an upgraded card and I still had the base card still on the computer-- switched to a vga cable and removed the fancier card (nvidia geforce thing). So, I can now respond on the affected computer. I ran Malwarebytes-- full scan on the c drive, and no threats detected. I'm trying to get used to the clunkier appearance of everything, but it works. At some point we may spring for a new video card, but we're okay right now. I think the item that threw the diagnosis is that it finally overheated in the midst of a scan.
 
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