I seem to have acquired a virus on my laptop. The spacebar suddenly stopped working and numerous keys don't appear to be working. Also when starting even in safe mode the Windows 7 password is already filled in. I did have Microsoft Security Essentials loaded and this is not picking it up. Tried to load Avast but it won't allow me to run that now.
Was hoping to download some sort of virus removing software on to a usb stick from a different computer and try and tackle it with that. Any recommendations on free software that may help?
Assuming it is some virus/trojan/malware I'd just reinstall the operating system. Apart from a few limited cases, once infected, I wouldn't have confidence that any removal software had really got rid of it.
Is there an easy way to reinstall the operating system? I haven't a clue how to do that to be honest. The operating system was already installed. I did do a backup onto an external hard drive a while ago if thats helps, but did not receive the Windows 7 disks with the laptop and have no recover disks. I believe there is a recovery partition but not sure if that will do the job, and if so, will I lose all documents.
you sure it's not just the keyboard that's knackered - if keys were 'permanently' preswsed it woudl explain the password beign pre-filled.
try plugging an external keyboard in and see if that helps.
most viruses don't do what you're experiencing.
try hitting F1 at boot up and seeing if the keyboard works whilst you're in the bios setup - if it doesn't then it's not a virus.
get a mac?
Sorry 😳
Malwarebytes is a good one - do a scan with your pc offline - then put it on line update definitions and do a second one - after that run adaware from lavasoft usa. again 1 scan offline and then 1 scan online after doing the updates.
Give yourself a good few hours 😉 then realise you should have bought a mac - maybe twice the price but half the effort.
Reinstalling the whole operating system is a last resort, but often recommended by those not competent enough to clean the computer.
You problem sounds like a keyboard problem to me.
But a good basic way to try to cleanse windows:
1)Boot into safe mode, do a system restore to a symptom free point.
2)Run a virus scan - if you find something well and good, if not see 3
3)Boot into safe mode with networking, uninstall current antivirus, install new free internet sourced antivirus. You can try AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, Avast etc. Run a virus scan - if you find something well and goof, if not repeat 3.
Lots easier than backing up data, reinstalling OS, finding drivers, reinstalling personal programs, downloading updates backlog and so on.
If you're really up against it boot from a USB with linux and clamav or similar, mount and scan windows partition. But then if you could do that you definitely wouldn't suggest reinstallation as the first option.
Have been trying to fix it tonight. When I start it up it automatically starts on Windows Boot Manager, and then I select Windows 7. Then when the windows password comes up, its already full of characters. Once I have then cleared that and put in the usual password, the computers appears to work ok, and all the keys appear to work. Have run anti virus but nothing picked up. Why is it starting on the windows boot manager. Anything else i can check?
You need these [url= http://www.techsupportforum.com/security-center/virus-trojan-spyware-help/ ]bad boys[/url] ... they might take a couple of days to respond but once they do they'll get you sorted.
you don't need a mac they are silly price
ubuntu, get the .iso file off the website and burn the cd with it. you can boot from the cd to try it before installing and even when you install it will put a dual boot in and partition the drive for you
I'm just waiting for the full release of v10 (because v9 didn't work on this laptop so just waiting for the proper release to be sure) and I will be happy to relegate windows to a necessary evil to be used only when I have no option, which is very seldomly.
Press F8 before the windows 7 splash screen to get to safe mode as per my post above.........
[url= http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html ]http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum22.html[/url]
bleepingcomputer - great help forum.
+1 for Ubuntu. Windows is a virus 😀
What wwaswas says. Sounds like a duff keyboard and it powers up into boot mode because whichever F key you need to press is stuck. Try running your have hard over the keyboard a few times to before powering up to see if that clears it. If it does then get a replacement keyboard.
(I had exactly this problem last year BUT it may of course be a virus as well, it's just less likely)
+2 for ubuntu
