Urgent Help - Virus attack!!!

Plz help!!! I am helping a friend of mine to solve her serious laptop problem. The laptop is Acer Aspire 5630-6895, using windows XP media center edition. She said she opened a file/program sent by her friend, and the laptop went completely black after a while.

I was able to force turning off by holding the power switch. Without pressing any key, the initial Windows XP loading screen (I don't think it gets to the bio-boot screen) it quickly turns into a black screen.

I was able to go to setup windows by pressing F2, but unable to get to safemode by pressing F8. Once it gets to the black screen, a loud beep sound will result whenever I press a keyboard key.

What are the options available here? Any comments will be appreciated.

 

Burn a Linux Live CD packaged with AV gear. Slip it in the computer, boot off the CD, and clean that sucker out.

 

Sounds like you've got something more serious than a virus problem there... Have you or your friend noticed an excessive amount of heat coming from the system at any point? Is the fan still spinning? (check by holding your hand an inch or two away from the exhaust vent) Another thing you could try would be to reseat the memory (should be accessible via a panel underneath the laptop). If that doesn't have any effect, try removing one stick and booting the system again. Still no effect, remove the other stick and replace with the stick you first removed. Still no effect, try each stick in the other open slot, individually. If still no effect you've probably got a fried motherboard or CPU.

 

wow..that sucks..how long as she had it?

 

She had it for a few hours and she couldn't recall exactly what caused it.

TechGuy, for the reseating batteries method, what you mean by "effect" is windows going back to normal again? I can simply reseat the batteries and clear the virus (or whatever the cause)? And if the black screen still exist, there will be no other way but to replace a new CPU??

Minimalism, can you tell me in more details about the Linux rescue cd method? Like its content, and how will I be able to find it.
Does it contain

1. Windows Workstation XP Live
2. Damn Small LInux LIve
3. Hiren\\\'s BootCD
4. NTLDR is Missing Fixer
5. Fix for No Folder Otions/Registry

Thanks for all the helps! Plz keep it coming.

 

I didn't say anything about reseating batteries... It's the memory module(s) you'll need to reseat. As for how to do that, there are probably two access doors on the bottom of the laptop. One of those should have the memory underneath. I'd link you to a service manual but can't seem to one...
As for the cause of the problem and the solution, you're not going to know until you try the suggestions I posted. If the mobo or CPU are shot, you may as well buy a new lappy.

 

Lose the friend. I wonder if her CPU memory has a built in anti-virus protection in BIOS. Can you at least go to the BIOS? If you can then I would recommend installing the recovery disc. If you can't then your video or motherboard is fried.