Solved safe mode

[Joysie]

Hi
I have an antivirus infection on my other PC (Vista Home Premium). I have downloaded a program (malwarebytes) that can hopefully sort it out for me. This program states that I must start the pc in safe mode then select safe mode with networking. Unfortunately when I start my pc and press F8 for safe mode, I just get a blue screen with only two options (can't tell you exactly what they are without disconnecting this pc), but one has some numbers followed by DVD at the end, and the other one looks like a serial number. Over the course of several hours yesterday, I selected each one in turn, but neither of them allowed me to get into safe mode.
Can someone please tell me what the safe mode screen should look like and is there another way of getting to it?
Thanks

 

[Thedarkside]

F8 is usually the right key to hit to get into safe mode. What is the make and model of your computer?

Have you tryed to run malwarebytes not in safe mode?

 

[Lorien]

Hi Joysie,

Welcome to Vista Forums!

It's OK to download, install and run Malwarebytes in normal mode if you can boot normally - safe mode is simply a little better but not so much that it is worth trying to find a way in if you're having that much trouble. Make sure you update MBAM first and then run a full scan and remove anything it finds. It will produce a log. Please attach that log to your next reply (assuming you can get it to run).

Also download and install Hijack This HijackThis - Trend Micro USA (the full version, not the beta) and run it. It will produce a report. Please attach a copy of that report to your next reply as well (again, assuming you can get it to run).

If you can boot neither way, then there's no way to install either program. Do you know the name of the virus (as exact as possible)? What AV/AM software are you using (everyone you have installed including name and version)? How do you know you are infected? Please post back if you are unable to boot using either method and we'll see if we can at least get you to that point somehow by booting to disks instead and trying some recovery options.

In the meantime, I'm going to alert our resident virus removal expert about this thread and she will drop by to assist you further (and it would help her if she already had those reports to review). She can give you the best advice on how to proceed from that point.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

 

[Joysie]

Thanks for the replies.

Thedarkside -
My computer is a Packard Bell. Product Name - iStart F2312, Model Ref - CHOP REN, MS Model - RI300.
I can't run anything in normal mode, the infection won't let me.

Lorien -
As stated above, I can't run anything in normal mode.
The virus is called Antivirus Soft. I know I have it because whenever I try to open anything I am told the file is infected and I need to follow the link to pay for their removal software (which I have no intention of doing!)

I have AVG free antivirus loaded on the infected computer, but I can't even get that to run.

I am now going to disconnect this pc and reconnect the infected one. I will try once more to get into safe mode and will let you know later how I get on.

 

[Lorien]

If you can get into safe mode with networking (you'll need networking to update the program before running it), then do as suggested. First, check out this article for changes that may be required to access the internet even in safe mode with networking (because the virus changes some settings that prevent access and they need to be reset): Remove Antivirus Soft (Uninstall Guide).

If not, then the best bet is to wait for Jacee (our Security Expert) who will provide further guidance. Please be patient, it could be a matter of hours or a day or so before she arrives (I have alerted her but she's not online now and I don't know when she will be here next) as she has a very busy schedule. But this additional information will be of great help to her - and more so if we can provide those logs - but if not, then we simply need to await advice on how to proceed as I don't want to do anything to make the situation worse (as bad as it is already).

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

 

[djch129]

Hi
I have an antivirus infection on my other PC (Vista Home Premium). I have downloaded a program (malwarebytes) that can hopefully sort it out for me. This program states that I must start the pc in safe mode then select safe mode with networking. Unfortunately when I start my pc and press F8 for safe mode, I just get a blue screen with only two options (can't tell you exactly what they are without disconnecting this pc), but one has some numbers followed by DVD at the end, and the other one looks like a serial number. Over the course of several hours yesterday, I selected each one in turn, but neither of them allowed me to get into safe mode.
Can someone please tell me what the safe mode screen should look like and is there another way of getting to it?
Thanks

Strange no one told you that.
When you try to go to Safe Mode, you do not press F8 key, you tap F8 key repeatedly and continuously until a black and white screen comes up. That is your Safe Mode screen. NOT blue screen.

 

[Lorien]

Strange no one told you that.
When you try to go to Safe Mode, you do not press F8 key, you tap F8 key repeatedly and continuously until a black and white screen comes up. That is your Safe Mode screen. NOT blue screen.

Thanks, djch129. I completely missed that specific question in the midst of considering the overall problem posed by the post. We all also missed the other part of that question which I will answer below

Joysie,

Another way to enter safe mode is through normal mode first (so I don't know if this will help given how normal mode is acting up). Go to start / search box and type msconfig.exe and then double-click on the program icon that appears. Go to the Boot tab and check the box for safe mode and also the box under it for networking. Save the settings and reboot and you should go directly into safe mode. When done, all you need do is remove those checks to go to safe mode, go back to the general screen and make sure normal mode is selected, save the settings and reboot and you will be back in normal mode again.

I hope this helps.

Good luck

 

[Joysie]

Re: safe mode - EUREKA!!!

Hi again
Thank you to everyone for all of the very helpful advice. I have finally managed to get into safe mode and have run malwarebytes. I have re-started the computer that was infected and malwarebytes has 'done what it said on the box', the infection has gone and my computer is now back to normal with a completely clean bill of health.
Thanks again :D

 

[Lorien]

Excellent news. Congratulations. Glad to hear all is well again.

Thanks for letting us know how it all turned out.

Don't forget to close out the thread by clicking the far right triangular icon at the top of your post and typing "solved" in the box and submitting it. The moderators will notice and put a green check next to the thread title. That way others seeking answers by searching the forums will know that this thread contains a solution to the issue identified in the title - and people seeking to help will not waste time checking out this thread since it has been resolved.

And welcome to Vista Forums! Now that you know where we are, bookmark the site and post anytime you have further questions or problems or if you just want to browse and learn (especially the Tutorial section offers some excellent advice on a wide variety of topics) or even if you want to try to help answer a question if you happen to see one where you know the answer and it hasn't already been posted. While it most likely won't be us the next time (though it might), there are many very skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, and friendly people here who, like us, volunteer their time to help others and one or maybe even several will respond to your post to assist you. While there are other forums on the web that do this sort of thing, you've now found what I think is the best (and I've posted in and/or checked out quite a few) so don't lose this link - you never know when it might come in handy again.

Good luck and best wishes.