Nerds Needed - My PC Will Not Start and I'm Stupid

[YoNoSe]

Not sure if this is Other Topics or Sandbox material so please modulate:emperor if necessary.

Okay, to begin with I know that I am a computer ignorant *******. Don’t let that stop you from posting, but I just thought I’d get it out of the way so it might save some of you some time.
Here’s what’s happening – turned on my PC (runs on Windows XP) the other morning and I was getting weird pop-ups (using Google Chrome) and I haven’t seen popups on my machine in ages. They ranged from a deal at Toys R Us to a very tastefully photographed blue dildo. I thought that was weird but had to get to the office so I shut down and off I went…
Later, my fiancée emailed me asking what was up with the computes – she couldn’t get it to go on past the initial Widnows Startup screen. It was freezing up with a “Application Failed to Initialize” box. You can click Okay or X the box off, but that’s it. You are left with a black screen. This is after the Dell startup and Windows Startup screens. It never gets to the Log On (we have 2 profiles).
I have tried all of the F2, F8 and F12 tricks I can find. It will not start in Safe Mode or when I select the Revert to Last Functionaing yadda yadda Date option.
I do not have the Windows installation disk, either.
So basically, is there any way anyone can think of to get this ^^^^^ to start so I can get to my desktop? I have tried techincal forums but they're over my head.
Any help would be appreciated. Tomatoes and snarky comments will not be, but they will still be laughed at if funny.

 

[pixletwin]

Sounds to me like you have a virus.

 

[Mesa]

YOu have a virus. Whatever you do, don't waste your money with Best Buy's geek squad.

Removing the virus may be beyond your skills if you don't know PC's well. I'd take it into a business that handles "virus removal and data recovery." Google that.

Me, I would get rid of your hard drive, install a new one, and reoload the OS, but that doesn't sound like an option for you if you don't have the OS disk. Then I'd retrieve the data I wanted from that hard drive at a place that knows how to install infected drives without infecting other.

 

[YoNoSe]

Sounds to me like you have a virus.

That's what I think, too. I just want to get in and get my stuff. I honestly wouldn't even care if the computer dies as along as I can get my pics and docs off. I hate the thing and I hate Dell's service. I was a mere child of 31 when I bought it. I thought I knew it all....

 

[YoNoSe]

YOu have a virus. Whatever you do, don't waste your money with Best Buy's geek squad.

Removing the virus may be beyond your skills if you don't know PC's well. I'd take it into a business that handles "virus removal and data recovery." Google that.

Me, I would get rid of your hard drive, install a new one, and reoload the OS, but that doesn't sound like an option for you if you don't have the OS disk. Then I'd retrieve the data I wanted from that hard drive at a place that knows how to install infected drives without infecting other.

Thanks - I was trying to avoid going to the shady "computer guy" but if that's what it takes to get my files it's fine.

 

[Reinhardt]

I wish i could help you. i was going to say boot it up in safe mode and download the latest virus definition, but it looks like you can't do that either. hopefully some other "nerd" can help you here...

 

[Mesa]

You may also be able to go to a site like Norton of Macaffee and do a search on any clues that your virus has given, like the message of your blue screen of death, or what website it tries to take you to. Sometimes these anti-virus companies will have a path for infected machines, but depending on how much damage it has already done, it may prevent you from goign to these antivirus sites or make it really difficult to install the patch, as I've experienced from trying to fix other's machines.

Personally, once a virus hits, I redo the entire PC.

Viruses really suck.

 

[YoNoSe]

You may also be able to go to a site like Norton of Macaffee and do a search on any clues that your virus has given, like the message of your blue screen of death, or what website it tries to take you to. Sometimes these anti-virus companies will have a path for infected machines, but depending on how much damage it has already done, it may prevent you from goign to these antivirus sites or make it really difficult to install the patch, as I've experienced from trying to fix other's machines.

Personally, once a virus hits, I redo the entire PC.

Viruses really suck.

I will give that a shot when I get home tonight. It may just be time for all-new gear but I'd hate to lose all my files.

 

[Mesa]

That's what I think, too. I just want to get in and get my stuff. I honestly wouldn't even care if the computer dies as along as I can get my pics and docs off. I hate the thing and I hate Dell's service. I was a mere child of 31 when I bought it. I thought I knew it all....

This same thing happened to a friend of mine at work, his wife took in the PC to a data recovery place, and $40 later they had most of their data retrieved and backed up to CD. It's pretty common. They got a deal for $40, I thought it would be more like $100 for this service. They gave them back the infected drive, which I wouldn't touch.

Your PC is still good, just need hard drive swiped clean, which can be tricky because viruses like to hang out in the boot sector and just deleting files on it doesn't necesarily delete the virus. I'd get a new drive entirely and trash the old one.

Also, any jump drives you installed in this machine may likely reinfect other machines.

 

[pixletwin]

This is what I would do:

Find another PC (if you have two thats great if not find a trusting friend ) and install your infected drive as a slave to their PC. Run a virus scan and clean the sucker up.

 

[praxitas]

I haven’t seen popups on my machine in ages. They ranged from a deal at Toys R Us to a very tastefully photographed blue dildo.Later, my fiancée emailed me asking where she can order one!!

ftw



Don't be afraid of the shady computer guy. I handle most of my stuff myself, but if i dont have time to screw around with something I go to the small computer shops. They typically go out of their way to make sure your satisfied and explain to you all the what happened, why, and what is possible. Good luck. If you were able to get to safe mode we could have helped.

 

[YoNoSe]

This same thing happened to a friend of mine at work, his wife took in the PC to a data recovery place, and $40 later they had most of their data retrieved and backed up to CD. It's pretty common. They got a deal for $40, I thought it would be more like $100 for this service. They gave them back the infected drive, which I wouldn't touch.

Your PC is still good, just need hard drive swiped clean, which can be tricky because viruses like to hang out in the boot sector and just deleting files on it doesn't necesarily delete the virus. I'd get a new drive entirely and trash the old one.

Also, any jump drives you installed in this machine may likely reinfect other machines.

That's good to know. Thanks so much for your replies! This is exactly what I wanted to know.
My fiancee's sister has someone who fixed their pc when they got a virus so we will get him on the case. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something obvious before I turned it over to someone else. I like to do it on my own whenever possible but this is beyond me.

 

[YoNoSe]

ftw

Okay, but only because it was tastefully photographed.

 

[YoNoSe]

This is what I would do:

Find another PC (if you have two thats great if not find a trusting friend ) and install your infected drive as a slave to their PC.

That's out of my league, and Abe Lincoln said it was wrong. But thanks anyway!

 

[BadMoon]

Not sure if this is Other Topics or Sandbox material so please modulate:emperor if necessary.

Okay, to begin with I know that I am a computer ignorant *******. Don’t let that stop you from posting, but I just thought I’d get it out of the way so it might save some of you some time.
Here’s what’s happening – turned on my PC (runs on Windows XP) the other morning and I was getting weird pop-ups (using Google Chrome) and I haven’t seen popups on my machine in ages. They ranged from a deal at Toys R Us to a very tastefully photographed blue dildo. I thought that was weird but had to get to the office so I shut down and off I went…
Later, my fiancée emailed me asking what was up with the computes – she couldn’t get it to go on past the initial Widnows Startup screen. It was freezing up with a “Application Failed to Initialize” box. You can click Okay or X the box off, but that’s it. You are left with a black screen. This is after the Dell startup and Windows Startup screens. It never gets to the Log On (we have 2 profiles).
I have tried all of the F2, F8 and F12 tricks I can find. It will not start in Safe Mode or when I select the Revert to Last Functionaing yadda yadda Date option.
I do not have the Windows installation disk, either.
So basically, is there any way anyone can think of to get this ^^^^^ to start so I can get to my desktop? I have tried techincal forums but they're over my head.
Any help would be appreciated. Tomatoes and snarky comments will not be, but they will still be laughed at if funny.

The exact same thing just happened to me. My solution:

Buy a Mac


Seriously the same exact thing happened to me.
https://sideshowcollectors.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54528

 

[YoNoSe]

The exact same thing just happened to me. My solution:

Buy a Mac


Seriously the same exact thing happened to me.

We may eventually. My fiancee has a Mac laptop that we are using at home now and I'm getting used to it.

 

[pixletwin]

You guys should stop surfing for porn.

 

[BadMoon]

You guys should stop surfing for porn.

I wonder if a virus is going around. Or if that April fools one is finally taking people out? This is weird because it keeps happening to people I know.

 

[Saya]

I can not help you at all but just had to laugh, sorry.

 

[BadMoon]

I can not help you at all but just had to laugh, sorry.

Wow what an awesome contribution to this thread.