Thank you sooo much, again. I'm sooo tired of trying, but I don't think I have a choice...

The only thing about the new kaspersky is that I can't download it! It won't come in through safe mode, and the regular way doesn't work at all...

Before doing another reinstallation, I was thinking of trying to remove the kaspersky I have on first.

... but do you think I could wind up in big trouble that way? I mean, will just having SP2 be enough to protect me while I go to visit the kaspersky site (if I can get to it)...

This last question would also apply even with the new reinstallation. At what point could I install the online version of kaspersky 9.0? If I really can't get it from online beforehand, I would have to surf the web without any protection. Would I be okay?

I wish I had another monitor, but I don't. All I have is this laptop, and I'm in a foreign country, so I don't really know anyone else I could ask to borrow theirs.

Unless you may be going to 'unsafe' sites you should not need to worry about anything

Won't be able to do much in safe mode, but you can uninstall programs in safe mode - so I would unistall the kaspersky while there

I didn't consider it being a laptop, may have to deal with the lines issue unless you could get a hold of an external monitor and work with the laptop that way - I don't see that you would have a problem if you had an external monitor - the issue you are having with the lines and all would be the video card/monitor within the laptop

Like I mentioned earlier, in about an hour I am going to upload Kaspersky 2009 an I will post a link for you tomorrow so you can download it without using their site

So uninstall kaspersky in safe mode and decide how you want to go from here

I'll post link for kaspersky, first thing so you have access to that

Here is the link for kaspersky - it's my upload so no need to worry

Just go to link and type in 3 letter code and then click, skip ad and wait 60secs and click download under the free center
http://www.gigasize.com/get.php?d=dfzyd6zmlpd

Thank you sooooo much!!

I downloaded it onto my desktop, but I am also saving another copy in my external memory stick as a backup.

Tomorrow I'm going to restart the whole game over again, following your advice, and then seeing how much I can do.

Thankfully, at least I haven't had the lines come back at all during the last few days.

I was thinking... I'm pretty sure that my external hard drive must be infected with stuff. (that's also why I'll use the memory stick to download SP2 and Kaspersky to my PC.) but, after removing the kaspersky I have now from my computer, if I still can't get my computer to let me in without going into safe mode, is there some other way I can have kaspersky clear my external hard drive of the baddies (like trojans, etc... )?

If I really can't get my PC back in shape, I will then do another reinstallation (fingers crossed for my cd/dvd drive!). Then I will download SP2 from my clean memory stick, and check to see if my computer works well just like that (still not connected to the internet). Then, if things are going well, I will download and run the kaspersky you gave me, once again from my memory stick.

My fear is that as soon as I reattach my external hard drive, the bad things are going to come back.. . maybe kaspersky will be able to block them at that point? I hope so! ;)

But if there is another way, or if I'm missing something, just let me know. And wish me lots of luck!

Again, THANK YOU! :) :)

Yes, you can use antivirus programs in safe mode
Check your private messages for information
Hope all works out this time.

I'm in! :) :) :)

It took 20 hours and 12 reinstallations, but I'm finally back in normal windows without being shut out by hijacked screens, without lines, with SP2...

Now I'm going to go through each of the next steps very slowly, one by one. I'm actually using the 2003 norton anti-virus that came with my computer (believe it or not, that was actually the magic key that stopped the big mess), and I'm doing all of the windows updates now. Then I'll make a system restore point and install kaspersky.

I won't reattach my external hard drive until then because I know there must be baddies in there, and at least kaspersky 9.0 is a much better (and thorough) program than an old version of norton.

Oh, and I got and used the usb anti-virus too.

I'll keep you updated (as soon as my fingers stop cramping... I think this mess has given me tendinitis. Lol. But it's true.)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING :) :) :)

THANK YOU!

OK, fingers crossed...

Before you install kaspersky, you want to unisntall norton from add/remove programs and then use this:

Download and run the Norton Removal Tool to remove your Norton 2003 product

Because uninstlaling norton does not remove everything from registry, that is what this tool is helpful in doing

Thanks again. I do have a big trojan problem, and I'm hoping that kaspersky will be able to take care of these things. I turned on the external hard drive and left kaspersky to scan it overnight. This morning my PC was frozen (the mouse has been disappearing), so I had to just shut it off.

This trojan (or these trojans?) has been interfering even with kaspersky on... what can I do? :(

Okay, I'm back in safe mode and doing as complete of a scan as I can. During my last post, the trojan invaded and messed up my whole screen. It started putting letters everywhere, and then the screen was covered in distortion.

To clarify my last question, kaspersky keeps saying that [blank] is detected. The same objects keep coming up. Is it possible that kaspersky isn't deleting or quarantining the baddies by itself? The lists just use the word "detected", but I don't see the words "deleted" or "quarantined" anywhere.

I have now set it to maximum security.

I have shut off the external hard drive, and I won't open it back up until I have a better plan in place. Perhaps after this scan is completed, I will consider scanning it in safe mode. Still, I'm a little scared... I can't imagine having to go back to step one. (place look of terror here.)

Another option would be to get ESET NOD32 Internet Security for an antivirus

Nothing else other than blank?

Here is a couple of online scans - see if any results come up
Free Virus Scan - Kaspersky Lab

Free ESET Online Antivirus Scanner