Comments for How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

Comment from Sierra on 2009-10-17

2009-10-18T01:40:14Z

My computer did the exact same thing as Iggy's. I have a router is my iPod that runs on the same network in any danger?

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from iggy on 2009-10-11

2009-10-11T08:16:38Z

I have the same problem as the others. XP operating system, with SP2, on a computer maybe 5+ years old. Plenty of anti-virus software. Computer started rebooting itself for no known reason last week. Tried Repairing it several times but it kept rebooting itself every time it got into Windows. The time spent in Windows got shorter and shorter until I couldn't even get into the OS. Just a black and white text screen, wouldn't even get past the boot menu - the computer froze every time.
I created a Knoppix (Linux) bootable CD as suggested. Put it into the CD drive... turned it on... CD booted up... got the splash screen... got a message that it was loading Linux... and then everything went black and the CD stopped spinning. Dead to the world.
And somehow when the bad computer rebooted itself, another computer which was plugged into the same router also rebooted itself over and over and over and over and over...
Two computers dead. How can it pass through a router?
Any and all suggestions to help fix these electronic paperweights would be GREATLY appreciated.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from jeh_it on 2009-09-30

2009-09-30T23:01:33Z

Norton does still have bootable disks for system recovery. It comes free with yor NIS. If you don't know where to get yours, you can ask Norton Support and they will provide the download url. You will need your Norton Product Key to run the virus scan.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Fred on 2009-09-21

2009-09-21T14:41:37Z

Hello.
New here, just signed up this morning.
Tried to go to the following:
"using Knoppix to perform a Virus Scan" http://go.ask-leo.com/060717a.
Get redirected to:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/hacks/.
Nothing there I can use to do a virus scan.
Help.
Thanks,
Fred.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Phillip on 2009-08-23

2009-08-23T18:55:15Z

My Grandparents computer is bogged down will not bring up Icons or windows bar at the bottom is trying to get them to purchase protection before they can user there computer afain could not find safe MODE ....ANY IDEAS??

Sounds bad. Without knowing more specifics, all I can recommend is this: How do I remove a virus? - though it sounds like a reformat/reinstall is in your future.

24-Aug-2009

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from jan on 2009-04-01

2009-04-01T21:47:20Z

my emachine winxp he just went to a black screen oneday that said boot failure insert system disk and press any key. i do not have a sys disk just the two disks that came with my pc. i tried different things that i saw on these forums and am now at NTDLR MISSING i can get into my boot menu and my bios setting but thats all i cant get into windows any help out there please. ty

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from gadya on 2008-12-11

2008-12-11T18:24:40Z

Very interesting but difficult for a non-expert: I tried to implement using.
1. BartPe. Created a cd but couldn't implement an antivirus plugin. The documentation doesn't seem to be up to date. Do you have a working example?

2. I have a Ubuntu live CD but it doesn't include an antivirus scanner. Can't download one as Ubuntu live won't store to the hard disk.

3. Chaleem suggested doing an Avast boot scan. I use the free Avast version but it doesn't include the boot scan.

4. re Max Taylor's note I have an old Norton Systemworks cd and it does a boot scan but only of the a drive!

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Leo A. Notenboom on 2008-03-23

2008-03-23T23:37:54Z

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Hash: SHA1

Another approach are to use the Linux "live" CDs like
Knoppix, or to build a Windows Boot CD yourself using a tool
like BartPE. Unfortunately a Windows boot CD cannot be
distributed (it's piracy of Windows), but you can make your
own using your own copy of Windows if you think to do so
before you have a problem.

Leo

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from chaleem on 2008-03-21

2008-03-22T05:52:26Z

Try to use Avast boot scan. It runs before Windows GUI is loaded. It is also free for non-commercial use. This is no advertisment :) I use it too in this situation. http://avast.com/

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Max Taylor on 2008-03-20

2008-03-20T21:01:15Z

Here's a question, once upon a time I remember Nortons antivirus disk being bootable with a Dos scan and virus removal utility in it. does anything like that still exsits? and if so what company still makes it it was fantastic if you thought you were infected and couldn't boot. scanned EVERTYHING , you'd load your dat files a floppy after you booted to the CD and run it from there.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Peter Moreland on 2008-02-02

2008-02-02T15:56:50Z

If you have a second PC you can hang the (possibly) infected drive on the second PC as a slave drive and scan it that way.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Leo Notenboom on 2006-12-26

2006-12-27T06:24:17Z

Try Live CD suggestions in the article: knoppix, for one example.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Andy Daranga on 2006-12-26

2006-12-26T21:57:56Z

If you can, please help me...
I have a boot virus that doesn't alow me to install windows (any type XP,2k) it creates an error at instalation and it restarts the PC after installation. I used Ultimate boot disk cd 3.4 and it doesn't recognises the virus, only the bios antivirus. If you can, please let me know what to do because I'm out of options. Thank you.

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Mary on 2006-07-18

2006-07-18T16:23:38Z

Thanks, Shanzola for the encouragement. I have a hard time spelling SPELL if that gives you a clue about my computer expertise. You've given me the encouragement to give it a try. And thanks to you too, Leo for another informative article!

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

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Comment from Schnazola on 2006-07-18

2006-07-18T13:10:09Z

I used Knoppix to recover from an LSASS error (endpoint format is invalid). Since the error occurred before the Windows Desktop loaded and I couldn't even boot in SAFE mode, I booted from a Knoppix CD, navigated to my data, and saved them to a portable USB hard drive. Although I was totally unfamiliar with the user interface (I can barely SPELL Linux), it was intuitive enough for me to use easily. I then formatted and re-installed.

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Comment from Simon Scatt on 2006-07-17

2006-07-18T05:40:14Z

Many programms include spyware modules. Use anti-spyware for protect your privacy.
As for me, I like professional anti-spy software like PrivacyKeyboard by Raytown Corporation LLC.
You can download it here: http://download.softsecurity.com/1/14/prvkbd.zip (~4MB)

Anti-Spyware: Efficiency of the Means of Defense

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A comment on: How do I run an anti-virus scan if I can't boot?

Tech Questions? Get Answers! - Ask Leo! ... by Leo Notenboom
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