Recovering files from laptop

[magnatom]

Unfortunately our home computer (laptop) got a virus and got hacked big time, despite virus checkers etc.

I tried running some scanning software on it to clean and diagnose it, but it kept crashing out before scans would finish. Upon the umpteenth reboot it stopped rebooting (blue screen of death).

I have set up a dos bootable USB disk (found online). Is it possible to use this to mount the C: filesystem? If so what commands can I use? There are pictures on the laptop I want to rescue before I reformat it and I thought I could copy them to the USB key.

I have found and installed a wee Dos tool that might fix the boot (MBR etc.), however, I'm not holding out much hope of that working.

I know there are better places to post this type of question, however, my internet access in now limited (popped into work just now) and at home I can only access via my phone at the moment.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received!

 

[Carwash]

Download the ISO for the LiveCD of your favourite flavour of Linux, and boot from that. You can then mount the root filesystem and get stuff off as needed.

 

[rh100]

I think BSOD's are normally on windows boot, so an MBR fix might not work, as I've only ever used that for when the drive wont start at all.

Can you get in on safe mode? (holding f8 on boot and selecting it from the menu)

I would be very carefull to preserve the data though. So be carefull of reinstalling/repairing windows. it may not be worth experimenting if the data is valuable - so might be time to find a local IT bod with the right kit.

My method, but may not be practical for you, would be to remove the drive and put it in a caddy and attach via usb to another (well protected) pc, and scan it first before opening, then copy. You can also get an adaptor to fit the drive from the 2.5 inch format to the desktop pc 3.5 inch format - but a caddy is easier. Maplins or pc world should do them for a reasonable price.

Suggestion above re: the linux live thing sounds worth a go if you can download and burn the disk from somewhere.

 

[rh100]

I think BSOD's are normally on windows boot, so an MBR fix might not work, as I've only ever used that for when the drive wont start at all.

Can you get in on safe mode? (holding f8 on boot and selecting it from the menu)

I would be very carefull to preserve the data though. So be carefull of reinstalling/repairing windows. it may not be worth experimenting if the data is valuable - so might be time to find a local IT bod with the right kit.

My method, but may not be practical for you, would be to remove the drive and put it in a caddy and attach via usb to another (well protected) pc, and scan it first before opening, then copy. You can also get an adaptor to fit the drive from the 2.5 inch format to the desktop pc 3.5 inch format - but a caddy is easier. Maplins or pc world should do them for a reasonable price.

Suggestion above re: the linux live thing sounds worth a go if you can download and burn the disk from somewhere.

 

[semislickstick]

My method, but may not be practical for you, would be to remove the drive and put it in a caddy and attach via usb to another (well protected) pc, and scan it first before opening, then copy. You can also get an adaptor to fit the drive from the 2.5 inch format to the desktop pc 3.5 inch format - but a caddy is easier. Maplins or pc world should do them for a reasonable price.

Suggestion above re: the linux live thing sounds worth a go if you can download and burn the disk from somewhere.

I've done this too, set up the corrupted hard drive to another computer via the USB, burn it to cd/dvd. Ebuyer did the cables and caddy cheaply.

 

[semislickstick]

My method, but may not be practical for you, would be to remove the drive and put it in a caddy and attach via usb to another (well protected) pc, and scan it first before opening, then copy. You can also get an adaptor to fit the drive from the 2.5 inch format to the desktop pc 3.5 inch format - but a caddy is easier. Maplins or pc world should do them for a reasonable price.

Suggestion above re: the linux live thing sounds worth a go if you can download and burn the disk from somewhere.

I've done this too, set up the corrupted hard drive to another computer via the USB, burn it to cd/dvd. Ebuyer did the cables and caddy cheaply.

 

[piedwagtail91]

i've used this http://www.combofix.org/
to sort out our old pc once but it sounds like yours is too far gone for this to be of any help.

 

[piedwagtail91]

i've used this http://www.combofix.org/
to sort out our old pc once but it sounds like yours is too far gone for this to be of any help.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Unfortunately our home computer (laptop) got a virus and got hacked big time, despite virus checkers etc.

Are you sure it's a virus and not just a hardware failure?
Best option is usually to physically remove the HDD and access via another PC as suggested; but if you don't have that option I'd go with the Linux bootable CD option; or perhaps the DOS one you've already done. My DOS is mighty rusty though! Not that my Linux is much better; but we're working on that.....

Don't forget you need to set your bootable-order in the BIOS; if you haven't told it to check your USB first then it will probably just boot into Windows per normal.

And, of course, depending on the virus be careful with the files you copy off; don't put them back until you're properly sure the PC is now clean and able to detect if the virus has infected them.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Unfortunately our home computer (laptop) got a virus and got hacked big time, despite virus checkers etc.

Are you sure it's a virus and not just a hardware failure?
Best option is usually to physically remove the HDD and access via another PC as suggested; but if you don't have that option I'd go with the Linux bootable CD option; or perhaps the DOS one you've already done. My DOS is mighty rusty though! Not that my Linux is much better; but we're working on that.....

Don't forget you need to set your bootable-order in the BIOS; if you haven't told it to check your USB first then it will probably just boot into Windows per normal.

And, of course, depending on the virus be careful with the files you copy off; don't put them back until you're properly sure the PC is now clean and able to detect if the virus has infected them.

 

[ASC1951]

Unfortunately our home computer (laptop) got a virus and got hacked big time, despite virus checkers etc.

I tried running some scanning software on it to clean and diagnose it, but it kept crashing out before scans would finish. Upon the umpteenth reboot it stopped rebooting (blue screen of death).

I have set up a dos bootable USB disk (found online).

That sounds very like what happened to my PC - various virus checkers installed, but it got slower and slower then the BSoD. I tried the DOS boot from a stick, with one of the recommended free AV programs, but that didn't cure it so I assumed it was a hardware problem. Last shot was to run Kaspersky from the stick - bingo, problem solved. It was a virus, but one of those which invisibly re-installs on boot-up.

Your problem may be completely different of course, but this might be worth a shout before assuming it's a hardware failure. In my limited experience, catastrophic hardware failures give you a few warnings first.

 

[ASC1951]

Unfortunately our home computer (laptop) got a virus and got hacked big time, despite virus checkers etc.

I tried running some scanning software on it to clean and diagnose it, but it kept crashing out before scans would finish. Upon the umpteenth reboot it stopped rebooting (blue screen of death).

I have set up a dos bootable USB disk (found online).

That sounds very like what happened to my PC - various virus checkers installed, but it got slower and slower then the BSoD. I tried the DOS boot from a stick, with one of the recommended free AV programs, but that didn't cure it so I assumed it was a hardware problem. Last shot was to run Kaspersky from the stick - bingo, problem solved. It was a virus, but one of those which invisibly re-installs on boot-up.

Your problem may be completely different of course, but this might be worth a shout before assuming it's a hardware failure. In my limited experience, catastrophic hardware failures give you a few warnings first.

 

[Bman]

If linux isnt your selected poison, there are windows versions available.

I use WinPE aka BartPE (Windows Pre Installation) http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

It allows you to mount the C drive and share it over the network. So you can just copy the whole HDD contents over the network (if you wanted).

 

[Bman]

If linux isnt your selected poison, there are windows versions available.

I use WinPE aka BartPE (Windows Pre Installation) http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

It allows you to mount the C drive and share it over the network. So you can just copy the whole HDD contents over the network (if you wanted).

 

[PBancroft]

Too late now, of course, but if you take one thing away with you from this, it should be backup anything you don't want to lose. If its important enough to keep, its important enough to spend a few minutes to stick it somewhere safe.