Nephew got a serious virus, how can I help him reformat?

[Alcsaar]

Foreword: Please read thoroughly prior to commenting, I know how to reformat a PC, but none of the traditional methods for doing so are working on this computer.

Somehow my nephew managed to get some sort of serious virus/malware/rootkit installed on his PC. I can't physically help him with it because he lives 15 hours away.

He is on Windows 10 using an ASUSTek P8H61-I R2.0 motherboard. I attempted to do a system reset using the traditional Windows method but that method is corrupted

(Error: Your PC/Device needs to be repaired. The application or operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors.
File: \windows\system32\winload.exe
Error code 0xc0000225
You'll need to use recovery tools to repair the PC)

I sent him a bootable flash drive with a copy of Windows 10 on it for him to use to reinstall.

However, now I am running into another issue. When I give him instructions to go into Advanced Startup > Troubleshooting to try to select his boot media, he has no options to do so. There is also no option to go into UEFI Firmware Settings. I've looked up the motherboard model and it states that the key to access the BIOS during boot is DEL, but he said pressing DEL is not going anything. I've also had him try other common keys like F2, F12, F8, etc.

Any ideas on what else I can have him try? The PC isn't automatically attempting to boot via the USB, and I've run out of ideas for ways to change it.

[Paperfox]

Sounds like a nasty one.

Perhaps try disconnecting the hard drive (just need to disconnect one of the cables going to it) and then re-booting. Hopefully this will allow you to choose the boot order.

If it's still set to: optical drive then hdd, so you could try burning the windows iso to a dvd and then send that to him.

[Alcsaar]

Sounds like a nasty one.

Perhaps try disconnecting the hard drive (just need to disconnect one of the cables going to it) and then re-booting. Hopefully this will allow you to choose the boot order.

If it's still set to: optical drive then hdd, so you could try burning the windows iso to a dvd and then send that to him.

I'm not going to ask him to open the PC to do anything if I can avoid it, because he has no experience with that at all, and hes pretty young.

I've never seen anything like it TBH - despite his account being a local administrator account, I am unable to perform ANY admin actions on it. If I try to open command prompt or powershell as admin, it takes like 2 minutes to eventually tell me the specified path to the file can't be found. MSConfig doesn't exist. I have no idea what he did to royally f it up to this point. I can't effectively use any remote control software because of all the restarts and stuff I have to do, and the fact that they don't function during bootup or at the BIOS limits the capability.

[Temp name]

Have you tried flashing the bios?
If that doesn't work, pull the power cable and hold in the power button, that *MIGHT* force a bios reset to let you boot into safe mode and format from there

If no dice, then pull the hard drive and replace it with a sacrificial one with a windows and bios pre-loaded from another device, launch into safe mode, flash bios, reinstall old drive and format
If that still doesn't work, but you could work from the other hard drive.. Just have him live with that one until his parents get him an SSD and make sure to teach him to never download shady shit again
If the new hard drive didn't work either.. Take it out behind the barn and shoot it. I wouldn't trust the MOBO or any storage in it, but CPU/RAM/GPU/PSU should be safe for another build

[Sinaa]

Removing the bios battery is an option to consider.

[Alcsaar]

Have you tried flashing the bios?
If that doesn't work, pull the power cable and hold in the power button, that *MIGHT* force a bios reset to let you boot into safe mode and format from there

If no dice, then pull the hard drive and replace it with a sacrificial one with a windows and bios pre-loaded from another device, launch into safe mode, flash bios, reinstall old drive and format
If that still doesn't work, but you could work from the other hard drive.. Just have him live with that one until his parents get him an SSD and make sure to teach him to never download shady shit again
If the new hard drive didn't work either.. Take it out behind the barn and shoot it. I wouldn't trust the MOBO or any storage in it, but CPU/RAM/GPU/PSU should be safe for another build

None of that is going to work because as I mentioned before, he lives 15 hours away and isn't going to be able to do any of that himself. I can't even get him into the BIOS.

[Paperfox]

I'm not going to ask him to open the PC to do anything if I can avoid it, because he has no experience with that at all, and hes pretty young.

When I do something quick like this: I make sure the computer is powered down. Depending on what I'm doing I usually just leave the computer in place. Remove screws and open the left side panel. Touch the metal to make sure I'm grounded. I do NOT touch the MOBO or any circuit boards, grasp one of the cables and remove it gently. Some of my cables have locks on them so I need to press the release button. So if it requires more than a gentle touch I'm doing it wrong.

When you're done and fixed it, create an Admin account and make it the standard administrative one. Then create a regular user account and only use that for your day to day stuff. I have seen this suggested, and do it myself as sometimes the virus requires elevated (administrator) rights that a standard user doesn't have. So if you ever get the dialog box wanting the password, then something bad just happened.

Also, set up protected folders for your documents etc.

Both of these are a bit of a pain occasionally, but they may prevent something bad from being worse. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure and all that.

[Crillam]

So it's a prebuilt system? That explains why you can have a hard time entering the BIOS. Sometimes manufactures somehow block the option to go in there.
Can he start the computer like normal and get to the login screen? If that's the case tell him to plug in the USB and start the computer. When he gets to the login screen he should hold down "Shift", while he does that he should select the "Restart" option down to the right. Just do not let go of shift. This will bring him to the recovery screen and hopefully it can be solved from there.

[Alcsaar]

So it's a prebuilt system? That explains why you can have a hard time entering the BIOS. Sometimes manufactures somehow block the option to go in there.
Can he start the computer like normal and get to the login screen? If that's the case tell him to plug in the USB and start the computer. When he gets to the login screen he should hold down "Shift", while he does that he should select the "Restart" option down to the right. Just do not let go of shift. This will bring him to the recovery screen and hopefully it can be solved from there.

It is not prebuilt, I built this PC for him using some old parts before he moved to another state.

I'm able to get him to the recovery screen, but none of the options there are relevant. There is no option to boot from media, there is no option to reset pc (technically there is, but trying that option is what gives the error I put in my OP)

[Crillam]

It is not prebuilt, I built this PC for him using some old parts before he moved to another state.

I'm able to get him to the recovery screen, but none of the options there are relevant. There is no option to boot from media, there is no option to reset pc (technically there is, but trying that option is what gives the error I put in my OP)

Have he also tried switching around where he plugs the USB? Directly to mobo, or is it front of case etc.
But also if it is built by you no warranty will be void if he opens up the case. Do that and all he has to do is unplug the HDD/SSD. It will then be forced to boot from the USB.
Linus Tech Tips have some great, simple videos how to build a computer, so reverse enginner that maybe as a last resort?

[Kagthul]

Its like… 10 year old hardware. You could literally buy him newer hardware (4th/5th gen MoBo/CPU) on Craigslist/FB Market (so he could re-use the remainder of the parts) for 100$ and move on with your day.

Barring that, the only other suggestions i have all also require opening the rig.

[chazus]

Honestly, what you're describing doesn't really sound like a virus. Sounds like some good old fashioned OS damage (which, I mean, COULD have been from a virus, but rarely is these days)

I think we need to take a step back on all the flimflam about troubleshooting and windows stuff and just figure out why we can't get into bios. It may be another key. How old is the kid? I've worked with plenty of customers (hundreds, even), where after confirming 20 times are they doing a specific thing I tell them, it turns out they aren't.

Is there someone else in the house? His parents? What does the screen say when it turns on? Splash screens usually indicate the BIOS combination. Also, is it wireless? Maybe try a different usb port (sometimes some dont come online before windows, especially certain USB3 stuff)

[Spazzix]

I think we need to take a step back on all the flimflam about troubleshooting and windows stuff and just figure out why we can't get into bios.

This.

Multiple issues were listed, multiple problems with potential troubleshooting steps were listed, but unless you focus on things one-by-one you're just going to be playing jenga and eventually that weak point at the bottom is going to keep making everything fall down.

Try having him use different *wired* keyboards.
When changing ports and keyboards: power off > plug into new port > power on > try to enter BIOS
If possible, have him facetime, or zoom, or skype or whatever it is people do to video call these days and show you the computer and keyboard as he's starting up; it could be something as silly as him waiting too long or thinking that backspace and del are the same thing.

With that said,
Even if you get BIOS working, it still feels like there is a decent shot you're looking at replacing drive or more unlikely, RAM. Viruses generally don't want to brick a system—they want it to keep running so they can use it or get info from it. So if OS files were corrupted, there is a reasonable chance it was an issue with one of the two points doing most of the handling of those files: drive or RAM.
If you're lucky it was just a random error and after reinstalling you can squeeze another chunk of use from the machine before it fails again, but be prepared for another failure even after a reinstall.
If you're in a position to replace the machine, you might save yourself a whole lotta headache by doing that before you invest too much time into troubleshooting. If he can't open it up to test individual components, it's all-or-nothing, and betting on "nothing", given the situation you've described, doesn't seem like the smart move.
If you aren't in a position to replace the machine, figure out if there's any way you, your nephew, and his parents would be comfortable with him swapping out some simple components.

Best of luck!

[Temp name]

None of that is going to work because as I mentioned before, he lives 15 hours away and isn't going to be able to do any of that himself. I can't even get him into the BIOS.

He fucked the pc, he can unfuck it.

[Gaidax]

Disconnect all hard drives and SSDs, this should force popup to go to BIOS. Then he can press whatever needs to be pressed to do so there.

Additional possible way is to power on PC and then kill the power plug just as it powers up few times. This should also after 2-3 times automatically bring you to BIOS.

[Kagthul]

He fucked the pc, he can unfuck it.

Agreed.

Stop acting like its impossible for a kid to do something. my son assembled his computer at age 10, with only minimal input from me. I just had him watch a few YouTube tutorials (Jayz2Cents, Pauls Hardware) first. Only thing i did was put the CPU in the socket because it was intel and i didnt want to risk him screwing up the LGA pins (which, lets be honest, is easy enough for adults who are super familiar with the process to do). He did the rest himself.

As someone else pointed out, unplugging all the drives should FORCE it to boot into the EFI/BIOS. If it DOESNT, then the board itself is screwed up and its time for new hardware.

[Strawberry]

Guide him through a video call.
I doubt you can fix a nasty virus on a prebuilt PC without physically accessing components.
Don't buy prebuilt shit. It's not worth it.

[chazus]

Guide him through a video call.
I doubt you can fix a nasty virus on a prebuilt PC without physically accessing components.
Don't buy prebuilt shit. It's not worth it.

Why would you need to access components to fix a software problem...? Why does any of that have to do with prebuilts, which it isnt?

[oplawlz]

Boot to a linux distro from a thumb drive, format the hard drive from that

[SinR]

Bite the bullet and walk him through it.

Its not a bad thing to understand how a computer works nowadays anyway. Save a bundle on buying and assembling yourself vs buying a prebuilt.