pc black screen...wont reboot?

[what..the?]

ok so my friend's work pc went down yesterday after going on a questionable site I was told. He said some kind of 'worm' warning came up and then the computer crashed. He tried to manually turn off by depressing the on/off button with no luck so then he unplugged the whole system at the mains. Now the whole pc doesnt start up at all just a black screen. i have not tried to turn it on myself yet as the guy has left it doing a systems diagonistic scan which is taking ages and is at 59% ok so far.

Please if any one can offer any help, he can get working again, the business depends on that pc running really.

Thanks in advance for any help

[squarebear]

download the free version of malwarebytes from:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
The try to boot into safe mode and run the "full system scan". This should pick up and clear any nasties.

I would have to query why he was visiting questionable sites on a mission critical PC but I guess that's for another thread.

[ChuckFickens]

"I would have to query why he was visiting questionable sites on a mission critical PC but I guess that's for another thread."

I find the loss of a day or twos work/business normally persuades people it's not such a good idea.

Anyhow, I agree with SB for your first course of action..

[what..the?]

sorry for the stupid question but how do i download this on a pc that wont start at all, do you mean download it to disk in my pc and put the disk in his pc after?

[squarebear]

Yes I would download it on your PC, put it on a memory stick and then when this diagnostic has completed, see if you can get into safe mode on the problem PC.

You could try a system restore to get it back to a time before the incident but I would definitely advise running the Malwarebytes program.

[ChuckFickens]

Yes, download it on another computer and put it on a memory stick or CD, try and start the computer in safe mode "with networking) and then install malwarebytes, run it, let it update and run a scan.

If it really won't boot you could try a bootable rescue CD to scan it, but a total failure to boot is probably a lot more serious than malware and it may have destroyed the master boot record. how to rewrite the MBR varies depending on version of windows (which you've no mentioned)

Rescue CD
http://support.kasper...om/viruses/rescuedisk

[what..the?]

thank you so much guys, if you have time please may I ask what 'safe mode' is and how you access that please. Thank you so much

It is windows xp

[squarebear]

As a PC boots, if you press F8, you can go to what is called "safe mode". This loads a basic version of windows which will allow you to correct any minor problems.

[ChuckFickens]

I would have to question why he has you looking at a mission critical, production environmental machine if you don't know how to get into safe mode!

http://tinyurl.com/ddap4r

[Old_Geezer]

You need to press one of the F keys during start up before Windows starts coming in. F5 I think, but try them in turn until you get a menu asking what sort of start you want.

[Old_Geezer]

That'll learn me to add to a busy thread :-)

[what..the?]

thanks alot...you any closer to finding a good strimmer for the garden yet old-geezer?

I have just bought some manual tools instead for mine and have plans to borrow a family members petrol for first cut of the 'jungle' and then try and maintain with a cheaper strimmer as it's only for a year. Looked at some of the ones recommended and they came in at £300+

[Old_Geezer]

Hi. Not really, but I'm not considering it a priority, although maybe I should looking at the brambles I need to sort.
.
I was also discouraged by the idea that I'd need to turn up in person to somewhere to learn about using a brush cutter, at least for the major recommened brands. I was hoping to either order one off the Net, or at the least just go to a shop and pick one up.

[what..the?]

you have to turn up somewhere and be taught how to use it like a school kid ehhh weird ...no not keen on that either.

[what..the?]

still struggling, have opened the page which gives me the option for safe mode by pressing f8 then get options and press enter to get into safe mode and then the next page confirms safe mode if being entered but asks which os I want to launch safe mode in ...only option on list is xp when I press enter ...black screen.

Am i doing something wrong to get into safe mode or is it completely trashed and I have to try something else?

[what..the?]

it now starts to load safe mode it lists the basic programs its loading but then freezes on one which I have read on the net means thats possibly the 'problem area'.

it listed as: multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\windows\s
ystem32\drivers\dvrbs.sys


I have searched online for info on this driver but found nothing?

[Old_Geezer]

Does stop permanently does it. I've found sometimes the screen will pause, then eventually carry on.