Just got back online
Error Message
Hard Drive Failure:
“The system has detected a problem with one or more installed IDE/SATA hard disks. It is recommended that you restart the system” (which has been done numersous times)
I’ve done a ‘search’ and it lists documents, and pictures so they look to be there (haven’t opened any documents but did see pics)
You will need to start in Safe Mode with Networking. Clean it up with Combofix and Malwarebytes.
I still think it’s a virus.
Get to work with Malwarebytes before you lose the ability to use the Internet.
I had Microsoft Security essentials running and it told me when the virus/trojan hit but it didn't stop it.
Those error messages are generated by the virus which also posts a bogus system restore screen trying to make it look like the OS still exists which it doesn't anylonger since all the windows folders and files are gone.
It took me almost two full days to recover since I had just deleted all of my backups prior to doing a defrag on my D or ‘DATA’ hard drive where I store the backups and all my other data including emails.
I normally use Acronis True Image for my backups but didn't use it's secure zone preferring to keep my backups on a regular partition where I could copy them to another computer for dual backup purposes.
It seems like when one stores their Acronis backups on a regular partition and does a defrag on that partition the backups somehow get flagged as ‘corrupted’ even though they really aren't. It doesn't matter, Acronis refuses to use them for recovery or mounting if they were defragged.
My recommendation is to use the Acronis Secure Zone if using Acronis for backup images.