Computer Won't Turn On? Check for Viruses

Computer Won't Turn on Because of a Virus? Try This

If you’ve ever had a virus that kept your system from booting at all, you know how infuriating it is. One mistake and your computer is now a very expensive brick. If you’ve never had this happen to you, consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Viruses are on the rise and show no signs of becoming less of a problem in the future. Fortunately, there are now tools that can save your computer even when you can’t start Windows, and they’re much cheaper than buying a new computer.

If you don’t have access to another computer, or can’t follow the instructions here (they can get a little technical), you can always buy the fixmestick at http://www.fixmestick.com. This little device will help you boot into your computer and remove the virus.

However, if the $59.99 price tag seems like a little much for you, and you think you’ve got what it takes to fix it on your own, there’s a much cheaper way to take control of your infected computer.

What you’ll need: A spare computer (ask a friend), and a blank CD or DVD.

First, download the Avira Rescue System at http://www.avira.com/en/downloads - tools and save it on the computer you’re using.

Second, put the blank CD or DVD in the computer and double-click on the Avira Rescue System installer. It’ll walk you through the steps you need to burn the disk.

Once you’re done here, put the disk in the infected computer. If it doesn’t boot into the rescue system, restart your computer and look for a quick dialog that says something like “Press DEL to enter setup.” It differs from system to system, but it’ll be something like F2 or DEL. Once you’re in setup, look for something that specifies “boot order” and make sure your CD drive is the first thing that it boots from.

Once you’ve booted into the rescue system, it’s time to clean things up. When it boots up, Avira will ask you if you want to boot into the system. Type 1 and press enter. It will boot up from there. For your first attempt, you probably just want to go to the “Virus Scanner” tab and click “Start Scanner.” As it runs, it will fix any problems it finds. You should be done after that!

If you’re still having problems, the problem is probably more severe, and should be taken to a computer repair expert.

Whichever route ends up fixing your computer, you should protect against it happening in the future. Download Microsoft Security Essentials and install it for free – it should keep you protected against most attacks.