Oh boy, this sucks

[Ph?bus]

Hardcore virus, for that last part. Download Malwarebytes, then shut down, and start in Safe Mode (F8), then run a full scan with Malwarebytes.
To fix TF2, right click on it in Steam, go to Properties, then click the Local Files tabs, then click Verify Integrity of Game Cache.

 

[thebigrobbyrob]

If what Phobus tells you to do does not work (though im curious how you could get that serious of a virus that fast on a fresh install) then you may want to look to the hardware. what kind of video card do you have and how old is it. I ask becuase i have seen a similar problem recently in my bros comp and was fixed with a new vid card....

 

[Fearless888]

Yes, I am beginning to think it is the video card. I have read a forum on the microsoft website where several people had the same issue, and a majority of them had the same graphics card as me (I have an nvidia geforce 8800 ultra from about 2007 or so). It's a pretty long thread, but here it is if anyone is curious/thinks they can help.

http://social.answers.microsoft.com.../thread/b206856a-989b-4b0f-9572-cc9e4637ade1/

My only concern is that it might be the graphics drivers and not the card. If that is the case I really don't want to buy a new card for nothing.

 

[Snipeye]

Funny thing is that I'm running an 8800GTS 320MB bc my GTX 285 was having issues (not installing properly into mobo, but that's a physical issue I'm handling).

So for the whole problem:

Step 1: Do what Phobus recommended about virus. That's the first step
Step 2: Test any improvement if not, then..
Step 3: Uninstall current graphic drivers and install latest ones for 8800 Ultra.
Step 4: Test again, still not working...
Step 5: Swap out video cards (and drivers) to isolate issue to being the video card. If new card works fine, then its definitely a hardware (video card) issue and not a software issue (drivers/virus).
Step 6: Grab wallet and get new video card.

 

[Cut Chem!st]

Funny thing is that I'm running an 8800GTS 320MB bc my GTX 285 was having issues (not installing properly into mobo, but that's a physical issue I'm handling).

So for the whole problem:

Step 1: Do what Phobus recommended about virus. That's the first step
Step 2: Test any improvement if not, then..
Step 3: Uninstall current graphic drivers and install latest ones for 8800 Ultra.
Step 4: Test again, still not working...
Step 5: Swap out video cards (and drivers) to isolate issue to being the video card. If new card works fine, then its definitely a hardware (video card) issue and not a software issue (drivers/virus).
Step 6: Grab wallet and get new video card.

And if he already has the current ones, try a older driver.

 

[Fearless888]

I went to dl the malwarebytes stuff, but it doesn't say that it does anything for windows 7. EDIT: I have dl'd the malware, and it doesn't look like I have a virus.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the graphics drivers multiple times, but to no avail.
It won't let me roll back my drivers because my computer will only start in safe mode, and I can't do that in safe mode apparently. Lmao.

I am leaning toward buying a new graphics card, but knowing my luck I will buy one that doesn't fit, or isn't compatible with my comp/OS for some reason.

Would it help if I took a picture of the inside of my computer?

Thanks again.

 

[Cut Chem!st]

I went to dl the malwarebytes stuff, but it doesn't say that it does anything for windows 7.

I uninstalled and reinstalled the graphics drivers multiple times, but to no avail.
It won't let me roll back my drivers because my computer will only start in safe mode, and I can't do that in safe mode apparently. Lmao.

I am leaning toward buying a new graphics card, but knowing my luck I will buy one that doesn't fit, or isn't compatible with my comp/OS for some reason.

Would it help if I took a picture of the inside of my computer?

Thanks again.

Uh, what are you talking about? Just because it doesn't say 7 on it doesn't mean it wont work. It does work, and very well.

A picture wouldn't help as much as knowing the name of your motherboard, and the powersupply watts.

 

[Fearless888]

Yes I ran the malware scan and there were no problems.

My power supply is a 750W Silverstone Olympia (Dual SLI compatible)

Motherboard is nvidia 680i core 2 quad (by evga)(nforce 680i SLI)(A1 revision)

The only reason I am asking about the graphics card is because I was going to try and switch my card out for another one so I could test that variable, but the cards attach to the motherboard from different sides. i.e. if I tried to plug in the other graphics card the back of it would not be to the back of the computer. Does it matter if you attach a graphics card upside down?

 

[Cut Chem!st]

Yes I ran the malware scan and there were no problems.

My power supply is a 750W Silverstone Olympia (Dual SLI compatible)

Motherboard is nvidia 680i core 2 quad (by evga)(nforce 680i SLI)(A1 revision)

The only reason I am asking about the graphics card is because I was going to try and switch my card out for another one so I could test that variable, but the cards attach to the motherboard from different sides. i.e. if I tried to plug in the other graphics card the back of it would not be to the back of the computer. Does it matter if you attach a graphics card upside down?

All graphics cards plug in the same way direction if, you might have been trying to plug in a video card that used an older slot (agp, etc), and it only looked like it would fit by turning it around.

But yeah, your problem really sounds like a video card problem, not a virus. Since other people have been complaining about this issue. If you have thoroughly tested the drivers, and it's not those, it's the video card.

 

[Fearless888]

Thanks.
That's weird though. My computer has a PCI slot for the graphics card to plug into (which I am assuming all the latest video cards on nvidia's site plug into). When I look at my computer the graphics card is plugged into the mother board from the right side of the video card, but on nvidia's website all the cards are shown as having a left side plug in. Furthermore, the RAM sticks are attached to the motherboard in slots above the graphics card, when on my parents' comp those RAM sticks are attached below everything else. It is almost as if the people who built my comp put the motherboard in upside down and backwards because they used the wrong case or something. Either that or the cards on nvidia can simply be flipped over and plugged in and still function properly. Any thoughts?

P.S. If it was put in improperly, I might be able to get the people who built it to make me a new one because my comp is still under warranty.

 

[Fearless888]

Snipeye is correct.

However, you don't need Windows 7 if you don't want it. I found the Media Center Edition of Windows XP on TigerDirect for $100.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2571833&CatId=672

It's the same deal as Windows XP, but the it's been optimized for media, such as music, videos, recorded tv, and photos, meaning it'll load those much faster than a basic edition of Windows XP.

Also, before you go off buying anything, do what bigrob said and call Microsoft. They may be able to help you if you can get Windows to install with a "trial version" where it'll give you 30 days to use it, then you need to put in a key and you may be able to get it working over the phone. Also, if your computer doesn't recognize the internet adapter you're using, it may give you that error until you get the driver for the internet adapter you use installed inside the operating system. If you have a USB Thumb drive or a CD Burner + a blank CD, you can put the driver on that (unpackaged, .exe launcher ready to install) on to the disk/thumb drive and install it by pressing the key they tell you to press for 3rd party software installs (like drivers!) and install the drivers for your adapter there to minimize problems.

I am considering buying this version of windows xp, but I just have a quick question.It this disc all I will need in order to put windows xp on my comp? Remember, I lost my other version of xp so I can't just buy an upgrade version.

Thank you so much for the help folks.

 

[Cut Chem!st]

Thanks.
That's weird though. My computer has a PCI slot for the graphics card to plug into (which I am assuming all the latest video cards on nvidia's site plug into). When I look at my computer the graphics card is plugged into the mother board from the right side of the video card, but on nvidia's website all the cards are shown as having a left side plug in. Furthermore, the RAM sticks are attached to the motherboard in slots above the graphics card, when on my parents' comp those RAM sticks are attached below everything else. It is almost as if the people who built my comp put the motherboard in upside down and backwards because they used the wrong case or something. Either that or the cards on nvidia can simply be flipped over and plugged in and still function properly. Any thoughts?

P.S. If it was put in improperly, I might be able to get the people who built it to make me a new one because my comp is still under warranty.

I am considering buying this version of windows xp, but I just have a quick question.It this disc all I will need in order to put windows xp on my comp? Remember, I lost my other version of xp so I can't just buy an upgrade version.

Thank you so much for the help folks.

Motherboards have different layouts, the video card doesn't matter which way it goes in as long as the back of the card lines up with the port on the case, and that the pins match the slots, they can change the layouts of video cards. They can also change where the slots on the motherboard, nothing is turned around or it wouldn't work. The latest slot for graphics cards are PCI-e slots, so what other graphics card were you trying to test? 8800 ultra is PCI-E, so the other card you were trying probably wasn't.

Wait, why are you buying XP again if your have windows 7? It's not going to solve your problems. It's a graphical issue.

 

[oprah2]

If your computers under warranty wont the graphics card be covered?In which case I would not touch anything inside because that could void the warranty....

 

[Cut Chem!st]

If your computers under warranty wont the graphics card be covered?In which case I would not touch anything inside because that could void the warranty....

Uh yeah, if you have a prebuilt computer, and have absolutely no idea what your doing.

 

[oprah2]

Uh yeah, if you have a prebuilt computer, and have absolutely no idea what your doing.

Well he said its under warranty still so why not get the repair for free rather than buy a new one...

 

[Cut Chem!st]

Well he said its under warranty still so why not get the repair for free rather than buy a new one...

I'm saying, they won't void the warranty if you know what your doing, they won't know that you opened it up and did stuff with it. I don't think they even care if you do open it up.

 

[Fearless888]

Yes, I have discovered that I am still within the warranty time, so I am going to check that out and try to get my graphics card replaced.

I want to get a new version of xp because I couldn't get my old one working, and the computer is formatted around xp I believe, so when I bring up the issue I want to have xp installed just so they can't try and screw me out of a graphics card for that reason.

Also, I am considering trying to build my own computer, for which I will use the windows 7.

And I never actually took the card out. I was considering it when I looked at both cards and realized that they were connected to the motherboard from different sides of the graphics card.

Hopefully this will be the end of my woes and I can get back to gaming.