Dell Inspiron laptop freezes during boot

[wvherdfan89]

Could this be malware or a virus?

 

I turn on my Dell Inspiron laptop, the dell symbol comes up, the bar fills across completely and goes to next screen as if its booting.  It gives me the screen with the info that usually shows for a few seconds just before loading Windows 7 (Intel UNDI, PXE ..... Patent numbers......Realtek......) and stops.  Cursor shows flashing at the top middle of the screen.  Ive went into F2 and F12, ran tests and everything is fine.  I tried to go into safe mode with F8 but it won't.  Almost like I am not pushing anything at all.  Any ideas?  This is my sons laptop and after it starts this he informs me his anti-virus program may have expired.  We can not locate the boot cd that came with the laptop although I found the driver cd.  Tried that and it didnt do anything, which I expected.   My other son has a Toshiba and the screen is completely black when booting and never shows anything.  I dont know if its a coincidence that both of these are having similar problems or if they have some sort of virus they have "shared" with each other.  Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give.  I have to manually shut the laptop down.

 

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello and welcome to Malwarebytes forum.

I can't possibly know whether there is a rootkit or malware issue involved, or whether it may simply be a glitched Windows.

Please only let's only just keep this thread about the Dell Inspiron laptop !

Whichever other system your other son has, let's keep that out of this.

But one might ask your sons if they passed & used a flash-thumb-drive between the two systems, and if so, then it may well be they have an infected one !

Please get a brand new USB-flash-thumb drive ( one we can truly trust as being clean) !!

You will need that for this next procedure.

BTW : Take extreme care if you share USB-flash/thumb drives from other people {even from friends, roommates, relatives}

Don't plug in an unknown flash/thumb drive into your PC.

IF you must do so, hold down the SHIFT-key when you insert the drive.

Scan any file with your Antivirus prior to opening or using.

You need a clean computer to do download of tools. I hope you have such at your house.

For x32 (x86) bit systems download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to a flash drive.

For x64 bit systems download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 and save it to a flash drive.

Disconnect any external storage drives from the computer.

Enter System Recovery Options.

To enter System Recovery Options from the Advanced Boot Options:

• Restart the computer.
• As soon as the BIOS is loaded begin tapping the F8 key until Advanced Boot Options appears.
• Use the arrow keys to select the Repair your computer menu item.
• Select English as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
• Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
• Select your user account an click Next.

OR If you have the Windows o.s. DVD, then To enter System Recovery Options, by using Windows installation disc:

• Insert the installation disc.
• Restart your computer.
• If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc. If your computer is not configured to start from a CD or DVD, check your BIOS settings.
• Click Repair your computer.
• Select English as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
• Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
• Select your user account and click Next.

On the System Recovery Options menu you will get the following options:

• • Startup Repair
  • System Restore
  • Windows Complete PC Restore
  • Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
  • Command Prompt
• Select Command Prompt

  Now, Plug the flashdrive with FRST tool into the PC.

• In the command window type in notepad and press Enter.
• The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
• Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
• In the command window type e:\frst.exe (for x64 bit version type e:\frst64) and press Enter

  Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.

• The tool will start to run.
• When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press Scan button.
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please copy and paste it to your reply.

[AdvancedSetup]

Are you still with us?

[Maurice Naggar]

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