Spyware + Slave Drive

DaemonSadi

Simple question and my Google-fu is failing me.

If I have some sort of spyware/virus that keeps my monitor black during boot-up to prevent me from accessing any of my boot options or even wiping the drive, would I be at risk if I set the drive as a slave in a new PC and just pulled the files I want?

Could the virus/spyware travel to the new master drive?

Thanks!

Aurin

It would depend on where the virus is and if you pull the infected file over. Does it black out your monitor even if you get into your boot options?

I've never heard of a virus like that and I never want one like it. Ewwies. @_@

DaemonSadi

Yea, it stays blacked out if you try and go into boot options blindly... it's pretty annoying.

Would it be possible for it to travel without moving files? Like if it's just sitting there plugged in can anything bad happen?

Aurin

I would think that nothing would move. I wouldn't have the computer connected to the internet though, just in case, since most viruses like to ping the internet to install themselves elsewhere.

But I certainly wouldn't leave it plugged in for long, and only pull off the necessary files. I'm paranoid though, and nuke hard drives at the slightest hint of a virus being stuck somewhere on my machine.

DaemonSadi

Aurin wrote: »

I would think that nothing would move. I wouldn't have the computer connected to the internet though, just in case, since most viruses like to ping the internet to install themselves elsewhere.

But I certainly wouldn't leave it plugged in for long, and only pull off the necessary files. I'm paranoid though, and nuke hard drives at the slightest hint of a virus being stuck somewhere on my machine.

Haha, yea I plan on nuking it. I just want to grab a few pictures and the files for The Witcher.... everything else can burn.

I just really don't want to infect my new compy the day I get it, but I guess it wouldn't be a big deal since I could just nuke it right away. Thanks.

illig

how exactly do you think a virus or spyware could affect your POST or BIOS functionality? it would take a very complicated piece of code to rewrite your motherboard's ROM to keep your monitor off during boot

i'd look at a hardware issue 1st, then your BIOS settings, etc. that could blank out the screen during boot

i'm thinking you're booting on a non-primary video output, and only once your PC boots into the OS does that output actually show anything....

DaemonSadi

hmmm. I'll look into that.

TetraNitroCubane

I think Illig's got the right idea here. Make no mistake: There are examples of BIOS-overwriting malware out there, but to my knowledge most of them would require someone having physical access to the machine in order to work their nasty magic. I'm not saying it's impossible, just that it's unlikely.

Additionally, whether or not you have a BIOS virus, cleaning/wiping your HDD won't make a difference. If it's a virus, or if it's a hardware problem, in either case whatever is preventing your POST is going to happen before the system even tries to access the HDD.

Edit: Actually, forgive me if I'm being presumptuous here. Are you able to POST at all? Can you mash F1/Del in time to get into the BIOS, or is that what you mean when you say you can't access the boot options?

Jebus314

As far as the jumping drives is concerned, if you are using windows, and have autorun enabled (not the same as autoplay); it is possible for some viruses to jump to the master drive. There's probably other ways too, but this is just one that I know of.

Depending on what your specific OS is, it will vary from easy to annoying to disable autorun.

DaemonSadi

Thanks guys, I'm dumb and I got it running again.

I'm still gonna nuke it after I get my files over to my new compy, but at least I'll have the files now.