BrianKoop
2014-10-05, 15:52
On Sept. 19, 2014, I opened an email and quickly realized that it was bearing malware. About one day later, I ran Spybot Search & Destroy, which indicated my computer was infected by a keylogger, spyware, and the Bladabindi malware, all having date-stamps of Sept. 17, 2014. I was still not sure that I had eradicated all the malware from my computer, so yesterday I decided to download Microsoft Security Essentials, which I read was effective at combating the B.Bindi malware family. As I was starting the download, a pop-up that claimed to be from Microsoft asked something like, Would I please allow access to information on my computer to help guide me through the process. I now realize I should have denied access, but I foolishly clicked yes, and my computer instantaneously turned off. Not just a black screen, but dead. The power was shut off, and I have been unable to turn it back on ever since. The machine will not turn on. Just to be sure I was not merely out of power, I plugged its power cord into a plug that I know works fine; it has been plugged in for hours now, and still it will not turn on.
I have had computers for 20 years, but I have never experienced or heard of anything like this. I contacted a Microsoft security tech support guy, who claims that it is impossible for a virus to turn off power to a computer, therefore the problem must be my hardware, and it is merely a coincidence that the computer shut down and became inoperable the instant after I clicked that pop-up.
I read that the Bladabindi viruses may contain means of defeating anti-malware that is designed to eradicate it. I am wondering if this is what happened. I finally started to download an anti-malware program that would destroy it -- and it defended itself by tricking me into clicking on something that stopped me dead in my tracks. But the Microsoft tech support guy claims there have been no other reports of Bladabindi turning off infected computers.
Can you nice people please help me? Given the other weird crap that has been happening to my computer since I opened that email on Sept. 19, and given the general good health of my Toshiba (I have had no problems with it except this), it seems extremely implausible that it is nothing but a coincidence that it shut down the instant after I clicked on that pop-up.
What can I do to get my computer working again?
I have had computers for 20 years, but I have never experienced or heard of anything like this. I contacted a Microsoft security tech support guy, who claims that it is impossible for a virus to turn off power to a computer, therefore the problem must be my hardware, and it is merely a coincidence that the computer shut down and became inoperable the instant after I clicked that pop-up.
I read that the Bladabindi viruses may contain means of defeating anti-malware that is designed to eradicate it. I am wondering if this is what happened. I finally started to download an anti-malware program that would destroy it -- and it defended itself by tricking me into clicking on something that stopped me dead in my tracks. But the Microsoft tech support guy claims there have been no other reports of Bladabindi turning off infected computers.
Can you nice people please help me? Given the other weird crap that has been happening to my computer since I opened that email on Sept. 19, and given the general good health of my Toshiba (I have had no problems with it except this), it seems extremely implausible that it is nothing but a coincidence that it shut down the instant after I clicked on that pop-up.
What can I do to get my computer working again?