help please, virus killed my drive

[10_Beers]

Help please. virus problem? I had the malware Worm_sambud.A virus, that was scanned and supposedly cleaned from my system. Two days later my computer failed to boot, citing a boot disk problem. I did get it booted a couple of times, and saved a few items, but the computer would stop and give the blue screen and the invalid boot disk message. Then it would not boot at all. I thought a new clean install of my windows 2000 pro, would eliminate my problems and perhaps improve performance, as it has been running for the last couple of years. (Not continuously) I went with the fix disk, and format c: /S stuff, then set computer to 1st boot, c-d-rom. The installation process starts, the necessary files are loaded, then it says starting windows 2000, and just hangs at that point. Then I thought I would load win98. That gets to loading the necessary files and ready to boot, then jumps to the c: prompt. A directory of C:\ shows only the 9 essential files. Then I tried my win95 disk. Same problem. All the disks are the full program disks, and not the update. I removed all items except the floppy, cd rom, and video card but still no install. Each attempt, I went through fix disk, deleted the logical drive, made a new drive, made it active, restarted the computer, formatted c: /S but none of the disks will load. I removed my 2 gig WD drive, that has win2000 loaded on it, from another computer in installed it the main pc, then upon booting, I get the c: Prompt and a message to name “where the command.com located”? NO BOOT. After the first couple of failures, I cleared the cmos info and reset it. the pc does boot to where I can press delete and get in to the bios settings, but no operating system.
My system is:

KG-7 Raid MB with the 9M Bios update, 6 months ago.
Athlon T-B 1.4 cpu. Not over clocked, running at 1400 at temp around 38
512 megs crucial mem
WD 40 gig HDD 7200 rpm
Cendyne 48x cd-rw rom
enermax 450 PS
ATI Radon 32 LE video card
Sound Blaster live 5.1 sound card
SyQuest Syjet 1.5 removable drive. Come to think about it, that quit responding a week ago. The drive unit is lit and running, but the disk would not respond, so I disconnected it. Hummmm? Any help, would be greatly appreciated, as I have about 16 hours into the loading and reloading, and now I am ready to go load the Remington 870 and put this SOB out of it misery.. Or Mine… Thank you all, Jack

 

[4Ryan6]

Do you have the WD diagnostics disk, you need to factory restore the drive by doing a write disk pack or low level format, along with a complete diagnostics of the drive, to see if it has unrepairable damage. If you don't have the WD diagnostic disk you can download a diagnostics disk creator, to another machine from <A HREF="http://www.bootdisk.com" target="_new">http://www.bootdisk.com</A>.




<b><font color=purple>Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.</font color=purple></b>

 

[10_Beers]

Thanks, I did download the disk, and it says their are no errors. I keep trying to load my win2000, and now when it gets to the point of starting windows, it says "this machine is not ACPI compliant. needs bios update". I did flash the new bios update from ABIT, but still get the same message. Thanks for trying.....Jack

 

[Javic]

You ran the test for errors, but did you perform a low level format? That is really the only way to really get rid of all the data on the drive. If you haven't tried it, give that a shot.

 

[4Ryan6]

Yes, I agree 10_beers, Did you run the Low Level Format?

<b><font color=purple>Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.</font color=purple></b>

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Did I hear low level format? Where's a two-ton industrial magnet when you need one?

<font color=blue><pre>If you don't give me accurate and complete system specs
then I can't give you an accurate and complete answer.</pre><p></font color=blue>

 

[10_Beers]

Thanks guys, no I have not tried the low level format. I did another flash bios, and got the system up and running, but by the time I reinstalled half of my other files, the system made a click and up poped the blue screen, and same old message. "this system is non apci compliant. update your bios." Can a virus linger in a drive that has been reformatted? I do not have a up to date virus program, and could I get and run one in dos mode? Will a low level format remove any virus? so many questions, so little knowledge......Thanks again for any help. Will try the low level format when I get time, this week end Jack

 

[4Ryan6]

A low level format will completely wipe the hardrive of all lingering information, it usually writes 0s to the entire drive, and clears the cache after its LLFormated, you will need to start the installation of the OP/SYS from scratch after you format the hardrive. The drive will be just as it was shipped from the factory. If you've gotten a virus that can affect the firmware of the drive, you'll end up with a dead stick no matter what you do. But if its recoverable the longer you wait to do the LLF, the longer you'll have to deal with this issue.

<b><font color=purple>Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.</font color=purple></b>

 

[Teq]

Ok... boot into a win98 DOS floppy with FDISK in it. (You can get one at <A HREF="http://www.bootdisk.com" target="_new">http://www.bootdisk.com</A> if you haven't already.)

From the A: Prompt... type in <b>FDISK /MBR</b> and hit enter.

This will do what most "formatters" won't do... it will re-write your master boot record. The MBR is a favorite hiding space for some really nasty viruses.



--->It ain't better if it don't work<---

 

[4Ryan6]

Hey 10_beers did you get your call sign from The Outlaw Josey Wales?

<b><font color=purple>Details, Details, Its all in the Details, If you need help, Don't leave out the Details.</font color=purple></b>

 

[10_Beers]

No, it came from a fishing trip (long story), I think now though, I am going to have to chaqnge it to 9 beers, because after the tenth, my brain dissolves. I did the LL Format, and the fdisk /MBR and all the other stuff, and again get the same message. Now the tenth beer comes in..I just realised, after the last time I got up and running I reinstalled my syquest removable drive, and about 1/2 hour later the system crashed!!!! Duh.. when I scanned and origanly found the virus, it says it was cleaned. I never did scan D:\ I know I am not the brightest bulb, but the virus can go from drive to drive can't it???? Any way, today I am going to cut back to "9" beers and start this whole FU@#$#@!@#$ process over. Thanks again, for hanging in their with me.. Jack