[boydphoto]

hi. i appreciate your help. xp home (not this computer), 20g free space, 2g ram, dell laptop. i get the above message, ending in, "system has been shut down". i kept getting virus messages from avg antivirus, so i ran a full system scan with avg free. since then i've been unable to get past the, "windows" logo with the progress bar beneath. the screen behind the error message is medium blue. thanks, boyd

[lunarlander]

Can you boot into Safe Mode by pressing F8 repeatedly after the BIOS memory counting screen?

[blitzkreig]

Please post in the malware removal forum, the general security forum is only for security related queries and not for the removal of viruses and malware.
However, I also would recommend backing up important data and then formatting your hard disk. Finally reinstall windows. As I feel even if some malware is removed, some or the other trace is left behind. I may be wrong but thats what I feel .

[perfume]

Dear boydphoto,
your laptop is certainly infected,hence the BSOD and the clear message. If you want the virus to be cleaned without losing data(unlikely), then kindly go to the malware forum. Avoid double posting.

I personally feel your laptop can do with a fresh Windows install. Not very sure at all. Let the pros take a look. I did not suggest a repair install since you are unable to boot. Don't know whether the procedure can be done in"safe mode". May be the reason why lunarlander has asked you about it!

[boydphoto]

dear lunarlander, blitzkrieg and perfume. it WAS a virus. i found someone who reinstalled
windows and that took care of the problem. i do have another problem now, however: when i
look at c drive, program files, i see all of my programs there, and they're not empty, but i
have no idea how to open any of them. any help would be appreciated. this site is great!
thanks, boyd.

[lunarlander]

When you click on a folder inside 'program files', what does Windows say ?

Are you using an admin account?

[boydphoto]

there is a file in the one i just opened which is in, "xpi", format. i can't open it. i am the sole user of this laptop, so i think i'm an administrator. thanks, boyd.

[perfume]

Dear boydphoto,
To know whether you have admin.previleges, go to My Computer>right click on it. open properties> >check COMPUTERNAME>if everything is Greyed out and/or you can't change the NAME, you are not the admin.

[lunarlander]

found this info about ".xpi"

"This is basically a ZIP file that, when opened by the browser utility, installs a browser extension.

To install a local version of the file, you can drag and drop the file onto an open Firefox browser window or use the Firefox File | Open menu command. In most cases the file will be downloaded via Firefox after you've searched for new add-ons and will, at that time, automatically install itself and be available after a browser restart.


This extension applies to both Mozilla and Firefox browsers. "


Hope this helps.