[thechat] Help: Problem with PC

[Syed Zeeshan Haider]

Hello Experts,
I have IE5.5SP1 on Win98SE.

Serious problem and the story would be L O N G.

I use iMesh file sharing program. Last night I was downloading a very large
file (about 17 MB). I set my PC to disconnect internet at 8:00 AM. At about
7:30 AM, power supply of our area of the city failed. Then it came back
after 2 to 3 minutes. My PC doesn't start automatically in this situation.
When I pressed the button to start it, it ran scan disk (blue environment
with yellow progress bar). After completing it, the whole screen turned blue
and further functions ceased. I pressed restart button. PC tried to access
hardware, hard drive ran for some time and then everything hung. No beep or
no appearance on monitor! Everything black! I turned off power supply (my
British friends can understand that how), I tried to start it after half an
hour. But same situation. I tried to start it after one hour but no
response. I turned on air conditioner to cool down the PC hardware (in case
its problem was hardware heating up). But all in vain!
I called my friend who has a bachelors degree in Computer Sciences. He came
and started the PC but no beep and no appearance on screen.
I told him whole of the previous story. He said "some time bomb virus has
activated and it has burnt PC's BIOS. Maybe, you'll not be able to recover
your C drive data at all". I keep my system always armed with all kinds of
anti-virus weaponry (imported from USA) (I mean Norton antivirus and its
fortnight upgrade via internet.) I told him about my security settings. He
said that such viruses can dodge security settings and perhaps this was a
new one.
He told that we needed to take the PC to some repair shop. I planned to go
to for repairing it tomorrow. After my friend's departure, I tried to start
the PC again. I pressed the power button many times instead of one. It tried
to start and then turned off (it never turned off before automatically; I
had to cut off power manually.) I pressed the power button again.
Surprisingly, system turned on normally. I immediately launched AV, and ran
full system scan. After 20 minutes, while AV was scanning PC, screen saver
(setting: Blank Screen) appeared and PC became stuck. I restarted PC by
pressing Restart button but same problem; no response, beep etc.
I pressed the button repeatedly. Computer turned off. I pressed power button
and computer turned on normally.
(Phew!)
And now I am mailing you.
Can you help me in diagnosing the problem?
Any ideas will be highly appreciated.

Thank you,
--
Syed Zeeshan Haider.


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Allah says to Mankind:
"Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?"