Anti-virus software?

[CheeZmonZter]

Lets give an update here. The drive in question cold boots to the win 98 safe mood start up screen (thou its never had 98 on it) When i tell the comp to start WIN in safe mode it tells me that these files are missing or corrupted HIMEM.SYS DBLBUFF.SYS IFSHLP.SYS and then asks where the command line interpreter is located. If I boot the comp with the McAfee emerg boot disk i am able to get it to scan the drive but on the 2nd scann pass it always hangs up on a file (dumb me didnt write the name down) could that file be the Virus? Using the Win 98 boot disk it loads and i am able to see, in dos, the files that are still on the drive, but i am unable to get the WINXP disk to run at all. Runing fdisk tells me that the drive is formatted with FAT32. If I run fdisk /mbr will that destroy the data on the HDD? If I remove the DOS partitions and reinstall them is that going to affect the data on the drive in anyway? I am trying to save as much of the data on there as possible. This has been my 1st major nightmare with a comp and i am still learning how to really use DOS( getting a crash course right now). FYI the HDD in question is the WD se 120 gig drive. I know this is a hard situation and i truely appreciate the help that is being given!!!

[Darthtanion]

- fdisk /mbr will not destroy data on the hard drive

- fdisk used to remove a partition will destroy ALL DATA on the partition being removed.

If you still want the data and are sure that the infection is in the boot sector, then just attach the drive as a slave to retrieve the data and then scrap it and start it fresh. You will, of course, want to run a very thorough scan of all files transferred from the 120GB drive to double check that they are indeed clean. And make sure that you don't execute any files from the corrupted drive until they have been tested as clean.

[G Smith]

Here's a blushing one.

[CheeZmonZter]

I tried to set the drive as a slave and remove the files that i wanted from the drive that way but WinXP doesnt see the drive as having been formatted. It see's the drive as a raw drive and wont let me access the drive in anyway other than to format it(though the drive displays as a 111gig drive). The only way i have been able to look at the files on the WD drive is booting with a safe disk. Any tricks on how to get the comp to read the drive in its correct format FAT32? I don't know if this really is a virus or if the drive has failed in some way. But i do know how to answer the problem once and for all:hammer: but i would like to kinda keep the drive!

[Aspirinix]

Try getting a second HDD from a friend. Setup Win and then attach the second HDD (the one that gives you problems). On Win install Ontrack FixIt utilities or Norton Utilities. With fiel retrieval tools try restoring data. If system recognizes your hdd without problems you wont need them.
If Neither Norton UT nor Ontrack FixIt cant help it's big chance your hdd is for no use. After trying all you know maybe it's time for a repair-guy to look at it. And the last, if there are no data worth trying for, think on a lowlevel formating the drive.

[Wiggo]

Hey CheeZmonZter go to WD's website and d/l their diagnostic tools then check the drive out as these may prove to be the best idea to find out if something's wrong w/ the drive itself. I had a WD BB800 go on me about 7 months ago, 5 weeks after the customer got it off me, and the drive was just a dud which was promptly replaced by the dealer. ;)

[CheeZmonZter]

Thanks I already tried that and the drive seems to be functioning properly. I have backed up all of the files that I needed through DOS (royal pain in the A$$) I am going to be fragging the drive to night and starting out fresh again. Thanks to everybodies help on this!

[CheeZmonZter]

Well the Virus problem has been taken care of! drive is back up and running with a few hundred hours of hair pulling and curses! I really hate DOS but things are working and now i just have to download all of my junk. Let this be a lesson to anyone out there without a antivirus program or those that dont back things up. this has been a royal pain in the neck!!! Again thank you to all those that helped with tips and information!!:thumb:

[Wiggo]

That's good to hear. :thumb:

Does this mean that those SETI w/u's will be rollin' again? :)

[Mr. C]

DOS may seem a bit harsh CheeZmonZter, but there is no denying it's power:thumb:

Glad to see you got this issue behind you, you've done well Padewan

[CheeZmonZter]

Again thank you! I know the power of dos but it is exactally what Bill named it Dirty Operating System. I have the system back up and going and am waiting to overclock againit to test its stability first, so the work units are taking about 6-7 hours instead of the 4-5 they were..but i have gotten quite a few out since joining...i think i started with 12w/u's 2 months ago and am up to 56 or so! I started in 8th place and now am way down the list! darn. New Ram and Cpu are going to be on their way shortly and pump up the speed!!!!!!!! Talk to you all soon...