# Help Running Fdisk from DOS Prompt



## friedrc (Jul 25, 2003)

I had a tech guy pay me a visit yesterday. Says the pc I am working on has some type of malicious program in the Windows/Command folder. I know the name of the file but can't delete it. When I go to do so, it says to make sure the file is not write protected or currently not in use. It also appears several times in the registry.

I have all of my essential data copied and now am trying to run fdisk. I select to delete the main DOS partition. I get an error saying this can not be completed b/c the computer can not be locked. Can anyone shed some light on this and let me know how I can perform fdisk properly? Thanks!


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

Check this out. It takes you step by step.



Use the index on the right side of the page for help in deleting your existing partition(s).


----------



## friedrc (Jul 25, 2003)

I type in fdisk, select Y, then select option 3, and then option 1. From there I select the C drive and get the error about the comp not being able to be locked. I tried the link and got the same result. Not sure what is happening here.


----------



## cybertech (Apr 16, 2002)

Go to option 4 first, display partition information. Does the drive contain more than one partition?


----------



## XbrvhrtX (Jul 16, 2002)

Are you using fdisk from the run command in windows or via the startup disk...if you are doing it via windows, perhaps you could reboot with your startup disk and Fdisk from there, if you are still getting the same error and you have backed up all your data as you say and you just want to wipe your C: drive, you could just run format C: from the A: prompt from the startup disk.

Where do you have your files backed up to, is your drive partitioned or a seperate hard drive or burned to CD??

Im a bit concerned about the malicious program you mentioned, hopefuly you have not backed this up as well maybe you should try an online virus scan HERE first of all.

If you have your data backed up to a second drive you may want to unplug the IDE lead on this drive before doing any kind of formating just incase this malicious program trys to access your second drive at all, you dont mention what this malicious program is, did the tech guy tell you

IF its backed up to CD you may want to check this for any virus showing also

XbrvhrtX


----------



## XbrvhrtX (Jul 16, 2002)

I see you didnt check your PM's so I posted again here 

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

friedrc wrote on 07-31-2003 05:15 PM:
Hello,

Thanks for your response. I went ahead and backed up the files I needed to cds. I am confident the virus wasn't copied. I ran 2 online virus scans. One with Symantec and the other with Housecall. They both came up clean.

Malware is located both in my registry and under C:Windows\Command folder. When I go to delete it, it says to make sure the file is not write protected or not in use. Name of the file is mshghw.com. It also is under the registry under COM Service. Not sure if any of that info will help. I am running fdisk from the dos prompt. What other info do I need to pass along to you? I only have one harddrive also.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have you ran spybot get it HERE install spybot, run the "check for updates" before checking your system


----------



## NiteHawk (Mar 9, 2003)

Where do we get these "expert" tech people that say, "you have a virus or malware....FORMAT!"??? Don't they teach troubleshoot the problem anymore? One answer fits all, FORMAT.

Guess we should be happy they aren't doctors. They would amputate the arm for a hangnail.


----------

