Solrokk

About 18 months ago I build this PC with a friend. The HDD is an SATA Seagate, I do not have the model number at this time.

In the beginning when we installed windows, it recognized the drive and partitioned it, then installed windows normally.

Here is my problem now...

My computer boots up as normal, I'm typing this post on the windows drive now. It runs, however, I contracted a really nasty Rootkit virus somehow, and have tried vigorously to remove it, with no luck.

Virus scans, Malwarebytes etc all detect the virus, say they heal it, but you know rootkits...

So I tried a system restore, wasn't happening, restore failed.
Now I'm down to the wire on reformatting, and to my damn suprise, I can't reformat...

Win XP reformat disk in drive, restart computer, press any key to boot from CD, and after it's scanning process, says there is no partitionable drives detected. I went into BIOS screen after that, and when I go to the boot section and select HDDs, it shows up, however, as the Primary drive it shows my DVD rom, don't know if that makes a difference.

Basically, I need some serious help here to reformat this damn drive, I don't know if the virus has affected it to where I can't reformat, I retraced my steps as to a few months ago, I installed a new power supply, but I'm almost certain I didn't do anything to the motherboard or harddrive cables itself other than power slots. I looked into the case and see the SATA cable from the HDD directly to the motherboard, and the IDE cables are exactly the same as they were before, connected into the DVD drive directly to the motherboard.

But even if the cables were incorrect.... how can my computer boot up normally?

Any help to get this drive reformatted would be greatly appreciated.

makinu1der2

Hello Solrokk,

Try resetting BIOS defaults.

You can try one of the wiping utilities the completely wipe the drive then try to reinstall

Windows. I would recommend KillDisk or DBAN

http://www.killdisk.com/

http://www.dban.org/download

Solrokk

So, by using this utility to wipe the only drive that I have, is this the best option to reinstalling windows, or is it possible that after I wipe the disk, that it still will not recognize my harddrive upon reinstallation? I worry about taking measures like this because I have no alternative method to search the net for answers after I erase the disk.

I reset bios btw, and nothing changed.

simpswr

If you are installing on SATA drive, there is an additional step:

http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org/how...ws_xp_on_a.htm

However, Most newer BIOS allow an Alternate method for SATA . . Go into the bios and check the "Sata Operation" setting, change it to "Raid Autodetect/ATA if it is not already. Now try to install XP ( Verbage will vary by manufacturer some will say IDE instead of ATA)

Solrokk

I appreciate the help, and I went into bios and Enabled this feature that you are talking about. However, this still hasn't allowed my system to see the C: harddrive and allow me to delete partition so that I could reinstall windows. What to do what to do...

raptor_pa

Did you scan with your antivirus from a safe mode boot? Might kleep the root kits dropper from going active and hiding itself.

Solrokk

I did that, the rootkit is still there.
I put the SATA drivers on a floppy, booted from windows xp install cd, pressed F6, etc. Got it to install the sata drivers, yet it still does not show my C drive on the list to format... I've spent my entire day off searching for the answer, and I've tried everything to the best of my knowledge, and without doing something about this rootkit my computer will continue to blue screen.

Appreciate the help thus far, more brainstorming ideas please on how to reformat this drive please.

ahmorrow

Use one of these.

Then use this.

Then install your favorite operating system.

Note: Just in case you can download Ubuntu free here. Even if you don't like it, you can EASILY get to the web using it. Just be sure you download the correct version of the *.iso file or you will be SOL. It even offers the option to boot directly from the CD without changing your HDD.

I hope this helps man. Rootkits suck... except the good ones.

Solrokk

Dban failed to initiate, and hard drive scan tests Pass.
Still cannot reformat.

I waited on the phone with Seagate for 45 minutes to speak to a tech and they didn't answer. I'm praying im just doing something wrong as far as setting up the SATA for reformat. But then again, how come I can boot Windows on it and use like normal..? Doesn't make any sense to me.

ahmorrow

Not sure... hmmm... odd.