Hi, I have Windows 7 on an HP dv7-4165dx laptop that is infected with the white screen virus. I can't boot into safe mode. I can't boot into BIOS. I can't boot from cd/dvd drive or USB which may be because I had disabled these features before this ever happened. If I try to use the function keys to boot into safe mode or BIOS I will keep a black screen for as long as I am tapping the key but then it will go into the white screen or shut down. I never see any typing on either screen (black or white). The only other thing that happens while pressing function keys is that the caps lock light will come on and the computer may beep. I made a kaspersky rescue disc and the drive light when come on but nothing ever happens. I saved a Windows 7 rescue disc to to cd and also to USB but nothing happens. I am pretty sure that I had disabled remote assistance because I didn't know enough about it to trust it. I have a desktop with Windows 7 and would like to know if there is a way to connect the two and fix the infected laptop. I have almost 500 gb of long hard research, school assignments, thousands of photos and too much to even think about reformatting and losing it all. Please, please help me resolve this issue. I have been trying for over a week. I have removed the battery and discharged the power source, unplugged wireless router, immediately start tapping F8 then tried F10 and have actually tried a wide variety of the function keys with and without also touching the FN key which HP says is not required for F8 reboot. Thank you for any advice you can offer. Sincerely, Teri
Unable to boot into BIOS or safe mode with white screen virus
- Thread starter Teri_RN
- Start date
Solution
Beyond Names
Reputable
- Jan 22, 2016
- 52
- 0
- 4,660
You could try using HitmanPro.Kickstart, really sucks to hear bud. My laptop was stolen a while back and a lot of school work was gone with it.
- Aug 3, 2006
- 28,223
- 1,514
- 133,290
Plug the infected hard drive into a properly protected system. Scan the infected drive and attempt to remove the virus. Recover your data to safe location and then wipe the infected hard drive. Return it to the laptop for windows reinstall.
-Wolf sends
-Wolf sends
Red_Viper_Martell
Honorable
- Dec 17, 2015
- 20
- 0
- 10,520
Your number one priority is to recover your data, so here are steps I would take considering you can not get your machine to boot. I included some options since I don't know what your technical situation is.
1) Remove the computer's hard drive (HDD).
This is where all your information is stored and it can be accessed from a separate computer. Here is a link to a disassembly guide: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/complete-disassembly-instructions-hp-pavilion-dv7-laptop-guide-2/
You're in luck since your laptop is disassembled rather easily, but please be cognizant that the tiny laptop parts are sensitive and don't use too much force. The screws are not so small that you can't use normal small screw drivers, but you may need a set of precision screw drivers, sometimes called jewler's screw drivers.
2) Buy, borrow, or steal any device that will allow you to plug your hard drive in as a USB drive such as an enclosure or this transfer cable: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1453595732&sr=1-1&keywords=sata+to+usb
NOTE: DO NOT ATTACH THIS DISK TO AN UNPROTECTED WINDOWS MACHINE. You run the risk of infecting the other machine too...
If you MUST use a Windows machine for file recovery, be sure to install any of the anti-malware programs recommended on these site PRIOR to connecting your hard drive.
http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-white-screen-virus
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-white-screen-virus/
3a) If you have a friend who uses Linux, awesome! Simply plugging your hard drive in will give you access to your files.
3b) If you do not have a Linux using friend, download a Linux operating system, burn the installation software to a DVD. The popular modern distributions will run from the DVD and will give you access to your files. Linux operating systems are not susceptible to Windows virsus, additionally, some distributions come with ClamScan AV which can scan your files for, and potentially remove, viruses.
Here's a link to Ubuntu Linux: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/thank-you?country=US&version=14.04.3&architecture=amd64
How to make a bootable dvd from Windows: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-windows
How to make a bootable dvd from Mac Os X: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-mac-osx
4) Please remember that your data itself may be infected. As such, make sure you install any necessary anti-malware programs BEFORE you move your files.
5) Now that your valuable data is (hopefully) cleaned and secure on a separate, uninfected machine, you can 1) perform a happy dance and 2) start trying to fix your laptop. From what I understand, you are not seeing the power on self test when you are turning on your computer, in fact you're not seeing anything at all? I'm not familiar with the white screen virus, but a brief search has not shown me anything suggesting that it infects the BIOS, so perhaps these are two separate, if related, issues.
My number one recommendation for your laptop is to reset the CMOS. The way to do this effectively is to unplug the laptop, remove the battery, hold the power button to make sure any residual charge is drained, then open the laptop's case and remove the CMOS battery (Refer to disassembly instructions from Step 1).
After you replace the CMOS battery, try booting the laptop again. You should at least be able to access the BIOS. From there I recommend formatting the hard drive, reinstalling Windows, and transferring your files back.
I hope these steps work for you!
For future safety, I strongly recommend that you back up anything you're not willing to lose. Hard drives die, viruses happen, and if you do not have at least ONE back up of your files, as time goes on it becomes increasingly likely that you will lose EVERYTHING.
I personally don't have any files that are classified/proprietary/sensitive to being stolen, so I use cloud storage as backup.
1) Remove the computer's hard drive (HDD).
This is where all your information is stored and it can be accessed from a separate computer. Here is a link to a disassembly guide: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/complete-disassembly-instructions-hp-pavilion-dv7-laptop-guide-2/
You're in luck since your laptop is disassembled rather easily, but please be cognizant that the tiny laptop parts are sensitive and don't use too much force. The screws are not so small that you can't use normal small screw drivers, but you may need a set of precision screw drivers, sometimes called jewler's screw drivers.
2) Buy, borrow, or steal any device that will allow you to plug your hard drive in as a USB drive such as an enclosure or this transfer cable: http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-SATA-Drive-Adapter-Cable/dp/B00HJZJI84/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1453595732&sr=1-1&keywords=sata+to+usb
NOTE: DO NOT ATTACH THIS DISK TO AN UNPROTECTED WINDOWS MACHINE. You run the risk of infecting the other machine too...
If you MUST use a Windows machine for file recovery, be sure to install any of the anti-malware programs recommended on these site PRIOR to connecting your hard drive.
http://www.2-viruses.com/remove-white-screen-virus
https://malwaretips.com/blogs/remove-white-screen-virus/
3a) If you have a friend who uses Linux, awesome! Simply plugging your hard drive in will give you access to your files.
3b) If you do not have a Linux using friend, download a Linux operating system, burn the installation software to a DVD. The popular modern distributions will run from the DVD and will give you access to your files. Linux operating systems are not susceptible to Windows virsus, additionally, some distributions come with ClamScan AV which can scan your files for, and potentially remove, viruses.
Here's a link to Ubuntu Linux: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/thank-you?country=US&version=14.04.3&architecture=amd64
How to make a bootable dvd from Windows: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-windows
How to make a bootable dvd from Mac Os X: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-mac-osx
4) Please remember that your data itself may be infected. As such, make sure you install any necessary anti-malware programs BEFORE you move your files.
5) Now that your valuable data is (hopefully) cleaned and secure on a separate, uninfected machine, you can 1) perform a happy dance and 2) start trying to fix your laptop. From what I understand, you are not seeing the power on self test when you are turning on your computer, in fact you're not seeing anything at all? I'm not familiar with the white screen virus, but a brief search has not shown me anything suggesting that it infects the BIOS, so perhaps these are two separate, if related, issues.
My number one recommendation for your laptop is to reset the CMOS. The way to do this effectively is to unplug the laptop, remove the battery, hold the power button to make sure any residual charge is drained, then open the laptop's case and remove the CMOS battery (Refer to disassembly instructions from Step 1).
After you replace the CMOS battery, try booting the laptop again. You should at least be able to access the BIOS. From there I recommend formatting the hard drive, reinstalling Windows, and transferring your files back.
I hope these steps work for you!
For future safety, I strongly recommend that you back up anything you're not willing to lose. Hard drives die, viruses happen, and if you do not have at least ONE back up of your files, as time goes on it becomes increasingly likely that you will lose EVERYTHING.
I personally don't have any files that are classified/proprietary/sensitive to being stolen, so I use cloud storage as backup.
Thanks. Well, I saved it to the USB jump drive but my computer won't read it and I can't boot into BIOS to tell it to. If I could figure out a way to boot into the safe menu or BIOS menu I could manage. I've tried half a dozen solutions that people say to do but with the BIOS not opening to enable booting from cd/dvd drive or usb I can't run a rescue disc or USB.
Are there any keystrokes to use to bypass the white screen or to get to a command prompt? I never have anything but a black screen while tapping F8 and the white screen.I have tried esc, control alt del, enter, and a multitude of other random keystrokes and if anything other than beeping occurs then it shuts down. Thanks in advance for your time and effort in this matter.
Are there any keystrokes to use to bypass the white screen or to get to a command prompt? I never have anything but a black screen while tapping F8 and the white screen.I have tried esc, control alt del, enter, and a multitude of other random keystrokes and if anything other than beeping occurs then it shuts down. Thanks in advance for your time and effort in this matter.
Thank you all so much for all of the advise. I did all the steps as advised to remove both batteries then hold the power button for 30+ seconds, replaced batteries, and tried rebooting with and without the hard drive in it and go the same result with each attempt. The computer will stay with a blank black screen while you press F10 to go into BIOS (does the same when trying F8 to boot into safe mode- also tried hitting esc once then twice before hitting the F10 and f8 key repeatedly; I did each method separately and including all steps from beginning). The computer has not booted into neither bios nor safe mode; but if it seems to try to process anything (never any words, commands, or anything but blank black screen) it will go to white screen briefly and shut down.
I have several external and an internal hard drive that I can disassemble and see if I can use their housing to connect to desktop to scan hard drive and recover data. If nothing else works I will order a cable or proper housing to do it.
I have a windows 7 rescue disc, kaspersky rescue disc, and hitmanpro.kickstart on usb but I still haven't gotten in to the BIOS to change the setting so the cd/dvd drive lights up for a bit but then stops, the usb will be lit but not flashing like it's working. I tried a variety of "tricks" from start up with black screen, then during white screen opening the cd/dvd drive to see if it would initiate an automated execution. Something must try to do something because the computer will shut down when I press ctrl, alt,del a few times and go from white screen to black, opened cd drive and closed with rescue disc inside (tried both kasp. and Windows 7) and the computer will start to process and shut down.
Maybe I need to start fresh in the am and try each step again.
Thank you all so much for all of your advice, especially Red_Viper_Martell -my hat is off to you for going above and beyond with all of your detailed instructions. I really appreciate it. As a nurse I always try to go the extra mile but I guess it's a shock when someone does it for me.
I haven't had the best of luck with computers but I eventually find the right instructions and fix my computers and appliances etc. I have had 2 external hard drives that I backed up my business files, school, medical research, photos, etc. and one died and the other won't be recognized any longer by the computer. I still have them both and have tried many fixes for them but haven't hit on the right ones yet, but I will.
I will post my progress tomorrow morning. Good night
I have several external and an internal hard drive that I can disassemble and see if I can use their housing to connect to desktop to scan hard drive and recover data. If nothing else works I will order a cable or proper housing to do it.
I have a windows 7 rescue disc, kaspersky rescue disc, and hitmanpro.kickstart on usb but I still haven't gotten in to the BIOS to change the setting so the cd/dvd drive lights up for a bit but then stops, the usb will be lit but not flashing like it's working. I tried a variety of "tricks" from start up with black screen, then during white screen opening the cd/dvd drive to see if it would initiate an automated execution. Something must try to do something because the computer will shut down when I press ctrl, alt,del a few times and go from white screen to black, opened cd drive and closed with rescue disc inside (tried both kasp. and Windows 7) and the computer will start to process and shut down.
Maybe I need to start fresh in the am and try each step again.
Thank you all so much for all of your advice, especially Red_Viper_Martell -my hat is off to you for going above and beyond with all of your detailed instructions. I really appreciate it. As a nurse I always try to go the extra mile but I guess it's a shock when someone does it for me.
I haven't had the best of luck with computers but I eventually find the right instructions and fix my computers and appliances etc. I have had 2 external hard drives that I backed up my business files, school, medical research, photos, etc. and one died and the other won't be recognized any longer by the computer. I still have them both and have tried many fixes for them but haven't hit on the right ones yet, but I will.
I will post my progress tomorrow morning. Good night
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