Computer not working, need help!

[LWM]

Okay I was doing a scan and it was taking forever so I hit the escape key like it said to stop the scan and restart the computer...

Now my computer starts normally and loads all the images on the screen but NOTHING happens when I click on ANYTHING.

I have rebooted, rebooted in safe mod & tried to run a virus check from a thumb drive but no PROGRAMS will run, what can I try next?

[Sal-XK]

If you have your disc you can try a windows repair. What type of scan were you running?

[LWM]

If you have your disc you can try a windows repair. What type of scan were you running?

I was running what I thought was a windows scan, I think it was a worm.

What disk do I need? wont my windows 7 reset and lose all files but not kill the worm?

[Sal-XK]

If you opened a worm I can't help not threw the forum anyway. You can try a window repair by putting the windows install disk in and booting that up you shouldn't loose your files doing that. Some computers have a restore option putting it back to the way it came from the factory but you loose your files going that route I've had to do that to my kids computer twice that's why I have everything backed up to a hard drive.

[LWM]

If you opened a worm I can't help not threw the forum anyway. You can try a window repair by putting the windows install disk in and booting that up you shouldn't loose your files doing that. Some computers have a restore option putting it back to the way it came from the factory but you loose your files going that route I've had to do that to my kids computer twice that's why I have everything backed up to a hard drive.

Perfect, I tried that and I am now doing a scan to find and kill the worm. You were a big help and maybe by dinner I can get off my laptop and get back on the main computer.

[Sal-XK]

Cool glad it worked.

[jcoulter]

This stuff sucks. Glad it's working out for you. If everything is backed up you can always format the drive and do a fresh install of your OS.

[hoaxci5]

Just as a reminder, always backup your data. There are several options, I like to use a program called crashplan (http://www.crashplan.com/) it has a free option to backup data to your other computers or friends computers, and a pay option to back it up to their servers. It's pretty straightforward to setup and use, and could save you from catastrophic loss.

[Matt]

I backup all of my stuff on an external HD.

I know the kind of worm you got.... my sister-in-law did the same thing. I set up her antivirus to do auto scans and auto quarantine and NOT to prompt her for anything. So I told her that if she ever gets a pop up requesting her action to "scan" something, exit out and don't click it. Also warned my wife about those types of viruses.

[LWM]

I have a TB server that I back up my computer on too so I wasn't as concerned about losing my files as I was about not being able to use my computer.

[jcoulter]

Well if everything is backed up then it's not a huge deal to wipe the hard drive and reinstall. Should only take a few hours. Of course it happens at the worst time. I got my all my stuff backed up just in time. About 3 weeks after I backed everything up my drive crashed in the laptop. Sucked! Now I just need to figure out how to add another drive to the server to backup everything on it.