Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Gaffers]

The problem is if your BIOS code has been changed by someone malicious, and that's what it seems to us who know on here, then your computer is screwed.  It's not that it wont work again, the problem is its security.  The BIOS flash is a very effective way of hiding malware (usually a RAT loader) and even if you get it working again it might become at the very best just part of a Botnet, at worse they are logging all your keystrokes looking for bank details or are about to encrypt your whole hard drive seeking a ransom.

Eitherway, if you BIOS has been changed without yuor knowledge, as TB said, bin the whole computer.  Unless it is a high spec machine it is proably more cost effective to replace it rather than repair.

And yes, unless you know what you are doing then downloading illegally will put you at very high risk of being compromised that way.  I work in ITsecurity and I have looked at this area* and found it very difficult to do it without being attacked repeatedly.

*as part of an investigation in to a CEO that got proper hacked

[Broomies Mate]

Thing is, being quite old, you'd more than likely pick up a replacement Motherboard for pennies, but (by your own admission) you aren't in a position to swap that out yourself.

If you could post the Make, Model, Version and BIOS Software version here (If you hit the Pause/Break key when the AMI screen appears, it will stay on screen until you press any other button).

Write everything down, or better still, take a photo of the screen and post it here.  There may be a BIOS update that *may* get you out of trouble, although unlikely.

[Steve B]

Thing is, being quite old, you'd more than likely pick up a replacement Motherboard for pennies, but (by your own admission) you aren't in a position to swap that out yourself.

If you could post the Make, Model, Version and BIOS Software version here (If you hit the Pause/Break key when the AMI screen appears, it will stay on screen until you press any other button).

Write everything down, or better still, take a photo of the screen and post it here.  There may be a BIOS update that *may* get you out of trouble, although unlikely.

can the BIOS not be re- flashed 

[Gaffers]

I wont go in to specifics (google will help you out) but if you leave the disc drive and just change the motherboard you cant be sure that there is not something on the drive which will reinfect the BIOS of the new board.  Likewise you cannot be sure that reflashing the BIOS will remove all the malware.

Thus the only solution is to start again with a whole new computer.  If you're really stingy you can reuse the case, screen, mouse, PSU and keyoard.

[moggy]

Hi guys,what are the odds that the bios has not been compromised.As unfortunately i cannot afford a new pc,and i will have to stick to this one. .As tb pointed out freetard,wont be doing it again.So i assume my security is at risk.

[Broomies Mate]

Hi guys,what are the odds that the bios has not been compromised.As unfortunately i cannot afford a new pc,and i will have to stick to this one. .As tb pointed out freetard,wont be doing it again.So i assume my security is at risk.

It is impossible to say without running some very in-depth diagnostics.  The very fact that BIOS settings HAVE been changed strongly suggests it's integrity has been compromised.

Ultimately, it's your call - But I'd definitely not be doing any on-line banking, bill paying or anything which could leave YOU vulnerable.

If you can get the Firmware Version and Software Revision numbers, I *may* be able to help find out what (if anything) has compromised your machine.

[moggy]

Hi guys,what are the odds that the bios has not been compromised.As unfortunately i cannot afford a new pc,and i will have to stick to this one. .As tb pointed out freetard,wont be doing it again.So i assume my security is at risk.

It is impossible to say without running some very in-depth diagnostics.  The very fact that BIOS settings HAVE been changed strongly suggests it's integrity has been compromised.

Ultimately, it's your call - But I'd definitely not be doing any on-line banking, bill paying or anything which could leave YOU vulnerable.

If you can get the Firmware Version and Software Revision numbers, I *may* be able to help find out what (if anything) has compromised your machine.

BM,i do all my banking,bill paying online,where do i get my firmware and software revision numbers from.Dean.

[Broomies Mate]

Hi guys,what are the odds that the bios has not been compromised.As unfortunately i cannot afford a new pc,and i will have to stick to this one. .As tb pointed out freetard,wont be doing it again.So i assume my security is at risk.

It is impossible to say without running some very in-depth diagnostics.  The very fact that BIOS settings HAVE been changed strongly suggests it's integrity has been compromised.

Ultimately, it's your call - But I'd definitely not be doing any on-line banking, bill paying or anything which could leave YOU vulnerable.

If you can get the Firmware Version and Software Revision numbers, I *may* be able to help find out what (if anything) has compromised your machine.

BM,i do all my banking,bill paying online,where do i get my firmware and software revision numbers from.Dean.

Post #16 ^^ There.

[Broomies Mate]

The screen *may* look something like this;  (Depending on age).



Would be good if you could get a Hi-Res Photo of your screen.

[Gaffers]

 

[moggy]

Piss taker,

[moggy]

Hi all just a quick question,i looked at the AMI screen today and the only thing i can see is.At the bottom of the page it says COMS wrong settings,could this be what is causing it to come up.Dean.

[moggy]

Hi all just a quick question,i looked at the AMI screen today and the only thing i can see is.At the bottom of the page it says CMOS wrong settings,could this be what is causing it to come up.Dean.

Sorry i mean CMOS.

[Broomies Mate]

Moggy.  Two possibilities.

Either the CMOS Battery is flat/going flat (There is a small button type battery on the Motherboard to store all the essential settings even when the Computer is unplugged from the mains).

Something has attempted to break stuff.

Enter the BIOS by pressing 'DEL' when it says to do so and use the arrow keys to navigate to "Standard CMOS Setup".  In here, set the correct date and time.


Then back at the main menu, select "Load Optimal Settings".

Go to "Save & Exit"



If the computer loses it's settings again after being turned off for an hour or so, you could try changing the battery on the Motherboard.  If you can change the battery in a key-fob, you'll be fine with this.  It's very easy.

If that still doesn't stop the BIOS losing it's settings, it's toast.

[minifreek]

Jeebus theres a lot of scaremongering going on here....


Has no-one thought its just the BIOS start-up screen that is being displayed and not the actual BIOS....