help, computer wont read usb or cd, think it is malware

help,

my computer will not read a usb or cd/dvd, it says access is denied.

i have done various virus and spyware and malware tests and it brings back nothing.

i would back it up and re install windows xp, but i have no way of saving the back up, because it will not read.

i have also started getting a blue screen that says hardware malfuntion, and the only thing i can do is to switch my laptop off.

it is an acer travelmate 2420, with windows xp sp2. hav avg 8.0, avira, ad-aware 2008, malwarebytes anti-malware, super anti-spyware and have zonealarm as a firewall. help would be appreciated urgently.

 

Hi and welcome! :wave

You have a network port in that - can you use that to backup? All else fails, you can put the laptop drive into a caddy and back it up that way.

If Chaslang thinks it's a hardware error, it probably is. But if you could back up by network, at least you can give reinstalling a go.

 

no, i cannot back it up through a network, as it only on wireless,

can any1 recomend another way that may be more efficent of doing it, as i would like to avoid re installing as i do not have much time.

it was working, until i tried to speed up my computers start up time, without much success.

it is really annoying me,

please help.

 

You do have an ethernet connection in your laptop according to a manual I looked at. You could use that to connect to another computer using a crossover cable and set up a network with just the two machines or connect through a hub or switch or similar. Do you know someone with at least two machines going out to the internet? They probably have all the cables needed and hopefully enough hard drive space or you can use their USB ports if they are shared with your laptop.

Or if you know someone with a small style external hard drive, you could borrow it to put your laptop hard drive in and connect it to another computer via their USB port. You just open the case and take theirs out and put yours in - you might need to take a bracket off the back of yours first that lets in fit in your laptop. Or just buy a case - they are around $30 or 20 pounds perhaps.