HP Desktop Acting Weird/Not Saving Files/CD/DVD Not Appearing as Drive

Good Morning Greg...

I attached a screenshot of directions for creation of an Avira flashstick...overly careful user that I am, I would like to do this right now on my DELL desktop, but just need to be reassured that I won't in any way damage yours truly's DELL in the process!

And of course, from my Post #9:

"Since my CD/DVD drive is inoperable, can I run Avira from a flashdrive?"

I meant to say, "Since my friend's CD/DVD drive is inoperable,..."

Lastly, I'd like to re-read the instructions for creation of a system specs "profile" for a system.

Thanks,

sbuxman

As long as you confirm the flash stick's drive letter first, it should be fine.

I've created the bootable USB stick per the instructions. Step 4 in the process says, "Installation Complete, Reboot" I didn't do so (Reboot) because I figured I'd only do that in the infected computer, not in mine...mine was used for the creation of the USB bootable Avira.

Is that correct, or was I supposed to Reboot my computer after creation of the stick??

Thanks!

The following malwarebytes log from today has had everything quarantined. Now running SAS.

Both malwarebytes and sas were run twice and both say now that everything is clean.


Here is the summary of the programs installed, prog.01, prog.02, prog.03.

How do I boot into the flashstick I created for Avira? The possibilities when I press ESC to get into the BIOS sequence are:

UEFI Boot Sources
Legacy Boot Sources
PO: ST31000524AS
Hard Drive
Network Controller
(Realtek PXE B03 D00)

Update: I have Avira running just fine off boot and performing any repair as needed.

Get rid of Search App by Ask, Bing and Yahoo toolbars.

The PC is loaded with bloatware so if performance after cleanup and SFC is sluggish I'd strongly consider the Reinstall since it will never be more than the worst install one can have.

Some benefit can be had by Clean Up Factory Bloatware

The results for the Avira scan had one detection...what disturbs me is that I saved it a few times under different names, but now Search in the Start menu can't find them?! Nothing turns up for Avira in Search either.

I wrote down the culprit:

TR/Dropper.A.31156
/target/C:remote-service/techtoolkit-3.0-launcher.exe

The summary said that it had renamed it...probably why I now see the shortcut for techtoolkit on my desktop...I'll delete it.

At best my computer performance is still somewhat sluggish. What's really frustrating is that the brand new CD/DVD-ROM will not function or show up in My Computer, but does show in the boot sequence order, where it didn't before!!?? Could it need a driver...it's not in Device Manager, either, but at least I can access DevMgr now!

Any thoughts?

Does the OD show up in Device Manager? Scroll down.

Try another mobo port?

Did Avira confirm it cleaned up infection? Don't worry about finding its report as I never find them either after boot scans.

What did SAS find?

I'd uninstall MSE and install Panda Cloud free which is more aggressive but allows same unhindered performance, then run a free scan.

I think I'd also run ESET online scan just to be sure.

Another mobo port might be a little foreign to me, at least to find available on the mobo, though I did have the cables unplugged and plugged back into a new CD/DVD drive I purchased, only to return the drive b/c it, too, would not work like the one that came installed with the system still does not. The latest drive I'm referring to, with the same problem of not starting and not appearing as a drive letter in My Computer, is an HP USB external HD that came with a Nero software disk...don't really know what that's for, but I think it might be software to play music/vids? No matter, though it shows in the boot order page, it does not appear as a drive letter, which really sets me back. The USB flash stick for the Avira installation,on the other hand, does show in My Computer, so I'm mystified why the brand new USB CD drive does not. Very frustrating.

Avira confirmed that it had renamed the infected file, but not that it was cleaned up, in those words.

SAS found nothing, having been run by me after the malwarebytes and Avira scans, respectively.

Once I return from my eye surgery tomorrow, I'll be anxious to install Panda Cloud and run its free scan; ditto for the ESET online free scan.

What could be wrong with 3 separate CD players all failing to start after hearing each begin spinning the disk, and then abruptly stopping?

Thanks.