virus removal?

[olcoach10]

Hi, I usually use a mac but I do a lot of my photo processing on my Dell PC.On this computer I have been attacked by a virus that won't let me in. As soon as my opening box appears asking for my password it is filled up with x's and I can't enter my P/W. Do I have to take this thing done to the computer store and give them $100.00 or is there another way, hopefully cheaper. Any help would be much appreciated. Mike

[Preeb]

I can't help you with your predicament, but is there a reason why you password your computer? I've never passworded a home computer, so what you're experiencing can never happen to me. I have a good AV and I use the Windows firewall, and in a lot of years of internet surfing, I've never picked up a virus. I've even had those automatic emailer viruses sent to me from friends which never made it through my security.

[m332720]

You could try booting into safe mode.Not sure if it will bypass your password or not but it cant hurt to try

[Dave R.]

Originally Posted by olcoach10

Hi, I usually use a mac but I do a lot of my photo processing on my Dell PC.On this computer I have been attacked by a virus that won't let me in. As soon as my opening box appears asking for my password it is filled up with x's and I can't enter my P/W. Do I have to take this thing done to the computer store and give them $100.00 or is there another way, hopefully cheaper. Any help would be much appreciated. Mike

You don't mention using any malware, spyware or virus protection software so I'll assume you don't have any. If you have access to a mac do a search for software to clean up viruses and protect from future attacks. It will likely cost you something but you should have that software regardless. An unprotected PC is going to be attached at some point in time if used on the web and for email so you may as well try to protect it. Good luck. BTW, if it was me I would take it to a reputable computer store and have them determine exactly what is going on and ask them to install the best protection software once they clean it up. This is one of those pay me now or pay me later things and for you it appears this may be one of those pay me later scenarios.

[_Provo_]

you could download, build and burn
UBCD for Windows

Start your pc and boot from this disk it has antivirus tools etc...
plus you can transfer the files you need to a usb thumb drive or usb hard drive.

good luck

[SpeedGraphicMan]

You can remove the little CR2032 Battery from inside the PC. (It's on the mainboard).

This will remove any login passwords and allow you to get back inside your OS.

[olcoach10]

Hi, Thank you all for your help. I rebooted and this time it worked. I have Kaspersky internet security but apparently it doesn't do what it says. Thanks again. Mike

[SpeedGraphicMan]

I use this... Its free and it works decently enough...

Free Internet Security, Download Internet Security Software Suite - Comodo

[Stiga]

Originally Posted by olcoach10

Hi, Thank you all for your help. I rebooted and this time it worked. I have Kaspersky internet security but apparently it doesn't do what it says. Thanks again. Mike

I have been following this thread with interest. Glad you finally managed to reboot.

If you aim to still have a Windows password, make sure you create a reset on a USB flash drive
Create a password reset disk

Kapersky gets high ratings in almost all the reviews! You cannot add another anti-virus ap but if I were
you I would have anti-malware ap as well. I have found Malwarebytes to be excellent.

Good luck.

Martin

[Mr Mikey]

Free is always a good thing, but sometimes you have to invest in something that is better.
I have had my best luck with Norton, I have used it since the early 90's. In times of no money i did try the others, AVG, Sophos, Kasperski, Macafee and many more but ended up going back to Norton. I now use norton to scan infected hard drives like yours to help remove uninvited software, I recently worked on a laptop that was taken to a "big box store" and they charged him 100 bucks to work on it unsuccessfully and told him the only way to get the bugs out was to format it which means he would have lost everything. I removed the drive, placed it in an external case, scanned it from my PC a few times, reinstalled it, debugged the registry, installed Norton antivirus on it and sent it home, working with no loss of his files.
We try and buy the best equipment for photography, the best editing software, but we go for free software to protect our images, there is a reason it is free. Ok enough preaching, I hope you were able to get out the uninvited software and make your system stable.