Windows 10: Safe Mode not working and I think I am possibly infected

Hi,


So I think I may have installed something I shouldn't have from an unknown source a game a got on a disc abroad - I know I shouldn't have. And now my computer has slowed significantly and I get the occasional freeze.


So I was looking online to try see how to identify and remove the problem. Following most of the posts I have scanned using malwarebites and also my symantec endpoint protection. Only Malwarebites found some things it recommended to remove but these were not related as they were ask.com tool bar extensions or something.


I want to try and boot in safe mood to scan as well to see if the virus or whatever is infecting my laptop can be identified. However my safe mode will not work. I have followed several sets of steps including using the command prompt but this came back as could not be found when i put in the command to start in safe mode i.e. it was the correct command but the computer couldn't get it to function. When I tried doing it through the button pathways every time it said error : and automatically tried again until after the 3rd time it tried to fix it self but couldn't either.


So basically I am in a bind. I am happy enough to reset my machine if need be but would prefer to not to loose some programmes etc.. that I can no longer re-install.


Does anyone now how to negotiate this safe mode problem, or more of a lack of it?

And what are the best steps to get my laptop back into its fast and slick shape as it was before, as I AM NOT SURE HOW TO FIND THIS PROBLEM, ISOLATE IT AND REMOVE IT, as the AV hasn't so far.


Am a bit of a duck out of water here - any help would really appreciated.


I am on windows 8.1

:)

 

Password not accepted in Safe mode

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query on Microsoft Community forum.

Have you tried all the above steps suggested by Sangeeta Sarkar on September 13, 2015.

I would suggest you to provide some information to help you better.

• Are you trying to login the Microsoft account or the Local account in safe mode?
• Did you try with only safe mode or safe mode with networking?
• What is the critical error you are getting?

If you are using Windows 10. To go to safe mode you have to follow the below steps.

If you are able to go to login screen in normal mode try the below steps to go to safe mode with networking.

• 
  At the login screen click on the power symbol.
  
• 
  Hold SHIFT + Click Restart.
  
• 
  After restarting your system, select the Troubleshoot option.
  
• 
  Select advanced options under
  Troubleshoot screen.
  
• 
  Click on Startup Settings.
  
• 
  Click Restart and follow the onscreen steps to go to
  Safe Mode with networking and check if you are able to login.
  

[*]

Please get back with more information, we will be glad to help you further.

 

Keyboard does not work in safe mode.

I have tried those steps but for the fourth it says it does not work in safe mode. I think I'll try the system restore, and if that doesn't work I'll take it to the store to get it fixed. Thanks so much for the help.

 

clean possibly infected flash drives and CD-RWs

Your steps in post #1 should work for 99% of viruses that may be on a usb flash drive. However, there are a very few viruses that can infect the MBR of a drive. I would use Diskpart from a command prompt (Admin) to clean them. In the command prompt type DISKPART then, at the Diskpart prompt use the commands:

LIST DISKnote the disk number of the usb and use it in place of # in the command:SELECT DISK #
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

After this you will have cleaned the partition table from the usb and created a partition using the whole of the the available space. You can then format this partition in File Explorer.


For a CD-RW, if you right-click on it in File Explorer there is an Erase option.