I think I have a virus...

My computer won't start windows. I keep getting a message about "sorry for the inconvience...it may be something you recently installed/uploaded?...try starting windows normally.." and then it tries again, and repeats. It also gives 3 or 4 other ways to try to boot it up...

I do have a friend who does computers for a living (setting up servers, troubleshooting systems, etc.) whom we are going to ask to look at it, but was just wondering if anyone has any idea what is going on? DH and I think it is probably a virus, especially since I accidently clicked on something yesterday that I never would have, had I been paying attention... (Spammers! ). Help, please, anyone? I guess I just hate not having a clue what is going on, or if we are going to get our pics back...

Is that the exact message you get? It sounds really odd, I think you are right about the virus.

One thing I would try first is to google the exact phrase, oftentimes that will bring up some information specific to the virus. I tried that on your phrase, but I didn't get anything...so I was curious if that was it exactly, or not.

The last virus I had, there was a trick within it that would cause my browser to close when I typed V-I-R-U-S, or similar related words...making it very tricky to find the info needed to get rid of the bug. They KNOW you'll try, in an effort to fix it. ...but it is worth a shot.

Are you getting a blue screen with the message or is it a black screen with an error message?

Did you try safe mode?
What windows do you have?

I have Windows xp home. Yes, asked DH, he tried the safe mode. *sigh*. A blue screen pops up for a second, in the top left hand quarter of the screen (but too fast to read it) and then the computers boot up screen comes up like normal, then it is the black screen with white letters...