cannot boot into safe mode/ Vista Home Premium/blank screen w/ blinking cursor.

[marybyrdbrown]

cannot boot into safe mode toshiba satellite L355 S7831 vista home premium. F8 DOES NOT WORK? After "Tosiba# screen appears, I just get a blank screen with blinking cursor. My virus software recently moved virus trovvjan horse 32 to the virus vault. Need to repair OS. Having runtime errors and a host of other problems. I miss the old ms dos days where you could at least work from c prompt. I am afraid my hard drive is infected. I wish I could debug or something!!! HELP? Tried others' suggestions but nothing working.

 

[dodger46]

Did you try System Recovery? You'll lose all your data, but get a fresh install of Windows (Which you'll need to update)
Press and hold the 0 (zero) key and at the same time, tap the power button once to switch on your laptop.
2. When the machine starts beeping release the 0 key.
3. When prompted select ‘Yes’ to continue with system recovery.

Personally I would shell out £45/$80 and upgrade to Win 8...

Another possibility is to create a bootable Antivirus disk, AVG provide one free, in the hope that it could remove the virus completely.

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Thanks for yout generous reply. I am corresponding vis my NOOK. I tried the "0" method, but I will give it another go. I think I held down the power key simultaneously with zero key, but not 100% positive. I will also explore your link. And you ate so right! Vista is lousy. I loved XP. I was ready to upgrsde right before this happened. I have backup of my drive, but won't boot from USB EXTERNAL hard drive either. I just hope my docs sre not infected. I imagine my system files are. I will check my AVG disk. I will report back. Thanks, Mary

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Interesting news. I followed your exact instructions regarding the zero key and had different results. Still a blank screen, but the cursor is still-it stopped blinking. I will report back. Checking out your other suggestions and will attempt reboot.

I have an update! The zero reboot method pet your specific instructions dif not work, but somethong else did due to your great know how. I inserted my 2012 AVG disk. I upgraded version just last week, so I hope the old version recognizes the virus. Nevertheless, with CD inserted into drive, I rebooted the machine. Per notation on the Bios screen, which I accessed before, I pushed F12 and the Boot Manager screen appeared offering several options of which I obviously chose CD/DVD drive. AVG Boot Manager screen next offered several options: 1. AVG Rescue CD 2. AVG Rescue CD with Disabled Framebuffer 3. AVG Rescue CD with Resolution Selection 4. Boot grom floppy disk (NOT an option) 5. Boot from hard disk (Can't!) 6. Boot from next device on the BIOS boot sequence 7. Memtest86-Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool 8. Exit to the syslinux boot prompt. Please kindly advise? Thanks, Mary

 

[dodger46]

Can you connect to Internet via Ethernet cable? Run the AVG Rescue and you will be given the option of Updating AVG to latest database, but only via Ethernet.
Takes a while but you should arrive at this screen

Choose update, then scan obviously!
That way you should have a chance of removing the virus...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Yes, of course, I am in process of that very task. I also used some other great tools that gives more info. Camu up with "EHCI: BIOS handoff failed...BIOS BUG?" That is also obvious because I cannot boot past the "Toshiba"screen showing BIOS info. Scan is slow and in process. Networking was a bit slow because Wifi does not work. Hunted down an ethernet cable and got the job done. I used a lot of other tools,but nothing worked thus far, including trying to create a USB boot flash drive.

"Obviously" just because the virus appears to be in the virus vault doees not mean one is out of the woods. I asked AVG to check virus vault, and it reported nothing in the vault.

Perhaps because the versions of software differ?

And what REALLY happens if one empties the virus vault? I did not empty. Anyway, AVG virus definitions are completely updated.

 

[dodger46]

Well, the fact that you can boot from the AVG disk would indicate that your basic functions are sound, but don't understand the BIOS error completely. Suspect it has to do with booting from Ubuntu. If the AVG scan fails to reveal anything, and your Recovery Partition appears to be malfunctioning, next course of action will be to re-install Vista... horrors! not difficult, but a lengthy procedure. Win 8 beckons...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Well, the fact that you can boot from the AVG disk would indicate that your basic functions are sound, but don't understand the BIOS error completely. Suspect it has to do with booting from Ubuntu. If the AVG scan fails to reveal anything, and your Recovery Partition appears to be malfunctioning, next course of action will be to re-install Vista... horrors! not difficult, but a lengthy procedure. Win 8 beckons...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Hi Dodger. AVG scan reports the following (with all definitions updated): Zero infections, PUPs found: 2, Errors reported: 1. AVG (2012) recovery disk also checked virus vault and found it empty. Mmmm...strange since the new version (on or about a dayor two ago) of AVG moved Trojan horse 32 to the virus vault. Is this because of the different versions? I did not empty the vault at that time AVG found it because I was uncertain of safest protocol. Makes me wonder where the darn virus really is. Would BIOS info. Be of use to you? Feels like we are getting closer to needin an installation disk...before I can upgrade...ugh. I recall how Windows upgrades are...ugh.

Oh... there are actually two volumes. I scanned the NTFS 231.4G. However, I did not scan the "Toshiba" Volume 1.5G. AVG reports a third volume "iso9660 3.4G. Don't know of that one. Probably would make sense to scan them, too?

 

[dodger46]

If you typed something it disappeared...
Got it. Upgrade to Win 8 simple enough. Vista Repair Install a possibility, but would need to find a download for Vista SP2 as that would be your present status. If you decide to go down the Win 8 road let me know and I'll talk you through a clean install, which if your HDD has plenty space could be placed in a new partition alongside Vista to give you access to your data. BIOS info unlikely to tell me much

 

[dodger46]

Hi Dodger. AVG scan reports the following (with all definitions updated): Zero infections, PUPs found: 2, Errors reported: 1. AVG (2012) recovery disk also checked virus vault and found it empty. Mmmm...strange since the new version (on or about a dayor two ago) of AVG moved Trojan horse 32 to the virus vault. Is this because of the different versions? I did not empty the vault at that time AVG found it because I was uncertain of safest protocol. Makes me wonder where the darn virus really is. Would BIOS info. Be of use to you? Feels like we are getting closer to needin an installation disk...before I can upgrade...ugh. I recall how Windows upgrades are...ugh.

Oh... there are actually two volumes. I scanned the NTFS 231.4G. However, I did not scan the "Toshiba" Volume 1.5G. AVG reports a third volume "iso9660 3.4G. Don't know of that one. Probably would make sense to scan them, too?

Vol 2 System reserved, contains Boot info, Vol 3 probably your Recovery partition which doesn't seem to work. Vol 2 certainly worth a scan...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Hi Dodger. AVG scan reports the following (with all definitions updated): Zero infections, PUPs found: 2, Errors reported: 1. AVG (2012) recovery disk also checked virus vault and found it empty. Mmmm...strange since the new version (on or about a dayor two ago) of AVG moved Trojan horse 32 to the virus vault. Is this because of the different versions? I did not empty the vault at that time AVG found it because I was uncertain of safest protocol. Makes me wonder where the darn virus really is. Would BIOS info. Be of use to you? Feels like we are getting closer to needin an installation disk...before I can upgrade...ugh. I recall how Windows upgrades are...ugh.

Oh... there are actually two volumes. I scanned the NTFS 231.4G. However, I did not scan the "Toshiba" Volume 1.5G. AVG reports a third volume "iso9660 3.4G. Don't know of that one. Probably would make sense to scan them, too?

Vol 2 System reserved, contains Boot info, Vol 3 probably your Recovery partition which doesn't seem to work. Vol 2 certainly worth a scan...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Hi Dodger. AVG scan reports the following (with all definitions updated): Zero infections, PUPs found: 2, Errors reported: 1. AVG (2012) recovery disk also checked virus vault and found it empty. Mmmm...strange since the new version (on or about a dayor two ago) of AVG moved Trojan horse 32 to the virus vault. Is this because of the different versions? I did not empty the vault at that time AVG found it because I was uncertain of safest protocol. Makes me wonder where the darn virus really is. Would BIOS info. Be of use to you? Feels like we are getting closer to needin an installation disk...before I can upgrade...ugh. I recall how Windows upgrades are...ugh.

Oh... there are actually two volumes. I scanned the NTFS 231.4G. However, I did not scan the "Toshiba" Volume 1.5G. AVG reports a third volume "iso9660 3.4G. Don't know of that one. Probably would make sense to scan them, too?

Vol 2 System reserved, contains Boot info, Vol 3 probably your Recovery partition which doesn't seem to work. Vol 2 certainly worth a scan...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Certainly seemed like a good idea to me, too. Scan is still in progress. Back soon...

 

[dodger46]

Certainly seemed like a good idea to me, too. Scan is still in progress. Back soon...

The other possibility is a faulty Hard drive causing erroneous errors but you probably have a means of testing it within your BIOS

 

[marybyrdbrown]

Certainly seemed like a good idea to me, too. Scan is still in progress. Back soon...

The other possibility is a faulty Hard drive causing erroneous errors but you probably have a means of testing it within your BIOS

Faulty hard drive crossed my mind, too. I do not know how to test with BIOS. Not sure. I bet you can walk me througj it though! You are very capable and I really appreciate your expertise, energy and time. I am pursuing cost effective avenues, ad I am on disability now.

 

[dodger46]

I've been raking through the manual for your laptop, and can't find out how to access your BIOS , let alone discover what's in it! Where are you located in case I need to send out an installation disk as that will be necessary for various reasons...

 

[marybyrdbrown]

If you typed something it disappeared...
Got it. Upgrade to Win 8 simple enough. Vista Repair Install a possibility, but would need to find a download for Vista SP2 as that would be your present status. If you decide to go down the Win 8 road let me know and I'll talk you through a clean install, which if your HDD has plenty space could be placed in a new partition alongside Vista to give you access to your data. BIOS info unlikely to tell me much

Got it. Sounds like s good plan. Only concern is, space on my hard drive is pretty tight. The big volume (not stupid just sleeped deprived) had approx. 30+/- G left. My plan wad to do live backup on external drive (done) and then start cleaning house so I could create space on hard drive. I performed defrag and that helped. But, things went south before I could finish executing my plan. I have guest arriving do I have to sign off. Can er reconnect tomorrow? I am on east coast (EST). Thanks, Dodger.

 

[dodger46]

If you typed something it disappeared...
Got it. Upgrade to Win 8 simple enough. Vista Repair Install a possibility, but would need to find a download for Vista SP2 as that would be your present status. If you decide to go down the Win 8 road let me know and I'll talk you through a clean install, which if your HDD has plenty space could be placed in a new partition alongside Vista to give you access to your data. BIOS info unlikely to tell me much

Got it. Sounds like s good plan. Only concern is, space on my hard drive is pretty tight. The big volume (not stupid just sleeped deprived) had approx. 30+/- G left. My plan wad to do live backup on external drive (done) and then start cleaning house so I could create space on hard drive. I performed defrag and that helped. But, things went south before I could finish executing my plan. I have guest arriving do I have to sign off. Can er reconnect tomorrow? I am on east coast (EST). Thanks, Dodger.

I'm in UK so might take time to get there! Catch you later...

 

[dodger46]

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