Can I authorize games in safe mode?

[obobski]

 

I don't understand why a clean install wasn't done quite a while ago - like I said, this is a puzzler of an issue and it isn't worth the time and energy to troubleshoot if that time and energy will exceed how long a clean install will take.

 

Two reasons:

 

1. It deletes all my files and programs.

2. I need to buy an installation disc, because one didn't come with my computer.

 

 

1. This is why we have backups for important files. Re-installing applications is somewhat variable - some things are fairly portable (e.g. Steam games, like Skyrim), but others will require re-installation to function properly.

2. Contact the OEM that made your computer (e.g. Dell) - they will generally provide a disc if you've lost or did not receive one with the original purchase. Alternately your computer may have a recovery partition, which will speed-up the re-install process as it contains an OEM image that will have drivers and other things pre-loaded, so all you'll have to do is run updates.

[stebbinsd]

1. This is why we have backups for important files. Re-installing applications is somewhat variable - some things are fairly portable (e.g. Steam games, like Skyrim), but others will require re-installation to function properly.

Oh, I know. I've got two hard drives, one 500GB and one 250GB. I've made copies of all my files I want to keep on 250GB hard drive, so when I get ready to do a clean install, I can just disconnect that hard drive. Simple, right?

 

 

2. Contact the OEM that made your computer (e.g. Dell) - they will generally provide a disc if you've lost or did not receive one with the original purchase. Alternately your computer may have a recovery partition, which will speed-up the re-install process as it contains an OEM image that will have drivers and other things pre-loaded, so all you'll have to do is run updates.

Thanks, but I already went ahead and purchased an install disc. It was only fifteen bucks. The guy swore to me, in PM, that it could be used for a clean install, so if it doesn't work, Ebay will make him give me my money back.

 

I can still run my emulator games (such as ZSNESW) in safe mode, so I'm not too worried about getting it fixed A.S.A.P.

 

Besides, all this garbage about fixing this computer has put me behind on an important project. A 50+ page document that is due on October 5. I can still run Apache Open Office in safe mode, so I decided to put off fixing the computer until I catch up on my work, anyway.

[stebbinsd]

Okie dokie, everybody. I got a continuance on my project (can't say for how long, though), so for the time being, I'm ready to start trying potential fixes again.

 

Here's some more information for you: I've actually had THREE work-arounds that TEMPORARILY fixt he problem and allow my keyboard & mouse to work in normal windows, but as I've already said, every time I reboot the system, the problem resurfaces.

 

However, I've actually noticed a common theme among these fixes, and I'm hoping that this common them can help narrow down the scope of potential fixes.

 

These three temporary fixes are ...

 

1) Go into Device Manager in safe mode, uninstall the drivers for the keyboard and mouse, then use the power button on the front of the tower to shut down, and then reload.

 

2) Do a system restore to the most recent state. This put a lot of malware back in the system, but if I run my anti-malware, it removes them. Do the aforementioned "uninstall drivers & reboot computer" method mentioned above, and that also gave me a temporary fix ... until Windows released an update and automatically restated the computer. Then the problem resurfaced again.

 

3) When I press F8 to be given various boot options, I can select "disable driver signature enforcement." Selecting that option gave me control of the mouse & keyboard in normal windows. However, once again, I rebooted the computer, and the problem resurfaced.

 

These three fixes only worked once, each. Once the problem resurfaced, these fixes stopped working.

 

You'll notice that all three of the temporary fixes involved manipulating the drivers in one form or another. Therefore, I'm hoping that this is just a driver issue. If I could just get normal Windows to load the keyboard & mouse drivers, I'm hoping I might be set. Any tips?

[obobski]

Random guess since you said "lots of malware" - there's something naughty in there that's messing with the HID drivers (like, say, a keylogger) and that's what's causing you the problems. Whatever it is, it probably isn't loading right in Safe Mode (viruses can have glitches too) so that's why you don't "see" it.

 

Once you get your replacement install media, you may try doing a "restore install" from the Windows installation wizard (boot hte disc and select repair/restore partition) - it may be able to replace damaged system files. However in a more general sense, if "lots of malware" is a reality for this machine, I'd probably opt for a total orbital strike and re-start with a fresh copy of Windows. It will probably take a bit longer than any "quick fix" but it should cut the head off of whatever nasties are in there - back your files up to some separate partition and then screen them very aggressively before you start dragging stuff back onto the machine.

[stebbinsd]

Random guess since you said "lots of malware" - there's something naughty in there that's messing with the HID drivers (like, say, a keylogger) and that's what's causing you the problems. Whatever it is, it probably isn't loading right in Safe Mode (viruses can have glitches too) so that's why you don't "see" it.

 

Once you get your replacement install media, you may try doing a "restore install" from the Windows installation wizard (boot hte disc and select repair/restore partition) - it may be able to replace damaged system files. However in a more general sense, if "lots of malware" is a reality for this machine, I'd probably opt for a total orbital strike and re-start with a fresh copy of Windows. It will probably take a bit longer than any "quick fix" but it should cut the head off of whatever nasties are in there - back your files up to some separate partition and then screen them very aggressively before you start dragging stuff back onto the machine.

So, what's wrong with a factory reset/clean install?

[stebbinsd]

Hey man, I just got an email from my ISP, Cox Communications, and it said the following:

 

"Cox has identified that one or more of the computers in your home maybe infected with the Conficker / Downadup Virus."

 

Are you familiar with this virus? If so, is disabling the keyboard & mouse something that it does? I only because ... the only info I've managed to dig up on the little bastard is this:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/conficker.aspx#EWC

Edited October 2, 2015 by stebbinsd

[obobski]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

 

It's a botnet - not surprising if it kills HID to further its goals. I'd take the machine offline, do a complete reformat and re-install of Windows, and load up anti-virus software and use it (and probably improve browsing practices) in the future. :blush: