Urgent, need help with virus. (edit: thanks to you, it's over)

kyutip

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2000
1,729
0
0
I know that this topic belong in Technical support, but I really need help fast.

Here's what happened.
My friend's computer (gateway) has a cable modem connection and her computer is always on.
This morning when she woke up, she notice that someone send her like AIM saying "Thanks for sharing your file" from that time on, her computer screwed up bad, real bad!

The screen is scrambling (not snowy like, but more like defragmenting screen) that you can not see the words. When she tried to boot it up, the BIOS screen looks like infected with the virus. Basically, the entire system is corrupted.

Is this a virus or someone hacked into her computer?
I am guessing it's because someone hacked into her computer.
I need a second opinion on this

Is there any other solution other than reinstalling windows (if it can be done) or reformat everything?

Is it possible that the BIOS get infected? Should I re-flash the BIOS?

Thank you folks, and sorry for posting it here.
 

piku

Diamond Member
May 30, 2000
4,049
1
0
Does she run napster? (hence why the person said thanks for the file)

Did you try another monitor? (which would be causing snowyness)
 

BuckMaster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
3,260
0
0
Im not sure what happened, but if you can still boot from the floppy I wound Flash the bios for sure. Did the computer have any type of Antivirus program running or detect anything? Will the computer bootup into windows? Try booting in safe mode. I also like snows idea. It might be the video card. Try resetting all youre cards and ram maybe.
 

piku

Diamond Member
May 30, 2000
4,049
1
0
I really don't think its a virus, because the only viruses that screw up your display are the ones in movies. Expecially in the bios - where the hell would the virus get the code to play with your graphics in your bios? It would have to load something off the hard drive, which your computer probably didn't even detect yet if its in the bios.
 

kyutip

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2000
1,729
0
0
yes, she runs napster.
but how is it screw up by running napster ? she downloaded something she shouldn't have ??
it can't be anything executable right ??
I haven't check the video card but she said she did try to run in in the save mode and still like that.
She has antivirus, but it's something she downloaded from the net, not norton or mcafee though and it's kinda pointless since even though you can boot up to windows, you can't see what you are doing anyway, can't see what's the icon or else.
it's not snowy really, kinda scrambling shifting stuff, I really can't describe, it's like nothing I've ever seen before.
I'm going there in an hour or so.
I guess my order of action would be

1. Swap in new video card.
2. try my new OS HD, with Norton Antivirus and check it from there.
3. reformat the whole thing.

any more suggestion ??

ps: what's the explanation of the AIM messages though ??
 

kyutip

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2000
1,729
0
0
Oh, I see, I understand bout the AIM messages now.
That makes sense.
so I guess that's harmless things.
monitor is fine because when the machine shut down the monitor can display things like no signal or out of signal (things that in my opinion doesn't need a vidcard)
 

snow patrol

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2000
8,377
0
76
Definitely try a new video card / monitor / VGA cable before doing anything drastic.

It sounds like it's a video issue.
 

toph99

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2000
5,505
0
0
the first thing that came to mind was that someone installed something like Back Orifice on her computer and is screwing with the video settings, corrupting files etc.

i'd flash the BIOS(if you're comfortable doing that) and then start up in safe mode and see if that takes care of everything
 

kyutip

Golden Member
Jul 24, 2000
1,729
0
0
The crisis is over.
You guys are right, the problem is with the video card.
At first I didn't think it would be the video card
because the card was bought a little over a year.
But boy, don't I feel like an idiot :eek:, once I installed
my video card on her computer and voila, it worked!

Thanks again, I can always depend on Anandtech member for this.
I greatly appreciate it. :)