Got a virus that's locked my computer, but I can't get into safe mode either to try a system restore? Any ideas?

Attach the disk to another machine (via USB/sata/ata cable) and use virus scans / malwarebytes.

You will have to take your time im not that good with computers. So do ya mean another laptops anti virus could scan my lap top that way?

Yeah if you can whip the disc out and mount it on a caddy etc like this .... http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/components/harddrives-external/harddriveenclosures/

Do you have an XP disk to hand?

you can boot from that and use the repair options.

Before that it might be worth posting what errors you're seeing on the screen.

Could I download a malware program to a disc then boot the disc via f12? Im tryin to get a virus off my computer which has locked it up, I thought the first step was to try system re store using safe mode, that's how I found out also my safe mode wasnt working too

When you say safe mode won't load up, what is it doing?

Is it giving any errors?

Are you positive it's a virus? How old is the machine? Could it be the actual hard drive failing?

It's just goin back to the screen asking which safe mode I want. It's a virus that locks your computer, a fake police screen sayin stuff has been found on your computer. Checked it out and It's a malware apparantly.

It said its easy removed using system restore, that's when I hit the safe mode problem

Your gonna be stuck with no safe mode

Malwarebytes does it but you need to faff about not quite straight forward though as that scareware won't mbytes to install . If you get into safe mode let me know and ill tell you how to remove. You'll need another comp and a USB stick

Could I not use an anti virus disc and run that using the boot menu?

In theory yes, but it's getting one which knows how too deal with that sacreware, I don't know of any off the top of my head, you need safe mode for my method.

You try a Gparted boot disk which will let you scan the drive for errors which could be stopping safe mode, the three times I have got rid of that program it's always let me into safe mode, so you could have something else playing up or that program has evolved in recent weeks !!

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/what-is-windows-defender-offline might be worth a go. It's kind of a totally standalone version of MS' own antivirus product (Microsoft Security Essentials). Unfortunately, I've never tried MSSE's detection rates against malware rather than viruses, so it's unknown whether it'll actually help. You may also be able to get a command prompt by hitting F8, as I think the boot media is Windows PE based, and that would in theory allow you to at least navigate around your hard drive and remove the executable. Whether this is enough to remove the infection is again unknown, the last time I had one of these Met Police things I can't remember exactly how I removed it...

He can't get in normal windows or safe mode though ......... Kinda screwed

Mike, have you tried all the safe mode options ?? Sure your hitting F8 from boot just keep tapping form the second you power up, it's easier than missiing the point.

That's what I'm saying, with the Defender Offline thing, he boots from a CD into a Windows PE environment. It doesn't need a working installation on the hard drive (or indeed a hard drive at all) so that will work OK. From there he can run a scan to see if the malware is detected, and possibly open a command prompt to try and clean it manually if not. All without needing his own Windows installation in a working condition.

Ah right havn't come arcoss that one, Mbytes seems to kill most issues these days either in safe mode or mounted drives

I remember a few years ago using some anti-malware called HijackThis. I seem to recall it would scan from USB on boot up before XP loaded and found the malware on the disc and quarrantined it. Someone else might be able to confirm this?

Thanks for all your replies. I have tried all safe modes, eg with prompts and networking and it just brings me back to the same screen. Also tried start using last safe config and that does same. F8 works and so does f12 and f2

If you're not very computer literate you might want to enlist your local friendly geek on this. without Safemode you're going to have to learn the guts of things if you want to do it yourself.

this might be worth a punt. Seems custom designed for your needs

http://support.kaspe.../?qid=208285998

In order to fight ransom malware Kaspersky Lab specialists designed a special utility Kaspersky WindowsUnlocker. The utility can be launched when your computer is started from Kaspersky Rescue Disk 10 and allows working in graphic and text modes of Kaspersky Rescue Disk.

You'll still need access to another computer to download and burn the disk.

Edited 2 October, 201213 yr by Aspman

Cool, thanks for that, I can use my dads laptop. Will it cost or could I get it from download.com?

I think that's a freebie.

Great fun computers ... until they go wrong!!!

Freebie direct from Kaspersky.

Is it a virus, or just a disk problem. I get this on odd occasions- and all I've got to do is unplug the power and other lines, put them back in and all is well . Might be worth a try.

It does sound similar to when my motherboard went on my lap top, get the first bit but then nothing

Sent from my Galaxy S2 not a Crapple!