WTF is wrong with my computer?

[BD2003]

Now its starting to anger me. I figured I had a virus because things just kept getting modified, and even nero itself said outright I probably had a virus. I installed norton and it found nothing of the sort.

So I figured I'd reformat, and then my problems would be solved. I havent transferred a single file back that I backed up, so if it was a virus, how can it possibly survive the reformat? I installed norton and again, it crashes while scanning. I tried scandisk, and it found nothing. I cant even use my flat panel, I have to download drivers first. I go to DL them from nvidia, and when I try to unpack them, theyre corrupted, and that can't be a coincidence.

WTF? Is it a really mean virus? Is it my HD? Or do I have a bios setting screwed up somewhere?

Gigabyte 7VTX
Athlon 1333
512mb DDR
Leadtek Gf3
Audigy
Promise Ultra 100 IDE Controller
3com NIC
16x DVD
16x CDRW
and an IBM 40gb 60GXP

WTF?

 

[nirgis]

a couple of ideas:

virii can be placed in bios
how is the heat level on your computer?

finding these type of errors need analyzation of each step:

1) reformated
2) windows
3) started installing other apps
4) errors appear

basically, when did the first sign of error appear, and what action can be directly linked to the error

 

[CraigRT]

I dunno man.. I have a similar problem with a PC RIGHT NOW (as in, today the problem cropped up)

the PC is NOT working right is all I can say.. it was established that I should reformat and re-install windows and EVERYTHING. now i can't even install windows without getting an error (not the same each time!) the computer was doing retarded crap like this before too.. by ME it's actually unexplainable thus far!
i've swapped out motherboards, and the memory in the PC to no avail.. I cant believe it! i am just as stumped as you are! the symptoms sound somewhat similar (when the OS was installed) - the driver issue you are having sounds just like something that would have happened on this PC i am referring to... WEIRD.

 

[BD2003]

I'm sure its not heat, because I've got 7 damn fans in it. If its a BIOS bug, how do I get rid of it? I DO have a dual bios on my MB.

Also, if it was heat, why would my files be corrupted?

 

[BD2003]

I didnt have any errors installing or starting up. But once XP was installed, before I knew it, I had the BSOD. This was before I installed any drivers, programs, ANYTHING.

It seems as if the more I use the CPU or video card, the more likely it is to crash. Playing a game of CS wouldnt last 5 mins, but I could leave it on overnight just fine, and not worry about it.

I highly doubt its heat, its like 60 degrees in my room, and I have 2 PS fans, 2 case fans, a video, a cpu, and a chipset fan.

Should I try resetting my BIOS?

 

[sandorski]

If your computer gets a virus, then you choose to install Norton AV, it is likely that Norton won't find the virus. Read the Norton AV installation readme, it gives specific directions on how to scan for a virus in such a case.

 

[fow99]

<< If your computer gets a virus, then you choose to install Norton AV, it is likely that Norton won't find the virus. Read the Norton AV installation readme, it gives specific directions on how to scan for a virus in such a case. >>



How I miss those days when dos is king you can only get a clean boot floppy with antivrus software, fdisk, format,....... on it and fix the damn thing.

 

[miken]

Actually, it does sound like a bad HD, run some diags on it.

 

[NICKCARTER]

For some year´s ago, I got a similar problem with a rig (my first) P166......
If I did a new install of Q2 it worked all fine to play lan, but after a day or so
Q2 get me a message about corrupted files(maps).
It turnd to be the Motherboard(Pc-partner :| ), every else was fine and still
work as my printerserver

 

[GregMal]

Can't a virus infect the MBR??? So if you just reformat and reinstall the
virus could still be there. But how would one disinfect the MBR?
Greg

 

[Aureius]

fdisk /mbr can wipe out the master boot record!

Flashing the Bios with one from the Manufacturer should wipe out any virus assuming you clean the virus off the disk first!

Also try swapping out IDE cables. I figured Windows 98 wnet FUBAR. So I tried to install 2000 and kept getting errors. This meant a hardware issue, I tested all hardware in known good chasis to no avail, feeling I was overlooking something easy. My buddy mentioned the Ultra DMA 66 cable. For about 5 dollars, I solved my three day ordeal!

-Andy

 

[thomsbrain]

low level format?

 

[Beau]

<< Can't a virus infect the MBR??? So if you just reformat and reinstall the virus could still be there. But how would one disinfect the MBR? Greg >>



Fdisk /mbr doesn't work on MBR resident virii, nor does re-formatting (even low-level). A classic virus that did this is Stoned_Empire_Monkey.B. It writes itself into the disk where the MBR is supposed to be, then offsets the MBR by x bytes. Everytime the disk, or any disk inserted into the computer, is accessed, it re-writes itself after offsetting again and the re-writes the mbr. If you fdisk /mbr it, it simply causes the virus to re-write the MBR, offsetting it again.

You need to obtain an updated, clean emergency disk from norton or a friend. Don't use any disks in that 'puter that have even touched it before.. they could be infected (except CD's me thinks). Run the utilities on the disk.

 

[Beau]

BTW... it sounds like a HDD problem.. especially being IBM.

Even if it doesn't find a problem with the disk, it could be a mechanical (spindle, etc.) problem.

Edit:
D/L this to check your drives fitness

 

[Doomguy]

Nero said you might have a virus, eh? Did you run a crack on Nero?

 

[SuperT]

i second (or third!) that its a bad hdd. I've seen too many of the same problems your having for it to be coincidental. I had tried the low level format (which took all day) and the problem persisted until i replaced the drive, never had any probs. after that.