Windows 7 startup repair

[khanhoa]

I was working on my son's computer, which has Win 7 Pro OS. The computer got attacked by a so-called Antivirus Win 7 2012 virus. After I had that removed and later downloaded Microsoft Essentials Security to prevent attacking from virus... it was working fine until I got an alert from the Microsoft Essentials Security indicating that I needed to restart the computer. I did just that; and the computer went right into startup repair menu. After several attempts, the computer cannot reboot to Windows. I cannot even access it using SafeMode. I have been trying to repair it using Recovery Disk; and the problem was still the same.
Please help me since this was a new computer that my son let me borrow while he is away from home.

 

[Lemur]

You might try using an anti-virus rescue cd.

Rescue CD | PC Rescue and Repair Toolkit | AVG Worldwide

 

[khanhoa]

Lemur:

Thanks for the help! I will try that later and let you know the status...

 

[gregrocker]

Another option which just worked for someone with that infection is booting Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.

Then once Win7 is disinfected if it won't start, run Startup Repair repeatedly from System Recovery Options.

Startup Repair should automate SFC but if not run it from Options Command line: SFC -SCANNOW Run in Command Prompt at Boot

If you can get into Desktop or Safe Mode at any point, run Malwarebytes full scan, replace your AV with Microsoft Security Essentials and run a Full Scan.

 

[Solidwave]

If this is a new computer with no data on it you want to keep, consider doing a recovery install. A complete reinstall is the only way to be sure a malware infestation has been removed.

When you get the computer working again, make sure you keep your web browser, Flash plugin, Acrobat plugin and Java (if installed) updated. Keeping your web-facing software updated is the only effective defense you have against being infected by web attack malware such as fake antivirus software.

 

[ReviverSoft]

^ Yeah, +1 to that.

A fresh start works best, and this time, you need to make sure the PC is secure, by installing an effective anti-virus program and utilities like Malwarebytes & SuperAntiSpyware for passive scans.

If you do have data that needs backing up, consider using a LiveCD to access the hard drive's contents and copy it to a different drive or storage medium.

 

[theog]

For better help with problems, Can you post your specs.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/22550-filling-out-system-specs.html
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/180324-system-info-see-your-system-specs.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/6936-dont-know-what-hardware-you-have.html
VistaForums SysInfo Tool - Vista Forums

 

[MakaPaka]

how to perform recover install?

 

[khanhoa]

Thank you all for giving me the information and instruction on this problem...
I did everything like what Lemur has suggested. It went through very detailed sacn and found no virus. Startup repair diagnostic showed OS was boot sucessfully; however, I still cannot reboot to Windows. There was also a message indicating there may have been a camera, a flash drive plugged into the computer and need to be removed. I did not have anything plugged in at all. The only thing was my wireless mouse. Any other suggestion before I ask my son to reinstall Windows 7. I do not really want to do that since there may have been other things that he has installed in the computer.
Thanks for the help in advance...

 

[Lemur]

This is a suggested solution:

Remove Win 7 Antispyware 2012 and Vista Antivirus 2012 name changing rogue (Uninstall Guide)

However, if you cannot boot the computer, and if the DVD repair does not work, you very well may have to reinstall the OS.

 

[gregrocker]

What were the results of these steps?

Another option which just worked for someone with that infection is booting Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.

Then once Win7 is disinfected if it won't start, run Startup Repair repeatedly from System Recovery Options.

Startup Repair should automate SFC but if not run it from Options Command line: SFC -SCANNOW Run in Command Prompt at Boot

If you can get into Desktop or Safe Mode at any point, run Malwarebytes full scan, replace your AV with Microsoft Security Essentials and run a Full Scan.

Before giving up you should make sure Win7 or it's 100mb System Reserved boot partition (preferred) are marked Active, which they must be before Startup Repair will repair/rewrite the System boot files to them. Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)

Then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

You can also use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to mark one of these partitions Active, then click on the Disk number to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply. This may preclude the need to run the Repairs.

You can copy out your files this way: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console. They should be immediately scanned with Malwarebytes and your AV.

Then follow these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7

 

[jumanji]

..... Any other suggestion before I ask my son to reinstall Windows 7. I do not really want to do that since there may have been other things that he has installed in the computer.
Thanks for the help in advance...

Your son should be able to back up any important data he may have before a reinstall.

He may run a live CD and access the non-bootable drive for that. This if he is not comfortable with gregrocker's Recovery Console > Copy and Paste suggestion.

Have a look at my thread http://www.sevenforums.com/software/198909-lucid-puppy-way-recover-files-non-bootable-computer.html

If your original Windows Media does not have SP1, you may download your version of Windows with integrated SP1 from here . That will save you downloading a lot of pre-SP1 updates.

 

[Kaktussoft]

Are you sure the restart message came from Microsoft Security Essentials? Ik think it was coming from a virus and was a fake message.

Did you try "system restore" in recovery environment? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/666-advanced-boot-options.html enter repair my computer. Go back a few days in time when you didn't have the problem.

Also tell me what happens if you select "safe mode" in advanced boot options.

 

[khanhoa]

When I selected "Safe Mode," it got stuck at "classpnp.sys" Then it went back to the same problem. Apparently there must be a driver that it was looking for; and I dont know what it was. Can you share any information?

 

[Kaktussoft]

When I selected "Safe Mode," it got stuck at "classpnp.sys" Then it went back to the same problem. Apparently there must be a driver that it was looking for; and I dont know what it was. Can you share any information?

I thought it entered "startup repair" automatically????? This is just a crash or hang. Windows does start

Did you try "system restore" in recovery environment? Advanced Boot Options enter repair my computer. Go back a few days in time when you didn't have the problem.

 

[Kaktussoft]

When I selected "Safe Mode," it got stuck at "classpnp.sys" Then it went back to the same problem. Apparently there must be a driver that it was looking for; and I dont know what it was. Can you share any information?

after "classpnp.sys" it hangs or crashes??

 

[khanhoa]

Yes, I did; but it failed to restore to the date I chose. Now I cannot get to that screen any more.
It did not crash. It got hung up at "classpnp.sys for a min or so; and then it restarted by itself. From there the same problem occured.

 

[gregrocker]

You can run System Restore from System Recovery Options on the Installation DVD or System Repair Disk which sometimes work better than on Advanced Boot Options

 

[khanhoa]

Thanks for the info. I will try that and see what happens. I will keep you posted. Btw, what other option do I have; if doing system restore via system repair disc still does not let me do that.

 

[gregrocker]

Well actually I was still waiting to hear back on these steps from yesterday:

What were the results of these steps?

Another option which just worked for someone with that infection is booting Microsoft Standalone System Sweeper.

Then once Win7 is disinfected if it won't start, run Startup Repair repeatedly from System Recovery Options.

Startup Repair should automate SFC but if not run it from Options Command line: SFC -SCANNOW Run in Command Prompt at Boot

If you can get into Desktop or Safe Mode at any point, run Malwarebytes full scan, replace your AV with Microsoft Security Essentials and run a Full Scan.

Before giving up you should make sure Win7 or it's 100mb System Reserved boot partition (preferred) are marked Active, which they must be before Startup Repair will repair/rewrite the System boot files to them. Partition - Mark as Active (Method Two)

Then run Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times.

You can also use free Partition Wizard bootable CD to mark one of these partitions Active, then click on the Disk number to highlight it, from Disk tab select Rebuild MBR, Apply. This may preclude the need to run the Repairs.

You can copy out your files this way: Copy & Paste - in Windows Recovery Console. They should be immediately scanned with Malwarebytes and your AV.

Then follow these steps to get a perfect clean reinstall: Reinstalling Windows 7