Need assistance with a virus? Let me know how I can help!
Need assistance with a virus? Let me know how I can help!
Running a malwarebytes offline check has stalled after about five minutes with roughly 160,000 files analyzed. I've attempted Windows Defender quick scan, full scan, and offline mode while disconnected from the internet. Once the admin window appears and permission is granted, scanning halts. In PowerShell admin, using "Start-MpScan -ScanType FullScan" yields an error message.
No virus that enters the BIOS will cause harm. It’s likely just waiting, sending signals and focusing on bigger systems than a typical home computer. It could be ransomware that started locking down the drive. The era of making harmful viruses for profit is largely behind us. Nowadays, most attacks aim for financial benefit. If you can, verify the drive size. If it appears fine but you can’t access anything, it’s probably ransomware.
Entering the BIOS doesn't necessarily indicate malware control; it's probably due to a faulty controller chip or another issue that prevents detection. Even after power cycling—which initially suggested a controller problem—there remain missing components and problems, leading me to believe the drive is damaged. Files may have been removed prematurely, but without malware, they wouldn't simply be deleted. Likely, the SSD is now severely compromised. Back up any usable data and replace the drive.