House of ZAN Forum

d00g · Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 6:05 pm Post subject: PC problems

Gonna try to make this as short as possible. the other day my PC I have had for less than a year crashes for no reason. The BSOD states it's a video driver problem, I tried to replace the video driver several times, even uninstalling the drivers I had and putting the ones it had on it when I bought the PC. Nothing fixes the problem, and if I disable the drivers it will boot into windows normally. Since it was less than a year old I was able to take it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy and they ran a diagnostic on it for free. They just called us and told us it's a trojan causing the problem, and that they could fix it for $130. The trojan seems like a very convenient (for them) thing for it to have even though I had Avg anti virus on it and I do not go to any websites I don trust.

Here is my question, The OS is Vista, and I have recovery discs but, before I slap the discs in and take it back to factory specs. Is there anything I could do to take care of this myself, or anyone who would be willing to help us out in taking care of this issue? $130 is just too much when we only paid $399 for it to begin with.
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"Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"

Plague · Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 6:59 pm Post subject:

If you can get into windows at all. download malwarebytes and have it run and clean the spyware. "IF" that is the actually cause.

If you can get it install, the scan will work in safe mode too.
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"Never fear, I is here!"
Jared Sellars (a.k.a. Plague)

Grand Master Sef · Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:24 pm Post subject:

Jard's idea is sound.
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Deathscythe343 · Forum Pro Age: 44 Joined: 04 Jul 2005 Posts: 544

Also download AVG's free version. Its pretty good. I would defiantly go with the reload. Its a pain in the ass, but saves you $130.
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Why run? You'll only die tired.

d00g · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 11:15 am Post subject:

Got the PC back and I know it boots into windows because I can hear it on my speakers. However my monitor keeps telling me there is an unsupported video mode and will not display anything. Tried my TV and my old CRT monitor also, and same result. I had the video drivers disabled and I am thinking that the monitor refuses to display the current setting of 1024X786 it is set on. I am able to get into the BIOS and can pull up the boot screens and recovery screens, but when I try to boot into windows, no display. Unless I can figure out what is going on with the display I don't have any way of fixing the other problems the PC is having.

Side note, I did some research and found out that vista has some problems with nvida drivers and that MS released a fix to stop the issue, I think this is the problem I am having, but I cant to anything without being able to see what I'm doing.
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"Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"

Plague · Posted: Mon Jun 07, 2010 12:34 pm Post subject:

Can you get into safe mode?

If you can, try uninstalling the video drivers. or see if you can run the fix from there.

thats my best guess.
_________________
"Never fear, I is here!"
Jared Sellars (a.k.a. Plague)

d00g · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:02 am Post subject:

Got the PC up and workign again. Turns out in additon to the driver issue, my monitor would not display anything when the PC was on. Did some research and found out how to get the PC to boot into windows in 640X480 mode, so it would display. Ran Malwarebytes, only found 5 things that were adware. Grabbed the windows hotfix I was missing, changed the resolution, anf rebooted. Working fine now. Turns out there was also an issue with Vista and the Nvidia drivers and that was causing the graphics issue. The hotfix I d/l took care of it.

Finally, I am going to buy an antivirus program, AVG free just doesn't seem to catch somthings, also screw you Geek Squad, $130 for five ad-ware trojans and that wouldnt have fixed the problem I was having anyhow.
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"Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"

Plague · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2010 9:35 pm Post subject:

Good to hear. glad you got it working.
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"Never fear, I is here!"
Jared Sellars (a.k.a. Plague)

Grand Master Sef · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:42 am Post subject:

Ry works at Micro Center now. They certify ALL their tech guys. Ry couldn't work as a tech there. She CAN get a job as a Geek Squad Nerd Herd n00b. Point being (if you didn't catch it) Geek Squad knows nothing. Don't EVER go to them.
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d00g · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:18 am Post subject:

I used to work at best buy remember. Most of the Geek Squad knows what they are doing but they also want to make lots of money since they get bonuses. Bottom line, they will do as little as possible and charge you the most for it. Lawl
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"Do you think he plans it all out, or just makes it up as he goes along?"

Grand Master Sef · Posted: Wed Jun 09, 2010 3:25 pm Post subject:

i know you did, Doug. My point was that Micro Center won't rip you off. They have trained people who will do what they can to fix your problem but when they charge you its because they did something.

I'm comparing Micro Center to Geek Squad like the Saints to Michigan in football.
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