Motherboard memory issue

[Number7]

Please could someone kindly advise me - I have a laptop, Advent 7201 model no. AL096 it's running Windows XP 32 bit, and the processor is a 'family 6 model, 14 stepping, 12 genuine Intel 1866Mhz, its actually my step-son's laptop. He recently downloaded something (though I have no idea what), but it killed his hard drive stone dead!! I bought a new hard drive for him today - 250GB, replaced it into his laptop no problem, reinstalled windows xp 32 bit no problem, and then downloaded AVG. A following scan of the system revealed the following - 1 virus, removed & dealt with, but also 4 rootkits not removed. Please could you advise, what on earth is a rootkit??? Because it seems that whatever this is its playing hell with his laptop, he can't get certain websites, the system freezes or crashes, or he's simply shut down without a chance of redemption. This is totally beyond me, please can you help me? I'll tell you whatever you want to know & help you in any way I can to rescue his laptop, sorry to sound so dramatic but this is really stressing me out. Thank you for your help, time, and patience with me on this.

[abseh1]

Rootkit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No virus or software can ruin a HDD.....it must have failed mechanically

The HDD you replaced may still be OK

Some viruses can enter via the BIOS
The BIOS software is built into the PC, and is the first code run by a PC when powered on ('boot firmware'). When the PC starts up, the first job for the BIOS is the power-on self-test, which initializes and identifies system devices such as the CPU, RAM, video display card, keyboard and mouse, hard disk drive, optical disc drive and other hardware. The BIOS then locates boot loader software held on a peripheral device (designated as a 'boot device'), such as a hard disk or a CD/DVD, and loads and executes that software, giving it control of the PC.^[2] This process is known as booting, or booting up, which is short for bootstrapping.

Finally, try referring this thread to the spyware help forum for help

It is very unusual for a new clean install on a new HDD to be infected unless you went on line without AVG installed

[Number7]

Thank you abseh1, your advice has actually been really helpful. I'll post the problem on the virus forum as advised. When I fitted the new Hard drive & then installed a fresh installation of Windows XP, I then downloaded AVG before I did anythging else. Once AVG was downloaded & installed I then did a scan of the whole system, it was then that the scan picked up the virus & rootkits, and the scan results message informed me that the 'rootkits' couldn't be removed. Thank you again for your time.

[abseh1]

Your welcome...good luck