Questions about updating hard drive and OS

[Radman01]

Hi all, I've got an HP Pavilion Gaming PC that has been infected with a demon :-), and despite my best efforts the PC just keeps getting worse. SO, I want to totally replace the NVMe SSD with a new (blank) one, *AND* buy a brand new Windows 10 to install so that I'll be starting totally from scratch. Any suggestions on how to do that to minimize any issues? I've already tried replacing the NVMe, along with reloading Windows 10 (the one that came with the PC), and neither one fixed the issues. I want to start new and not screw up the BIOS, etc. ANY advice appreciated!!  Thanks....

[BeemerBiker]

Unless I am mistaken your product ID is 1K4J3AV#aba and you have cloud recovery

Go to the below site and enter your product ID including the 3 characters after the # character
If you have cloud recovery you can restore your system using a 32gb flash.
It may take an hour or more to create the recovery USB.
https://d34z73bbtpzgej.cloudfront.net/

Any other type of clean install my be missing a lot of special drivers.

Let me know what you find. 

if problem starts up again try the free safety scanner

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/security/defender-endpoint/safety-scanner-download?v...

[Bill_To]

Hi @Radman01 

Welcome back to the Forum.

I would like to assist but I am fuzzy on what is happening that leads you to believe you have malware?

If you installed a new SSD and did a clean HP factory install of Windows then your PC should be back to normal.

I can think of two exceptions to this:

1. You have a hardware problem,

2. Your PC may be infected with some type of low level BIOS/EFI malware. Or you connected an infected external drive to the clean Windows installation. You reinfected the PC.

Item 1. can be remediated when you isolate the failing component.

Item 2. may be persistent and will continue to plague your PC if you have low level malware in the BIOS.

Regards

[Radman01]

Hi Bill and thanks for the response. Now that you mention it, I think it may be some sort of BIOS malware, but I have no idea how to deal with that. I use Norton 360, and also run CCleaner and Advanced System Cleaner as well, but the problems persist. Short of buying an entire new PC, I thought I would ask for some other options. 

[Radman01]

Thanks, I will take a look at that tomorrow and let u know.

[Bill_To]

Hi @Radman01 

My pleasure.

A BIOS update might fix EFI malware, if you have this malware. But your PC has, like, three different possible MB configurations.

Get back to the Forum with your PC's MB info.

Look in Windows System Information or HP System Information to get the MB SSID.

Check your PC's hardware using HP Diagnostics to verify your PC's hardware is okay as follows:

Start the PC. Repeatedly tap the "ESC" key.

Select "F2". Run system and component tests to confirm: a drive problem, a memory problem, or other component problem. Run extensive tests.

Regards

[Bill_To]

Hi @Radman01 

The following possible BIOS downloads based on MB SSID are as follows.

One of these downloads should work with your MB unless your PC's BIOS is up to date.

MB SSID 8653

MB SSID 8767

MB SSID 8860

Two files are from 2020. The last file is from 2024.

Let's hope your MB SSID is 8860.

Regards 

[Radman01]

Hi, mine is 8860. I'm still working on the other items but I'll let you know what happens...

[Radman01]

Hi Beemer, well, the PC refuses to create the recovery USB, it just goes into an endless loop of nothing.  This is similar to one of the problems that I was having previously, in that the PC would not unzip or otherwise load any program files/downloads. It would just flash "Unpacking" for a split second and then do nothing. I even had two different Microsoft techs connect to my system, and *they* couldn't figure out what the problem was. That's why I was thinking my only solution would be to replace the NVMe and buy a fresh copy of Windows, and start from scratch. I really don't see any other solution. The Diagnostics don't show any problems at all. I've never has a PC do any of this before, and I've been using them since Windows 95, so I've got at least some experience with PC's. I've had another user give me some feedback so I'm gonna copy him with this as well.  Thanks....  

[Radman01]

Hi Bill, well, the PC refuses to create a recovery USB, it just goes into an endless loop of nothing.  This is similar to one of the problems that I was having previously, in that the PC would not unzip or otherwise load any program files/downloads. It would just flash "Unpacking" for a split second and then do nothing. I even had two different Microsoft techs connect to my system, and *they* couldn't figure out what the problem was. That's why I was thinking my only solution would be to replace the NVMe and buy a fresh copy of Windows, and start from scratch. I really don't see any other solution. The Diagnostics don't show any problems at all. I've never has a PC do any of this before, and I've been using them since Windows 95, so I've got at least some experience with PC's. I've had another user give me some feedback so I'm gonna copy him with this as well.  Thanks....