Help me...PLEASE..I'm CLUELESS

Question

Hi everyone...   I know that I'm new to this forum...but I could REALLY use some help   I've had my computer (dimension 4700) for about 4-5 months now.  I bought the Mcafee Virus protection and I thought that I was ok...but tonight I shut down my computer and when I tried to reboot it would just get hung up on the loading screen.  I called the Dell support and after an extensive wait and conversation....The guy transferred me to the call center.  They said that they thought that I had a virus...one of the 'hidden type' that Mcafee doesn't pick up.  They said that they can help me...but it will cost $100.  I'm really upset...to the verge of crying.   I don't have $100...but I need my computer desperately.    Can someone tell me where to look...or what to do to fix this?   One of the things that they had me do at the first support center was to check the hard drive and that is fine. They also had me check the back...and there are 3 green lights (A,B,C) and the letter D is yellow.  I went back to the default settings and I just don't know what to do.  Now when I turn it on...it asks me if I want to boot it like normal....or go back to the settings....or run it in safe mode.   If I run it in safe mode....a bunch of 0's and symbols come up....if I run the other two....It just keeps loading and loading and will never go to the desktop....I'm at a loss.   I'm angry and upset that Dell will charge all of this money for a warranty and virus protection and than ask for $100 for me to be walked thru on the phone how to fix my computer.     Like I said,  I would be so grateful if someone could give me some advice as to what to do.  This whole thing sickens me.   Thank you in advance   -Jessica

bogitech · Answer

That would be hard since you dont have any clue what virus is present on your computer.   The best thing to do is boot to 'safemode with networking' then run your local antivirus program or run with the more efficient online virus scanner and delete all it founds. Message Edited by bogitech on 01-11-2006 08:03 PM

NemesisDB · Answer

Let's do out best to rule out a hardware problem first. You ran some checks on the HD, that's good. You've looked at the error code LEDs (that's also good). The color is typically green -- post in the dimension general hardware forum and ask if anyone can tell you what the yellow one means.

Anyway, when you first turn the computer on and see the Dell screen, press F12. Select diagnostics (sometimes called the utility partition). The dell tech may have taken you here before. Run the full set of tests (you don't have to do the full multiple hour test of the HD if it was fine before although you may have to select custom tests to avoid it). If anything fails, it's probably your problem.

If you can't even get it to run in safe mode, it's time to look at options of last resort. You can post in the software XP forum for more details, but you'll likely want to attempt a repair installation of XP (which should save your data files although your problems *might* need reinstalling).

Do you remember doing anything right before this occured that could have caused the problem?

byker49 · Answer

If I run it in safe mode....a bunch of 0's and symbols come up....if I run the other two....It just keeps loading and loading and will never go to the desktop....I'm at a loss.

So are you able to boot into safe mode? You should see a bunch of zero's and letters etc. Keep waiting and your computer will boot to the safe mode screen. It looks different than a normal windows screen. It says Safe Mode in all Four corners. Your screen will look a little fuzzy.

Once in safe mode run the antivirus and any scumware,malware programs you have.

Once you have cleaned your machine see if it starts normally.

NemesisDB · Answer

hmm ...  seeing a text list of drivers and such loading before safe mode is normal...  not so sure about the 0s and symbols...

budgrldei8 · Answer

there should be a list of thelight meanings in the troubleshooting part of your manual.. atleast there is in mine..

Pelsia · Answer

1st thing you need to determine is there any data that you need from the disk currently in your computer, or did you back it up/save it to cds/dvds? If so, then just put in the restore disk and wipe the computer and start over clean. Its a royal pain to have to go through re-installing everything, but it will get rid of any OS problems you have. If you're paranoid about a virus being on the disk's boot sector you can use a program called boot and nuke to do a real format of your disk.

If there is data that you need, I would try to borrow a spare drive from a friend. Everyone knows at least someone as "that computer guy" and chances are he'll have a pile a hard drives lying around you could borrow. Use this to (temporarily) install windows onto, then be sure to install a new virus scanner (just use a shareware version of AVK or such), spybot and Ad-aware to scan your old drive. Because of the way the drive is mounted you'll be able to remove all viruses and spyware provided what you use is capable of removing them.

Afterwards you may be able to just put your old drive in and have everything back to normal. If it still gives you problems then copy the data onto the temporary OS disk that you made, then re-install windows onto your disk; and finally copy your data back onto your disk.

Jessica1118 · Answer

Thank you so much everyone for your replies!!

I've just decided that I'm going to have to move forward and do a system restore....However, here is the problem.

When I stick the Restore CD in and have the computer load up using the CD drive....it will run and than freeze right before doing anything. Am I missing something? How do I do a system restore if logging on using the CD doesn't seem to work? I don't care about any of the data on the computer...I just want my computer back!

Gosh I'm frustrated. I thank all of you experts for your help!

-Jessica

Virus & Spyware

Help me...PLEASE..I'm CLUELESS

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