Computer start up fail

[TurboKitten225]

While browsing YouTube with IE 9, my computer was redirected to an unknown website. Before I could see what it was, it was blocked out be IE. It looked like "IE has blocked the webpage", but before I could read it, windows shut down. Now when I try to turn my computer on, it just restarts before I get to the boot screen (I have two OSs, Win7 and Ubuntu 11.x). It keeps restarting, only stopping when I unplug it and remove the battery. Can anyone help?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello turbokitten and welcome sounds like you have nasty on board.

Now have you got the machine set for a dual boot - Windows or Ubuntu? If not do you have the Ubuntu on disk to boot from if so maybe try a boot from it - just change the BIOS to boot from the CD optical drive.
One last thing what brand of machine is it and what security did or have you got on it?

 

[TurboKitten225]

It's set for a dual boot. Usualy, I get a black and white screen, I have to highligh either windows 7 or ubuntu with the arrow keys. But the computer restarts before I get to this screen. I do not have an Ubuntu disc or Windows 7 disc.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hum thats a pity Turbo I did what you have done with 7 & 8 on a machine once and had to get rid of the 8 cos the thing just booted to whatever it felt like.

Any chance of getting someone to do you up a Ubuntu disk?

Another thing you might try is safe mode - tap F8 on power up and it gives you options to safe mode, repair etc

Have a look at this it will show you what I mean.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/69585-safe-mode.html and explain it a bit.

By the way how are you seeing this - have you got another machine to use?

 

[TurboKitten225]

I can download Ubuntu from Canonical and put it on a CD: Desktop | Ubuntu but I cannot access the BIOS.
This is the last place I would expect someone to ask me to use Ubuntu

I can't get into safe mode. On my system, you have to hold the F8 key down for one second, or tap it once at the boot screen when windows 7 is highlighted. The computer restarts before I get a chance to do either of the above.

I'm using an HP desk top with Windows Vista.

EDIT: I can access BIOS, but it's hard to get it before the machine shuts off. I'm downloading Ubuntu and burning it to a Sony DVD+RW disc.

EDIT: Ubuntu is running, but I have not installed it.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hum well any port in a storm TK - Ubuntu I mean I use it a fair bit for fixing when you need to get to the C: drive files / data on a drive in or out of the owning machine.


By the way that desky you have can you get the drive from the laptop and hook it up using one of those USB gadgets? (see pic) The drive will be seen as another USB drive and you can search through it via that method. You could even do a Seatools scan for any problems with the drive too via the desky plus a security scan via the desky.

There are some good online scanners yo cna use via the Vista machine ESET and SuperAntiSpyware are two to start with.

SUPERAntiSpyware | Remove Malware | Remove Spyware - AntiMalware, AntiSpyware, AntiAdware!

Free ESET Online Antivirus Scanner | Online Virus Scan | Virus Scanner

Mind you what is worrying is that you cannot access the BIOS!:huh:

 

[TurboKitten225]

I don't know how to get the HD out of the laptop, and I don't have anything like in the picture.
Right now, I'm trying to partition my HD to make room for Ubuntu, but I can't really back anything up from Windows 7, or make a recovery disc.

 

[TurboKitten225]

While working on a partitioning my HD, I noticed the biggest partition (455 GB), the one I assume windows is on, has an error of some kind. I was going to shrink it down to make room. but Gparted said it will not make any changes to the partition until it is repaired.
I took a screen shot.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hum getting the HDD out is easy but no gadget thats a problem. They are cheap to buy and well worth having one - if you are into fixing etc or for emergencies like this.

Now once you have made the disk you do not have to install it - just keep it to boot from. You just need to alter that BIOS in the machine that is causing the problem (or any other machine) to boot from the optical drive. But the problem is the BIOS in the laptop eh?

Now the machine I see is a Vaio? Now the next thing is how much data have you got on that laptop? Is an old machine (no warranty?) because if you are not worried by the content of that drive you can do what is known as a factory default - that is you can set it back to out of the factory settings (new) but it will wipe all the data on the drive except the recovery stuff.

So some details would be handy to work on like model and component specs - there should be some stickers somewhere that say Intel inside i5 Celeron etc and the OS sticker will tell us the version.

I know I am asking a lot of questions but do you have any disks that came with or were made after you got the machine?

If you have the original OS disk then replacing the drive and installing 7 back on is relatively easy but is also a pain into the bargain of course.

I am going to Google re that BIOS in what I am assuming is a Sony machine.

PS Just as matter of interest have you got any way of checking the power adaptor voltage? ie a multimeter or a fieend with one?

 

[TurboKitten225]

The BIOS is booting from the DVD just fine. I don't think anything is wrong with the BIOS.

I have most of my data backed up, but I would still lose a quite a bit...

The stickers say "Windows 7" and "intel Pentium".

Windows 7 came already installed, there were no discs with the machine.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok I think we might be getting somewhere now I know the BIOS is working ok. Now you say you have most of the important data backed up - just make sure that you have cos if you do a factory default it is going to be gone!

Be absolutely sure that you have your pictures and docs and anything else onto an external or whatever you put the data on. You can still recheck via the Ubuntu OS for anything you have left behind or missed.

Now if you want to do this and I am not saying it will 100% work as the drive itself might be past it's use by date but it is worth a try. I have done this a few times with my Toshiba's when I have had problems with them.

Just to be absolutely sure what brand / model machine is it?

We need to know this because some of the brands have different F keys for different models for example I have to push the 0 key when powering on a Toshiba but if it is a Sony you have I have already seen three different combos.

 

[TurboKitten225]

Using Ubuntu Disk Utility, I tried to check the HD partition for problems. This is what showed up:

 

[TurboKitten225]

I am going to lose some data, but not all. I guess I can manage to let it go.

Sony Vaio VPCEH1AFX

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok now this one looks to be a Ubuntu driven thing I suppose you can try it TK - if it fails to correct the problem then it might mean going to plan B - that factory default which I spoke of.

Most of the refs I have found for the Sony are power on and hold down Alt and F10 that brings up a menu of what you want to do.

Just so you can see what I mean I found this Youtube video on the process

How to Restore a Sony Vaio Laptop to Factory Settings - YouTube

As you will see there are other options so it is not just a factory default or nothing . You can now see from what this fellow says it will clear everything on the drive -BUT you need to keep that factory default C: drive size - it is a small partition of the drive that is installed by the factory for this very purpose - when you haven't got any recovery media (disks).

Now if you go this route you can still boot from a Ubuntu disk -personally I think installing that as a dual boot is not necessary and because it is a totally different system may cause problems. I know that this takes a little longer but it will give you more drive space.

Now if you go this way then as soon as the system is up and running - make a backup rescue disk asap. The get some security on it asap then you can install some or all of the data back to the drive.

Personally I would clone the drive to an external once you have your system back up and running as you want it - if the drive goes to heaven then it is just a matter of booting from the external and clone the external back to a new drive. I know you don't know how to renew a drive but I can show you - it is easy and will save you heaps of dough at the techies

Let me know how you go - I am leaving for work shortly - late shift (hospital) but may get a chance to catch up via my laptop


Great stuff just found this now I know the model
http://www.docs.sony.com/release/VPCL2_F2_CA_CB_SB_series_QRG.pdf > look at the section re Recovering your computer it mentions the Assist button which I didn't find and an option for no Assist button - which is what I think you may need IF you are stuck after that Ubuntu fix

 

[TurboKitten225]

I cannot do a factory reset, it restarts right before the "windows is loading files" screen. I don't think it can access the partition windows is on, so I don't think windows will be able to do at all anything in this situation. Is there another method?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hum this is really unusual it really is a pity you haven't got that gadget as the drive could scanned via the Vista machine.

So we are left with a working Vista machine and a Sony laptop that boots to a Ubuntu disk or nothing?

Plan C if it will boot to Ubuntu and you can access the net how about we try a download of SuperAntiSpyware and do a scan of the machine?

SUPERAntiSpyware | Remove Malware | Remove Spyware - AntiMalware, AntiSpyware, AntiAdware! and another one we can try is an ESET scan

ESET Online Scanner

run the Super first then the ESET and see what we get.

There are more scanners to try but lets go with these first.
I am still suspicious from what you said in your first post re that sudden drop out when on Youtube and the other options we have now tried.

 

[TurboKitten225]

SuperAntiSpyware has an error downloading the archive:

Archive: /tmp/SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
[/tmp/SUPERAntiSpyware.exe]
End-of-central-directory signature not found. Either this file is not
a zipfile, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part archive. In the
latter case the central directory and zipfile comment will be found on
the last disk(s) of this archive.
zipinfo: cannot find zipfile directory in one of /tmp/SUPERAntiSpyware.exe or
/tmp/SUPERAntiSpyware.exe.zip, and cannot find /tmp/SUPERAntiSpyware.exe.ZIP, period.

ESET as well:

Archive: /tmp/esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe
[/tmp/esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe]
End-of-central-directory signature not found. Either this file is not
a zipfile, or it constitutes one disk of a multi-part archive. In the
latter case the central directory and zipfile comment will be found on
the last disk(s) of this archive.
zipinfo: cannot find zipfile directory in one of /tmp/esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe or
/tmp/esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe.zip, and cannot find /tmp/esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe.ZIP, period.

PS: I can't use the Vista machine anymore (It has been put away by maintenance)

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok TK lets try another tack if the Vista is working ok try putting those on a stick and run them from the stick on the Sony.

It certainly looks like something doesn't like you running anything.

Another is the Kaspersky TDSS Killer try this one and lets see

Anti-rootkit utility TDSSKiller

 

[TurboKitten225]

I can't use the vista (see post #17).

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I can't use the vista (see post #17).

Sorry I was assuming you were booting the Vista and / or the Sony form Ubuntu

Now the only other things I can think of now is a hardware problem with the Sony like the CPU getting too hot and it going to a thermal shutdown.

I am thinking this now because we have exhausted the options wit software problems and it doesn't want to do anything which points to the machine inner workings.

So have you had chance to let the laptop get really cold yet? If you do this and the machine starts and runs for longer than it has been then it could just be the cooling system for the CPU is clogged and with laptops the heat builds real quick because of the close confines of the casing.

I don't know what the weather is like where you are but try and let it get cold and then start it up. The other thing is try and get the power supply unit tested.