Problem with a virus

[crazy canuck]

My son has finally completely locked up his lap top with viruses.  It will no longer read his CD drive and the anti virus program he had loaded with not even open.

I was thinking I would just reformat and reload his software but it looks like I need his cd drive to read his microsoft disc to be able to do that - Vista by the way.

Is there some kind of work around?

[Grey Fox]

Real virus or just bloatware that forces you to buy an "anti-virus" software?

Try Safe mode.

[Barrister]

No advice to the issue at hand, but I've been pleasantly surprised with Miscrosoft Security Essentials.  Real virus detection software, for free.

[DisturbedPervert]

Real virus or just bloatware that forces you to buy an "anti-virus" software?

Those things are real viruses

[Grey Fox]

Real virus or just bloatware that forces you to buy an "anti-virus" software?

Those things are real viruses

True but easier to get rid of.

[Iormlund]

My son has finally completely locked up his lap top with viruses.  It will no longer read his CD drive and the anti virus program he had loaded with not even open.

I was thinking I would just reformat and reload his software but it looks like I need his cd drive to read his microsoft disc to be able to do that - Vista by the way.

Is there some kind of work around?

Doesn't the CD drive work while outside Windows?

[Josquius]

What Iormlund says. If youre reformatting/reinstalling then it should load up before windows does. Unless vista works weirdly different to xp.

[crazy canuck]

My son has finally completely locked up his lap top with viruses.  It will no longer read his CD drive and the anti virus program he had loaded with not even open.

I was thinking I would just reformat and reload his software but it looks like I need his cd drive to read his microsoft disc to be able to do that - Vista by the way.

Is there some kind of work around?

Doesn't the CD drive work while outside Windows?

I am not sure what you are saying. 

[Caliga]

You should be able to boot the PC directly from the Windows install disc independently of booting whatever OS is installed on his hard drive.  That's by design, specifically to deal with situations like this one.

[crazy canuck]

You should be able to boot the PC directly from the Windows install disc independently of booting whatever OS is installed on his hard drive.  That's by design, specifically to deal with situations like this one.

Hmmm,  maybe its a problem with the CD drive then.  I will look at that tonight.

[DontSayBanana]

You should be able to boot the PC directly from the Windows install disc independently of booting whatever OS is installed on his hard drive.  That's by design, specifically to deal with situations like this one.

Incorrect.  It'll only do that if he's configured BIOS to do it.  CC, when you first turn on the computer, double-check by hitting F2 (or whichever key it tells you "press ### to enter setup").  When you get in there, you're looking for a section called "boot devices" or "startup devices."  Make sure the CD-ROM is at the top of the list (if it's not, move it there), and then if your upgrade disc is in the drive when you turn the computer on, it should boot from that instead of the hard drive.  If not, then yeah, it's a problem with the disc drive.

[Caliga]

  Nearly every BIOS is be default configured to boot from CD first, so I fail to see how my advice was "incorrect".  But yes, he'll need to check the BIOS if it doesn't automatically boot from the install CD.

[DontSayBanana]

Nearly every BIOS is be default configured to boot from CD first, so I fail to see how my advice was "incorrect".  But yes, he'll need to check the BIOS if it doesn't automatically boot from the install CD.

It's not an automatic thing.  Nearly every BIOS I've configured for upgrades had to be manually set for optical drive first.

[The Brain]

Fight!

[grumbler]

Nearly every BIOS is be default configured to boot from CD first, so I fail to see how my advice was "incorrect".  But yes, he'll need to check the BIOS if it doesn't automatically boot from the install CD.

It's not an automatic thing.  Nearly every BIOS I've configured for upgrades had to be manually set for optical drive first.

Really?  What manufacturer?  Every computer I have ever used or worked on was set to boot from the CD first (except in systems so old they booted from floppy drive first, in which case they booted from CD second).

That may be changing as USB drives become the delivery platform of choice, but I haven't seen that yet.  Even in that case, though, I'm betting the CD drive is still ahead of the system hard drive.