Vista blinking cursor only

[laptox]

hi - I have a hp laptop HPG700 - It had the vista repair virus - which i removed using malware bytes. Then it was hiding all the files. So I managed to unhide the important ones docs and pictures. I was copying these - but then the virus returned - the whole system locked up - and I had to power off. Now when I boot i just get a blinking cursor - I can't get into safe mode - or even the hp recovery partition.

it does boot from a vista dvd - but startup repair reports no errors - restoring to a restore point just crashes out.

I have tried booting from an fsecure boot cd - but this reports no boot sector virus. If I run hp diags the HDD and memory tests both report passes .....any ideas ?

 

[Tmagic650]

Malwarebytes is not an antivirus program, it is a malware cleaner other than viruses. What antivirus program do you have installed?

 

[laptox]

I have Mcafee anti virus installed - and as per the original post have booted with a F-secure anti viris CD - which reports no boot sector errors

 

[Tmagic650]

Since you have no video other than a blinking cursor, and you can't get into the Safe Mode or the Recovery utility, you will have to format your hard drive and reinstall Windows fresh

 

[laptox]

Don't know about wiping the HDD:-

I have feeling it will be the same as seems a disc access issue or boot record.

There is stuff on the HDD I would like to recover

Any other ideas ?

 

[Tmagic650]

The only other thing I can suggest is to remove the existing hard drive and buy an external USB enclosure the same type as the hard drive (IDE or SATA) putting it aside for now. Get a new hard drive and install Windows. Once Windows and all the drivers and Windows Updates are installed, attach the USB enclosure and scan it for malware and viruses first. (You may be able to scan the USB drive on another computer). Then you may be able to recover the data you need

 

[laptox]

Sorted !!

Booted off the vista dvd - went into command prompt. did a fixmbr and rebuildbcd - it booted up.
I then browsed through the file structure - until I found a link to the HP recovery program - launched it and re installed vista - job done.